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MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE 
FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE
In This Issue:
Diversity, Community & Programs are Crucial
Study Tip: Improvise and Adapt
Coach of the Month: Jamie Stern
Quick Links

 

Academic Success Partner of the Month

  

 

Our Success Partner is someone very close to home here at Academic Success, Jennifer Caspar. Jennifer inaugurated the Eric Altshule Memorial Scholarship Fund in honor of her late husband Eric Altshule, co-founder of Academic Success. Known by its shorter name, Eric's Kids, it commemorates the life and work of Eric by providing scholarships, mentoring and grief support for students who have lost a parent. Working in partnershp with the California Community Foundation and the Catholic Education Foundation, the fund provides financial assistance and support to children who would otherwise be unable to attend quality Catholic schools. In doing so it preserves the memory of Eric, who believed all children deserve a quality education.
For more information visit  the Eric's Kids page on the CCF website, go to the Facebook page or email Jennifer with any questions. 

Looking for a Student Community Service Opportunity?

   Meet Rickey Smith, social entrepreneur and owner of the sustainable food business Urban Green. He's started a community education venture called the Urban Green Kids Row program, creating opportunities for kids from diverse backgrounds to participate in many activities related to food sustainability, from planting seeds  to learning about how organic food is grown and harvested. For more info on a terrific community service and volunteering opportunity for kids, email Rickey, visit the website at www.urbangreenla.com

or call (800) 200 3320. 

Check out Our  YouTube Video!

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two-minute video we recently produced to give you a feel for who we are, our philosophy and the way we approach our work
How Academic Success Can Support You
At Academic Success we take great pride in finding the right coach to support the unique needs of each student we help.  Please check out the areas where we work on our  web site and let us know how we can support you.

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Looking for a College Counselor or Ed Therapist?
We work and partner with excellent Educational Therapists and College Counselors throughout the L.A. area.  Give us a call and we can recommend the right fit for your child.

310-823-4398
Seasons 
Greetings!
 
December doesn't just usher in holiday festivities; it also means the season of high school registration and college applications is upon us. 
Parents and students have never had more options when it comes to making these crucial decisions. Moreover, high schools and colleges are becoming more varied and specific in their educational philosophy and culture.
Students are now expected to take an active role in choosing their next academic step: private, public or charter? Big or small? Non-religious or denominational? A focus on athletics or performing arts? The list goes on!
In this issue, we'll attempt to clear away the fog surrounding this most important choice for our kids. We'll highlight many of the factors that often determine the outcome of a student's choice of school or college and get sage advice from educational experts. 
 
At Academic Success, we're committed to being there with the best information to guide students through the biggest moments of their academic lives. 

 

Please call with any questions at (310) 823 4398 or

 

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All the best,

 

Jamie

 

"Destiny is not a matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for. It is a thing to be achieved."

                                - William Jennings Bryan

Education News 

Diversity, Community & Programs 
Are Crucial
  
While most high schools now have very informative websites for parents and prospective students to browse, nothing can replace feet on the ground. This highly informative piece details the efforts of parents who are doing the legwork required to find the absolute best fit for their child. 
 
Picking Your College:
Close To Home Or Far Away?

 

Beyond doing your homework on potential colleges and visiting campuses, graduating high schoolers have a myriad of other considerations, including the question of distance. This excellent piece, hot off the presses of the Huffington Post, lists the pros and cons of heading off to colleges near and far. 

 

5 Tips For Picking The Right High School

 

After being hounded by friends and family for years, this education writer decided to gather together his own experiences in picking schools for his kids and share them with US Time magazine readers. This column serves up a helpful blend of professional insight and common sense. 

 
Scratching 
Below The Surface When 
Choosing Your College

   

There are reams of information available to every parent and student on choosing the best colleges. But how to define "best" for each unique student? This excellent     op-ed by leading New York Times columnist Frank Bruni goes beyond most people's standard criteria for college selection and poses the kind of questions many parents and their kids might not know to ask. 

 

Forbes Magazine's 
Top 100 Colleges List

 

One of the most prestigious and universally accepted sources of information when it comes to applying for college is Forbes Magazine's elite list of schools, released annually. A smart way to read the list is to first research the magazine's methodology in compiling it. This is an excellent resource that could make the difference and save time when sending out applications. 

Study Tips 

Improvising and Adapting: New Study Habits For A New Environment

 

One of the most common difficulties that afflict people who find themselves in a new environment is the interruption of established routines.
New peers, teachers and surroundings, while stimulating and exciting, can often be a distraction in those critical early days at that new high school or college. Students often find themselves struggling to keep up as they adjust and cope with the sudden change.
Yet new experiences can often be a golden opportunity to freshen up and improve your study process. 
Seeking out new study spaces is a terrific way to explore your new environs and reinvigorate study time.
Creating new homework groups/ finding new study mates can speed up the friend-making process while also getting fresh perspectives on subjects and study techniques. 
Time Management can be critical in the first few weeks at your new school. Take time to create a new schedule of study/social time that allows for both work and orientation.
Create Clear, Concise Study Notes During Every Class.
This will foster a sense of continuity amidst the hectic change. Looking over the prior day's notes before each class can help students to avoid stress and confusion.
Students who learn to appreciate the benefits and opportunities that come with major life/work changes are often handsomely rewarded in the years to come. 

Coach Profile 

 
Meet Jamie Stern,
  Coach Profile of The Month

This month we continue our focus on the newer members of our coaching team. Jamie Stern brings an incredible educational background to her work here at Academic Success. Born and raised right here in Los Angeles county, Jamie was something of an academic prodigy, excelling to such a level in high school that she skipped grades 10, 11 and 12 to begin college at 15! Jamie attended USC, gaining her Bachelor's degree by the age of 20 with a double minor in geology and performing arts. She then worked professionally as an aviation meteorologist for six years before returning to university to gain her Masters in cultural geography. Of Indonesian descent, Jamie became a spokesperson and researcher for the Indo Project, an organization dedicated to the preservation of Indo culture. Jamie loves to see her students shine, believing that as a tutor she must be personally invested in their journey to success. Her hunger for learning is leading her back to university for a PhD. In her spare time she loves to teach dance and enjoys practicing flamenco, tap, jazz and ballet.

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We consider it a privilege and an honor to support students and their families throughout the Los Angeles area.  Please call us at any time; we welcome your thoughts and input.  We are available at 310-823-4398.

Sincerely,
 
Jamie Altshule
Academic Success, Inc.