To Parents of Juniors/Seniors听
As I turn the calendar page to October, I recall that fall is for鈥umpkins, sweaters, football, and phone calls from FRANTIC parents of college bound juniors and seniors. Even those parents who are historically disciplined about planning and getting in front of deadlines 鈥� many now find themselves in full panic mode. Take some deep cleansing breaths, and consider these Top 5 tips:
- Be upfront with your child听about any resource or financial constraints that may limit college selection; however, be aware of financial aid and scholarship opportunities that may make more schools within reach than you might imagine.
- Take your students to visit different college campuses听(even those in your home town) and assist them in articulating what they like and don鈥檛 like about each.听 The more campuses you visit, the more your student will be able to determine which schools are a good fit.
- This is your child鈥檚 college experience, not yours.听Let me say that again 鈥� this is your child鈥檚 college experience, not yours!听 While you can certainly make suggestions, and most certainly impose some restrictions if you are paying the tuition, always put your child鈥檚 learning style and college priorities at the center of the decision.听 Your child may not attend your alma mater, get over it.
- Be realistic about your child鈥檚 chances of acceptance at various colleges.听While it may be tempting to apply to a large number of stretch schools, 鈥渏ust in case,鈥� a series of denial letters can have a detrimental impact on a young person鈥檚 self-esteem and confidence.
- Avoid the urge to write your child鈥檚 college essays.听 A middle aged adult writes a distinctly different essay than a teenager, and I can assure you (from experience) that essay readers can discern the difference.
