Amy & Aron's

One of the big transitionary moments in a parents’ life is when their child is ready to leave the nest and start making their own way in the world. For many, this happens when that child goes to college. You want to help them succeed but, to a large degree, you have to leave it up to them. You can give them the best chance of success, however, by helping them find and prepare for the best college education they can. Here are a few tips that can put your kid on the road to academic brilliance.




Help them find what they want to do

A lot of teenagers start getting very clear ideas about the career they want for themselves by the time they are 16 or 17. However, a lot of kids go into college without really having an idea of what kind of career they want. This uncertainty can undermine much of the experience. Talk to your child about what kind of career they want and what they want to do. If they’re uncertain specifically about the job they want, you can help them narrow it down. For instance, they’re looking for a career that allows them to help others, then you can recommend positions like nursing, personal training, and the like. This can help them lay a road map for their education.

Go light with the pressure

You are likely to be looking at different colleges, going through the literature, and doing your research online. Throughout that process, you might find that a certain college sticks out to you as the obvious best pick for their career path than anything else. However, it’s important that you don’t pressure your kid to pick a certain school and remember that the decision should ultimately be theirs. Your child is not going to be confident at college if their introduction to is having their ability to make decisions be undermined by their parent. Make it clear that you’re glad to help them choose a college and to compare different options, but that you believe in their ability to decide for themselves.

Help them get the financial assistance they need

In the majority of cases, college students and their parents aren’t going to have the savings needed to pay for their education outside. Aside from taking a loan, it’s important to know about the different forms of financial assistance out there. Most widely available of all are the grants and scholarships, which are available to people of different demographics and living situations across the country. With these 10 tips to apply for easy scholarships, you can help them get through the process of applying early and widely. The more work you put into finding scholarships in advance, the higher your chances of landing one.




Make college less mysterious

Going to college is exciting for many, fun for many, but scary and stressful for most. A lot of young adults are going to find their feet, but there are those who have trouble adjusting to their new environment. It can be a big culture shock, but one of the easiest ways to get rid of that culture shock is by helping your child learn what college will actually be like. Attend open days as much as possible, but get them to talk to people who have been to college (especially recently) so they can get a good idea of what they can expect. There are plenty of guides on what to expect from college life online, as well, of course.

Teach them some financial literacy

Succeeding at college is not all about choosing the best course and making sure that you’re ready for the academic work that you have to put in. It’s also about being able to show that you can live independently and make smart decisions as an adult. However, when it comes to the financial side of things, most teenagers are not going to have the experience they need to make wise decisions. For instance, a lot of kids will know nothing of credit before going to college, making it easier for them to get trapped in credit card or overdraft debt. Look for teenage guides to financial literacy that you can go through together.

Give them time and space to make their decision

You should treat the choice of college like a marathon, not a sprint. You can help your child make their decision by looking at a range of criteria such as affordability, course availability, employment outcomes, location, campus culture, and more. However, while you can lay things out as objectively as you might like, there are going to be a lot of factors bouncing around inside your child’s head. It’s important to provide them with what information they might need to know, but you should give them time and space to think about their choice.




Help them start living independently

The financial side of their life alone is only one thing you should help them get to grips with, of course. As a parent, it’s easy to slip into the role of being the caregiver, but now is the time to challenge them if they haven’t already been challenged. Start getting them used to household chores that they haven’t done yet, including cooking and doing laundry. Encourage them to go to summer camp to help them sharpen their social skills, and to get a job throughout the summer that helps them get used to working for a living. Many kids already have some experience of these skills, but those that don’t will need to catch up by the time they leave. You shouldn’t expect kids to become independent easily (or at all) if you haven’t helped prepare them.

Even as they are learning to be independent, you can be sure that your kid will be relying on your support here and there. The role you play as a parent when getting more hands-off is just as crucial as how you handle raising them, so do it with care.