Graduates » Carol J. Carter

More Employers to Require Some College, Report Says

Carol’s Summary:
The Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University released a report on Tuesday, which predicts that about 63 percent of jobs will require employees to have at least an associate’s degree by 2018. The report states that millions of job seekers will be under-qualified; leaving many employers understaffed and with a possible need to outsource job positions.
The report states that there will be a need for 22 million workers who have at least an associate’s degree, but 3 million positions will be left unfilled. The most in demand fields will be in health care, technology, and education, all of which require some kind of post-secondary education.

A post-secondary education is not only important for finding a job but is essential to one’s overall financial well-being. A post-secondary education is one of the most valuable tools that a person can have. Majoring in the Rest of Your Life and Keys to Success are both books that prepare college students for success in college and in the workforce.

Majoring in the Rest of Your Life is good for high school seniors as well since it guides students through the transition from high school to college, from living at home to being independent and from working a job to preparing for a career. Keys to Success offers study tips and provides students the opportunity to apply their academic knowledge in real-life situations.

LifeBound materials and academic coaching are geared towards preparing students, parents and teachers to transition smoothly through the process of acquiring and using education in the real world. Visit www.lifebound.com or e-mail contact@lifebound.com to learn more about our books, curriculum and academic coaching.

Article:
More Employers to Require Some College, Report Says
By JACQUES STEINBERG
June 14, 2010
The number of jobs requiring at least a two-year associate’s degree will outpace the number of people qualified to fill those positions by at least three million in 2018, according to a report scheduled to be released Tuesday by the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University.
The report makes clear that some education after high school is an increasing prerequisite for entry into the middle class. In 1970, for example, nearly three-quarters of workers considered to be middle class had not gone beyond high school in their education; in 2007, that figure had dropped below 40 percent, according to the report.

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Developing emotional, social and cognitive intelligence

Developing emotional, social and cognitive intelligence is important to understanding and becoming a great leader according to Dr. Richard E. Boyatzis. Professor of Organizational Behavior and Psychology at Case Western Reserve University and Professor in Human Resources at EASDE in Barcelona, Dr. Boyatzis sees leadership as the ability to connect emotionally with others and inspire them. He states in a recent podcast that “Adults can improve their emotional, social and cognitive intelligence competencies—those that distinguish outstanding performance in management, leadership and other professions, by as much as 70%!”

Emotional and social intelligence is at the center of LifeBound’s mission to prepare students for college, career and life success because these skills are not only important in the world of work, but also throughout school. Students need to be able to form strong relationships with others in order to function effectively in teams, participate in study groups and join extracurricular activities. Life success requires not just book smarts, those who struggle academically, do better when challenged emotionally and socially which teaches them how to persist.

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The Hay Group posted a 4 part podcast by Dr. Richard E. Boyatzis titled, “Developing emotional, social and cognitive intelligence in graduate, undergraduate and executive students.”

To listen to all 4 podcasts visit http://www.haygroup.com/ww/Media/Details.aspx?ID=27430.

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Graduation rate for US high-schoolers falls for second straight year

Carol’s Summary:

For the second year in a row, high school graduation rates in the US have continued to decline, according to a data in a study released by Education Week and the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center foundation.

The study, called “Diplomas Count 2010”, analyzed and compared high school graduation rates from 2006 to 2007; it was found that there were approximately 11,000 fewer high school graduates nationwide in 2007 than in 2006. The analysis counts the percentage of high school students that receive a diploma in four years.

Another aspect of the report shows a list of 21 cities’ school districts whose graduation rates are reported as unexpectedly higher than estimated to be, based on poverty and ethnicity-based statistics. Amongst the school districts mentioned were Texarkana Independent in Texas and Memphis City in Tennessee. Higher graduation rates not only affect students and their families, but are also better for the economy.

The Alliance for Excellent Education estimates that if the dropout rate were to decrease by half in 50 of the US’ largest cities, tax revenue would increase due to the increased earnings of high school graduates compared to those who drop out.

