If you have a teenage kid who is currently applying to college, or perhaps is considering applying next year, you’re in the right place. Applying to college can be an immensely nerve-wracking experience for any person of any age, but for teens, in particular, the whole process can be overwhelming. Teenagers often hang all their hopes on one or two colleges that they’ve always dreamt of, making it a crushing blow if they don’t succeed in their application.
As a parent, you have always guided your child towards what you believe to be right. When it comes to college, however, your child needs to make some decisions on their own, too. In this post, you’ll learn how to strike the balance between being helpful during the application process and when to step back and let them take the reins.
Providing the right framework for a successful college application
You’ll know already that a big part of parenthood is providing the framework for your child to explore life on their own. College applications are no different! If you attended college years ago, you might be tempted to get too involved in the application process on behalf of your teen. In actual fact, you should provide the framework, while letting them do all the decision-making.
What does providing the right framework mean? Simply put, you should try to instill discipline, organization, and structure in your teen’s life, providing them with the sense of groundedness they will need during the college application process. By providing this solid foundation, your child will likely find their application period less stressful and have a calmer approach to the whole ordeal overall.
Allow your teen to make the big decisions, even if you think you know better
As we mentioned earlier, it’s difficult to step back and let your kids make big decisions for themselves. After all, what if it’s the wrong decision? What if this decision sets them on the wrong path? You have probably asked yourself these questions a million times before!
At the end of the day, though, your teen’s first forays into adulthood are bound to be a little tumultuous. They are going to make mistakes, and you won’t always be there to help steer them in what you believe to be the right direction. When your teen is applying to college, it is crucial that you allow them to make the big decisions, such as where to apply, what to major in, and what to write in their application essay. