Children grow like weeds and most of the time you don’t get enough time to prepare your child for college. But it’s crucial!
Young adults experience a variety of emotions when they graduate high school and begin post-secondary education.
You've probably seen them all in your child as a parent.
You may be feeling the same way as your child, unsure of how to support them in this crucial step.
As parents, we want to provide our children with a secure future whether it is by investing in an education plan like Child Plan™ or by preparing them to face the real world after high school.
But, if you are worried about your child and his/her future as a college kid, we got you covered.
We reached out to faculty and staff from both colleges and universities for some advice on how to prepare your child for college or university.
These are tips from a president and a financial officer as well as a registrar and an executive director.
How to prepare your child for college or university.
- Your child should make the final decision about post-secondary education.
Teenagers are able to envision what their parents would like them to do.
They really need prayerful, supportive parents who will encourage and support them.
Allowing your child to make the decision will encourage them to work hard and make the most of the situation.
- Financial planning is key to a student's success in college.
Demonstrating financial responsibility may help them get ahead of the queue for scholarships, bursaries, and awards.
- Keep this in mind as you teach your children the basics of financial management.
Teach them how to write a cheque, what a line credit is and how to make and keep a budget.
Give them a bank account that is easy to access and that they can use.
- If your child can exercise self-control, a student credit card may be very helpful.
A card with a low limit can help them build credit and be a lifesaver during an emergency.
- Your children should learn the skills necessary to live away from home. This includes washing clothes and maintaining their vehicles.
As a new set of responsibilities is juggled, time management skills can also be a benefit.
- Make sure that your young adult has all of the legal and medical documentation they will need.
It's amazing how many students arrive in the wrong country without identification or a valid medical card.
- Spend some time talking with your child about the best churches in their area.
This could be a good idea because of the high number of high school students who leave church after graduation.
- Book a tour of your teen's campus if you can. It may be a great idea to take your whole family along.
Assisting your child at college and university
- Avoid rescuing your children if they are in trouble. Encourage them to solve their problems on their own.
- Pray for them. Email them. When they are away from home, send regular care packages including baked goods and gift cards.
Invite their friends to dinner with you if you live near campus. Many kids don't have the money to travel home for holidays and long weekends.
- Set aside a time each week to communicate with your child via Skype or over the phone.
Do your research to find out how to make these connections more often at times when your child may need extra encouragement, such as during exam time.
- Communication is key to success in postsecondary education! Encourage your child's curiosity and ask questions.
Asking questions is a sign of success in academics as well as in obtaining financial aid.
- Do not contact faculty or school officials directly. Post-secondary education is about preparing students for the future.
Ask your child a question if you have one. You will likely get faster (and better!) answers!
- Similar to the above, school staff cannot give you any information about your child's progress or status.
Their information is private because they are adults. You can call or email your child to know about their progress.
- Be interested and involved without being too strict. This is a hard balance but it's worth the effort.
Students want their parents to care; many young adults feel their parents care too little.
Some other tips for parents
- As your young adult begins to mature, celebrate this milestone. You will need to let go of the control and care habits you have cultivated over the past 18 years.
Your relationship with your child is going to change as he/she grows up and becomes a more independent adult.
- Pray for your young adult as he/she goes through university. They will be challenged academically and relationally.
- Give your child permission to be themselves. Trust God, your child and yourself enough to know that your teen made a good decision to go to college and will make responsible decisions.
Conclusion
If you want to prepare your child for college or university, it is important for you to prepare yourself first.
As parents, we tend to be overprotective of our children but it’s important to understand they are entering the real world.
In the next part of their lives they have to be independent and face things on their own.
So the conclusion of this blog is to prepare your child for college by preparing them to live an independent life.
Leave a comment below and tell us how you plan to prepare your child for college.
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