TH
BY GEORGE DOOLEY COUNSELOR,
SCHOOL OF CONTINUING EDUCATION
NORTH ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY
COLLEGE DISTRICT

YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL YEARS ARE
REALLY IMPORTANT. IN FACT, THEY
ARE SO IMPORTANT THAT THEY WILL
AFFECT WHAT CHOICES YOUR CHILD
MAY HAVE FOR THE REST OF HIS/HER
LIFE!

TODAY’S WORKSHOP WILL GIVE YOU
A BETTER UNDERSTANDING ON WHY
EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT AND HOW
YOU CAN HELP YOUR CHILD BE A
SUCCESS IN THE FUTURE.

YOUR CHILD MAY ALREADY HAVE AN
IDEA OF WHAT HE/SHE PLANS TO DO
AFTER HIGH SCHOOL. THIS IDEA MAY
BE REALISTIC, LIKE GOING ON TO
COLLEGE OR WORKING IN THE FAMILY
BUSINESS.

OR, IT MAY BE MORE OF A DREAM, LIKE
BECOMING A SOCCER PLAYER. OR
PERHAPS YOUR CHILD IS INTERESTED
IN MANY DIFFERENT THINGS AT THIS
POINT IN THEIR LIFE.

WHATEVER FUTURE YOUR CHILD
DREAMS ABOUT, DECISIONS THAT YOU
AND HE/SHE MAKE NOW AND DURING
HIGH SCHOOL CAN BE VERY
IMPORTANT!

REMEMBER: YOUNG PEOPLE CHANGE
THEIR MINDS OFTEN, SO THE BEST
PLAN IS TO KEEP OPTIONS OPEN.
LETS’ LOOK AT SOME THINGS YOUR
CHILD CAN DO TO PREPARE FOR
WHATEVER THE FUTURE HOLDS.

MANY YOUNG PEOPLE DO NOT ENJOY
GOING TO SCHOOL. THEY FIND IT
BORING OR THEY FEEL TRAPPED IN
CLASSROOMS WHERE SOMETIMES
THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT IS
BEING TAUGHT.

THEY MAY FEEL EMBARRASED TO ASK
FOR HELP. LET’S LOOK AT FEW WAYS
YOU CAN HELP YOUR CHILD IN SCHOOL.
1. SIT CLOSE TO THE FRONT OF THE
CLASSROOM WHEN POSSIBLE.

2. JOIN IN CLASS DISCUSSIONS.
YOU WILL LEARN MORE BY BEING
A PART OF THE CONVERSATION
INSTEAD OF JUST SITTING THERE.

3. ASK QUESTIONS ! IF YOU DON’T
UNDERSTAND SOMETHING IT’S
OK, CHANCES ARE OTHERS IN THE
CLASS DON’T UNDERSTAND EITHER.

4. KEEP UP WITH CLASS WORK.
WHEN THE TEACHER GIVES THEM
HOMEWORK HAVE THEM DO IT
RIGHT AWAY. CHECK WITH YOUR
CHILD THAT THEY ARE DOING THE
WORK AND DOING IT RIGHT.

5. ASK FOR HELP IN ANY CLASS IN
WHICH YOU FIND THAT THEY ARE
FALLING BEHIND. REMEMBER THE
TEACHERS ARE THERE TO HELP
THEM!

6. ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD TO TAKE
COMPUTER CLASSES. THIS WILL
HELP THEM WITH THEIR SCHOOL
WORK AND USE THE COMPUTER.

7. LEARN TO TAKE GOOD CLASS
NOTES.
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT
SKILL THAT YOUR CHILD WILL NEED
AS THEY GO ON IN SCHOOL.

8. LEARN TO PROOFREAD, CORRECT
AND REWRITE THEIR WRITTEN
WORK. NEVER LET THEM TURN IN
ANYTHING THAT IS NOT THEIR
BEST EFFORT.

9. DEVELOP TEST-TAKING SKILLS.
IF YOU ARE UNSURE ON HOW TO
HELP THEM ASK THEIR TEACHER
OR COUNSELOR.

TALKING WITH YOUR CHILD ABOUT
THESE TIPS MAY HELP HIM/HER
UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS WITHIN HIS OR
HER POWER TO BE A BETTER STUDENT.

NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOU CHILD TO
BEGIN TO EXPLORE WHAT TO DO WITH
THEIR LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL. THEY
WILL BE ASKING QUESTIONS LIKE:
1) SHOULD I GO TO COLLEGE?
2) SHOULD I GO TO WORK?
3) SHOULD I JOIN THE MILITARY?

EVEN THOUGH JOINING THE MILITARY
OR GOING TO WORK ARE GOOD
CHOICES, A COLLEGE DEGREE CAN
PROVIDE YOUR CHILD WITH MANY
OPPORTUNITIES IN LIFE.

