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Turn Training into a Profit Center – Here’s How

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Turn Training into a Profit Center – Here’s How

L&D. Training.  Two departments known at most companies as dollars spent, show me the ROI.  Yet we all know that ROI in hard numbers isn’t an easy task. We push the productivity increases, sales increases, safety issue decreases, happy employees and retention as proof that Training or L&D is successful and thus here is the proof with ROI.

Tell people at your company, business, firm, association that you can make money with e-learning and make training a profit center, many times, you will get a “sure, sounds great”, with snickers behind the go for it. 

I’m here to tell you, not only can you establish revenue with B2B/B2C training via e-learning but do it in such a way, that it becomes RR – recurring revenue and customers/clients/members/partners into repeat buyers.  

Where you are running a profit center.  That’s right a profit center with training.  And what are the perks of achieving that?

  • More money for your budget –  If you generate 500K in a year (and I have, via e-learning), you will get a bigger budget for the following year, more line items approved and more support (if it is lacking).
  • Possible more resources – need marketing help – generate anything over 100K, and you are likely to get that help.  Perhaps you need an ID person,  generate 250K a year, the game changes – better for you and what you want to accomplish.  No, can become a thing of the past, after all, if you are profit center (thus in the “black” and not in the “red”), a company would be hard pressed to say, nah, let’s just stay the course, and sorry no funds for you. 
  • Procurement making the final decision on what you need, can disappear, especially when you start to cross 500K or even 1M a year (both are doable).  A C-Level is going to start noticing because you are generating revenue for the company, and thus you are a star.  Nobody likes to lose stars. 

The Mechanisms for revenue 

Before I start to cover everything,  for those non-profit folks reading this blog, I turned training via e-learning from “red to black” and into a profit center (by charging other agencies who attended our webinars, online courses, etc.). While you can’t be a standalone profit center in a non-profit, you can still make money.  And, all those items above (sans procurement which usually doesn”t exist in a non-profit), are in play. 

Where can you make money?

Here is a list of the ways to generate revenue with B2B/B2C, regardless of your brand name or lack thereof, in other words, it doesn’t matter if you are small or mid-size or super large or an association or initially all ILT with your clients, and now need a new way to make money.  Heck, you could be an e-learning company who provides online learning to your customers.  

  • Charge for online courses – An obvious one, and the one most follow – but what they forget is the idea that it is a one-off and thus, if you want to them to return, and upsell to do so, it’s a mixed bag – it comes down to the quality, which many in the B2B/B2C space tend to ignore. 
  • Charge for webinars – The days of a hybrid model where you did ILT (seminars) and did some webinars (via web conferencing) are gone.  The hybrid model worked for many, but unless your customer base are blue-collar, or front-line and thus have to physically be on site, then it is out the door.  Anyone who believes that in 2021, we are going to get back to normal in the business world, even association world, is going to find out the hard way, that’s it is not going to happen. 

On top of that, with the majority of your customer base working from home, there are more opps that ever before.  On-Demand is far better with usage, than going only live – whereas numbers will drop due to being on too many web meetings.   In the end though, webinars are money makers. 

  • Certification Program – A staple for the association space, regardless if you are a trade or professional, and a fantastic way with e-learning to make a lot of money.  Even if you are not an association, but want to create a certification program for your customers, it is doable.  Sure a Microsoft Certification for xyz is already out there, but most of us are not Microsoft nor offering a certification program in IT.  That said, it doesn’t mean it can’t work.

Put it this way, as I noted on social media the other day, I remember hearing from an association exec, who “laughing” was telling me how much money they were making in their certification program.  When people failed the “test” to move up to the next level, they had to buy more materials, and go all over again.   

  • Create Packages –  PDFs, online courses, webinars, and something else I will cover that many in the B2B/B2C space overlook.  A package can do wonders. 
  • Pricing strategy – The number one winner or bummer in terms of sales.  Too many folks think charge high because the content is from us, and therefore we will make a lot of money.  Clearly it depends on who you are, but even then, recurring revenue may be far different.  On top of that, we are in a new world with COVID-19, and a serious recession in the states is coming.  Globally, it is already here.  Companies are no longer paying to have their employee take a fee-based online webinar or e-learning course.  They are scaling back.  You think they are going to pay for $599 webinar?  

The strategy I will recommend, has from my experience a proven track record. On top of that, one of the biggest companies in the world, Apple, used this strategy when they launched iTunes.  The name of this strategy? Blue Ocean. 

Write that down – Blue Ocean. 

Certification Program

A topic that easily could be a separate blog post, with the amount to discuss, so with this post, I will focus more on key takeaways and approaches, rather than going into all the nuances of achieving success (which will be covered in Dec on certification programs through online learning).

Keys to Success

Any type of certification program has to be rigid.  I mean if over 80% of people are taking it, completing it and passing, that will water down and weaken the value of the certification program, on the other hand if only 2% are passing, there better be some major takeaways for doing so because a certification program will always be a WIFM (What’s in it for me).  

Items any certification program must have to get people to want to take it

  • Intrinsic value – A customer going through a certification program, again regardless if the are a member of an association, a client, a customer of your solution/product/services, there has to be a benefit for them, because a certification program takes time, commitment, and yes, challenging. 

