$500K can go a long way to strengthen academic weaknesses and support extracurricular interests
APRIL 18, 2019 -- SUNNYVALE, CA -- With the average total cost of college in the U.S. ranging from $100,000 to $300,000+, it’s no wonder parents are looking for ways to secure their children's academic future. The pressures to succeed have lead those in positions of power and money to play the system, as the latest college admissions scandal has made clear. Improve Your English Tutoring Services (IYETS), a professional English tutoring company that teaches young students reading, writing, vocabulary, and grammar, believes the investment should be made in the right training opportunities for the student, not for bribing a way into school.
Parents involved in the scandal have done more than defraud the admissions system; they’ve indirectly communicated that they don’t believe in their student(s). IYETS poses the question: How could $500,000 be reallocated to support the student rather than hinder his or her chances of individual success? Instead of spending hundreds of thousands to cheat on the ACT or SAT, or to bribe an athletic coach, one could invest in ways to improve areas of academic weakness or support extracurricular interests. For half a million dollars, parents could:
Hire a professional voice actor to read to student
Studies have shown that reading for pleasure not only reduces stress and improves memory and mental stimulation, it also expands vocabulary and improves analytical skills. Additionally, for students with learning differences, reading along with audio or a voice reader has shown to improve comprehension and memory. Start the process in 6th grade; have the actor read one hour a day, six days a week, 50 weeks a year. Cost: $30,000 a year, $180,000 for six years.
Support Entrepreneurial Spirit with Mentorship
For students passionate about business and leadership, encourage them to start a club in line with their interests. To raise awareness for the club and offer leadership insights, hire a well-known business advisor like Seth Godin. Your child will have a huge head start in business and entrepreneurship. Cost: $50,000.
Buy a Fixer-upper Property
Have a child that’s interested in hands-on work? Purchase a fixer-upper so the student can get real-world experience with working in their field of interest, like electrical work, carpentry or interior design and staging. Cost: $50,000 to $500,000.
When it comes to college application success, it's a combination of education and real-world experience, as shown by extra-curricular activities, that schools desire. These are similar to the qualities employers seek in their employees.
“There’s no substitute for experience and expertise,” said Nat Crawford, president of Improve Your English Tutoring Services. “School acceptance isn’t just about applying to colleges. It’s about a student becoming a better version of oneself through discovering passions, hard work, mentorship and self-actualization throughout an educational career. College acceptance is a byproduct of these things.”
For more information on IYETS’ college preparation and admissions essay support, including tutoring in writing, vocabulary, reading, and grammar, visit http://www.improveyourenglish.com.
About Improve Your English Tutoring Services
Improve Your English Tutoring Services teaches writing, vocabulary, reading, and grammar to students in middle school through college to better prepare them for high school, college and the workplace.
Our expert tutors have worked with hundreds of students to offer one-on-one tutoring, group sessions and college counseling. Students who have worked with us have been accepted to some of the most prestigious higher ed institutions in the country, including Columbia, Georgetown, MIT, Princeton University and Yale University We build self-esteem in the best way—by building skills. For more information, please visit http://www.improveyourenglish.com.
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