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Senior year started off with a bang at our house when I realized exactly how much there was to do. We had no idea the amount of work that goes into doing college visits, getting applications filled out, taking the ACT as many times as it takes and starting to look for scholarships; much of which needs to happen well before senior year begins. Most colleges want applications turned in by mid-November of a young person’s senior year in order to get the most out of school sponsored scholarship programs. The bottom line is students receive scholarship funds on a first come first serve basis. That, among other things, is something most parents do not know about until they start this process. Just so I don’t forget all these crazy details by the time my 7th grader is ready to take on the challenge of getting in to college, I thought I’d start blogging about the senior year experience from a parent’s perspective. Here is hoping it helps me remember everything when it is our turn again, and that it helps some of you who are just getting started.

College Visits

It is a good idea to start these during your son or daughter’s junior year. That way it is not so early that she forgets what she likes about a particular campus, and she is not so busy with senior year that it is impossible to get away. Senior year is a busy time right out of the gate. By the time November or December rolls around, applications really need to be in. If you have not done any visits by then, plan to visit campuses as a way to make final decisions between top college choices.

ACT/SAT Testing

You can never start this learning process too early. Many school systems even offer practice ACT/SAT testing in as early as 8th grade. Take advantage of every opportunity to practice these tests, but find out which test your state looks for most often. We learned that not every state offers both tests in convenient and easy testing locations because states tend to prefer one test to the other. Michigan is predominantly an ACT Test state, so our son took the ACT Test for the first time at his own high school. Not only that, but our school has the entire junior class take the test together over the course of two mornings, while the rest of the students have a late start. It was a great testing environment in familiar surroundings.

Another ACT Test note: Do not send out your scores to any schools until you are happy with them. You have no way of knowing how your son or daughter will do on the test the first time. If you send those scores to colleges automatically, you may not be giving the best first impression. Use as many test opportunities as you need to get a first score you like. Some schools even combine scores from the various batteries to come up with the strongest composite score for admission and scholarship consideration, so it is a good idea to know what the scores are before you send them. It costs a little bit more to do it this way, but it can definitely be to your advantage in the end.

College Application Budget

One thing we did not think about ahead of time was how much money it costs to submit applications and take ACT/SAT tests. College application fees range anywhere from $35 to $50 dollars (and more in some cases), and must be submitted with the application for processing. If you apply to seven different schools as we did, this number adds up quickly. We found one school that waved the application fee if we applied before December 1, but this is the exception rather than the rule.

College tests cost each time you take them, so if you are going to test multiple times, that needs to be in your budget. In addition, if you choose to wait to send out scores, there is an additional fee for that as well.

Do not forget printing costs and travel expenses for resumes and college visits! A resume is not a requirement, but it looks good when one is included with the college application. As far as travel expenses go, try to visit more than one college per day if you are traveling a good distance that requires an overnight stay. I would not recommend doing more than two visits per day. College tours tend to be very similar, and if they begin to blend because you have tried too much at once, you will not get the maximum benefit.

Well, that is all for today. Check back again soon for more advice on surviving senior year and getting your child ready for college. We are learning as we go, and believe me, it is quite an adventure so far!

OK, I sent out a status report on Facebook asking for feedback about the new Star Trek movie. I didn’t give my opinion, because I really wanted to see what fellow Trekkies or almost Trekkies had to say. Since many of you have responded, I thought it was time I threw my two cents in for whatever it’s worth. But since I always have more to say than a status report can do justice, here goes…with apologies to those who loved the rebirth of Star Trek for a new generation.

I knew after about 10 minutes into the movie that once again, Star Trek writers, producers and directors were monkeying with the space-time continuum. For Star Trek novices, that’s a kind way of saying we’d “been there, done that.” I couldn’t believe Captain Kirk, or at least what would be Captain Kirk, would meet the old, and can I say, very, very old Spock. Leonard Nimoy is the only Spock I’ll ever respect and love, but this was just way too much. Of course, Gene, my husband, pointed out to me after several lengthy conversations that we’re now set up for a new story line for a new generation of Trekkies everywhere, including a romance between Spock and Uhura (OK…yuck, and BTW, Gene didn’t like the movie either).

Now don’t get me wrong, I certainly joined in with the rest of the audience’s laughter at the antics of Bones, Chekov and Scotty, but seriously, did the under 40 crowd really get it? I certainly did because I’ve known and loved these characters since I was a wee Trekkie watching the show on Saturday afternoon reruns. Today’s budding Trekkies can’t possibly understand what they’re laughing at. So, that leads me to believe the Trek team assumed an awful lot when they really should have been thinking about the big shoes they had to fill.

I’ll agree with Gene, the action was good. But this certainly wasn’t a Star Trek I’d send my kids to. The language, and I mean the four-letter word kind, was out of character for Star Trek and gratuitous at best. And please, seeing young Kirk in his underwear making out with the green goblin’s cousin, was absolutely out of place and unnecessary. I guess the rebirth of Star Trek is no longer of the family friendly version, and I won’t even give the darkness and violence of the Romulans any air time in this review.

As I’ve said, my relationship with Star Trek goes way back. I am still a big fan of The Next Generation, and Captain Katherine Janeway of Voyager is tied for first with Jean Luc in my opinion. I missed the utopian feel that Star Trek movies always promise. This one was gritty, moved way too fast to establish any real story line and I’ve always hated sideways camera angles. But then again, I’m my own type of dinosaur, so to people who know me well this should be no surprise. I still like real wood in my fire place, the feel of well worn book pages turning in my hands (much to the chagrin of my Kindle carrying environmentally conscious friends), and on top of that I’m a Christ following, stay at home mom who sends her kids to (gasp) public school! So, this trip into the future didn’t suit me at all. I guess I’ll have to be satisfied with my Star Trek reruns whose continuing mission is to seek out new life and new civilizations, not back track into the past, which happens to be a present already too full of violence and instant gratification.

