When it comes to planning for college, as a parent or guardian, one of your most difficult tasks is likely to be finding the right balance between providing helpful input and letting your child have the autonomy to make some choices on their own.
However, it’s a big enough commitment that they can’t go it entirely alone. Your role could be as simple as being a guide and a sounding board, or you may need to be more involved in encouraging them to be proactive and not procrastinate. If you have the financial capacity, your ability to assist with or fully cover their tuition will factor in and impact the final decision.
Most advice suggests that it’s never too early to start at least thinking about where to go, what studies to pursue, and what needs to be done to get there. But, given that some schools specialize in specific career paths, or may be well known for strong programs in certain fields, it’s important that your child has an idea of their areas of interest. Or, if they just don’t know yet where they’re headed and they’re looking to their foundation courses to help steer them in a direction, that matters, too.
Areas where starting early will make a difference are in maintaining good grades, honing essay and communication skills, and developing good study habits. All of these set students up for success as they begin their search, leaving them with more options at the end. And, while some say SAT and ACT scores don’t matter as much as they used to, they may be an aid in qualifying for a better scholarship, so they should not be entirely dismissed. And, of course, if your child will need to apply for financial aid or scholarships, the earlier this happens, the better. Pro tip: look for free FAFSA® workshops offered through GRPS and other area school systems.
If you and your child feel like you’ve laid a good foundation, it’s time to start getting into the details. Do they want to stay in town or attend college in a different state? And, what are the financial and emotional implications of that choice? Is class size a concern? Is the vibe of the campus and its onsite amenities important?
Your child may have a specific career path in mind, but is it actually a viable option? Finding out what jobs are available on that path, what they pay in comparison to the investment made in their education, where those jobs are, and what the growth potential is are answers you’ll want to have. Whether your child knows their field of study yet or not, researching the track record of a potential school is also part of the process. An institution’s graduation and placement rates should certainly be considered.
Even if your child has this all figured out and has narrowed down their top schools to apply to, remember, they still need to get accepted. And that, again, goes back to preparation—and doing so well before junior year. In addition to grades and performance, they should be thinking about what coursework, clubs, and extracurricular activities will help them stand out, and pursue them if they align with their interests.
Does this feel like a lot? We’re not going to tell you it isn’t. But the information contained in this section is intended to help you and your child get a better picture of what’s ahead and what to consider. After “Decision Day,” the best is yet to come!