A COLLEGE EDUCATION CAN MEAN:
1) GREATER KNOWLEDGE
A COLLEGE EDUCATION WILL
INCREASE YOUR CHILD’S ABILITY
TO THINK, EXPRESS THEMSELVES
CLEARLY IN SPEECH AND WRITING,
AND MAKE WISE DECISIONS.

2) MORE MONEY
A PERSON WHO ATTENDS COLLEGE
GENERALLY EARNS MORE THAN A
PERSON WHO DOES NOT.

3) GREATER POTENTIAL
A COLLEGE EDUCATION CAN HELP
INCREASE YOUR CHILD’S UNDER-
STANDING OF THE COMMUNITY,
THE NATION AND THE WORLD.

4) MORE JOB OPPORTUNITIES
THE WORLD IS CHANGING RAPIDLY.
MANY JOBS RELY ON TECHNOLOGY
AND ALREADY REQUIRE MORE BRAIN
POWER THAN MUSCLE POWER.

GOOD QUESTION. MOST PEOPLE ARE
NOT AWARE THAT THERE ARE MANY
DIFFERENT TYPES OF COLLEGES.
THIS SHOULD HELP. THERE ARE:
1) COMMUNITY COLLEGES
2) TECHNICAL/VOCATIONAL
3) FOUR YEAR COLLEGES AND
UNIVERSITIES.

LET’S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT EACH.
1) COMMUNITY COLLEGES
THESE ARE PUBLIC, TWO-YEAR
COLLEGES. THEY MOSTLY SERVE
STUDENTS FROM NEARBY
COMMUNITIES.

THEY OFFER ACADEMIC COURSES,
TECHNICAL COURSES AND ADULT
EDUCATION. THE PROGRAMS THAT
ARE OFFERED OFTEN LEAD TO A
LICENSE, CERTIFICATE OR AN AA/AS
ASSOCIATE DEGREE.

COLLEGES LIKE CYPRESS COLLEGE,
FULLERTON COLLEGE, SANTA ANA
COLLEGE, GOLDENWEST,AND MANY
MORE IN THIS AREA FALL INTO THIS
CATEGORY.

2) TECHNICAL COLLEGES GENERALLY
HAVE A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON
EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN
TECHNICAL FIELDS. THEY MAY BE
PUBLIC OR PRIVATE.

EXAMPLES OF THESE COLLEGES ARE:
BRYMAN SCHOOLS
ITT
CAREER ACADEMY OF BEAUTY
HORIZON LEARNING CENTERS
(COMPUTERS)

3) FOUR YEAR COLLEGES AND
UNIVERSITIES.
THESE SCHOOLS USUALLY OFFER A
BACHELOR OF ARTS(BA) OR
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE(BS) DEGREE.
SOME ALSO OFFER GRADUATE AND
PROFESSIONAL DEGREES.

EXAMPLES OF THESE COLLEGES ARE:
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY AT
FULLERTON, LONG BEACH, RIVERSIDE
AND ALMOST EVERY MAJOR CITY.
UNIVERSITIES INCLUDE: UCLA, USC
AND OTHER MAJOR CITIES AROUND
THE UNITED STATES AND WORLD.

ANOTHER GOOD QUESTION.
MANY ADULTS BELIEVE THAT COLLEGE
IS REALLY EXPENSIVE AND THAT THEY
WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEND THEIR
CHILD TO COLLEGE. THIS IS FAR FROM
THE TRUTH.

ALTHOUGH SOME COLLEGES ARE
EXPENSIVE, COSTS VARY FROM
COLLEGE TO COLLEGE. AT THE
COMMUNITY COLLEGE (2YEAR)
SCHOOL TUITION IS AROUND $26.00
PER UNIT. OK WHAT DOES THIS
MEAN?

LET’S LOOK AT THIS EXAMPLE:
YOUR CHILD HAS DECIDED THAT THEY
WOULD LIKE TO GO TO CYPRESS OR
FULLERTON COLLEGE. HERE IS THE
BREAKDOWN OF THEIR EXPENSES.

TUITION IS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY
THAT A STUDENT IS CHARGED FOR
INSTRUCTION, AND FOR THE USE OF
THE COLLEGE FACILITIES, SUCH AS
LIBRARIES. BOOKS AND OTHER FEES
ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE TUITION.

IF THEY WISH TO GO TO SCHOOL FULL
TIME THAT WOULD BE 12 OR MORE
UNITS. AT THE CURRENT TUITION THAT
MEANS THIS
12 UNITS @ $26.00 PER UNIT= $312.00
THAT WOULD BE (4) 3 CREDIT CLASSES.

US HISTORY 3 UNITS
ENGLISH 3 UNITS
SPEECH 3 UNITS
MATH 3 UNITS
12 UNITS

BOOKS WILL VARY FROM CLASS TO
CLASS BUT ON AN AVERAGE AROUND
$50.00-$100.00 PER CLASS.
OTHER FEES COULD BE STUDENT
HEALTH CENTER OR ACTIVITIES FEES.