In the present-day, it is more essential than ever for students to graduate from high school and go on to college and into the professional world. Making the Most of High School is geared towards guiding high school students in academic achievement as well as real-world situations, so that students are prepared to succeed in all aspects of life. To learn more about Making the Most of High School as well as other LifeBound books and materials, visit www.lifebound.com or e-mail contact@lifebound.com.

Article:

Christian Science Monitor

Graduation rate for US high-schoolers falls for second straight year

By Stacy Teicher Khadaroo, June 10, 2010

The national high school graduation rate has slipped in recent years, despite an array of public and private efforts to boost the percentage of students going on to college. But some districts are beating the odds, succeeding with many students who otherwise may have fallen through the cracks.

The percent of students earning a standard diploma in four years shifted from 69.2 percent in 2006 to 68.8 percent in 2007, according to an analysis of the most recent data in “Diplomas Count 2010.” It was the second consecutive year of decline, says the report, which was released Thursday by Education Week and the Editorial Projects in Education (EPE) Research Center, a nonprofit in Bethesda, Md.

To read the full article: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2010/0610/Graduation-rate-for-US-high-schoolers-falls-for-second-straight-year

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Want a Higher G.P.A.? Go to a Private College

Grade inflation has risen among private colleges, especially in the last decade. However, my colleagues who teach at a range of colleges from four year to community college to career schools, believe that students have come to expect that because they are paying for college they should be getting—not earning—good grades. Many professors feel that the students have the “you work for me” attitude. You can see how these behaviors, when unaddressed, create problems of expectation and work culture once these students graduate and begin work in a professional environment. Professors can most help students by emphasizing:

1) The extent to which you are challenged—even if you earn a C—is more important than taking an easy teacher where you get An “A”

2) The real-world expects you to challenge yourself in increasingly more complex ways. If you expect your boss to let you off the hook on a non-deliverable or late work, think again. This could cost you a pay increase or even your job.

3) Focus as much on the interesting experiences you can create for yourself as, in the end, these are often more important than your GPA unless you want to become a professor, a research scientist or get into medical school.

4) Ask the question: if you were a manager, would you hire yourself based on these actions?

Bottom line is that we can’t continue to coddle today’s students or we won’t have a strong, resilient, capable and forward-thinking people to solve our greatest problems in business, community, science, and world-wide issues.

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Want a Higher G.P.A.? Go to a Private College
By CATHERINE RAMPELL
Over the last 50 years, college grade-point averages have risen about 0.1 points per decade, with private schools fueling the most grade inflation, a recent study finds.

The study, by Stuart Rojstaczer and Christopher Healy, uses historical data from 80 four-year colleges and universities. It finds that G.P.A.’s have risen from a national average of 2.52 in the 1950s to about 3.11 by the middle of the last decade.

http://nyti.ms/9WAXLu

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A Way Around the Job Market

CAROL’S SUMMARY:

Hiring fell 22% last year, so this is an especially challenging time for graduates looking for a job. So, how are students and recent grads adjusting? Many are working their way around the job market through entrepreneurship.

As an entrepreneur myself, I can appreciate the creativity and hard work this generation is mustering to make it through such a tough hiring market. For those still in school, I offer summer internships as one way to get experience and learn from my journey as VP of Marketing at Pearson to small business owner of LifeBound, LLC.

If you are interested in launching your own ideas which can grow into a business, you might want to start with a day job which can provide you income and benefits. You will be essentially working two jobs until your dream idea gets launched. If you get venture funding, you can short circuit the day job route, but be ready to be beholden to stakeholders who will expect results within a specific time-frame.

If you are interested in what it is like to work in a small business, there are many companies such as mine for which you can work. To apply for an internship with LifeBound, please email your cover letter and resume to cynthianordberg@lifebound.com.

ARTICLE:

The Wall Street Journal
April 19, 2010
A Way Around the Job Market
by Aditya Mahesh

Last year alone, hiring for recent college graduates fell by 22% (See College Grads’ Outlook Is Grim). Those who were fortunate enough to secure a job upon graduation saw their average starting salary drop by as much as 8%. For someone who just invested over $150,000 in a four-year undergraduate education, these results are alarming.

