Life is so different now from when we were teenagers in high school.
How does a parent know when to urge their students to apply for scholarships, take prep tests, visit campuses, and look into financing? To be honest, a parent should really begin guiding the child's academic future when the student begins middle school.
Don't give up extra curricular activities such as sports, dance, music or other things because everyone needs an artistic outlet.
However, if a child can start taking more challenging classes in middle school then chances are, the student will be that much farther ahead in taking advanced placement courses in high school and that's where they really count toward college credit.
Having a number of college credits going into college can make the difference between graduating in three to four years or maybe having to take five years to graduate when a student goes off to college with no credits.
At the end of the student's sophomore year in high school or at the beginning of the student's junior year, he/she really should begin taking the SAT or ACT exams.
Many colleges only take students with a certain passing level from these college placement exams.
The reason a student should start early is because the student can retake them many times in order to get a better grade.
Be aware that they tests cost over $50 each and they are only available a few times a year.
Begin looking at scholarship programs at the end of junior year to see what is out there and get application deadlines.
Some applications are due early in the senior year while others aren't due until the senior's spring semester.
Some states also offer scholarships and financial assistance.
Look into those since in some cases, once a student leaves high school without applying, the state assistance is lost to them for good.
There are a number of local scholarship programs that your student's guidance counselor would know about.
There are many community, religious or retail scholarships that go unnoticed each year.
Start visiting college campuses during the student's sophomore and junior years.
These visits will help you both get a clearer picture of the campus as well as what the school really has to offer, housing arrangements, and other details.
It will also give your student a boost of encouragement as to the college life which is right around the corner.
Submitting college applications usually starts early in the student's senior year.
Be advised that some colleges have very early due dates; as early as October.
Find out what your child's prospective college application deadlines are.
The student will probably also have to write and submit some form of an essay to go along with the application.
Encourage your child to start writing drafts of the paper during her junior year so she has plenty of time for re-writes to perfect it.
College planning begins early.
Plan a time with your student for both of you to meet with the guidance counselor early in the process.
Listen to your child's views on schools he would like to attend and goals he has for his future.
Then together, you can come up with a plan that you can both work to achieve.
How does a parent know when to urge their students to apply for scholarships, take prep tests, visit campuses, and look into financing? To be honest, a parent should really begin guiding the child's academic future when the student begins middle school.
Don't give up extra curricular activities such as sports, dance, music or other things because everyone needs an artistic outlet.
However, if a child can start taking more challenging classes in middle school then chances are, the student will be that much farther ahead in taking advanced placement courses in high school and that's where they really count toward college credit.
Having a number of college credits going into college can make the difference between graduating in three to four years or maybe having to take five years to graduate when a student goes off to college with no credits.
At the end of the student's sophomore year in high school or at the beginning of the student's junior year, he/she really should begin taking the SAT or ACT exams.
Many colleges only take students with a certain passing level from these college placement exams.
The reason a student should start early is because the student can retake them many times in order to get a better grade.
Be aware that they tests cost over $50 each and they are only available a few times a year.
Begin looking at scholarship programs at the end of junior year to see what is out there and get application deadlines.
Some applications are due early in the senior year while others aren't due until the senior's spring semester.
Some states also offer scholarships and financial assistance.
Look into those since in some cases, once a student leaves high school without applying, the state assistance is lost to them for good.
There are a number of local scholarship programs that your student's guidance counselor would know about.
There are many community, religious or retail scholarships that go unnoticed each year.
Start visiting college campuses during the student's sophomore and junior years.
These visits will help you both get a clearer picture of the campus as well as what the school really has to offer, housing arrangements, and other details.
It will also give your student a boost of encouragement as to the college life which is right around the corner.
Submitting college applications usually starts early in the student's senior year.
Be advised that some colleges have very early due dates; as early as October.
Find out what your child's prospective college application deadlines are.
The student will probably also have to write and submit some form of an essay to go along with the application.
Encourage your child to start writing drafts of the paper during her junior year so she has plenty of time for re-writes to perfect it.
College planning begins early.
Plan a time with your student for both of you to meet with the guidance counselor early in the process.
Listen to your child's views on schools he would like to attend and goals he has for his future.
Then together, you can come up with a plan that you can both work to achieve.