college prep - Tucson International Academy

Preparing for College – Things To Consider

There is a lot to consider when preparing for college. Some of the questions you might have include:

What college is best for you and the career you want to go into?
How will you pay for everything?
Will you have to work while you are in school?
Do you want to live on or off-campus?
Should you go to a junior college before transferring to a university?
Do you want to choose a college close to home to save on living expenses?

Thankfully, there are many ways to help make college less overwhelming. Take a look at these tips to help you get started.

What Careers Are You Interested In?

There are so many career choices and pathways, and not everyone is born knowing what they want to do. Here are some ways to help you decide what your college path should be:

Asking family members and other adults in your life about their careers
Asking questions and researching careers
Taking an aptitude test to help you find what you’re good at and passionate about
Joining groups such as Junior Achievement
Attending College and Career Fairs

High school guidance counselors, like Mr. Beebe at TIA, are a valuable resource. They can help with college preparations. In addition to working with you to choose high school courses that will benefit you in your transition to college. They can also:

Help make lists of colleges and college majors that suits you
Provide information and help you qualify for scholarships, grants, and financial aid
Give guidance on standardized testing, scholarship essays, and admission essays

Extra-Curricular Activities

Get involved in extra-curricular activities — it looks good on applications and helps you develop life skills. Extra-curricular activities are also a great way to learn networking skills that can help in your future career and help improve your overall college experience.

Create a Budget

Starting a savings account early can be a good strategy for preparing for college and the many financial costs. Having a cushion of savings can help relieve some of the stress of deciding where to go to college. It will also be a big factor in deciding if you will have to work while attending classes. Working part-time while in high school is a great way to start saving. However, you shouldn’t neglect your schoolwork for a job. Deciding on living situations is another important aspect of your first year in college. How far away from home your choice of school is will have a factor in your options. Living at home while attending college has benefits like not having to buy groceries or pay rent. The first year of college can also be stressful, and it may help to stay close to friends and family. If you choose a college farther from home, living in a dorm versus living in a house or apartment with others will affect your budget.

How Can You Earn Income and What Are Some Potential Expenses?

Income can come from:

- A part-time job
- Parental support
- Work-study
- Scholarships and grants
- Financial aid and loans
- Other income, such as if you sell crafts or do freelance work

Expenses you might have include:

- Groceries
- Transportation costs such as fuel, insurance, or bus fares
- Rent if not living on campus, as well as utility bills
- Entertainment costs
- Tuition, books, and supplies
- Clothing
- Beauty supplies
- Savings

What Can Parents Do to Help?

There are a variety of ways you can help in your child’s college preparations:

Start saving money early. There are options like 529 plans that allow you to save money tax-free for your child's education. Creating a Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) account also gives you resources for scholarships, grants, and other ways to invest and save money for your child’s college needs.
Model healthy life habits and teach them to your children. Instill a love for knowledge by reading, learning, and exploring together. Time-management skills can help them when creating their class and study schedules, as well as making time for fun.
Help your child figure out how they learn best and study skills for their style of learning. Create an open dialogue with your child so that they feel comfortable talking to you about their hopes, dreams, and plans for their future.
Research colleges with your child and schedule campus visits during their junior and senior year to learn about the atmosphere of their favorite schools. You can also help your child take note of application requirements and keep track of deadlines.

What TIA Does for Their Students

Every graduating TIA student gets accepted to college with financial aid and/or scholarships due to the help that the TIA leadership teams contribute to each student. TIA middle and high school students have many opportunities to explore careers and college through events such as the College and Career Fair, fields trips to tour colleges, business classes, clubs such as Junior Achievement, and one-on-one help from Mr. Beebe, (the College and Career Readiness Coach).

Looking for a great school to help you prepare and get accepted to college?

Enroll Today at TIA!

Preparing for College - Things To Consider

TIA Interview Day 2019

Tucson International Academy (TIA) has been building a magnificent Business Program for the students. TIA high school students create their own companies, work out the financials and a 5-year plan for that company, make a website, create a marketing plan along with brochures and so much more. Part of this program is Interview Day.

Interview Day

The TIA Business Program also helps to prepare the students for college by getting them ready for job interviews. Business week is an opportunity for students to get a taste of corporate America. Whether the students decide to go to a business college or a university of their dreams or it’s a job that they get, at the end of the Busines Week, what students have is a lot of experience. They have the opportunity to interview for their dream careers and professions that they really want feedback for.

Many Local Companies Participate in Interview Day

TIA is fortunate to have representatives from local businesses and agencies from Tucson that cover a variety of opportunities come to Interview Day to help interview the students. This week TIA had local law enforcement, military, creative arts, media, veterinarians, veterinarian assistants, education, biotech, engineering and all kinds of other opportunities for the students to interview with.

