People with children who are on the cusp of leaving home to go to college are often surprised at how quickly the time comes for their offspring to wave them a fond farewell. Being prepared for this eventuality is essential for both the parent and the student but should not cause undue concern – the key to making sure that everyone is ready is often nothing more complex than implementing a solid plan.
Every stage of the process can be planned in advance to ensure that nothing is forgotten and the student can go off to college without any worries. For most it will be their first time away from home, which means it is a learning curve for all involved.
Academic planning
Setting goals is a good idea while the child is still at high school. Finding out the academic requirements of the college or course that is being applied for is essential – this way they have something to aim for with exams. Getting the right grades will be integral to their future success and more work or extra tuition may be needed in order to secure a berth at their desired institution.
It is a good idea to spend time talking to the school’s guidance counselor. Many students need advice about which classes to take, which extracurricular activities will benefit them the most and which colleges to apply for.
There are many students who take the PSAT exam. This is a shorter exam than the SAT exam and is often a good indicator of what will need to be achieved academically in order to make the grade for college. It is done during the student’s junior year of high school and those who can get a high score are usually in with a better chance of getting a scholarship for college. There are many ways in which a student can get help with PSAT prep and it will be worth it for good PSAT scores.
Planning for college
When deciding on colleges visiting a few different campuses can help to make the decisions on which ones to apply for. See a range of colleges from the smaller campuses to the larger universities and the earlier this can be done the better as planning for specific colleges and courses can be done much more easily.
Extracurricular activities are considered to be important by colleges and some studies indicate that those who take part in these activities are happier, more balanced and can learn a great deal from them. This could be academic activities, sports or community projects. A student who is prepared to spend time furthering their knowledge and experience of life is often considered a valuable asset.
Personal responsibility
When embarking on that first journey to college it is important to remember that a student’s behavior reflects on the individual himself or herself. Trying – as far as possible to – maintain a lifestyle that balances study with play will reap huge benefits in the long term.
Financial responsibilities should also be considered. Many students will be handling their own finances for the first time and learning something about money management before leaving home can be very useful. Encouraging them to save money will also help them to appreciate it more and look after it when they move away from home.
