<p>I work in a K - 8th grade public school library in a rural area. What books would you recommend for 6th - 8th graders re: college, college readiness, and/or career? What books would you recommend for their parents?</p>
<p>Most of my students will go on to high school and then city college or our local state college. A handful will apply to the UCs and just few will apply to privates. </p>
<p>There really isn’t any money to purchase books, but I might be able to apply for a small grant.</p>
<p>I agree, for that age, more books about getting through middle school.
Books that reassure them that no matter how bleak, they can get through it & it will get better.
<a href=“Middle School Books”>Middle School Lt A Gt Lt P Gt Books;
<p>I disagree with happy1. My D’s school is a 6-12th grade school and they have a college/career readiness person who works with them beginning in 6th grade. The school has a large population of first-gen and low-income kids, so this is really important work. Of course, at that age, they don’t do a LOT, but they explore careers along the lines of what they’re good at, what they enjoy doing, and what kind of education is needed to do those jobs. They meet as a class about once every couple of months. But, the idea id planted to at least think about the future. The following year they start looking at colleges-btw, all of their work is done online-no books.By looking, they might choose an occupation, and do a search of what kind of colleges offer the major required. Also, and this would be free-they have people in a wide range of jobs come in and talk to the kids about their careers and education. It’s very popular and of course, gets kids interested.</p>
<p>In HS the kids meet with the counselor more often, and they are taught about the NPC, FAFSA, how to search out scholarships, in addition to more exploration of careers and colleges in general. They also take the PSAT for practice, and go to the district’s college fair. They continue with visiting professionals. Actually applying to colleges is part of the curriculum so each year they work on narrowing down the list-basically much of what we see here on CC. </p>
<p>I really can’t help with books, but my older D found some help in “What Color IS Your Parachute” for teens. But honestly, I think most kids today are more web-aware than wanting to read hard copy books. My high schooler and her friends love discovering new websites related to this topic. I can get the names if you’re interested.</p>
<p>Colleges that Change Lives by Loren Pope. He also wrote “Looking Beyond the Ivies.” I also like “Creative Colleges,” a book for students interested in dance, music, art, theater and writing. Many of the schools in these books do have financial aid that is substantial.</p>
<p>However, I do want to say that it seems a little early to talk about college and career. I know that most schools are doing this but the stress level of kids these days is through the roof. In some populations, introducing the idea early may have benefits- and I can see that may be true in your school.</p>
<p>I also think that college should be discussed in terms of education that is not vocational, meaning the old-fashioned “learning for learning’s sake.” And if kids want vocational training, which is very useful for many, community colleges are tops. Someone must have written a book by now on non-college resources for young people to get started on work (apprenticehips, internships, on the job, specialized, and CC etc.) but I don’t have a title.</p>
<p>I honestly think that pushing college for everyone is a mistake and brings families into debt without much payoff. On the other hand, there are ambitious, intelligent students whose families need guidance and who can benefit from information at some point. And there are always students whose motivation can be stoked by discussion of the future.</p>
<p>So, with qualms, I suggest some of the books in my first paragraph, and also that you visit a good bookstore or Amazon to search for more.</p>
<p>Our local elementary schools and junior highs put a lot of emphasis on a program called “No Excuses University” where teachers and students focus on college as a goal. In retrospect, D didn’t think it was that helpful for students at the bottom and top levels academically, but it might be worth looking into for suggestions for books. </p>
<p>I have a dislike for the book titled “Colleges That Change Lives”. ALL colleges change lives and most colleges not listed in that book are a better choice for most students. Likewise- I would hope “looking Beyond The Ivies” would recognize that some public U’s are as good as or better than some Ivies, especially those that offer majors not available at those schools. </p>
<p>Sounds like the computer searches may be the best and most cost effective way to go. Times have changed in the last ten years, not just from our to our kids’ generation. </p>
<p>Fresno (the implied location) is a low income area, so any post-secondary directions that the students consider likely need to be considered in terms of cost and financial reward (that does not mean only in terms of cost and financial reward).</p>
<p>It is not like a generation or two ago, when going to college with the old-fashioned goal of “learning for learning’s sake” also meant an almost automatic upgrade in financial reward, because college was a lot cheaper (often within the capability of student self-funding, even without parent contributions or financial aid) and any bachelor’s degree meant that one stood out among many other applicants for many types of better-paying jobs. Today’s students, even from middle or upper-middle income families, cannot ignore financial realities; those from low income families may face even more financial pressure here. Of course, the reality is that most college students today are there at least partially to upgrade their job prospects; two thirds major in obviously pre-professional majors, while many of the other one third are in liberal arts majors with well-known pre-professional directions.</p>
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<p>Odd that this type of suggestion only seems to come up in the context of those from low income backgrounds like much of the population of Fresno.</p>
<p>In any case, the priority for middle school students is to do well enough in school to avoid closing off any potential post-secondary options of interest, whether it is college leading to a bachelor’s degree or some other type of education leading to other types of skilled work.</p>
<p>I think that rather than add to the stress level of the students, the way D’s school handles it actually CUTS stress.