Yet undergraduate students, a resourceful, motivated and educated group of young people, are looking outside the box now more than ever, to get around this contracting job market. For many, this means entrepreneurship.

To view this entire article visit www.wsj.com

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In-School Banks Dispense Financial Sense

Our nation’s recession has put the spotlight on personal finances, and many schools across the country have opened their own banks to teach students lessons in financial planning. When students don’t learn these skills early, the consequences can follow them through college and the rest of their lives.

According to Sallie Mae, ”84% of undergraduates had at least one credit card and the average was 4.6 credit cards per student. The average balance was $3,173. Despite the credit crunch, students’ credit card debt continues to rise as more students rely on credit cards than ever before and debt has even been linked to suicide among students.” Another study by the Project on Student Debt reports that “More than half of today’s college freshmen owe over $1,500 in credit card debt. In 1993, 1.3 percent of graduating seniors with student loans owed at least $40,000 (in 2004 dollars). In 2004, 7.7 percent owed $40,000 or more.”

[Sources: http://kids-money.suite101.com/article.cfm/credit-card-debt-and-college-students]

http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/general/2006-02-22-student-loans-usat_x.htm

This is why LifeBound’s new book, MAKING THE MOST OF HIGH SCHOOL, includes financial literacy exercises in every chapter and one chapter devoted to this topic. We also help students create an 8-year plan starting the freshmen year which includes budgeting. To receive a review copy, call our toll free # 1.877.737.8510 or email contact@lifebound.com

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USA Today

By Katharine Lackey, USA TODAYWhen students at Carter High School in Strawberry Plains, Tenn., forget their lunch money, they don’t have to worry about going hungry.Instead, they wander over to one of the five tellers who work at the student-run bank, where they can withdraw money from their savings accounts or fill out short applications for a $5 loan, all without leaving the building, says Lynn Raymond, a banking and finance teacher at the school.“We’re easing them into learning about borrowing money and the responsibilities that go along with that,” Raymond says of the experience students receive at the bank, which opened Feb. 16 in partnership with First Century Bank.“It’s just so important because so many people get in trouble financially,” she says.Students across the USA are increasingly getting hands-on experience about the financial sector through banks operating in high schools, and sometimes even in elementary schools.The first in-school bank opened in 2000 in Milwaukee and today there are several dozen, says Luke Reynolds, chief of outreach and program development at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. To view the entire article visithttp://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2010-03-31-schoolbanks_N.htm

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At College Admission Time, Lessons in Thin Envelopes

Carol’s summary:

As teens await the springtime arrival of college letters, some students will read a rejection from their college of choice as an indication that they don’t have what it takes to succeed, but as the article below iterates through several interviews with highly successful people, there are many paths on the road to success. Rejection can actually open the door to a better opportunity. Investment mogul Warren Buffet, said, “The truth is, everything that has happened in my life…that I thought was a crushing event at the time, has turned out for the better.” With the exception of health problems, he says, setbacks teach “lessons that carry you along. You learn that a temporary defeat is not a permanent one. In the end, it can be an opportunity.”

While a college rejection can be devastating initially, it can also propel students “to define their own talents and potential,” said Columbia University President Lee Bollinger, who was rejected as a teenager when he applied to Harvard. Students need to remember that there is no one perfect college. Any number of schools can be good fits and places to thrive. In the face of rejection form a college or university, here are some steps students can take:

Talk to your counselor.
S/he has been through this before with other students and knows what to do.

Apply to schools whose deadlines haven’t yet passed.
Many colleges have late admissions policies or rolling admissions. Use College Search to help you find schools that are still accepting applications.

Apply to the same schools again.
Some schools will reconsider your application if you take the SAT® again and improve your scores or if your grades shot up dramatically at the end of your senior year. Contact the admissions office.

Ask for an explanation.
Was it your high school transcript? Your essay?

Consider transferring to the college.
If you spend a year at another school, you can prove to college admissions officers that you’re motivated and ready for college-level work. Consider community and state colleges, too.

