Helping Your Child Prepare for College

It is never easy to send your child off to college, but COVID-19 has made it even more complicated. There are a lot of moving parts, financial variables, and decisions to make. Going to college is a big moment for everyone, but it is even more significant with the pandemic. Still, with proper preparation, you can send your child off into the world equipped with what they need to succeed. Read below to find the steps to help your child prepare for going off to college.

Be Careful on Applications

When your teen is filling out applications, you should read all the instructions, be honest, and proofread everything. Keep your deadlines in mind and request extra copies of your transcripts. If you’re prepared for the applications, you’ll be better off when you turn them in. Encourage your child not to be lazy. They need to be careful when applying to colleges. One mistake can result in a denial.

Apply to Many Schools

When your child is getting ready to apply to colleges, you should encourage them to diversify their options. You may be the one to foot the bill, but it will help your kid choose the right college for them and your budget. Encourage them to apply to schools both close and far away. Depending on if they’re interested in going away or staying close to home, your teenager won’t know what they want to do until they are getting close to making the decision. Since some of the colleges won’t accept your child, you should make sure they have plenty of options.

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Push Through the Last Months

Even after your teen has applied and been accepted to schools, it is important that they push through the last months. Slacking off during the last year is often referred to as senioritis. It isn’t unheard of that schools revoke acceptances suddenly. It is important that they do well in their classes and score well on the SATs if they take them after the application process. A lot of high school seniors slack off in the last months of their high school careers. You can’t force them to do well but you can cultivate a supportive environment.

Save Money

When your teen enters their last year of high school, it might be time to ask them to get a job. Not only will it build character for them to work, they will need money as they enter college. Even if you have the money to support them, it’s crucial that your children know what it’s like to work for their money. It will motivate them to save and create healthy financial habits. Having extra money is pivotal to the whole process of going to college. Your teen should take part in making that money so they value the cost of their education.

Purchase the Necessary Items

Right before your child goes off to college, you’ll probably help them purchase all the necessary items that you can think of. They might need new clothes and supplies like notebooks, binders, pens, pencils, calculators, and more. That’s the easy part. But what about when the college student in your life is away at school? How can you be sure that your child will receive the packages you lovingly order from online retailers (or mail yourself)? Luckily, the people who run colleges are way ahead of us on this one: There’s something called smart parcel lockers for college! Never fear – your packages will arrive to your loved one safely.

When your child is heading off to college, it is a lengthy process. Not only do they need to check all the boxes, nothing is guaranteed. Universities can be very selective and expensive. Even if your senior gets into the school of their dreams, will you be able to afford it? That’s why it’s important to put everything into perspective. Your teen should work and focus on their future.

Applying to as many schools as possible will help your child choose the right university for them. Whether they’re going away from home or staying nearby, it is important to prepare. Putting in the hard work is key. Whatever your teens’ goals are, you should be realistic with them. Motivate them to keep on their eye on the prize. You’ll be happy you did when you see them succeed.

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Helping Your Child Prepare for College
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