When people go through certification programs they are likely doing it for one of the following reasons

  • Credentials open up more hiring opportunities. I get the certification credentials and if I am (an employee) at some company, I hope that it leads to a raise, better salary, promotions and/or more value for the company to retain me.  If it doesn’t come to pass, when I am looking for another job, those credentials will swing the job my way all things being equal.   
  • Credentials in some way, reinforce that you as an individual, spent the time to acquire them, expand your knowledge and will in some way help you.  Nobody goes through a certification program, just for the fun of it.  
  • Helps their business – if you as the business owner goes through a certification that enables you to attract more customers as a result of it, then it is worth it.  If you are brick and mortar or online only or a combo, showing that certification logo can be huge – but only if your customer base knows what it is. If they don’t then, you can still make a difference because you can say “this certification that my employees achieved makes us more qualified in blah blah” than those other places.  
  • Feel Successful.  Nothing wrong with this, so do not see it that way. But anyone who goes through a certification program of any sort, will feel better about themselves when they receive the certificate and credentials.  Look hard work is well hard.  And thus, by achieving something so few do, you are showing everyone you can not only do it, but you did.  That deserves in of itself a huge kudos. 

Certification Programs Best Practices with e-learning 

  • Have everything clearly defined – with deadlines to complete the work or specific requirements that the individual must do to get to the next step – the final assessment.  Some certification programs do a mix of project work (individual projects) and a final assessment, some just do the project options, find what works for you. 
  • Shows Extrinsic value.  Intrinsic we talked about, but it also must have an extrinsic value – especially with businesses, and even association members.  
  • Go Online Proctoring if you are doing a final assessment. There are some good ones out there, and from a learning system standpoint some vendors in the B2B/B2C market are adding this capability.  One e-learning vendor who has as part of their assessment solutions has an online proctoring component is Questionmark.  They can integrate with any learning system out there.  If your learning system vendor focuses on employees and also customers, they should be able to support an API or SSO with Questionmark or other online proctoring solutions.  Be aware that online proctoring doesn’t always mean someone is watching the test taker, in some cases it is a recording, which you, as the person overseeing the program, is watching. 
  • Consider stages. –  Okay, you complete and pass this stage you get this.  Now in the next stage, you can get this.  This best practice isn’t a one size fits all, but if you want recurring revenue, it is the way to go, as it relates to a specific certification program.  CFA is one entity, that has levels, but in their case, you have to pass all three levels to get that CFA designation.  And people pay a lot to do it. 
  • Don’t overcharge –  Nowadays people are not going to drop $1,500 for a certification program, you have to recognize the economics here.  Check out any site related to consumer spending indicies or the latest info on it.  Check out your own industry.  Consumer spending is a better route to assess.  If you are in a recession or if consumers are not buying, you think they will pay a grand plus for your program?
  • Most people – customers – go it alone – another reason not to try to bust the bank. 
  • Good Rates to charge – With one-time, I wouldn’t charge anything higher than $595 in current circumstances for members.  Economy improves, COVID-19 vaccines are available to the masses, then $795 or $995 could fly – but it depends on who you are, what is the certification and the value of it. 

If you are an association, you charge for a certification program.  Members pay this, non-members pay that.  Perhaps you offer the certification program for $275 for members, and $595 for non-members. You can state these are special rates due to the pandemic – nobody will find fault with this.  Then when things rebound you can boost up, so members it is $475, non-members $995. 

  • Failure rate –  50% is a good rate.  I mean no one is going to stay clear if your failure rate is 35%, but unless you are like the CFA, where a passing rate is around 2%, and thus a failure rate of 98%, your program isn’t going to get people to invest, especially when YouTube or Coursera is around with free online content, that folks think will suffice. 

Online Courses for customers/clients/partners/members (i.e. B2B/B2C) with Blue Ocean 

In a nutshell, Blue Ocean is all about building mass through a low price point. There are learning system vendors who use Blue Ocean to get, wait for it, you as the customer.  

Like I said about iTunes, Apple came out of the gate charging 99 cents per MP4, whereas the competition was multiple dollars and those who weren’t paying and going via Torrents, were staying clear. 99 cents is really in many eyes, not a lot of money.  Heck it costs a $1 (not including tax) for a McDonald’s soda (in the states).  

Don’t Forget – another reason to go Blue Ocean 

YouTube and folks like Coursera.  YouTube is where a lot of people go to check out “how to do” videos, which are done by folks who use the product often and call themselves “experts”.  You are really the expert because it is your product/service and thus you should know it inside and out, and even tips and tricks to go even further. 

Coursera is a MOOC offering that follows synchronous based learning, with low completion rates – a big minus on MOOCs. Engaging? No way. 

Competition 

Udemy isn’t cheap – another solution folks look at.  It’s fine for general – how to do cold calling, not how to do cold calling with Zig Ziglar for example.  OR with your product – how to close deals with Widget Grass – isn’t the same as how to close deals.  One is generic, one isn’t. 

Some companies look at what their competitors are charging and just follow.  Why? Do you think they have figured out the magic sauce and are making massive amounts?  

