And we’re off to the races this May with plenty of #OpenHouses and #CampusTours to check out this week! Start the month out strong and familiar yourself with your schools’ of interest #admissions process. It’s never too early to learn about a school. Every #OpenHouse and #PreviewNight is an adventure of its own. Get to know all the schools you want to help you #findthebestfit for your child.

#Admissions events are back in business this week! Be sure to check out the various #CampusTours and Meet and Greet’s from different #admissions teams! Get a head start on your 2018-2019 research and visit all of your schools of interest now! Narrow down your choices so you make sure to #findthebestfit for your child. A lot of different factors go into your child’s success. Make sure the school you choose, meets all of them for you.

No #admissions events this week! Take this time to reflect on the events you’ve attended and the schools you’ve liked so far. Lists are your friend! Make lists of what you liked about each and concerns or questions that were left to answer to research. This week’s focus is on those taking the #ISEE on Saturday. We wish you all the best of luck! If you’ve yet to take it and are planning to for a different school, be sure to contact us for #testprep to help you get ready for it.

#CommonReplyDates everywhere! Be on alert this week because numerous @HoustonISD schools have #EnrollmentDeadlines this week! Make sure to reach out to #admissions teams to ensure you have all of your paperwork in. Schools are very much about deadlines so create a checklist to make sure your child is good to go! Don’t forget many schools are featured in @thefiratguide to help you in your decision-making process.

Hello everyone! 

We hope you all had fantastic spring breaks and were able to narrow down your college picks!

This past week, we had a great opportunity to team up with The Mommie Series and The Motherhood Center to bring awareness to private school admissions. If you weren’t able to attend the event, we thought it’d be great to recap the highlights in this week’s blog.

Our event was led by President Ibrahim Firat and panelists Beth Schneider (The Regis School of the Sacred Heart), Vivian Blum (The Post Oak School), and Carol Wasden (Episcopal High School). The panelists provide the most diverse representation of private schools in the Houston area.

• Faith-Based
• Faith-Based Catholic
• Single Gender
• Co-educational
• Pk through 8th
• Pk through 12th
• High School Only
• Traditional
• Montessori
• Small/mid size
• Large size

 

Their main objective was to tackle what to do if you were waitlisted, denied, or accepted into multiple schools. But it was also an opportunity for those that attended the event to have an in-depth highly interactive discussion with the panelists about finding the best fit school and more.

Each of the panelists were asked, “What do I do if I am denied? If I am waitlisted?”

The panelists agreed that parents should hug their child. They also said to take a step back. Once they receive their decisions, they should take a day or two to themselves. Then, come back to it with an open and positive mind.

Beth added that parents should reach out to their top picks and try to see why the decision was not in their favor.

Carol suggested the child or parent write a letter to the school if they were placed in the wait pool or list expressing their interest in that school.

And Vivian explained that anything can happen. In July, they will all be filling spots due to some unforeseen events.

We had someone in the audience with a 3 year old. She asked… “My child is only 3… and now- I am little worried. Should I be doing something now? How competitive is it?”

“Be prepared… it’s a long commitment. You’re essentially choosing the school where your child will be potentially study until high school or college.”

“Get informed… do your homework like you’re doing now. If it’s too much, use your resources. Use Ibrahim. Consult with him, he can help.”

After the discussion, we opened the floor to parents if they had specific questions to ask.

 

Q: I have twins! How’s that going to work?

A: Applications are on an individual basis. It depends on the fit of that child. Sometimes they need to go to different schools. It depends on the fit.

Q: My child is on a waitpool  for kindergarten. What do I do? What can I do?

A: Don’t stress. There are openings at school. Visit Houston private schools.org to see other potential options. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Have backups.

Q: How do you decide who to accept?

A: Depends on the grade level… High School there are a lot of factors but for toddlers- I’m parent commitment. Parent commitment is a partnership  with the school to assist in your child’s education.

Q: Does reapplying to the same school again and again help their chances?

A: Not necessarily help their chances. But we start fresh.

Q: The million dollar question for me is how do I figure out what school is the right fit? I can’t really tell based on the open house and website.

A: On Firat Education’s new website, there will an online assessment that will measure your child’s personality and character and at the end will give you a scorecard with possible schools. Another is the newest edition of The Firat Guide. It dives in the process and how to determine the best fit considering multiple factors such religion, academics, athletics, etc.

We are so happy to have been able help parents, and we hope this blog helps you as well.

Please Watch The Highlights of the Event Below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week’s focus is on #testing and #admissionsprocesses. Did you know that some schools not only encourage you to attend a #CampusTour or #OpenHouse, but some even require it? It’s important to get familiar with a school’s #admissions and #application process during your research in #findingthebestfit for your child. #PreviewNights and a #DayTours are great ways of getting to know an #admissionsteam to make sure you get everything submitted by the deadline.

