My child is losing interest in schoolwork. How do I get him or her focused again?
Tell your child how important going to school will be to his or her future. Be sure to set aside regular homework time every day. And make time to talk to your child's teachers and principal. Your positive attitude will be contagious! Refer to the U.S. Department of Education publication Homework Tips for Parents at www.ed.gov/parents/academic/involve/homework/
homeworktips.pdf for more useful ideas to help your child succeed.
How do I find out about scholarships and financial aid for college?
Families should start saving and planning for college as early as possible, even before the high school years. Grants do not have to be repaid; loans do. Ask your child's school counselor for information about applying to college. To apply for federal grants, loans or work-study programs, complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). To download a copy of the FAFSA, log on to http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/
completing_fafsa/index.html or call the Federal Student Aid Information Center for a hard copy at 1-800-433-3243, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. For a handy student aid calculator and timeline, log on to http://studentaid2.ed.gov/getmoney/fin_aid_wizard/ and http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/
timeline.jsp?tab=applying. Finally, to learn how a college education can improve your child's future earning ability, log on to http://teen.educationpays.org/calc.asp.