I don’t know how much money Intuit is making, but one course is $395 – Online on Quickbooks, the last time I looked.  Outrageous ripoff.  

You are a competitor, with your product, customer debates between you and QB – you offer a wealth of online courses, on-demand webinars for only X.   X is significantly lower than Quickbooks. 

Here is the Way I made e-learning training into a Profit Center 

I never charged more than $35 for an online course.  They received unlimited access, to take it as much as the way, as often as they want in a 12-month period.  The course was asynchronous  (i.e. non-linear, so a person can go right to whatever section, rather than having to complete the first section, before moving on). with a Table of Contents  (you want success? Go this route).  Additional resources were provided in the form of downloads.  

Most of the time, I went around $25.  

Here is how I came to these numbers. 

  1. In many places I worked at, they never had e-learning before, hence, no data to review Or worse, they did ILT only and still had no data of use.   If you have such data as it relates to e-learning, you will start to see a trend of usage, and thus this type of calculation will be much easier for you, because you have a starting point. 
  2. I projected conservatively my usage.  It will take you about three years to build mass in B2B/B2C usage.  Do not think, “if we offer it, they will come” – because it usually doesn’t happen that way, and then many people give up in offering it. 

First take the cost of the learning system you are using.  Let’s say based on your projections, you think in year one you will have 2,000 customers on the system.  The cost of the system to you is $50,000.  

The cost of you to build a course via a 3rd party authoring tool (base on the license and not, on your salary or whoever you have working in your company creating them) is $1,495 (the fee usually Articulate charges, since many use them.  I wouldn’t, but that’s just my take). 

If you hired someone outside of your business to create the course (I hope it is a couple for the rate),  then you will factor that in. 

Let’s though say you bought a 3rd party authoring tool, maybe some assets for say eLearning Brothers (est cost $400, but check with them, because I just whipped out that number).  Total cost 1,895.  

Total Cost with the system – 51,895

5,000 user base – The amount of money you need to break even per course (with a 5,000 user base) is $10.38 cents (USD).   Now, if you charge say $25,  the amount you will generate if you only 5,000 people take that course is $75,000 (USD).   Even if you were to go $19.95, the revenue you would generate will be about $48,300 (USD).  That is for just one course.  

Have three courses, and now you are starting to see how the revenue goes up.   

Let’s say you have 1,000 user projection and the system is $35,000. Frankly for the user base it is too high, but it is just an example. 

At this number, $36,895 – which means the cost for that course is $36.89, so yes, in this case, you are going to have to increase the fee for the course, and go above to break even.  Perhaps you go $49.95, or $49.75 per the course.  

What you can do though is play with the mind – it is called neuromarketing.   You plan to charge only $35 for the course.  I know you are thinking I am losing money here.  

But with that cost, you start to see higher numbers.  You end up with 2,000.  Now the fee to break even is $18.45 per end user. 

Or perhaps you say, for just $10 more you will receive our Webinar Series (with three webinars on blah blah and blah blah). Again, $10 is a low price point, and not one folks normally balk at.  Now, $35 goes to $45, and you are generating profit with the course. 

On the webinar side – let’s say you are using Zoom Video Webinar up to 100 attendees, the cost is $400 per license.  Just for kicks you buy two licenses, since two different folks are going to manage these for you. 

Total Cost for the year -$800.   Most of your webinar sessions probably you get 20 people, unless you get some famous person, you know like me – kidding, kidding. Or am I? HA. 

Anyway, at 20 people per session, you are going to say, okay Craig that means $40 per session.  Yes, but only if you are doing one session a month, and trust me, you will not want to do that. 

If you run four sessions a month, what is the cost now? $10 per session, with 20 people.   

You charge $19.95 – That is 9.95 per person profit.  

And that is if you only do four sessions a month.  Eight a month on different topics?  Even with only 20 people – $5 to break even.  And now you start to see how you can really make some money. 

Go Big or Go Home

I am going to propose something that many B2B/B2C do not realize, but could play and provide you a big win.  It is something I did at multiple places I worked at with B2B/B2C and e-learning. 

The usual MO (Mode of Operandi) is to train them on your product(s)/services and other proprietary information, which is of course the key purpose here.  Online courses, webinars with on-demand viewing (a must, which means they are not attending live, but will watch at a later point – oh, and a great way to upsell for the next on-demand session, even for just an additional $5 or $10!).  

And everyone does this, i.e online courses, webinars.  But, what if you went one step further. 

In addition to the proprietary, you also give them access to a library of free content for personal and professional development.  Maybe some online courses with Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams, Reducing Stress, plus other topics across the board.  Maybe you provide them access to content curation in your system through a solution called Anders Pink (I highly recommend) or go directly to Anders Pink – which you can, and they can integrate into your learning system OR you just give your customers access to the solution (which some learning systems have already as part – for content curation, i.e. they didn’t build it, it is from Anders Pink). 

In other words, you are giving an additional value and incentive for that customer to come back, and use it. You do not care if they share their user name and password with their family members or significant others to take this content.  

This is about providing a plus for them as being a loyal customer, and you being a company that cares about their customers during these difficult times. 