Source: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/apply/letters-are-in/126.html

Winston Churchill said, “Success is the ability to go from one failure to another without losing enthusiasm.” The opportunity in this situation is for students to improve their ability to risk, despite the outcome. One of the most important life lessons is that we only “fail” if we don’t try. Learning how to master these lessons now can prepare students for success in college, career and life. This is why I wrote LifeBound’s book for seniors in high school, MAJORING IN THE REST OF YOUR LIFE: Success Secrets For College Students, which includes real-world advice from other professionals who’ve faced rejection and gone on to find their best career path. To request a review copy of our new fifth edition, call the LifeBound toll free # 1.877.737.8510 or email contact@lifebound.com.

ARTICLE:

WSJ
March 26, 2010
Before They Were Titans, Moguls and Newsmakers, These People Were…Rejected
At College Admission Time, Lessons in Thin Envelopes
By Sue Shellenbarger

Few events arouse more teenage angst than the springtime arrival of college rejection letters. With next fall’s college freshman class expected to approach a record 2.9 million students, hundreds of thousands of applicants will soon be receiving the dreaded letters.

Teenagers who face rejection will be joining good company, including Nobel laureates, billionaire philanthropists, university presidents, constitutional scholars, best-selling authors and other leaders of business, media and the arts who once received college or graduate-school rejection letters of their own.

To view this entire article visit www.wsj.com

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To Reduce Dropouts, Obama proposes $900M for schools

Carol’s summary:

In spite of our country’s relative affluence worldwide, only about 70% of entering freshmen finish high school, and the numbers are even worse for African-American and Latino students, with only a 50-50 chance that they’ll graduate on time. Big city schools fare worst: Fourteen urban school districts have on-time graduation rates lower than 50%; they include Detroit, Baltimore, New York, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, Denver and Houston, and compared to other developed countries, the United States ranks 13^th among 20 members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Last year, 16 percent of all public high-school students left the system, up from 9.3 percent in 2006 (a 6.7 percent increase). Source: U.S. Department of Education.

This week President Barack Obama proposed $900 million in “School Turnaround Grants” at the nation’s 5,000 lowest performing schools over the next five years. If we are to remain competitive relative to the new global competition for talent, schools and districts must commit to strategies that help students persist with their educational goals. Some of the attitudes and behaviors that result in low achievement start all the way back in elementary school, and LifeBound offers programs starting in fifth grade. Specific to high school, schools need to adopt student success and transition programs designed to help students get off to the strongest start possible. The new second edition of our book for 9^th graders, MAKING THE MOST OF HIGH SCHOOL: Success Secrets for Freshmen, which is coming out in April of 2010, includes the following features:

Exercises on financial literacy in every chapter
Two new chapters are devoted to financial literacy and technology
An 8-year academic plan for students that covers high school and college
End of chapter exercises that that promote critical and creative thinking and ACT/SAT preparation
A fully updated Appendices on activities for students both in high school and outside of high school to develop their leadership skills.

To reserve a copy of our new updated book for freshmen success, or any of our other resources, call us toll free at 1.877.737.8510 or email contact@lifebound.com

How can we build better early-warning systems for struggling students?How can we effectively use the data to transform learning and reduce the drop out rate?

How can we connect classroom learning with real-world experiences to motivate more students to finish high school?

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USA Today

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Monday addressed the nation’s school dropout epidemic, proposing $900 million to states and school districts that agree to drastically change or even shutter their worst performing schools.

Obama’s move comes as many schools continue to struggle to get children to graduation, a profound problem in a rich, powerful nation. Only about 70% of entering high school freshmen go on to graduate. The problem affects blacks and Latinos at particularly high rates.

To view the entire article visit

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2010-03-01-obama-dropouts_N.htm

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With Scant Jobs, Grads Make Their Own

With the unemployment rate for 20- to 24-year-olds at 16%, many college and graduate-school graduates are starting their own businesses. The National Association of Colleges and Employers published a recent report citing that employers plan to hire 7% fewer graduates from the class of 2010 than they hired from the class of 2009. This is after hiring already dropped 22% in 2009 from that of 2008. According to the article below, the launching of new enterprises among young people is likely to continue. “Given the state of the economy, and the state of the job market, many young people are getting the push they needed to become entrepreneurs,” says Bo Fishback, vice president of entrepreneurship at the Kauffman Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes entrepreneurs. “It’s a lot easier to decide to launch your own company when there aren’t a lot of jobs out there.”

