There is one source that students turn to for advice, support, and information more than any other during their college search process. In survey after survey, students say they turn to their parents more than to their high school counselors, university admissions staff, college websites or any other source. This is true whether or not the student’s parents have attended college. The paradox, of course, is that the parents of first-generation students rely on their children to provide them with information on the college search process.
So what are families to do? There really is only one answer: Get involved in the process so that you can help your children to the best of your ability. Your willingness to be supportive of their participation in higher education is the single most important factor in getting them to college. There are several things you can do as a parent to learn about the college search process and be a resource for your children.
1) Talk with your student about going to college. Let them know you support them in that effort. Find out what their career and major interests are, and what their biggest concerns are.
2) Contact your child’s high school counselor and ask if they do parent programs about the college search process. Many schools do, and in a very short time you can get comfortable with the admission and financial timeline.
3) Get on the internet and check out several websites that support the college search process. Although there are hundreds of sites, here are a few that can make a difference: www.act.org or www.collegeboard.com. Both of these sites can help with test preparation, but also have great search engines to allow you to explore various colleges and link to the college websites. A great scholarship site is www.fastweb.com. Your students may have to create a profile on the sites to see all the information that is important, but they are great resources. Another great resource is www.osu.edu/access. Listen to college preparation tips, watch videos of first generation students talking about their journey to college and learn about the process. Even if you have to go to your local library to get online, you can learn a lot in just one evening.
4) Visit colleges with your student! Visit a local college first, just to take a campus tour and hear about college life. Talk with the admissions counselors who give the presentation. They want your student to pick their school, so they will answer all of your questions about the application and admissions timeline. Many colleges have online video tours, which can be a good way to look at colleges that are far from home, but don’t stop there. You should visit any school your child is seriously considering.
5) Read the college mail that gets sent to your student. Take a few minutes every day to review the information that is mailed to your home. Many of these brochures and booklets have very important information, including deadlines, scholarship information, and information about fields of study and other opportunities the school may offer such as internships, work and study abroad programs.
6) Don’t let price alone stop you from considering a school. Although you should talk with your student about how much you can help pay for college, many schools have grants and scholarships that can significantly reduce the actual cost to attend. If you are a low income family, you may qualify for an application fee waiver for the ACT, the SAT and the colleges to which your child is applying.
7) Don’t worry about being the expert. Let your student know you are willing to learn about the process along with him or her. Be willing to ask questions at the high school and at the colleges you are considering. And always keep in mind the wonderful, life changing opportunities that will open up for your children through higher education. |