There are plenty of 3rd party content providers that exist out there, some are better than others (feel free to reach out to me for suggestions OR you can view my Top 3rd party content provider Awards.  For content aggregators – the best is Open Sesame – which can add the content into your learning system, followed by GO1 and Biz Library.  Open Sesame and Biz Library will work with you to pick the content you only want and need, and not an all you can eat option.  Thus you get the bundle option)

Bottom Line

If you think making 500K via e-learning with your B2B/B2C Training is a fantasy, I am here to tell you it can be reality. 

I know.

I did it.

In under eight months

And during a recession. 

E-Learning 24/7 

Oh for those wondering, yes, I can provide a webinar for your company, business, organization, association, etc.  For transparency purposes, the fee is $1,200 for up to an hr.  If interested, please e-mail me. 

How Stijn landed his new job after completing the IBM Applied AI Professional Certificate

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How Stijn landed his new job after completing the IBM Applied AI Professional Certificate

Meet Stijn, a project assistant from Brussels, Belgium. He recently earned his IBM Applied AI Professional Certificate and it opened new career opportunities and helped him build the skills and confidence to ace his job interviews. He shares his story below and offers his insights about the program as well as some valuable advice on career advancement.

My name is Stijn. I work in project assistance for market research at a French multinational company in Brussels. In school, I studied Economics and Tax Law, but I had a friend who studied Artificial Intelligence (AI) and got a number of job offers with excellent companies, which made me get interested in this field. I was looking for AI courses that didn’t require a deep background in IT, and that’s when I found the IBM Applied AI Professional Certificate on Coursera.

It made a big difference that the IBM Applied AI Professional Certificate didn’t require any prior coding experience. I was able to work on very specific projects and see real results by the end of my course. I learned how to train AI to recognize the difference between a table and a chair and had a lot of fun uploading an online sellers’ catalogue to test my project! I also enjoyed making my own chatbot.

I liked that I could take the class on my own time—mainly on the weekends, in my case. If I got stuck, I could look on the forum to see if someone else was having the same problem, and I always found a way to move forward with my projects. The coding wasn’t too difficult—there was a lot of drag-and-drop or changing small amounts of code here and there. 

“It was very rewarding to get results so easily and early in the learning process.”

I would recommend this course to anyone who has even the slightest bit of interest in AI, but especially to professionals wanting to learn more about how AI applies to their jobs. You’ll really see results by the end of the course instead of just getting stuck on difficult coding, and the course mentoring support throughout makes the learning very easy. It’s not abstract; it’s really hands-on and has a lot of practical applications that anyone can use.

The IBM Applied AI Professional Certificate helped me get my current job. I had the certificate listed on my LinkedIn profile, which helped me get on my current employer’s shortlist, and when I was interviewing, I was able to speak to how AI would help automate their market research survey system. It helped me stand out in the interview process and get the job.

My company already uses IBM Cloud Services, and I’m hoping in the future to help them integrate AI into our current market survey systems. I think it will help us save lots of time by introducing automation and reducing the amount of manual work.

If you’re on the fence about taking the program, you should go for it. It’s not as expensive as certificates like this used to be; it’s within reach for most people. The program itself is very doable, even for people who aren’t familiar with programming. Overall, it was a very practical and enjoyable experience.

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Muhammad Etubi: “It is worth being an Alison graduate.”

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Muhammad Etubi: “It is worth being an Alison graduate.”

“My name is Muhammad Etubi. I am a Nigerian who speaks and writes Arabic and English fluently. I am an e-cataloguer and an Information Manager with the University of Jos Library.”

How did you learn about Alison?

I was browsing the internet for a webinar to upgrade my knowledge in the field of Library and Information Science when I found Alison.

What was your first course on Alison, and why did you choose it?

My first course on Alison was the Fundamentals of Human-Computer Information Retrieval (HCIR). I chose HCIR because I needed knowledge in this field.

What’s your favourite way to relax from studying?

My favourite way to relax after studying is sightseeing.

Where are you working and what are you studying now?

I am working with the University of Jos Library. I have just completed a course in Computer Networking with Alison. I am also pursuing a Master’s Degree Programme in Library and Information Science.

 

What’s next for you, in terms of education or work?

I expect to complete a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science soon and then to improve my work environment with my knowledge.

If you could learn absolutely anything in the world from an Alison course, what would it be?

Project Management.

What would you say to someone if they asked you about Alison? Would you recommend it and why?

Alison allows you to learn your chosen course at your own pace and for free. It is worth being an Alison graduate. I would recommend Alison courses to anyone.

1 on 1 with Engineering Leaders: Figma Engineering Manager Andrew Heine

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1 on 1 with Engineering Leaders: Figma Engineering Manager Andrew Heine

Over the past couple months, Codecademy for Business and our friends at Code Climate have been meeting each week with an engineering leader to talk about their career journey, leadership tactics and advice for the next generation of engineers. This week, we hear from Andrew Heine, an Engineering Manager at Figma.

Here on the Codecademy blog, Andrew shares his advice for those considering careers in engineering or engineering management. For more from the interview with Andrew, head over to the Code Climate blog.

Q: What interested you about engineering when you were just starting out?

