Not only do students tend to freak out about going… Will I get in? Can I pay for this? What if I can’t decide on a major?
Parents do too! Will they get in? What if I can’t pay for this? What should they major in?
But have no fear, because College Greenlight is here to help squish those fears beneath your feet. Because with the right support from a caring family member or members, going to college can (and should!) be an exciting process.
So to those family members who want to help out but don’t know where to start, here’s a list of the 7 things you can do to help your student’s college dreams become reality.
1. FILL OUT YOUR TAXES
Tax time isn’t exactly fun, but when you’ve got a potential college student it’s important that you get them done quickly and correctly. In order to be eligible for federal financial aid, students have to submit a document called the FAFSA which uses their family’s income to determine how much financial aid they are eligible for. By filling out your taxes early, your student can find out their financial aid standing earlier in the year, leaving you more time to assemble a responsible college financial strategy.
2. TALK AT THE TABLE
Studies show that parents who talk to their children about college not only help form stronger familial bonds, but are happier themselves. Use your time at dinner or on the weekends to ask how their classes are going, what subjects they enjoy, and what sort of college (if they want to go to college in the first place) is most exciting to them. And give your teenagers enough support and freedom to tell you what they honestly want to get out of a college education. Listen to what they have to say, and be earnestly supportive.
3. DO SOME DETECTIVE WORK
The internet is a great tool for parents interested in finding out more about the colleges their students are interested in attending, or about financial aid options, or about career opportunities for students interested in particular majors. But the trick is knowing where to look. You can use College Greenlight as a great place to get started. They've got detailed profiles of every college in the country, including price information (more on this later). To check out a specific college, click here and type in the name of the school you’re looking for! In addition to the main site, they have got a whole host of articles that explain college and college-going jargon in simple terms. The best place to get started is by checking out the definitions section of their blog here.
4. DECIDE WHERE THE MONEY WILL COME FROM
For most parents, their college concerns are about dollars and cents. The cost of college has skyrocketed over the past several years, and there is no shortage of articles dedicated to tracking this trend. You should figure out how much you can honestly afford, and be honest about this with your son or daughter. There are TONS of great options you and your students can take advantage of (grants, aid, scholarships) that cost nothing and do not have to be paid back, but to qualify for many of these options you need to be prepared with the right applications and financial forms (see #1, FILL OUT YOUR TAXES). Also remember that colleges all have two different prices, the sticker price and the net price. The net price is how much your student will actually pay when their financial and academic situation is taken into account.
5. TALK TO THEIR TEACHERS, COUNSELORS, AND ADVISERS
You aren’t the only advocate in your child’s corner; they also have teachers, guidance counselors, after-school mentors, and advisers who want them to succeed. Build a relationship with these other adults and let them know you want to be an active part of the planning process. Not only will these other professionals appreciate your spirit, but they can help answer your college and financial aid questions! By working together, you and your child’s team can help make sure that your child is getting the right grades, taking the right classes, and preparing for the right tests.
6. VISIT CAMPUS IN PERSON OR OVER THE INTERNET
If you have the ability, visiting a college campus is a great way to get a feel for what life would be like there for your student. And for anybody who doesn’t have the funds to travel all over the country, take advantage of the many travel-grant programs offered by colleges and universities. These programs usually take place in the summer and fall, and College Greenlight publishes a yearly guide to these programs. And if your schedule doesn’t permit a physical trip, you can always get a virtual tour of your son or daughter’s favorite college campus! You can find links for these tours on the profiles listed at College Greenlight, or by visiting the home page for the campus.
7. LEARN TO LET GO
Some parents have a hard time letting their kids grow up. And if your son or daughter wants to go to a college that’s clear across the state (or the country, or the globe) they need to know that their parents support them. For many teenagers, college is the point in their lives where they transition from childhood to adulthood. So you should start preparing for that change early! Talk to your kids, let them know you love them, and listen to their plans. Because even if you can’t stand the thought of them moving away, you can’t believe how proud you’ll be on their graduation day.
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