Showcase: BOSC Beauty - A New TIA Student Created Business

During the Business Interview Day, TIA was able to showcase one business (BOSC Beauty) that a group of their high school students created through the High School Business Program. This student-led company delivered its mission statement, its business plan and also their 5-year plan for the future of the business. They shared their website, products, how and why they created the company, their pamphlets, who they are and the different positions they hold within the company. The business BOSC Beauty consists of jewelry and a soon to be an accessory line at affordably priced products. The main goal of their company is to share today’s beauty trends at an affordable price. Their website lists the products in different categories based on the personalities of their group, so it’s easier for a customer to find what they like based on a personality type. The students feel they will be able to expand their product line into stores within 5 years and bring more jobs into the Tucson area because of the business. Even though their business is mostly online, BOSC Beauty is a local company. They cater to the English speaking market but since TIA teaches all their students Spanish and Mandarin Chinese, they also will cater to those markets as well. You can find them at boscbeauty.wixsite.com/boscbeauty

A Special Thanks to All the Businesses That Participated in Interview Day at TIA

Amy Autret - Tucson Police Dept CSI Andrew Bevington - PIMA County Superintendent’s Office Samantha Blake - Tucson Police Dept CSI Lt. Ashley Carey - Air Force Cynthia Carsten - Tucson Medical Center Dr. Eric Conidez - Pain Institute of Southern Arizona Kim Ebeling - Ebeling Events Evan Gray Davis - J3 Effect James Donovan - RAYTHEON Marisela Felix - Sunnyside Unified School District Gwen Gorbette - PIMA Mark McKenna - Prestamos CDFI Chicanos Por la Causa John Morgan & fellow officers - Tucson Police Dept Kimberly Neal - Eastland Alley Design Co. Steven Schneider - Sanfordhealth.org Sunshine Watson - Southern Arizona Veterinary Clinic Dustin Williams - PIMA County Superintendent Stacey Woodward Dr. Jennifer Herrera - TIA Superintendent

Join the Tucson International Academy Family – Enroll Online

Or Call the school at 520-792-3255

How Early Should You Prepare for College?

...And What Does That Look Like?

TIA is a free charter school with 100% of the graduating seniors accepted to college. That is an amazing statistic and shows the level of commitment that TIA staff has for their students. They specifically create opportunities for students to grow in leadership, travel and have experiences that prepare them for college. But many people feel that college planning only begins in high school.

Prepare for College in Grade School and Middle School

At a young age, parents and teachers should start talking with children about what careers spark their interest. At TIA, preparing students with the college mindset starts in Kindergarten. When they are in middle school, students should visit occupations that interest them. Career fairs are another option like the one Tucson International Academy has every year. Even though the student may not choose a career path at this point, a general idea will help guide them towards the right college. Believe or not, students can start applying for scholarships in grade school as young as 5 years old. While you may not be able to use these scholarships right away, the money can be put in the bank to help pay for college later.

College Prep in High School

TIA offers many extras that help each student get accepted to college like assistance from a Student Success Coordinator (currently Mr. Basurto). The school also offers students opportunities to take trips to visit college campuses in person, as well a sponsored trips to foreign countries. TIA hosts high school events like Senior Day, FAFSA Night, Senior Interviews, Facing Dragons and the Career Fair, which are all geared towards helping their students go to college and be successful in life.

College Planning Freshman & Sophomore Year

All freshman and sophomore students start choosing high school courses based on college requirements. Colleges require the basic general courses such as two years each of Social Studies and Science, four years each of Mathematics and English Language Arts, and two years of Foreign Language. Certain colleges, however, may require more advanced classes such as Calculus, Chemistry, Physics, and others.

College Planning Junior Year

Junior students should be signed up and well prepared for college PSAT, SAT, & ACT entrance tests that are taken throughout the year. Free practice tests are available on various online websites. This is also when many high school students start researching scholarships, although some may have started in previous years.

College Planning Senior Year

The summer before a students senior year they should be applying for scholarships if they haven’t already started their search prior to that. By the beginning of their senior year, students should have narrowed down their college choices and applied to those colleges (if they haven’t they should do so now) and filled out their FAFSA information online. While some seniors wait until the spring of their senior year to apply for scholarships, it’s best to have started this process well before then. The earlier you start the process, the less overwhelming it can be and the more options you will have at receiving scholarship money.

TIA is a College Prep School - How They Help Their Students

TIA is very serious about their role as a college prep school. The position of Student Success Coordinator was created with basically one goal: to give individual attention to every TIA student on their way to college. That navigation starts as early as the student’s freshman year and follows through with help applying to colleges and for financial aid. The Student Success Coordinator gives one-on-one attention to each student. Being able to help them with their particular circumstances, abilities and interests are what makes the difference at TIA. Each student is given the assistance he or she needs to fill out applications, write the required essays, and explore the financial aid and scholarship options. That is why 100% of TIA's graduating students get accepted into college!

