Next year, my oldest child will be a freshman in high school. As incredible as
it seems, that means it’s time for him to start thinking about where he wants to
go to college and what he wants to study. It also means he has to
- Be sure he is taking the required classes he needs to get into college
- Make sure his GPA stays good
- Participates in extracurricular activities that look good on a college application
Yikes! The boy is still just 13. Okay, he’ll be 14 in a few weeks, but
still…
Deciding on a College
When I was talking to a counselor at the high school open house, I
mentioned that I was planning to begin developing a list of potential
scholarships soon. She suggested, however, that at this point my son should be
concentrating on narrowing down his school choices. A good way to begin is to
make virtual visits to colleges by checking out their websites. This will help
your child develop an idea of what is important to him or her, such as
- Distance from home
- Availability of specific course offerings
- Religious affiliation
- Extracurricular activities
- Athletics
Later, you can go visit a few colleges that seem appealing. Don’t
automatically rule out private schools, either. Although they are more expensive
than public schools, many of them also offer excellent financial aid
packages.
Counselors should be helping your child decide what classes to take in high
school. You can also visit your state’s Department of Education website to see
what courses are required for graduation. The U.S. Department of
Education recommends that students take Algebra I in 8th grade and
Geometry in 9th grade. They also suggest students take English,
Science, and History or Geography every year, as well as foreign language,
computer, and visual or performing art classes.
You should also find out what classes are required by the colleges your child
is interested in. Keep in mind that the difficulty of your coursework can affect
your acceptance into a college. Most colleges prefer students with average
grades in tougher courses than high grades in easy courses.
Many high schools now offer Advanced Placement classes in numerous subject
areas. Students who take these classes and pass a test at the end of the class
receive college credit for their work. Your child can shave a semester or even
longer off of college by taking AP classes.
What about the Money?
The same counselor who suggested we focus on selecting a college for now
also had some encouraging words to say about financing that college dream. She
told me that money is available to help motivated students; she could not think
of any students in her career who wanted to go to college and weren’t able to
because of money. In fact, college students receive $60 billion of financial aid
each year. Parents should still set aside money for college, but don’t neglect
looking for available financial aid too.
Create a Portfolio
When it is time in a few years to start filling out college and scholarship
applications, your child will need to list activities, honors, awards, etc. Make
the job easier by creating a portfolio now. As your child brings home report
cards and certificates, insert them in the portfolio. Make notes of volunteer
activities your child participates in, including hours spent. By having all this
information gathered in one place, you will ensure you don’t forget anything.
Your child doesn’t have to decide his or her entire future before even
getting a driver’s license, but it is a good idea to begin laying the groundwork
early for a successful college career later.
Biography
Stacey Schifferdecker is the happy but harried
mother of three school-aged children—two boys and a girl. She is also a
freelance writer, a Children’s Minister, a PTA volunteer, and a Scout leader.
Stacey has a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and French and a Master’s
degree in English. She has written extensively about parenting and education as
well as business, technology, travel, and hobbies.
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without the express permission of More4Kids Inc © 2008 All Rights Reserved
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