See, I told you this was too long for a status update! Live long and prosper…

At least that’s what it seems like these days, and in my life it has nothing to do with basketball. It’s the beginning of the end-of-school crunch. I know it seems weird to think of the end-of-school crunch starting so early, but it’s the last term of the year, and with each of my kids in music performance groups, it seems we have a concert every week. Beginning with my son’s high school musical, Children of Eden, it’s a marathon until June. So what does that mean in the life of a writer who’s trying to get her first novel draft done by the end of March? An all out sprint! But that’s not altogether bad. It’s a self-imposed deadline, so I know I can adjust it if I need too. Deadlines are important for accountability, even if it’s only to myself. If I don’t set them, my books, and in particularly this novel, become just one more thing I say I’m going to do and never finish. So, even though the end of the school year is in sight, I’ve got to keep moving forward so I’m not standing still at the last mile thinking about crossing the finish line. The first draft really is the first stage. After that, there are multiple revisions, feedback from my critique partner, writer’s workshop and conferences. Finally, when I think it’s really polished I’ll submit. That process can take years. If I don’t meet this first deadline, it makes the road so much longer. So, here’s to the Road to the Final Four and the road to my first draft. Success at the end of March is the goal both in basketball and for my book. Hopefully I won’t be “mad” when it’s over!

I made a lot of good progress on the novel this week, even though I wasn’t really in the right frame of mind when I started. It seems that when the subject matter turns difficult, a scene needs to come out, but is painful, it’s not writer’s block that stops me, it’s fear. I know that may sound strange, but honesty is hard for me, especially when it comes to writing. Maybe it’s the fear of rejection; not from publishers, but from family and friends who may not approve of what’s on paper. Perhaps it’s the fear of actually taking my writing to places I’ve never been and trying things I’ve never tried. Let’s face it; we all like our comfort zone. Some more than others, and even if it means our success is on the other side of the river, we’d just rather stay on the bank and dream. I’m really working on getting brave enough to cross over, and each day I push through the fear, I get one more toe wet. I know what most of you are thinking, but honest writing doesn’t always mean dealing with adult themes, throwing in the occasional gratuitous four-letter word or being as raw and edgy as possible. Honest writing is simply authentic writing. Children expect that, and since I’m writing for them, I have to give them that. So, sometimes when my writing seems too boring or tame for today’s audiences, even the youngest readers, I remind myself that I can’t change who I am and shouldn’t. Being authentic is essential, and telling my story from my perspective, the way I lived it and remember, is the most honest thing I can do. That’s what has to come through more than anything else. That was my goal this week, and I think I reached it at least a few times. The rest will eventually end up in the garbage in favor of new words, paragraphs and revisions, but the truest parts will stay. That is, after all, what we should want from ourselves in everything we do.

That famous line haunts me each day now as I push myself to meet my daily writing goals. It seems like each day there are things, both large and small, that try and sabotage my writing time. But it’s like anything, if it’s important to me I won’t let anything get in the way. So, here I am on day three of this new journey already wondering if I’ve got enough words in me today to meet my 1500 word goal. So here are some thoughts already rolling around in my head about what I’ve written so far.

The main character in the story is beginning to emerge more as her own person and less of a blending of the three or four people she started out to be. I’m already second guessing my plan of making her a violin player instead of a girl who loves to sing. If she is a singer, I can go with my original plan, but if she’s a violin player it makes the relationship between her and her new best friend had less tension as they go along. If I change it now it will be better than if I wait since I’m not too far in to make a substantial change. The other temptation is to continue writing from this angle and see where the story naturally goes rather than force it into a semi autobiographical account.

Today’s goal is to get more words down. I don’t think I’m up to reworking anything just yet until I get some more thoughts and scenes down. I like how this girl is taking form, even though she’s a bit different than what I’d originally planned.

Here’s to all you folks out there trying to stick to your own New Year’s plan…don’t worry about the mice or the men and just do what you set out to do. That’s what I’m doing today even though it isn’t as easy as it was yesterday! Happy writing.

Happy New Year to everyone who visits my blog! I don’t know who most of you are, but I do know that I appreciate your being interested in the life and times of a writer and what I’m up to on a daily basis…well almost daily. That’s my goal for this year anyway. My other major goal is to finish the novel that’s been floating around in my head for a while now. Most writers go through some sort of evolution throughout their journey, and I’m finding that I’m no different. Even though I never thought I had a novel inside me, here I am with one finally screaming to get out. The funny part is, it isn’t the book I thought I’d be writing. The story seems so ordinary and tame given our society and the likes, dislikes and appetites of our culture. However, there is something we learn from every life that passes through this place and the voice in my head needs to tell her story. So, I begin today. The kids are back to school, my other work is on a bit of a hiatus, it’s cold outside and there’s no holiday coming up that requires anything more than a card; so, no more excuses. It’s time to begin. Thanks for coming along with me on my journey.

Today’s writing goal…1500 words of whatever wants to come out first. I was up most of the night rehearsing scenes in my head, so this should be a piece of cake. I’ll just be glad to get them out so maybe tonight I’ll sleep a bit better! And just so you know, my book is about a middle school aged girl named Maddie…more to come.