I did struggle with my career path a lot when I was younger. I had a lot of interests and didn’t want to pick one thing, but engineering always came out as one of the most rewarding things.

I’m pretty impatient and just being able to do a lot as an engineer, particularly a software engineer, made that a really competitive interest. I really liked the fast feedback loop of being able to be directly the person building things. The virtuous cycle of being able to make things really quickly as an engineer, just beat out all the competition for my competing interests.

Q: What advice do you have for people who might be considering a career in engineering?

I would recommend finding a good mentor. In my first job as an engineer, I became really good friends with the smartest person on the whole floor because of some stuff unrelated to engineering. This is somebody who had like 10 years of experience — just an amazing engineer, and I became such a better engineer just by being his friend.

I could do projects all day, but having him give me feedback on them, having him give me ideas, and hearing about what he was working on helped me grow and improve. I became so much better by investing in our friendship. Building good relationships gives you the opportunity to learn.

Q: What advice do you have for engineers who are considering management one day?

It kind of varies per company, what opportunities there are for you to get a taste of management. So my first piece of advice would be to ask your manager — they’d probably be excited to get a little bit of help! They’ll be able to point out areas that they think you can grow in or that they might see a gap in before you can be a manager.

You can also test the waters by practicing building good relationships. For one, you can support new hires. You can be there for them and mentor them. You can also get good at working cross-functionally. Go above and beyond, reaching out to product and design teams to resolve issues. You can also get good practice by being a strong owner of a feature that you’re working on.

A lot of things about management, you will just have to learn on the job. But first, you’ll need to make sure you’re interested enough to make the transition, and you can do that by trying out a little pieces of it. There’s a lot of little things you can do, but most importantly, try to get the support from your own manager.

For more about Andrew’s career journey and leadership strategies, head over to the Code Climate blog.

Free Printable Thanksgiving Table Decors That You Can’t Miss!

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Free Printable Thanksgiving Table Decors That You Can’t Miss!

Free printable thanksgiving table decoration - Oval Poster with Quote and/or Menu

Thanksgiving is drawing nigh and I don’t know about you, but we are making plans for the big feast. As the rolls are rising and the football games are kicking off, let your guests know what they have to look forward to by displaying this traditional Thanksgiving meal chalkboard menu & coordinating quote. With those free printable thanksgiving table decors, you will create a seasonal feeling in a few minutes.

Candle decorated with a free Thansgiving Printable perfect for a tablescape

Free printable thanksgiving table decors

In this post, I’m sharing with you printable posters that are perfect for Thanksgiving feast decoration. You can print them and use them as they are. If you want to be a little more creative this year, cut them out, and after that place them over a piece of burlap. It will give your decoration a more seasonal finish. There endless possibilities and the only limit is your imagination. We would love to see what you came up with, so make sure to tag us when posting any photos on your social media.

Below I’m adding photos showing how we arranged today’s printables so feel free to copy the ideas.

In conclusion, if you are looking for free printable decorations for your Thanksgiving table, those will be perfect. Have fun adding them to a tablescape or as a room decor. Each print comes in 8×10 and 5×7. Enjoy!

Free printable thanksgiving decoration for a tablescape or room

For Personal Use Only.

If you are looking for more seasonal freebies, make sure to check our free printables library

Looking for something specific?

If you have an idea for a printable, let us know in the comments! We are always looking for inspiration. If you decide to print today’s Thanksgiving printable posters, make sure to share some photos. You can do so by tagging us on Instagram or Twitter.

Have You Ever Worried About Making a Good First Impression?

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Have You Ever Worried About Making a Good First Impression?

In “First Impressions,” a winning essay from our 2019 Personal Narrative Contest for students, Isabel Hui writes about a time when she hoped to make a good impression — and what she learned about herself from it. Her narrative reads:

When I woke up on August 4, 2016, there was only one thing on my mind: what to wear. A billion thoughts raced through my brain as wooden hangers shuffled back and forth in the cramped hotel closet. I didn’t want to come off as a try-hard, but I also didn’t want to be seen as a slob. Not only was it my first day of high school, but it was my first day of school in a new state; first impressions are everything, and it was imperative for me to impress the people who I would spend the next four years with. For the first time in my life, I thought about how convenient it would be to wear the horrendous matching plaid skirts that private schools enforce.

It wasn’t insecurity driving me to madness; I was actually quite confident for a teenage girl. It was the fact that this was my third time being the new kid. Moving so many times does something to a child’s development … I struggled finding friends that I could trust would be there for me if I picked up and left again. But this time was different because my dad’s company ensured that I would start and finish high school in the same place. This meant no instant do-overs when I pick up and leave again. This time mattered, and that made me nervous.

After meticulously raiding my closet, I emerged proudly in a patterned dress from Target. The soft cotton was comfortable, and the ruffle shoulders added a hint of fun. Yes, this outfit was the one. An hour later, I felt just as powerful as I stepped off the bus and headed toward room 1136. But as I turned the corner into my first class, my jaw dropped to the floor.

