1. Assume your student will attend college.

 

2. Expose your student to positive aspects of attending college.
• Share anecdotes about fun you had in college.
• Identify long-time friends from college.
• Suggest that your student visit overnight a cousin or friend to experience first-hand college life.

 

3. Develop self-confidence/independence in your student.
• Encourage your student to go away from home to camp or other program.
• Expose your student to a low- risk, new activity of interest where their abilities are untested.
• Gradually increase independence and responsibility around home.

 

4. Give your student tangible goals.
5. Expose your student to a variety of colleges through formal and informal visits. Research the high school classes and grades earned by students who attend the college and share them with your student. Be factual. This is not the time to motivate your student with exaggerated GPA’s or SAT’s.
6. Know how your student is doing in high school between report cards. Few opportunities can top a daily dinner conversation, but much can be learned from the impromptu conversation in the car or at the refrigerator. Don’t discount value of Back-to-School Night or Open House just because it’s high school.
7. Support your student through application process. Successfully completing 10-12 applications is  is a logistical marathon for students and parents. Work as a team monitoring deadlines, keeping track of status of each application. This is not, for example, the time to “prove” your student is a procrastinator.
8. Reach consensus. It’s a stressful time. Students need to know their parents support their college choices.