YOU BET THERE IS!
IF COLLEGE IS A GOAL, DON’T WORRY
ABOUT COSTS AT THIS POINT.
IF YOU CHILD DECIDES TO GO ON FOR
MORE EDUCATION AFTER HIGH
SCHOOL, THE CHANCES ARE VERY
GOOD THAT THERE WILL BE

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP MAKE
IT POSSIBLE. THE GOVERNMENT AND
THE SCHOOLS THEMSELVES OFFER
MANY TYPES OF FINANCIAL HELP FOR
FAMILIES WHO CANNOT AFFORD THE
FULL COST.

FINANCIAL AID CAN HELP MANY
FAMILIES SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO
COLLEGE. THERE ARE THREE TYPES
OF AID AVAILABLE.
1) GRANTS AND SCHOLARHIPS.
THIS TYPE OF AID NORMALLY DOES
NOT HAVE TO BE REPAID.

HOWEVER, YOUR CHILD MAY HAVE TO
TAKE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CLASSES
AND MAINTAIN A CERTAIN GRADE
AVERAGE.

2) LOANS
LOANS ARE ANOTHER TYPE OF AID
AVAILABLE TO BOTH STUDENTS AND
PARENTS. LIKE A CAR OR HOUSE
LOAN IT MUST BE PAID BACK WITH
INTEREST. MOST TIMES IT DOES NOT
HAVE TO BE REPAID UNTIL AFTER
GRADUATION.

3) WORK STUDY
MANY COLLEGES OFFER SUMMER
OR PART TIME EMPLOYMENT TO
STUDENTS. THESE JOBS ARE USUALLY
ON CAMPUS AND THE MONEY EARNED
IS USED TO PAY FOR TUITION OR
OTHER COLLEGE COSTS.

THERE WILL BE TIME TO LOOK INTO
FINANCIAL HELP FOR COLLEGE DURING
THE LAST TWO YEARS OF HIGH
SCHOOL. IF IT IS POSSIBLE FOR YOUR
FAMILY TO BEGIN SAVE EVEN A SMALL
AMOUNT OF MONEY EACH MONTH, THIS
WILL HELP YOUR CHILD IN THE FUTURE

CERTIFICATES AND DEGREES EARNED
BY GRADUATES TO TWO-FOUR YEAR
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES LEAD
TO DIFFERENT KINDS OF JOBS.
LET’S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE
TYPES OF JOBS IN WHICH A COLLEGE
DEGREE MAY BE REQUIRED.

CERTIFICATE OR DEGREE PROGRAMS
MAY LEAD TO EMPLOYMENT IN:
AUTOMOTIVE MECHANIC
COMPUTER TECHNICIAN
DENTAL HYGENIST
GRAPHIC DESIGNER

HEATING, AC AND REFRIGERATION
TECHNICIAN
HOTEL OR RESTAURANT CHEF OR
MANAGER
MEDICAL RECORD TECHNICIAN
X-RAY TECHNICIAN

ACCOUNTANT
EDITIOR
ENGINEER
BANKER
PHARMACIST
SOCIAL WORKER
TEACHER
AND MANY MORE

ARCHITECT
BIOLOGIST
DENTIST
DOCTOR
COLLEGE TEACHER
LAWYER
DIPLOMAT

1) HAVE YOUR CHILD EAT A GOOD
BREAKFAST EACH MORNING.
2) WAKE THEM UP EARLY TO GET UP
ON TIME AND NOT BE TARDY.
3) BE SURE THEY GET A GOOD NIGHT’S
SLEEP.

4) CREATE A STUDY ROUTINE AND
STUDY AREA. HAVE THEM DO THEIR
HOMEWORK RIGHT WHEN THEY GET
HOME (NO TV OR VIDEO GAMES)
5) GO OVER THEIR HOMEWORK WITH
THEM.

6) ENCOURAGE YOU CHILD TO ASK
QUESTIONS, THAT’S HOW WE LEARN.
7) HAVE YOUR CHILD READ TO YOU
ON A REGULAR BASIS.
8) FEED THEM HEALTHY SNACKS
9) BE A ROLE MODEL TO YOUR
CHILDREN. BE POSITIVE AND
SUPPORT THE SCHOOL.

10) ATTEND PARENT-TEACHER
CONFERENCES OR TALK TO YOUR
CHILD’S TEACHER OR COUNSELOR
ABOUT YOU CHILD’S PROGRESS,
PROBLEMS OR DREAMS.
REMEMBER:
TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN YOUR CHILD’S
EDUCATION.

OK, THIS WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION
IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. DO YOU
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME?
REMEMBER:
TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS LOVE
TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT YOUR CHILD!

GOOD LUCK TO YOU AND YOUR CHILD
AS YOU MOVE FROM ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL TO JUNIOR HIGH.