Sitting at her desk was Mrs. Hutfilz, my English teacher, sporting the exact same dress as I. I kept my head down and tiptoed to my seat, but the first day meant introductions in front of the whole class, and soon enough it was my turn. I made it through my minute speech unscathed, until Mrs. Hutfilz stood up, jokingly adding that she liked my style. Although this was the moment I had been dreading from the moment I walked in, all the anxiety that had accumulated throughout the morning surprisingly melted away; the students who had previously been staring at their phones raised their heads to pay attention as I shared my story. My smile grew as I giggled with my peers, ending my speech with “and I am very stylish, much like my first period teacher.” After class, I stayed behind and talked to Mrs. Hutfilz, sharing my previous apprehension about coming into a new school and state. I was relieved to make a humorous and genuine connection with my first teacher, one that would continue for the remainder of the year.

This incident reminded me that it’s only high school; these are the times to have fun, work hard, and make memories, not stress about the trivial details. Looking back four years later, the ten minutes I spent dreading my speech were really not worth it. While my first period of high school may not have gone exactly the way I thought it would, it certainly made the day unforgettable in the best way, and taught me that Mrs. Hutfilz has an awesome sense of style!

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

  • When have you made a good or bad first impression? Tell us what happened: Who did you meet, and what were the circumstances — was it a job interview, the first day of school or perhaps a chance encounter on the street? What thoughts were going through your head at the time? What made the impression a positive one or not?

  • Do you agree with the saying, “You’ll never get a second chance to make a first impression”? Have you ever recovered from a bad first impression you made or changed your initial thoughts about someone else?

  • Do you connect with anything in Isabel’s story? Have you ever fretted and agonized over an anticipated encounter or event? Which moments in the essay did you find most surprising, powerful or moving? Why?

  • At the end of the essay, Isabel reflects on her experience and gives the reader a take-away: “This incident reminded me that it’s only high school; these are the times to have fun, work hard, and make memories, not stress about the trivial details.” What do you think of that advice? Is there a moment in your life that changed the way you think or look at the world?

  • Isabel uses many vivid details to capture her feelings of fear and apprehension such as “meticulously raiding my closet,” and “I kept my head down and tiptoed to my seat.” Which “writer’s moves” that Isabel used in her narrative do you admire most? Choose one and share why you thought it was effective. How did it draw you into the story and help you to identify with the author’s situation?

Students, if Isabel’s story inspired you, consider turning what you wrote into your own personal narrative and submit it to our contest, now through Nov. 17, 2020.

About Student Opinion

• Find all our Student Opinion questions in this column.
• Have an idea for a Student Opinion question? Tell us about it.
• Learn more about how to use our free daily writing prompts for remote learning.

Students 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Thinking About College: Activities Adults and Teenagers Can Do Together

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Thinking About College: Activities Adults and Teenagers Can Do Together

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021.

Featured Articles: Recent reporting on the college process from The New York Times

Note: This is a special edition of our Lesson of the Day. We have invited Jacques Steinberg, a journalist at The Times from 1988 to 2013, and the founding editor of its 2009-13 college admissions blog, The Choice, to write a guest post for us. Mr. Steinberg has recently authored a book, “The College Conversation: A Practical Companion for Parents to Guide Their Children Along the Path to Higher Education,” with Eric J. Furda, the dean of admissions at the University of Pennsylvania.

For adults seeking to guide young people through the college search and application process — whether in the role of counselor, teacher, parent or mentor — moments and milestones that can be fraught under the best of circumstances have been made all the more unnerving this fall. This may be the case for high school seniors who will soon push “submit,” as well as high school juniors contemplating where they might apply next year.

In this guide, students work with an adult in their lives to make sense of the college process. You will begin with a broad conversation on your hopes for college, then read some practical articles from The Times together, and, finally, co-create a to-do list to manage the next steps.

In The College Conversation, we offer more than a dozen activities for parents and other adults to do together with would-be applicants. To the extent that those exercises have a common thread, it is this: We encourage adults to ask their students questions, and to then listen carefully to their answers, before supporting them in incorporating those reflections into the college process.

That advice was echoed in a recent article, “How Parents Can Support Teenagers in the Pandemic College Process,” which points out that with college admissions significantly altered this year, parents, or any other adult involved in the process, must pay special attention to what their student wants and needs.

In the article, the author and pediatrician Dr. Cara Natterson says, “Listen to what your kid is saying — really listen — before delivering a lecture.” She adds, “And then, maybe skip the lecture.”

Here are some questions that we invite adults and teenagers to first think about individually, then discuss together. In our book, we suggest that each of you consider grabbing a few index cards as a way to record some of your early, individual responses, with students answering for themselves and adults answering from their knowledge of the student. After you’ve each spent a few minutes jotting responses to these prompts on the cards, compare notes.

  • What aspects of yourself do you think you might want to explore in college, or in any other higher education setting?

  • What interests and ideas do you have now that you think higher education can help you explore or develop? What subjects might you want to study? What inspires you — and how might you act on that inspiration in college?

  • What kind of college do you imagine you might like to go to, ideally? Free associate some attributes of that institution, using some details or key words or phrases that can make it start to come to life. Describe it in as much detail as you can. What would the community there be like? What might the curriculum look like? In what settings — rural, suburban or urban — or parts of the country might it be located? Why?

