Colleges Like “Spiky Kids”

Colleges Like “Spiky Kids”

For those of you with infants and toddlers, worried about where to live for a decent public school education, or how to get into the private school of your choice, college seems eons away. But it isn’t. Trust me, by the time your child has finished Kindergarten, the rest of their educational career looms large.

Tenth graders are hyper-aware that a lot of their future hinges on what they do in eleventh grade, not just courses and exams, but community service and extra-curricular activities. Bemused, I’ve listened as my babysitter talked about joining this or that team, and signing up for community service, so she could put something on her college applications. All her friends were doing the same.

The truth is that preparing for college isn’t a sprint, it’s a well-laid plan. And the plan is centered on who your student is from the get-go, not in eleventh grade when they suddenly proclaim an interest or two never before in evidence. Of course that can happen – but in general people are more consistent than that.

So when it comes to college applications, what it comes down to is that it isn’t just about the student’s academics. Let me rephrase – learning is not just about school. To adults long past the age of schooling that might be self-evident, but it’s amazing how quickly we forget that when it comes to our kids.

Learning is also about spending your time doing something that is truly interesting and maybe all-consuming, and getting better at it – over time. In The Talent Code, by Daniel Coyle, he talks about a couple of interesting attributes of highly talented people:

· Their ability to spend large amounts of time in total solitude (what Coyle calls “vitamin S”) even for the most highly social animals; and
· Their passion, which they’ve discovered on their own and is what they do, when left to their own devices.

Colleges are looking for these kinds of students, what they call “spiky kids” – those who have demonstrated an abiding interest, if not a passion. Not an overnight sensation, not a “well-rounded” kid, who has dabbled in everything. No, spiky kids have a direction, an interest, a talent, a passion. Not a million interests – they don’t have to be figure-skating rocket scientists who spend summers saving the world.

The role of parents here is to offer choices, and allow children time and solitude – unstructured alone time without your constant suggestions about what to do with their time, and without that ever-present screen. Give them time – and space – to find out who they are, develop who they are, and become who they are. Not all learning happens during the school day.

Give them the opportunity to become a spiky kid, and you can tick one box off the list of everything that needs to happen in eleventh grade.

Announcements:

1. Sleep, Screen Time & Academic Performance – a talk by Dr. Jayme Neiman-Kimel, pediatric neuropsychologist. This talk is being sponsored by Team Tutors.

Thursday, January 19, 2012
10:00 AM
806 North Camden Drive
Beverly Hills, 90210
rsvp to carrie or 323-356-6160

Jayme Neiman-Kimel has extensive experience working with toddlers, children, teens, and their families to provide a comprehensive ‘plan’ in order to achieve success in many areas of functioning including academic, social, emotional, physical, behavioral, nutrition and sleep. Highly recommended!

2. Catholic School Information Fair – West Los Angeles area Catholic schools together will host a Catholic Schools Information Fair on Thursday, January 26, 2012 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm on the campus of Saint Anne School located at 2015 Colorado Avenue in Santa Monica, at 20th Street and Colorado Avenue. Participating schools include: Saint Anne School, St. Sebastian School and St. Timothy School. Admission to the event and parking is free and the public is welcome to attend.
So, while I’m at it…

3. St. Anne School in Santa Monica is having an Open House on Sunday, January 29, from 11am-1pm. They will be showing off all their bells and whistles, including a new computer lab, SmartBoards in the classrooms, and their impressive music program. St. Anne’s is at 2015 Colorado, in Santa Monica. No rsvp needed.

4. EXPANDING YOUR HORIZONS – Career conference for girls in grades 5-8. – Saturday, March 17, Mount St. Mary’s College, Doheny Campus; 10 Chester Place, Los Angeles
Space is limited to the first 200 students, so please register early! Twenty-five women who work in math-and science-related careers will present hands-on workshops in fields such as veterinary medicine, civil engineering, theoretical physics, and chemistry. For information & registration contact Dr. Eleanor Siebert at 310-954-4015 or www.ExpandingYourHorizonsLA.org

5. Delphi Academy Open House for Prospective Families- Wednesday, January 18th from 9-11am. This is an opportunity to find out more about their Early Reading program. RSVP via email, phone or web at: info, 310-526-2700 or www.delphisantamonica.org

Delphi Academy of Santa Monica is an independent day school offering an Early Kindergarten through 6th grade program, with a rich and challenging hands-on curriculum and a highly personalized approach.

This is the perfect time to develop a plan for elementary, middle and high school, as well as for college. If you need a sounding board, or help putting together a plan for 2013, please contact me at sandy, or 310 926 0050.

Until next time,

Sandy Eiges
Sandy Eiges, M.S.W.
L.A. School Scout
877.877.6240
310.926.0050
sandy@LAschoolscout.com
www.LAschoolscout.com

"The panic that had gripped me subsided the instant that Sandy was on my team…getting my boy into a wonderful preschool…Sandy is now working with me on K and elementary for my son. THERE IS NO REASON TO DO IT WITHOUT HER!!" – Jill D., April 2009

"… I cannot say enough good things about Sandy Eiges and her company LA School Scout…What Sandy offered was not only information about all of the schools, but she also spent a considerable amount of time learning about my daughter and my family so she could suggest schools that she thought would be a good match for us …Things are constantly changing and Sandy’s job keeps her at the forefront of what’s going on." – Renee A., March 2008

"Just wanted to say thank you for the incredibly helpful call! You gave me such valuable insight. I already feel like a big weight has been lifted…" – Melanie L., March 2010

"I could not have imagined going through this process without Sandy’s help. She is truly committed to what she does, and really takes the time to get to know you and your family. She knows each schools personality, and can really help you figure out which is your school, and how to maximize your admission chances. Even though I thought I had an idea of what I wanted, Sandy was able to give me another perspective. She takes the stress out of this very complicated process. I felt very well prepared the whole way through. We are thrilled that we will be attending Crossroads in the fall!” – Belinda C., July 2010

"Because of your knowledge of Los Angeles schools (both private and public) and a sensitivity to my family, your recommendations of where to apply were spot-on. I felt very confident during the interview because you helped me understand that a good fit matters to everyone. When we got to the actual interview at our favorite school I was not worried because I knew I was prepared and could just be myself…your advice helped us gain acceptance into our first choice private school in a rushed, mid-year situation." – Cynthia S., January 2011

"We really got through all of this so much better with your care and guidance. At least half of each acceptance letter will be owed to you." – Mia G., March 2011

"Sandy’s advice during our search for a private school for our daughter was indispensable. While we had already toured several schools before we found her, she made some additional recommendations that were right on target as far as what we were seeking in a school. She continued to give us guidance and support throughout the application and interview process that we feel was critical to our success. Without Sandy, we would not have gotten accepted into all four schools to which we applied. Her assistance is a must to make it through this arduous journey and come out on top!" – Kelly Z., April 2011

"Just wanted to thank you so much for a wonderful consultation. I already feel like I am more empowered with information on where to start looking and all of the options. Really appreciate the thorough write up as well…" – Susan M., May 2011

“I’m so glad we decided to switch mid-year…We feel so lucky. Not to say there won’t be any bumps in the road, but I can already tell it’s a much better place for us. So thank you for leading us there, we would’ve never known about the school or considered switching mid-year without your guidance.” – Adriane R., January 2012

"You are awesome. Thank you so much…Sheesh!! This process is crazy!" – Michel W., 2009

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