TIA Makes College Come True - Enroll Today!

TIA “Own Your Success” Event Preparing Students for College

TIA invited Master Elite Results Coach Brodie Whitney to share his “Own Your Success” message which is preparing students for college. Four TIA West campus students share their take on this event.

Questions Asked of Each Student

Three questions are asked of the students: What was your overall experience from the Coach Brodie event? What was the most valuable thing you learned from the event? What are your plans after high school? You will hear the answers from Rubina (11th), Victor (10th), Brittney (11th), Pauola (11th) as they share what they learned at the "Own Your Success" event.

Quote From Student

Pauola shares, “Success has different definitions to each individual. It doesn’t always have to be about money. It can be about what makes you happy. What do you want to achieve in life? Take big or small steps to get there. Always be uplifting. Never focus on the past. Move forward.” This is part three of a three part series. Link to video http://youtu.be/mKNn61J0V7A Video by Braelyn Smith~TheJ3Effect Writer: Kim Murphey~TheJ3Effect

preparing students for college video interview

Video Interview: Importance of Student Activities

TIA Broadway Campus Presents: Student Experiences from "Own Your Success," an event with Master Elite Results coach, Brodie Whitney that shows how the importance of student activities can help one prepare for college and life.

Questions Asked of Each Student

Three questions were asked of each student: What was your overall experience from the Coach Brodie event? What was the most valuable thing you learned from the event? What are your plans after high school? In this video is you will hear the answer from Gilberto (12th), Jose (11th), Valerie (11th), and Mikaela (9th), all students at TIA Broadway campus, share the impact of coach Brodie Whitney's workshop with students and the importance of student activities at TIA for them.

Student Quote

One quote from a student; " Anyone can dream but not everyone will chase their dream. So we just have to be the ones who dream and chase our dreams...It's our power to chase what we want to be in the future." Click here or on the picture to watch the video now Video by Braelyn Smith~TheJ3Effect Story by Kim Murphey~TheJ3Effect Enroll Now!

importance of student activities at TIA event

Advice To High School Students – Are You Ready for an Amazing, Life Changing Day?

Have you ever met people whose life goals after high school included working a minimum wage job, continue living with their parents, and taking the bus everywhere because they can’t afford a car? Probably not, yet there are many that will end up in that exact scenario. Most of us have dreams of a better life than that--one that includes a decent salary, our own place to live, and getting a job we love. But how do we achieve those dreams? More specifically, how can we turn those dreams into achievable expectations? Attending college is one of the most solid steps to achieving your dreams. But what if you’re having trouble envisioning college in your future? TIA is excited to be able to offer an incredible day of dream building, motivation, advice to high school students, and hope to all TIA students through the Own Your Success event scheduled for October 20th.

Own Your Success-Advice to High School Students

The Own Your Success event will introduce high school students and parents to internationally known Master Elite Results Coach, Brodie Whitney. Coach Brodie, from Robbins Research International, is a powerful motivator. He has met with the staff at Tucson International Academy on two occasions to get a snapshot of the particular needs and strengths of our high school students. This enables Coach Brodie to specifically aim his coaching and motivation to the unique attributes of TIA students. Coach Brodie declares, “Your identity is stronger than your wants. How you define yourself today determines the results you will live with tomorrow. By choosing courage over apathy today, you lead yourself and others to a new tomorrow.”

How Can You Attend This Event?

To earn the opportunity to attend this exciting event, students get to choose one of three endeavours based on their individual skills. For those strong in math, one of the choices is a set of math problems, some easy and others quite challenging. Students who excel in writing can choose to write a story about themselves which will include 3 different endings- one depicting success, another depicting partial success, and the third ending depicting failure. The third option is for students who excel at visualization to draw an image of a circle which illustrates the concepts like “I Am” and “I Am Not” , “I Can and I Cannot”. Each student will choose one of these three endeavours and submit it prior to the event. For more information on how and what to submit, students can talk to Mr. Montemayer. Again, Own Your Success will be an all day event from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm on October 20th, 2014 . All TIA high school students are eligible to attend and will be bussed to the event being held at 1300 N. Greasewood Road. That same evening from 6 pm until 8 pm, there’s a special parent event, where students bring their parents for dinner and a powerful session with Coach Brodie. Lives at TIA will be changed on this day. Do not miss out! TIA: Not just a school, but a doorway to the world! Enroll today! Written by Betty Kruszka~TheJ3Effect

