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.