One piece of advice: At this early stage of exploration, don’t cite the names of individual schools or describe a school in a way that is so specific that its identity is obvious. That discussion can come later. This exercise is about reducing the college experience to its barest essentials.

If you are applying to college this fall, the pandemic has disrupted several aspects of the process for at least some applicants — but certainly not all aspects for all applicants.

Below are excerpts and links from Times articles that can help with specific parts of the college process, accompanied by a few questions for further discussion.

Adults: You might consider inviting your student to review these links, and lead the conversation about which topics they would like to discuss with you at this stage, as well as how and why.

On Standardized Testing and Admissions

While hundreds of bachelor-degree-granting institutions long ago made the SAT and ACT optional for most applicants, in an acknowledgment that the exams can benefit the most advantaged applicants, most schools that still require such tests have struck those mandatory policies, at least for this year’s admissions cycle. Many students have struggled to take such tests amid lockdowns and other restrictions related to Covid-19, while others have simply not felt safe doing so.

And yet, those applying without such scores — either because they choose not to submit them, or were never able to take the tests — worry that they will be at a disadvantage. Here are two useful articles that can help you with those concerns.

Articles:

Questions for discussion:

  • Emma Goldberg asks, “Is all of this anxiety and effort even necessary?” How does she answer? What do you take away from her article, as it applies to you? Why?

  • Times editors ask Jeffrey Selingo, an expert on college admissions, “Does test-optional really mean test-optional in admissions?” How does he answer?

  • In light of the de-emphasis on standardized testing in this year’s college application process — and with the future role of standardized testing in the process unknown — what are other ways that you can demonstrate to a college or university your academic interests and accomplishments, and how you might carry them forward in a college environment?

On Financial Aid and the Pandemic

For all the differences in this fall’s application process, many aspects remain largely intact, and will be familiar both to families who have children who have been through the process before and to high school counselors.

The Times’s “Your Money” columnist recently published a two-part primer on this subject, with the first part focused on merit aid and the second on need-based aid. Together they can walk you through this year’s landscape.

Articles:

How to Predict Merit Aid in a Strange College Application Season, by Ron Lieber

What a $300,000 College Might Cost a $200,000 Family, by Ron Lieber

Questions for discussion:

  • What are the definitions of “need-based” financial aid and “merit” aid, and to what extent might those financial aid options be relevant and helpful in the particular case of our family? What are other ways to reduce the cost of a higher education?

  • For parents to answer in discussion with students: What is the rough sense and range of how much money you might be prepared to spend each year, including from earnings and savings, on your student’s college education? How much might you be prepared to borrow?

  • For students to answer in discussion with parents: What is a rough sense and range of how much you would be prepared to contribute, such as earnings or savings from a summer job? What is your willingness to take on a part-time job while in college as well as loans for which you would be responsible after graduation?

On the College Essay

As in years past, applicants should use their applications as a vehicle to introduce themselves to admissions officers, including to explain who they are, what they value and what fires their passions — and to make the case for what they would add to the university community.

Here are two articles that give a wealth of practical advice. The first was published this fall; the second comes from 2009. But Martha C. Merrill’s advice from 2009 is as wise this fall as when The Times first published it, and further underscores the notion that this year’s admissions process will still have much in common with the many cycles that preceded it.

Articles:

Applying to College During the Pandemic? Here Is Some Advice From Admissions Officers, by Judy Mandell

Tip Sheet: An Admissions Dean Offers Advice on Writing a College Essay, by Martha C. Merrill

Questions for discussion:

  • What part of Douglas Christiansen’s advice is the same now as in a nonpandemic cycle? How do you think it applies to you?

  • What tips does Martha Merrill offer students that resonate with you? If you have started your essay, do you think you have been able to incorporate some of her advice? How? What specific lines or sections in your draft essay do you think are most effective in reflecting her advice? Does she offer additional tips that you would like to follow?

  • Every writer needs an editor. To whom might you show a draft of your essay to offer some feedback — not to impose their voice on yours, but to provide perspective on how clearly you have articulated and supported your ideas, as well as to read behind you on basic grammar? A teacher, counselor or parent? Another adult? A friend or other peer?

As a final activity, adults and students might work together to create a to-do list of basic next steps — as well as an indication of which of you is responsible for those steps — and a basic timeline. A college counselor can be invaluable in helping inform those steps and how best to approach them.

In “The College Conversation,” we suggest young people and the adults in their lives consider using index cards or notepads to keep track of these activities, or an Excel sheet, Word document or Google document. Whatever format works best for you.

We also suggest organizing those conversations into five phases, centered on a student’s self-discovery, college search and application, as well as the decision phase (the colleges’ and then those of the applicant), followed by the transition to college.

While it all may seem overwhelming, we want to close on a note of reassurance. Access to an affordable college education, one that aligns with a student’s dreams and ambitions, is a goal that is eminently achievable, especially for students (and the adults in their lives) who are willing to keep an open mind and do their research, looking inward as well as across the higher education landscape.

About Lesson of the Day

• Find all our Lessons of the Day in this column.
• Teachers, watch our on-demand webinar to learn how to use this feature in your classroom.

Familial Frights

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Familial Frights

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021.

What story does this image inspire for you?

