Over 1.2 million students applied to college for the 2023-24 academic year; this was a 21% increase for 2019-20. Places at colleges up and down the country have become more competitive, as this statistic shows, so completing the perfect application is a must. With this requirement, it’s unsurprising that students will be feeling the pressure.
This pressure can be lessened with the help or parents and caregivers, though. Adults should take an active role in their children’s college application preparations, but they should also avoid overstepping the mark. Of course, this can be a very fine line.
Thankfully, three of the easiest ways to assist your teen in college preparations have been outlined in this post.
Start Early On
Beginning early can be the best way to prepare your teen for college. This ensures there is plenty of time to complete the various steps that make up the entire college application process, from writing essays to completing interviews. The best time to begin discussing college is in the freshman year of high school, so parents might want to mark that date on their calendars.
Gathering the necessary materials to get ready for the SAT and ACT examinations is vital, particularly if you or your child is purchasing self-study aids. These supplies should be of good quality and relevant to your teenager’s subjects and interests. As these materials can be rather expensive, you might want to search for second-hand copies or free online resources.
Alternatively, you might look at online services that specialize in the examinations and college applications processes. Going Ivy, for example, can help students through test preparations for ACT and SAT exams as well as the college admissions process, but this service encourages to begin this work at the beginning of high school.
Help with the Research
As college preparations is a big task, your child might struggle when deciding where to begin. This is where you might want to consider offering them assistance, although you should be cautious to avoid making choices for them or coming across too strongly on certain matters. It might be wise to ask your son or daughter what they need help with, instead of assuming.
If they don’t specify where they are struggling, you can help by providing them with access to the right tools to make their own decisions, such as College Navigator and CollegeXpress. While these tools will provide information relevant to their situation, you can be on hand to ask questions and encourage them. You might do this by guiding them to research their interests and passions, participate in extracurricular activities, and develop useful skills. This will open up a lot more opportunities for them to explore.
Keep Communication Open
This process can be a difficult one for the entire family, but it will be particularly tough on your teenager. It can cause negative feelings to surface, such as anxiety over success and self-doubt during struggles. To avoid any further difficulties from arising and keep your teen talking to you, then you should prioritize open communication.
Open communication means you will not judge them harshly for their actions, feelings, or thoughts. You will discuss their behavior and/or help them to understand where they went wrong and how they can correct any errors.
By helping your teenager through the preparations process for college, you will be improving their chances of success. Not only will this provide them with much needed support, but it could also deepen the relationship you two share.
