When is the right time to start planning for college? Ideally, it is at the stroller
stage. As much as you hope for a full scholarship, it is better to prepare to fund
the greater part of your son or daughter's college costs.
ISM understands that people start planning at different times in their child's development
and wants you to know all of the tools available - and all the right steps to take
along the way. So, we offer this bit of advice: if you have not started saving yet,
now is the time to start. And in addition to saving, get involved in the process
of preparing for college. You will not only avoid a mad scramble at the end - your
constant awareness will pay big dividends.
Here are some programs you might want to investigate.
Great Schools
This is a great resource for getting developmental information. Sign up for e-newsletters
that are relevant to your child's age and grade.
Bill Jackson, a former teacher, founded Great Schools in 1998 to catalyze a force
he believed was vital to the process of achieving excellence in education: PARENT
INVOLVEMENT.
Bill launched GreatSchools.net because he believed that:
- When parents make informed choices, students and schools benefit
- Students are more successful when parents are actively involved in their education
- Schools improve when parents advocate for high-quality teaching and learning
Since then, Great Schools has evolved into a national, independent nonprofit organization
committed to helping parents like you choose schools, support your children's education
and improve schools in your community. More than 25 million users visited GreatSchools.net
in 2005
ISTEP+
You will read a lot about this during your child's education. It stands for Indiana
Statewide Testing for Educational Progress-Plus.
About ISTEP+
In Indiana, all students in grades 3 through 10 take the ISTEP+. Based on Indiana's
Academic Standards, the test includes English/Language Arts at each grade, as well
as science in grades 5 and 7.
Solid reading, writing and math skills are "must haves" for a successful
future. ISTEP+ is designed to make sure students master these basics on their way
to earning a high school diploma. If students do not know enough to pass the test,
that is a sign they need some extra help.
Early education is very important in the development of every future college grad.
It is important to keep up with your child's development so that when high school
comes, you already have a good sense of strengths, interests and areas that need
work.
Always remember if you have a question about anything on this site, feel free to
drop us a note at outreach@ismloans.org
and we’ll be happy to answer or elaborate on an item that is confusing or unclear.