We are coming on the season most kids look forward to the most, summer break! While families have a jam-packed schedule of fun during the warmer months, there needs to be some consideration to the dreaded summer slide. We’re not talking “slip n slides,” we’re talking “the summer slide” – regression over the summer in critical math and reading comprehension. There are simple steps that can help you figure out how to minimize the loss of learning over summer for your children. At Firat Education, we can help your children stay on top of their math and reading skills without experiencing the “brain drain” of summer. Here are some facts to consider.

• Studies show that younger students lose less over the summer than older students.
• Students see a more significant academic slide in math than in reading.
• On average, a student loses two months of reading skills and two and a half months of math skills over summer.
• Researchers have found a link between the loss of reading skills and socioeconomic status.
• The loss through summer slide is cumulative, so the lost months add up over the years.
• Teachers can spend from 4-6 weeks refreshing and re-teaching math and reading material that students forget over the summer.

Here are some great tips to avoid summer slide:

All in the Family. Make learning a family activity, keep it fun. Parental involvement is a definite determinant of whether or not children read over the summer. There is less learning loss over the summer in families where parents are actively engaged in their children’s summer reading.

More is Better! Keep a wide variety of high-quality books on hand. You can stock up your home library from thrift stores very easily! Swap books over the summer with your kids’ friends. Ask your children for input on what they want to read so you can keep things fresh and interesting for them.

Look Both Ways. Try to match summer reading books and math problems with material from the previous school year to reinforce what they’ve already learned. Ask your school to provide reading lists and math workbooks that will give your kids a head start for the curriculum in the coming year.

Tutoring. If your child needs extra help in math, finding tutoring over the summer can be greatly helpful. Even just 4 weeks of math tutoring can make a world of difference. Also, play card games with your kids. They are great for keeping up math skills.

We’re here to do what your child’s school can’t do for them. We work around tricky schedules and dedicate as much time as you need. We are here to help you learn how to avoid summer learning loss for your children. Visit FiratEducation.com or call (713) 871-1048 to get started today!

Imagine for a moment that life is a giant, empty road laid out before you. While that road is filled with endless potential and exciting possibilities, it can also be filled with obstacles that are challenging to overcome. But chances are, as you go down this road, encountering one obstacle successfully will allow you to easily handle the other potential challenges along the way.

This is something we at Firat Education often encounter in the lives of the many high school students we have the privilege of coming to know. If they take their education seriously, then chances are that their academic performance will reflect that with a strong GPA. That strong GPA increases the likelihood for outstanding standardized test scores allowing them the chance to gain admission to a competitive university. This can open doors for plenty of college scholarships and merit-based aid. Once they are attending that university, a strong and consistent academic performance is not only required to maintain those financial rewards but to give them a solid start in their chosen career.

With the outcome of key life moments being at stake, it goes without saying that any student needs all the preparation and counseling they can get in order to grant them success on this particular road in life. That’s where Firat Education’s College and Career Assessment (CCA) comes into the picture. The by-product of standardized test preparation and thorough college admissions counseling, our CCA is a three-session assessment of an individual’s interests, skills and abilities, and even their personalities. These factors are all evaluated to determine a student’s most fitting career choices, the college majors, and the colleges that would best suit their needs in terms of size, location, academics, and extracurricular activities.

The pros of the College and Career Assessment are proven in the numbers. 100% of CCA participants choose one of the recommended universities and college majors outlined in their report, and they all achieved their targeted standardized testing scores. With the road to college and career being as competitive and overwhelming as it is in today’s world, why not give your student a significant advantage? That’s what the CCA does; it takes the guesswork out of what school suits them best and what career would make them simultaneously successful and happy.

Firat Education prides itself on providing exemplary customer services. We take every measure to ensure you are satisfied with all your college and career preparatory needs and will do whatever it takes to get your loved one started off on the educational track that suits them best.  Firat Education has been serving students and parents in the Houston area for a number of years. We pride ourselves on being large enough to provide professionalism and reliability, yet small enough to provide personalized service. To discover more about our college counseling programs and career assessment options, please visit our website, or call us at 773-871-1048 X 1 today. Like us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on current tips to further your knowledge on college preparation.

 

Sources:

https://www.firateducation.com/cca/

https://www.firateducation.com/college-counseling/

#Admissions events are winding up again for the fall so it’s time to get to work. It’s the week campus tours!

Don’t forget to check out @FiratEducation’s #FiratGuideOnlinePackage on our website to help you in your decision-making process.

It’s August!

Summer is coming to an end, and we all know what that means… school.

Whether it’s your child’s first day of school or your child’s last first day, school is school, and it requires similar things.

There’s of course the essentials such as school supplies shopping and uniform shopping and updating those vaccinations, but what about the things no one tells you about… the little things that fall fall through the crack.

For every student, organization is a huge factor in their academics. Remembering essay deadlines, homework assignments, test dates, projects, and extra curriculars can be a lot for teenagers.

There are numerous ways to get organized, but the two most popular ways are the old fashioned planner method and using technology to your advantage.

Buying a Planner/Organizer

Those of you who rarely use technology will most likely use the classic paper method. But there are different variations and levels of planners.

Some planners are very minimal and keep it simple. Others are much more detailed with yearly,monthly, weekly, and daily overhead views with detail sections and spare scratch paper. Some planners emphasize color coordinating to help you align your activities in groups i.e. school, family, sports, clubs, work.

Each person has a different type of organization they prefer. What may work for one person may not work for the other.

