Each student needs a strong advocate, even throughout the college application process. Some learners can handle this task well for themselves, but parents must not hesitate to monitor the process and to intervene. Parents and students can always ask for outside assistance to review a student's application to help ensure that it best reflects the student's abilities and record. And this monitoring may be crucial to the student's future success.

What is the lesson here in the third story for parents and students? Each student needs a strong advocate, even throughout the college application process. Some learners can handle this task well for themselves, but parents must not hesitate to monitor the process and to intervene. Parents and students can always ask for outside assistance—another relative, teacher from another school, etc.—to review a student's application to help ensure that it best reflects the student's abilities and record. And this monitoring may be crucial to the student's future success, just as it was for this young woman. Clearly, the student didn't ask for a strong letter of recommendation. Clearly, she asked the wrong teacher to write one. Clearly, she had no one aiding or guiding her during this process. And certainly, she did not keep a file with copies of her scholastic products—tests, homework, previous transcripts, etc.—so that she could draw upon it to counter the remarks said or written about her unfairly.

This is my third principal recommendation to students and parents, that they act as advocates for their interests from the very first day of school. One way to do this is to keep a portfolio of products through the senior year in high school. What do I mean by products? Tests with good scores, good term papers, copies of artwork, certificates of achievement, or honorable mention, most improvement, and so on. Ask coaches and advisors of outside activities to write strong letters of recommendation as students finish their stints of these activities. Summertime is a good time for teachers to write these letters, since the bulk of requests often come in October or November. Document learned skills, hobbies, civic and religious activity, and any work or volunteer experiences. Ask for assessments of these activities even if they normally are not given in written form. Be sure to ask for strong letters of recommendation, even if they only can document good character or persistence.

For Greek-Americans, these recommendations may take specialized forms. Any learners who have attended a Greek language school should always ask teachers to prepare letters of recommendation. These letters should include brief information about the background of each teacher, his or her teaching qualifications, the type of instructional methods and materials used in classes, and a reasonable assessment of linguistic achievement following standardized formats nationwide. Standards for language achievement and assessment are easily found at any local public school system or on the Internet. I recommend following the format of the New York State educational system, since New York has been considered a national example (http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/lote.html ). Keep a portfolio of student products and photos of participation at celebrations for Greek Letters Day, March 25th, Ohi Day, and festivals. Remember that your son or daughter has learned language, culture, music, dance, history, literature, religion, and many other topics while attending Greek School. Even learners who do not become fluent in Greek achieve a great deal, all of which should be properly documented.

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