How to Support Your Student

It's clear that parental support and encouragement are crucial to increasing your student's chances of going to college, but what does that mean specifically? Is it enough to say to your child, "Sure you can go to college if you want… I won't stop you."? In most cases, that's not enough. Here are some things parents can do to support their child's college search process:

· Encourage high academic expectations. This is much more than saying, "You better get good grades, or you're grounded!" It's even more than offering rewards for good grades. It includes encouraging students to take the most rigorous curriculum appropriate to their skills, praising efforts to go "above and beyond" the basic expectations at school, and supporting extra credit or enrichment activities.
· Provide a home environment that supports success. Make sure the student has a quiet and well-equipped place to study. Expect the student to get a reasonable amount of sleep. Don't permit the student to be over-committed with extra curricular activities, sports, or part time jobs. Insist on regular attendance at school. Don't accept excuses for frequent absences or getting to school late.
· Stay in contact with your child's teachers and guidance counselor. Reinforce the student's wish to go to college and ask if the student is doing everything possible to be well-prepared.
· Understand the curriculum at your child's school. Find out what courses are most commonly required by colleges and be sure your child plans to enroll in them.
· Find out about deadlines for college testing (SAT/ACT), and application deadlines. Mark those dates on the family calendar.
· Visit colleges with your child. A recent research study demonstrated that first-generation college students were less likely to visit colleges and visit fewer colleges than their peers from college educated families. College visits increase your student's ability to make good choices about colleges, and increase the likelihood that he or she will attend college. Visiting campuses with your child will help both of you become more familiar with the college environment and what to expect when the student enrolls.
· Talk about college with your child. The frequency of discussions between parents and children about their hopes and dreams about college often is an indication to the child that parents are supportive.
· Be timely with any paperwork required of you. For seniors, parents are required to provide tax returns and other income information for financial aid applications. This information must be filed on time and completely for the student to be eligible for aid.

Being supportive continues once the student is actually enrolled in college. Parents should offer encouragement and support, not expect the student to return home every weekend, and keep the student up-to-date on family activities without making them feel guilty for missing these activities. Parents who feel conflicted about their student going away to college may unconsciously send the message that they would be happier if the student quit school and came home. Your relationship with your child will change when he or she goes away to college. Your role will change, and you will learn to interact with another adult who is learning to make his or her own decisions. After all… your greatest hope has been to raise a successful independent adult; now you get to sit back and watch it happen!

Back - Next

Parenting Start