Technology and Organization

Using technology to get organized can be extremely beneficial. Almost everyone now has a smartphone and that is basically all your need. A standard iPhone comes with some apps already pre-installed such as notes, calendar, mail.

With the app store, you can choose which apps can help you stay organized. For example, there’s google calendar, supernote, todoist, google keep, and many more.

The great advantages that you have with being organized with the technology are the useful alerts/reminders you can set, having your digital planner on you at all times, and having the ability to sync your calendars with other people.

While at Firat Education, we mainly use technology to stay organized, we do use revert to paper in certain occasions. Being able to combine both methods may be the best style for you.

 

Again, remember organization is different for each individual. Find what works for you.

 

Last week, we revealed the newly published 5th edition of The Firat Guide. We call it, FG5.

For five years, The Firat Guide for high school admissions has provided guidance for:

• College and university admissions offices across the country
• Public and private middle schools
• Parents and students
• Financial and wealth managers
• Realtors and relocation professionals
• Pediatricians and therapists

About FG5

FG5 asks, “are you about to make a 4-year investment or an 8-year one?” Author Ibrahim Firat believes choosing the right fit high school leads to finding the best fit college. FG5 is specifically designed to help families through the rigorous process of private high school admissions in the greater Houston area.

FG5 introduces you to private high school admissions, including the selection process, application process, and the decision phase. Each process is detailed and thorough and ties in to the step-by-step FG5 format.

 

About The Author

Ibrahim is the only school placement consultant in Houston who also specializes in college admissions counseling and standardized testing strategy.

If you plan to read any book or take any advice about high school admissions or placement testing, it should be from someone who is knowledgeable about college admissions. The end goal is not high school. The end goal is the placement of your child into the best fit college of his or her dreams.

Ibrahim is a professional member of IECA and NACAC.

 

Top 5 Benefits of FG5

 

1. Information pertaining to Academics, Athletics, Social Life, College Preparedness on SIXTY schools.
2. Timeline to private high school admissions: When to research, when to take a practice test, when to apply, etc.
3. High School Entrance Exams and their respective test preparation timelines.
4. Firat Fit Diagrams measuring each school’s perspective fit. Use diagrams to narrow down the potential school options.
5. A chapter detailing Firat Education’s Freshman Transition Program and how it can lead students to the right path.

You owe it to your son or daughter to read this book and explore your options before choosing a private high school. 

You can purchase FG5 here.

 

 

We are less than 2 months out before the school year starts. It’s important that students take an appropriate time to rest from their studies and enjoy some of the summer fun; however, it’s also important that students use this free time to add to their academic resumes.

A student’s academic resume is an important component to their college applications. It contains the student’s GPA, class rank, leadership experiences, extracurriculars, and more.

Students can utilize the summer to add volunteer and community service experience to their resume.

The importance of volunteer work depends on the school, yes, but volunteer work can never hurt one’s academic pursuits. Not only does service work build character, but it also distinguishes you from others in the pack, especially if your volunteer work aligns with your academic interests.

If you’re reading this blog and are not sure where to volunteer, here are a few suggestions where you can always volunteer.

 

• Houston Food Bank  -Get a sense of fulfillment by distributing food to families in need.

 

• The Ronald McDonald House -Greet families at check-in, host meals and activities, or simply bake cookies. There’s always a way for you to help these children feel at home.

 

• RSVP of the Texas Gulf Coast –Support the elderly and disabled through home delivered meals.

 

• Multicultural Education and Counseling Through the Arts –Volunteers may serve as tutors, mentors or board members, or may assist with special events, marketing or fundraising activities.

 

• Star of Hope Mission -Some volunteers work directly with clients – some with adults; others with teens and tweens; and still others with our children, infants through elementary-school-age. Other volunteers prefer service opportunities that are behind-the-scenes or administrative.

 

Volunteering is extremely rewarding and beneficial to one’s sense of self. No matter the organization, volunteers are needed and appreciated.

Be safe and help others this summer.

 

Did you know your students are at risk for summer learning loss?

Summer learning loss is the loss of academic skills and knowledge over the summer holiday. On average, students’ achievement scores declined over summer vacation by one month’s worth of school-year learning.

While there have been many debates and studies about what is the best strategy to combat these “summer slides,” we believe providing safe, fun, and engaging one-on-one tutorials that are filled with creative learning activities, enrichment, and learning strategies are the most effective method.

At Firat Education, we offer a build your own summer camp where you can pick any subject that fits your schedule. We still have openings for July.

Ease into the new school year, and schedule your educational assessment today.  

 

Marielle is another one of Firat Education’s shining stars.

In 2015, she worked one-on-one with Ibrahim to find the best fit school for her personality and interests. Our College and Career Assessment analyzes and deduces which schools around the country are best suited for you.

It provides a list of potential majors and programs and their perspective schools. Our assessment of Marielle showed she’d enjoy a city environment on the west coast. Marielle liked the possibility of studying at USC. She followed Ibrahim’s plan and worked on improving her ACT score.

Currently, Marielle is in her junior year at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles She is majoring in Business Administration and recently completed an internship with Binder Dijker Otte, working with their Management Advisory Services Team.

She’s excited to graduate next spring and remembers how she “studied for [her] AP US History exams with Ibrahim, and they would get distracted and continue talking about the topics because they both enjoyed the subject so much.”

Marielle truly believes “Firat Education granted [her] the opportunity to attend an amazing university” which makes us feel truly special. Marielle continued by stating that she “genuinely felt like everyone there believed in [her] and wanted [her] to succeed.”

 

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.