Read the rest of this entry »

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For-Profit Colleges Say They Are Key to Obama’s College-Completion Goal

CAROL’S SUMMARY:

The Chronicle article below points out that for-profit colleges can play a big role in the Obama Administration’s goal of having the world’s highest number of college graduates by 2020. Several statistics are cited, most from the National Center for Education Statistics, unless otherwise noted as follows:

Approximately two million students attend for-profit colleges, or about eight percent of the college-going population
Between the 1996-7 and 2006-7 academic years, the number of associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees awarded by private, for-profit institutions rose at a faster rate than the number of those degrees conferred by public and private nonprofit colleges: The number of associate degrees conferred by for-profit institutions more than doubled during that 10-year span, to almost 118,000. For public institutions, the number increased by 22 percent, to 567,000, during the same period. At private, nonprofit colleges the number of associate degrees decreased by almost 11 percent, to 44,000. Associate degrees awarded by for-profit institutions made up 16 percent of all associate degrees awarded in 2006-7, up from 10 percent in 1996-7.
The number of bachelor’s degrees conferred by for-profit institutions increased even more quickly, to 71,000 from 12,000
Students at for-profit institutions also tend to complete associate degrees faster than students at nonprofit colleges: The average time to completion at a for-profit college is 25.4 months, compared with 32 months at a nonprofit institution.
Almost half of students enrolled at a for-profit college are the first in their family to pursue a higher education, and the same proportion of for-profit-college students come from families with an income below $40,000, according to the Career College Association.

For-profit institutions for all their merits also have their flaws. Some scholars point out that proprietary institutions are less academically rigorous and offer a narrow range of degree options as compared to community colleges and state institutions. Additionally, they have higher default rates on student loans than students at nonprofit colleges. The article also cites a report by the Government Accountability Office that disclosed shady practices by some officials at for-profit colleges who’ve helped students pass basic-skills tests or obtain invalid high-school diplomas so they could be eligible for federal aid. The Obama administration is reviewing rules that govern for-profit institutions to address these issues.

Whether enrolling in a for-profit or traditional institution, many students enter college in the United States without the basic academic skills needed to be successful in their coursework. Researchers from the Manhattan Institute Center for Civic Information found that only 32% of students leave high school academically prepared for college (Greene & Foster, 2003). This percentage is even lower among Black and Hispanic students (20% and 16%, respectively).

Bridget Terry Long, an Associate Professor of Education and Economics at Harvard Graduate School of Education, has analyzed this issue, which lies at the intersection of K-12 and higher education. “These staggeringly [dismal] figures are especially disconcerting, because these students are likely to need remediation in college – and far less likely to complete a degree – than classmates who enter with higher levels of skill. Ultimately, not having a college degree means these individuals will have a harder time finding meaningful work in today’s knowledge economy.”

To read the results of her report, visit:

http://www.uknow.gse.harvard.edu/leadership/LP101-407.html

LifeBound’s mission is to fully prepare students for success in the 21st Century starting at the fifth grade level, since middle school is when many students begin to slip academically and behavior patterns are formed that contribute to or detract from their future success in school and in life. To receive review copies of LifeBound’s student success and transition materials, please contact us by calling toll free at 1.877.737.8510, email at contact@lifebound.com or visit us online at www.lifebound.com.

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Chronicle of Higher Education

By Jennifer Gonzalez

Washington

With about two million students in the United States now attending for-profit colleges, a number that is expected to double by 2015, leaders of those institutions say their sector must play a key role if President Obama is to meet his goal of having the world’s highest number of college graduates by 2020.

The institutions are still viewed with skepticism by some consumers and policy makers, but for-profit colleges have grown steadily. Their officials say the colleges’ performance records on enrollment and graduation demonstrate the extent to which they can fulfill America’s higher-education needs.

To view the entire article visit

http://bit.ly/3TFUnn

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