|
|
You are here: Family Magazine >
Education > Article
Title
Do I Need a College Degree to get my Child into College??
By EG Collegiate Career Consulting
What college is offering a “Getting my Child Admitted to College” degree? At
the rate colleges expand upon the many costly reasons to earn degrees at their
institutions, it could happen! Let’s not hold our breath, though.
If you feel like you are heading down the path to admissions into the College of
Confusion or University of Uncertainty with your student, just know one thing:
you are not alone.
An effective college plan takes years of family financial planning, continual
communication with your student, and a student who is engaged and ready for the
process. A successful college plan does not end at the point your student
attends freshman orientation.
Let me repeat that again: A successful college plan does not end at the point
your student attends freshman orientation. A successful college plan ends at the
point your student achieves financially sustaining, well-matched employment
AFTER they graduate.
No pressure, right?
There is positive news. Here it is: you and your student have every right to
make the best financial, academic and geographic selection in a college or
university at the very start of any worries keeping you up at night. I can
assure you that once you allow you and your student to calm down and address
your concerns, a wonderful college selection will occur.
Here are some tips to get on the path to college planning sanity and ultimately
a successful college plan:
• COMMUNICATE: Communicate with your student as much as possible and as soon as
possible. Talk about their interests, strengths and what kind of a work they
might enjoy. Also, talk about your family financial plan. How will the degree be
paid for?
• SAVE: If your student is in kindergarten, get a piggy bank. If they are older,
open a savings account. The practice of saving money is an invaluable life
lesson. Encourage your family members to take a portion of any gift money they
would spend on your child as money towards college savings. Require your student
to pay for some of their ‘must haves’ with their own money – money they have
hopefully earned.
• GIVE: Give college savings to your child as part of your regular gift giving.
Give college savings to other children in the families and friends’ children –
it’s catching!
• GET ACTIVE: Allow your child to explore their future career interests with
internships, part-time jobs and spending time with a trusted friend or family
member in a similar profession.
• SEEK HELP: Planning for college is a time-consuming, ever-changing process.
When the ‘rubber hits the road’ when applications are being completed, you and
your student want to avoid rushed work and feelings of regret.
High grades and solid standardized test scores must be emphasized during every
year of high school, but they alone equal do not equal a successful college
plan. If you’re not convinced, just ask an unemployed Ivy League graduate with a
mountain of college debt to pay off.
Best of luck - your child’s future awaits!
|
|