Because kids start exploring career ideas in a no-stress, law-key way early, they aren’t feeling pushed or compelled to make decisions they don’t understand. By the time they needs to start making college lists, they already have an idea of costs, majors, the courses they’ll need-so you probably won’t find them on CC begging for suggestions about colleges or what to do next. </p>
<p>But as for the suggestion about vocational options, well, yes, those should be considered, and they are. Just as are other post-high school options such as military service, HBCU’s, going to community college and transferring, even starting college early and combining the last year of high school with the first year of college (as at Bard).</p>
<p>I did not get the sense that the OP was asking about how to push “college for all” but how to interest kids in aiming higher than is traditional at her school. That is what my D’s school does. Of the three graduating classes so far, most have gone on to some form of higher ed, even a few who planned to just go to work like their parents before them. Because the kids have learned about the true cost of college, they were able to land in places they can afford. The school even helps with ESL families and the language barriers.</p>
<p>As the founder of our school recently said, vocational education is fine as long as that’s what the student wants. It shouldn’t be assumed that a low-income, minority or ESL student would be better off on that path, which is not an uncommon suggestion in some schools for these students. Instead of pressuring them to go in any direction, we give them the tools to choose their own.</p>
<p>How to be a High School Superstar talks about following your own interests and developing them so that the college search/acceptance process follows somewhat organically. I think it lays out for kids that it’s actually okay to be yourself rather than just a drone trying to push yourself into an image of what some perceive admissions officers want.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the replies. Sseamom forwarded some online resources, and careercruising.com sounds perfect! I will see if the foundation will cover the cost of a one year subscription.</p>
<p>Also, how to be a HS superstar by cal Newport listed above.
And maybe a book about how to attend college for free or for low cost (we have one, but I can’t remember the title. I think it’s called how to attend college for (almost) free)</p>
<p>@essayteacher, I stumbled upon that book in DDs freshman year & I believe it helped a lot! I even had the opportunity to chat with the author which allowed me to really pick his brain. Probably the best $20 I spent in her HS career. The Gatekeepers was another one. </p>
<p>Perfect resource: Imagine Magazine, inspiration and information for precollege years, grades 7 -12. It has themed issues about various areas of study Archaeology & Paleontology, Medicine, Law, Art & Architecture etc. Some articles are written by high school and college students. There is information about activities and resources in that field for students. Each issue has an article about a particular college. There are career profiles, book reviews, info about competitions.</p>
<p>You can purchase back issues. There are also online subscriptions.</p>
<p>I really like the look of the book dyiu13 linked.</p>
<p>Around grade 8 is when I sat down with my kids to discuss various long term education options. Even though my kids would not be first gen college students, they still had plenty of questions about the different types of degrees and career options. I think prior to high school is a good time for kids to start thinking about this since their high school classes do make a difference in the process. Sorry I don’t have any specific recommendations, but kudos to you for looking into providing info to the kids and their families. </p>
<p>I think middle school is too early to talk directly about college readiness, BUT it is really important as a parent that you understand the choices made in middle school can matter in High School, so choose courses wisely. With that said, how much pressure do you want your kid to feel? For me I would rather mine not feel much at this age. I have an 8th grade son and a 5th grade daughter and although I have guided the ship of my son’s MS choices so he could take more advanced course work in HS, it was never under the umbrella of “this is all about college.” It was more about, “this is about challenging yourself and being the best human you can be.” Because after all, isn’t that what colleges want? Students who are the best THEY can be.</p>
<p>OP is talking about kids who have a limited world view about what their options are in life. I think it’s reasonable to start a discussion in middle school about what’s out there. OP isn’t talking about pressuring 7th graders into changing their every move to improve their chances of getting in to an Ivy - but some of these kids, learning that there’s more out there than city college, may on their own take a different path through high school. It sounds like these kids might not be getting challenged to do more at home, but rather to maintain the status quo - someone intervening and opening up the world to them could make a huge difference. Kudos and I hope some of the recommendations previous posters have provided are helpful.</p>
<p>I know that at my D’s school, this program has been life-changing for many of the kids, and again, rather than PRESSURE them, it gets them to think beyond next week’s basketball game or what car they’re going to drive someday. It offers options that fit kids with their interests. One girl who planned only to get married and have lots of babies graduated at the top of her class and is now in pre-med at college. A kid who excelled at the hands-on projects learned about engineering instead of just fixing cars and is at RPI. A 1st gen girl for her senior project last year started a “Girls in Science” event that will be continued on through the years. She also decided to go to college.</p>
<p>It’s easy to think PRESSURE! when CC is often all about “packaging” kids for the “tippy top” schools but the fact is that in some families there just isn’t the interest and some low-income, first gen, ESL kids are perfectly suited to go to “elite” schools too. But if they don’t even know that’s an option, it will remain for the CC type kids to fill those seats.</p>
<p>All I know is that we’re parents with advanced degrees and we have STILL learned new things from D’s school college and career planning program. And I’ll repeat that instead of feeling pressured, the kids feel EMPOWERED.</p>
<p>Well I personally think it’s a bit early to be thinking about college, but one book I do wish I had read before starting highschool is “How to Be A Highschool Superstar” or something along those lines. Excellent book, and one that I highly recommend to anyone in highschool (or middle school I suppose).</p>