Use your imagination to write the opening of a short story or poem inspired by this illustration — or tell us about a memory from your own life that this image makes you think of.

Tell us in the comments, then read the related article to learn more.

About Picture Prompts

• Find all our Picture Prompts in this column.
• Have an idea for a Picture Prompt? Tell us about it.
• Teachers, discover more ways to teach with our Picture Prompts and learn how to use our free daily writing prompts for remote learning.

Students 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Word + Quiz: cogent

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Word + Quiz: cogent

: powerfully persuasive due to relevance or pertinence

_________

The word cogent has appeared in 48 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on March 12 in “Champions League and Euro 2020 in Jeopardy as Teams Enter Quarantine” by Rory Smith and Tariq Panja:

The call was delayed until Tuesday because of the immense complexity in coming up with solutions while honoring existing contracts with various groups, including broadcasters and sponsors. For example, postponing the Euros for a year to 2021, which is an option, would create a major headache in figuring out what to do with sponsorship contracts, most of which expire in 2020.

… For now, UEFA is consulting with Europe’s national leagues to try to construct a cogent plan to deal with the effects of the virus, rather than the piecemeal approach being taken to date, in order to get the club season finished.

_________

Lesson of the Day: ‘Parents of 545 Children Separated at the Border Cannot Be Found’

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Lesson of the Day: ‘Parents of 545 Children Separated at the Border Cannot Be Found’

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021.

Featured Article: “Parents of 545 Children Separated at the Border Cannot Be Found” by Caitlin Dickerson

In 2017, before the Trump administration’s widely publicized “zero tolerance” immigration policy went into effect, children were separated from their parents as part of a previously undisclosed pilot program. A new report reveals that the deported parents of these 545 migrant children still have yet to be found and given the opportunity to reunite with their children.

In this lesson, you will learn about these new findings and what different organizations are doing to try to reunite families and seek justice. Then, you will reflect artistically, or learn more by listening to a 2018 episode of “The Daily” or by watching a VICE News short film.

Create a K/W/L chart with three columns: What I Know, What I Want to Know and What I Learned. What do you already know about family separation at the border? Write your response in the first column.

Next, listen to this three-minute interview with Nan Schivone, the legal director of Justice in Motion, and Steve Inskeep, a host on NPR’s “Morning Edition”:

After listening, what else do you know about family separation and recent attempts to reunite families? Add that information to the first column. What more do you want to know after listening to the short interview? Write your responses in the second column.

Read the article, then answer the following questions:

1. What do recently discovered court documents reveal about the Trump administration’s immigration policy? What are some of the things that happened under the “zero tolerance” policy?

2. What have been some of the complications with reunifying families?

3. What is your reaction to Juana’s story? Does it change your perspective or help you to better understand the decisions that deported parents have to make?

4. What are some of the reasons that case workers at the Department of Health and Human Services have struggled to track down parents of separated children? How has the coronavirus pandemic further complicated the identification and reunification processes?

5. Ms. Schivone, the legal director of Justice in Motion, said, “The Trump administration had no plans to keep track of the families or ever reunite them and so that’s why we’re in the situation we’re in now, to try to account for each family.” What evidence in the article supports her statement? Do you agree with Ms. Schivone? Why?

Before moving into a Going Further activity, take a moment to reflect in your journal about what you read.

  • What did you learn from reading the article? (You can fill out the third column in your K/W/L chart from the warm-up with your responses.)

  • How do you feel after reading the article? What questions or concerns do you still have?

  • What do you want to do next? Would you like to reflect more and educate others about what you learned? Or would you like to continue learning more?

Depending on how you answered the last question, you can choose the Going Further activity that most interests you.

Create a one-pager to share with friends, family or your larger school community. Your one-pager should include an illustration, a quote from the article and a question for someone featured in the article, or a question that you would like readers to consider. You can also consider adding these details to your one-pager:

  • An important fact or statistic from the featured article.

  • One word or phrase that was meaningful or significant.

  • A call to action: What do you think people should do in response?

You can use this one-pager template, a blank piece of paper or a graphic design website like Canva to express yourself creatively and artistically.

In July 2018, “The Daily” podcast invited Annie Correal, a New York Times reporter, to share the story of a migrant from Guatemala who was rejoining her children after a five-week separation.

After you listen to the podcast, respond to these questions, adapted from our Film Club feature.

If you want to know more, you can read this 2018 article, “My Whole Heart Is There,” which covers the story of the migrant, Yeni González, and includes pictures of her journey.

Watch this 13-minute VICE News video about the process of tracking down and reunifying families. It includes interviews with Ms. Schivone, the legal director who was quoted in the featured article, as well as other lawyers, government officials and parents whose children were taken from them.

After watching the video, answer these questions, which are partially adapted from our Film Club feature.

  • What moments in this film stood out for you? Why?

  • What messages, emotions or ideas will you take away from this film? Why?

  • What did you learn by watching Eriberto Pop, a defender for Justice in Motion, as he tried to locate one father? How does the visual change or enhance your understanding of the content in the article?

About Lesson of the Day

• Find all our Lessons of the Day in this column.
• Teachers, watch our on-demand webinar to learn how to use this feature in your classroom.

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