It’s never too early to prepare your children for college and careers. The sooner you start, the better. There are many actions parents can do to help their child get ready for life after high school.
Here are six tips that will help you adequately prepare your child for success in college and in careers:
1. Help them develop a strong work ethic.
Your child needs to learn how to work hard and be responsible. They will need these skills when they go to college and start their careers. Consider these ideas for helping your child develop a strong work ethic:
Encourage them to get a part-time job during high school and teach them to budget their time and money
Teach them responsibility by giving them chores to do around the house.
Lead by example. Show them how hard work and dedication can pay off.
2. Encourage them to get involved in extracurricular activities.
Extracurricular activities are an excellent way for your child to explore their interests and develop new skills. Extracurricular activities allow the college admission counselors to get a better picture of the applicant.
● There are many extracurricular activities your children can get involved in, such as sports, clubs, and community service projects. Help them find an activity they’re passionate about and encourage them to stick with it.
Remember, it is not the quantity of activities but the quality, the leadership positions that will set the student apart from the rest of the applicants.
● Lead by example and take part in sports, volunteering, and craft projects.
3. Teach them how to manage their time and money wisely.
Your child needs to learn how to manage their time and money wisely. They will need these skills when they go to college juggling academics and social schedules or starting their careers.
● Encourage them to budget their time and money. Teach them how to set goals and make a plan to achieve those goals.
● Teach them financial literacy by encouraging them to save and invest their money wisely.
4. Help them identify their strengths and weaknesses/stresses.
Your child needs to know their strengths and weaknesses. These are important elements that will guide them to choose the right career, the right major and the right career. Lack of knowledge may result in not graduating in 4 years …. Paying more tuition and losing salary potential
● Taking part in extracurricular activities will also help them identify their strengths, weaknesses, and passions. Experiencing Job Shadowing with a practicing professional is a perfect way to understand a potential career.
5. Teach them the importance of networking.
Networking is an essential skill for your child to learn. Highlight the value of networking by encouraging them to attend college fairs and job fairs to meet people in their field of interest.
● Encourage them to stay in touch with their teachers and mentors that will start building a strong network of professional contacts.
● Teach them how to use platforms like LinkedIn to build a network of like-minded individuals, companies, and course mentors. Be cautious with social media and monitor their usage, especially if they are under 18.
6.. Enroll them in pre-college courses and workshops.
Pre-college courses are an excellent way for your children to prepare for college. These courses can help them improve their study skills, time management skills, and assessment skills.
● Pre-college courses include life skills courses, time management courses, assessment skills courses, and college prep workshops. Also, encourage resume-building classes and cover-letter workshops.
● Most colleges and universities offer these courses. You can also use online resources to help build essential skills for your child’s future.
As a parent, you can help prepare your child for college and their future careers.
You can help them develop a strong work ethic. Encourage them to get involved in extracurricular activities.
Also, teach them how to manage their time and money wisely. Help them identify their strengths and weaknesses and encourage them to pursue their passions.
You can also teach them the importance of networking and enroll them in pre-college courses and workshops. You can help your children set themselves up for success in college and beyond by taking these steps.
We at Career and College Counselors can help your child identify interests, strengths, and stresses that will enable them to choose the right career, the right major, the right college, and graduate in 4 years with the least amount of money out of pocket with a 60-minute online assessment.
Interested?
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Tom and Maria Geffers
Career and College Counselors
570- 460-4855