 

Academic writing is an extremely tricky craft. It is not like math where you can teach someone how to use an equation or a concept to solve a problem. It is something that must be practiced in order to improve.  We also recommend reading on a consistent basis as this helps students improve their vocabulary and create different and effective sentence structures. Keep in mind, you will use writing in everyday life. It’s an important and underrated skill.

There are different types of academic writing. There are short response questions on standardized tests, research papers, creative writing stories, and standard and supplemental essays. Whichever one of these the student is working on, the objective remains the same.

The student’s main goal is to answer the question being asked or explain their main objective. To begin, we always recommend creating an outline of how your writing should be formatted. The amount of detail and time that goes into an outline depends on the amount of time you have. If this is a timed essay, make it brief. You do not want to rush your writing and have unnecessary grammar mistakes or make the tone rushed and unclear; however, if this is a research paper, your outline should be extremely detailed.

For a timed essay, having a brief outline gathering your main thoughts and ideas will help you stay on track and help form your writing. With a detailed outline, your research paper will basically write itself.

Creative writing is the most unique. There’s no real structure or guide that you must follow. You don’t have to stay contemporary, you don’t have to use proper grammar, and you don’t have to stay linear. It can be fictitious and does not have to be based on facts.  

Remember, stay clear and consistent in your writing. Do not backpedal as it confuses the reader. Focus on one thing at a time in your writing. Always finish strong and reaffirm your main idea.

 

Be sure to check out this week’s #admissionsevents! Our focus this week is on #expectingparents and #newparents! Be proactive in your research and visit all of the schools that interest you to get a feel for what each has to offer. Don’t forget the @thefiratguie is available to help you narrow down your choices to your Top 3. We also recommend you read @thefiratguide before visiting your schools of interest so you have plenty of questions to ask! From #OpenHouses, #CampusTours to #ObservationDays, take advantage of these events to get acquainted with each school’s #admissionsteam and their #applicationprocess.

 

 

Hey Everyone!

We’re doing something a little different this week. Usually, our blogs have been focused on college prep or test taking tips, but this week…. We want to brag.

Not about us… but about YOU!

We didn’t think we could be prouder of our 2017-2018 students who took the ACT this past year, but recently, we discovered something truly incredible.

A couple weeks ago- The national average for the ACT was released.

 

 

Every student begins with a practice ACT test at Firat; this helps measure the areas you need the most assistance. From there, we identify your gaps, align your goals, and provide solutions with our test prep.

Our tutors work with students one-on-one and take practice tests over time to track their improvement so that we achieve greater results across the board.

At Firat Education, we are always looking within to improve our test scores. On average, we are able to increase a student’s ACT score by 5 points. But something we looked at this year is how we measured up against the nation.

 

How do Firat students compare to the national average? Take a look.

Overall, we averaged 7.2 points higher!

 

We are able to implement our test prep by identifying goals, providing solutions, and achieving results.

This is our reasoning for bragging. Our students rock! We also want to brag about our tutors for connecting with their students and finding the most effective way of teaching them the concepts.

Connecting with students is one of the ways we are able to achieve these results. We also find our students improve on their tests when working towards a specific score.

 

Again, we just wanted show off how well you all did.
But there’s always room for improvement. We’re looking forward to raising those scores even more. 2018-2019 Firat Students…. Think you have what it takes?

 

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Wow! Time is flying!

A few weeks ago- we shared a blog on 7 tips to survive your spring break college visits. And now it’s almost time to use those tips.

We want you to remember to have fun on this trip and gather the information you need. Remember, it’s not all about the facts or the things the school is known for, it’s also about how you feel while you are on the trip.

What’s your first impression? What do you see? Is it different than what you expected?

Check out all areas of the campus. The tours are specifically designed to show you the highlights. Look at the rec center, all dining halls, residence halls, the library, and things to do around campus. What are their local attractions? What do students do on weekends around town?

This could potentially be your home for the next four years. Be sure you look at all areas, even the ones that you’re not initially attracted to.

While you enjoy your spring break, don’t forget about our college prep checklist.

Here’s our tips for this month.

• How did you do on your SAT/ACT? Or have you not signed up yet?
  • Remember: SAT test dates include March 10th, May 5th, and June 2nd. ACT test dates include April 14th, June 9th, and July 14th.
• Do you feel confident about taking the test? Do you need to improve your score?
  • Call us 713-871-1048. We offer test preparation specifically customized to help you.

• Recap our 7 tips to survive your spring break college visits blog. One week left!
  • Bonus tip: Don’t forget any unexpected essentials i.e. sun block, umbrella, snacks.
• After your college visits, add a list of pros and cons to each school.
  • Rank your schools!
• Write a letter to your top 3 teachers. Ask if they’d be willing to write you a letter of recommendation in the fall.
  • Letting teachers know in advance really shows them you care. Plan ahead of the curve.

See you all in April for more college prep tips and next week for a new blog.