Prepare for College with Coach Brodie Whitney

5 Things You Should Consider When Preparing for College

5 Things You Should Consider When Preparing for College Preparing for college can be an arduous task that discourages people. For parents who have not attended college within the past ten years, they might find themselves lost in the process of helping their children apply. Nowadays, college is a process that starts well in advance, preferably from the birth of the child. If you as a parent or student have not started the process, do not worry. Every month we will cover different areas that are crucial during this process. Preparing for College: Elementary Students Parents need to speak with a financial officer, accountant, banker, or tax expert who is knowledgeable about their family needs and the necessities for college. The sooner you create a banking account for your child, the more financially advantaged he/she will be when it comes to choosing a college. Preparing for College: Middle School Students and Parents The focus should be selecting a career that sparks an interest in the child. The students should start visiting occupations that may interest them or attend career fairs like the one we have at Tucson International Academy. Even though the student may not choose a career path at this point, a general idea would guide him/her towards the right college. Preparing for College: Freshman and Sophomore Students Students need to plan their high school classes with the right college in mind. All colleges will require the basic general courses such as four years in Mathematics and English Language Arts, two years each of Social Studies and Science, and two years of Foreign Language, etc. Certain colleges however, may require specialty classes such as Chemistry, Physics, and Calculus, etc. Freshman and sophomore students should keep college requirements in mind when choosing their High School courses. Preparing for College: Junior Students Junior Students should be well prepared for the several college entrance tests (PSAT, SAT, & ACT) throughout the year. Certain fees will apply for these tests, yet students can talk to their high school counselors to find out whether they qualify for fee waivers. There are various websites that offer free online practice tests. We will cover these in the near future. Preparing for College: Senior Students As for senior students, this will be the most important year of your high school. By now, you should have already narrowed down your college choices. Keep in mind that if you have not applied to a college yet, you must do so now! At this point, you should be working out a plan with your parents/guardians as to how to pay for college rather than which college you are applying to. Preparing for college can be a monstrous task if taken lightly. But with the right plan, we can all demystify the process. Enroll Now Miguel Montemayor, Tucson International Academy

School of Dreams: TIA Annihilating Barriers to Student Success

Have you seen movies like Stand and Deliver (1988), Dangerous Minds (1995), or Freedom Writers (2007)? These films tell the stories of schools and students who have made miraculous turn arounds against all odds. They are inspirational and uplifting tributes to what happens when teachers, students and their parents refuse to accept any preconceived notions of limits or boundaries placed on their success. If you have seen any of these movies, you know that all you want to do at the end is stand up and cheer! Amazingly, such a film could truly be made right now, right here about students and teachers at Tucson International Academy. So grab some popcorn, sit back and be amazed at one of the incredible stories of success unfolding on TIA campuses and see how they have become the school of dreams! Then stand up and cheer!

Midvale Student “Dreams” of Success

There are times that all it takes for us to succeed is one other person to believe we can… and maybe a nap. For one Midvale student, that one person was Mr. Basurto. We’ll get to the nap later... Sam* knew he wasn’t really a bad kid. He just felt a need to keep shaking fences that seemed to hold him back. Or maybe he shook the fences to be sure they were strong enough to keep him safe. Either way, where others saw a kid who seemed to always be in trouble, Mr. Basurto saw a kid who just needed help to picture what he could achieve. With Mr. Basurto in his corner helping him to keep focused on his goals, Sam started to make strides. He began to envision a future beyond high school. It was as though it just took another person to help him lift the lid on the treasure chest which held all the sparkling possibilities for his future. But even with the changes Sam had made, when it came time for the Aims test, Sam was nervous that the new hope he had found might come to a screeching halt. He prepared as best he could but found that on the day of the test all the worry, fear and anxiety had taken it’s toll. Sam was physically exhausted. He was about half way through the testing when he realized he simply could not stay awake and focused. He closed his eyes, for just a moment he thought, but actually had fallen asleep right in the middle of the test. One teacher wanted to wake him but another teacher convinced him to let the young man rest for just a moment. That little power nap was all it took! Once he awoke, Sam was able to complete the test more focused and clear headed. Everyone else had finished but Sam kept working. He was the very last student to complete the testing. How did Sam do on the exam you ask? He did so well that based on his scores he got calls from schools such as Notre Dame, Stanford, NAU and U of A! Sam ended up choosing to attend U of A where he is working to make his dreams of success a reality. (You can stand up and cheer now!)

The Culture at TIA is Shifting

Students like Sam are examples of how the culture at TIA is shifting. Instead of students just wanting to get by, they are starting to envision so much more for themselves. The class clowns are learning that funneling their creative brains into academic success is more rewarding than being known as a goof off. Students are taking responsibility for their own success and sharing that drive with each other. College is now seen as a viable option for the majority of students at TIA. It’s contagious! TIA offers kids from all backgrounds a school environment that meets them where they are, and then gives them every tool they need to break through any preconceived barriers. With supportive teachers and a strong family atmosphere, kids at TIA are discovering they are capable of doing much more than they ever dreamed. And those dreams are becoming reality. Just ask Sam. *not his real name TIA is more than just a school. Click here to start enrollment process.