Interims, Midterm Exams, College Applications and Internships

Interims, Midterm Exams, College Applications and Internships
The time you’ve been planning for is now.

Effective communication is crucial for ensuring that all stakeholders are aligned
regarding your student(s). This principle applies across K-12 levels, college, and for students seeking opportunities such as internships for the upcoming summer or sooner.

As parents and guardians, we often assume we have ample time, only to find ourselves scrambling, playing catch-up, and doing damage control. Drawing from my experiences with my four sons, here are some valuable tips I've learned:

K-12 families
● Look at the school calendar and mark all of the grading periods for the year on
your personal and family calendars.
● Request a conference with your student’s teacher at the first grading period and ask for a copy of any benchmarks/assessments from the beginning of the school year.
● If your student is struggling, do the following:
○ Ask if the reading or math specialists/department heads can help.
○ Does the teacher provide tutoring before or after school?
○ Is there help during the school day?
○ Look for free online resources or look for a tutor for your student. It’s better
to invest and address the gaps early.

Higher Education Families
● Ask your students if they need help and the dates of their upcoming midterm
exams.
● Encourage your students to attend professor’s office hours and tutoring provided by the college or university.
● Take note of the drop and withdrawal dates for classes.
● Protect the grade point average.
● Encourage your students to find a study group and to use the library.
● Have your students set up an appointment with the advisor to review their
courses and their current and four year plan to ensure they are on track.
● Attend Career Fairs in the Fall. Bring your resume and look professional.

College Applicants
● Know the due dates for college applications.
● Finish the Common Application essay and/or the colleges specific essays.
● Ask for letters of recommendations, if you’ve not already done so and make sure they get uploaded to your high school’s platform.
● Make an appointment with your counselor to make sure you aren’t missing
anything, and to find out what the process is for requesting transcripts, letters of
recommendation, etc. Your counselor is your best friend in this process.
● Keep your grades up. No slacking at all this year. Colleges look poorly on it.
● Tour the top five colleges - In person is best, but virtual is also available.

Internships
● Summer 2025 applications are open for many large corporations. Some
deadlines have already passed for 2025, like Google. I saw a deadline of July 21,
2024 for some summer 2025 internships. Some of the banking industry
companies hire two years ahead. Yes, some will hire for summer 2026.
● Many summer 2025 acceptances are given in November and December. This
allows for all background checks and other processes the company does for
employment.
● Look at local companies and small businesses that offer internships and have
partnerships with your local high schools and colleges.
● Check your social media and ensure there is nothing on it that will ruin the
opportunity to get an internship.
● Update your LinkedIn page and resume. If you don’t have one, then create one
today.

“There is something so special in the early leaves drifting from the trees - as if we are all to be allowed a chance to peel, to refresh, to start again.”
-Ruth Ahmed