Link to AIMS Scholarship Information on ADE Website

As of today, ADE hasn't updated the scholarship information on their website, but here's the link to it and here's a link to the latest article in the Arizona Republic. The newspaper article says the Regents voted to add ACT/SAT scores to the qualifications in addition to AIMS scores, but does not mention raising the required GPA, or requiring students to exceed on all three AIMS tests on the first attempt. I'd suggest checking the ADE site regularly for the official answers.

AIMS Scholarship Changes

Here's a link to the latest: it appears that the current rules will stay in place for the classes of 2011 and 2012, but will substantially change for the classes of 2013 and beyond.

It's going to be interesting to see how the changes affect school ratings, which in part are based on the number of students who exceed the standards on AIMS tests. If there is no longer a financial incentive to exceed on the AIMS test, I predict that most students who meet the standards on their first attempt will not bother retaking the test. This is likely to result in some schools having a lower rating, as these are based not only on percentage of students passing the AIMS test but also on percentage of students exceeding the standards. I expect the next few years will see much wailing and gnashing of teeth from pundits who bewail the failings of the public school system...probably from both sides of the political spectrum. Only the explanations of "why is this happening" will differ, depending on who's doing the talking.

Update on AIMS Scholarship

Here's a link to an updated proposal for the AIMS Scholarship. Looks like good news for juniors, and bad news for younger students. According to this article, current seniors and juniors would be "grandfathered in" under the old criteria, but sophomores would have to exceed on all three AIMS tests AND achieve certain scores on the SAT....and the amount of the scholarship would be greatly reduced.

"AIMS Scholarship" Under Review

I've expected this move by the State Board of Regents for several years. The state has been paying out much more than originally anticipated for this scholarship. For some reason, no one anticipated that students would continue retaking the AIMS test and/or retaking classes in order to qualify. Plus, scores on the ACT and SAT (which have been around for decades) are better predictors of college success. The good news is that the scholarship will continue "as is" for current seniors. The bad news is that the qualifications will be significantly tightened for current juniors. To qualify, class of 2012 students will need a 3.8 GPA and must exceed on all three portions of the AIMS test during the sophomore year. (No retakes) For class of 2013 students, SAT and/or ACT test scores will replace AIMS test scores. Here's a link to an article in the Arizona Republic discussing the proposed changes.

"Sticker price" vs. real cost of college

Recently I visited my old school and talked to a group of IB juniors about preparing for college. During the presentation, I encouraged students not to rule out any college on price alone, because most students don't wind up paying "sticker price". Here's a link to an NPR article which discusses this subject in more detail.

Welcome to High School; Now What?

The freshman year is often a step up in difficulty academically, and may seem overwhelming. For many bright students, elementary or junior high classes were just not that difficult and it may have been possible to coast on brainpower alone, earning A grades with little effort. In addition, high schools are just plain bigger places, with more people and more choices. Here are some tips to help freshmen survive and thrive the all-important first year of high school.

First of all, realize that you are not alone. Every other freshman has similar anxieties and concerns, even if they pretend otherwise and try not to show it. Every senior was a freshman once, and experienced what you are experiencing now three short years ago. It also helps to remind yourself that your teachers want you to be successful and stand ready to help....you just have to ask them.

Second, accept the fact that high school classes are supposed to be more challenging than the ones you had in junior high. This is particularly true if you are taking honors classes for the first time. You will have to put in more time and effort to achieve those good grades now, and this is the way it's supposed to be. You may be familiar with the athletic adage "No pain, no gain." Although I hope school is not painful for you, there is truth in that saying. If you are an athlete and you want to get stronger, you have to increase the difficulty of your workouts....lift heavier weights or run further. The same is true for academics. If you want to "get smarter" and grow intellectually, you are going to have to increase the difficulty of your academic subjects. Taking challenging classes is like weight training for your brain. 1-2 hours of study time outside of class is not unreasonable for college bound students. If you are spending much more than that on a regular basis, it would be a good idea to talk to your counselor and make sure that your classes are at the right academic level for you, or you may need help in learning how to study more effectively.

Third, get organized. Lack of organization is the downfall of many otherwise intelligent and creative students. You may not be a naturally organized person, but it is a learned skill. You probably couldn't ride a bicycle the first time you tried it, could you? How about hitting a baseball...or playing a musical instrument? With time and effort, you can learn organizational skills, too. Don't know where to start? This site has some simple suggestions you may find helpful. One tip I would add (not mentioned in the link above) is to get contact information from another student in your class. That way, if you forget "what's due when" you can call or text someone for an answer.

Here's my last tip, which doesn't have anything to do with work ethic, organizational ability, or study skills, but it is highly correlated with school success. Find a sport, club, or extracurricular activity that you enjoy, and get involved! Studies show that students who are involved in these kinds of activities make better grades and are happier in high school than students who aren't involved in them. On the other hand, don't try to get involved in everything, which is also a problem for some students. You will have to make choices....choose the ones that are most meaningful to you and that you enjoy the most, and you will have made the right choice.

You can survive....and thrive....during your freshman year of high school. Expect to work hard, but also to enjoy it. Believe it or not, you will be a senior before you know it!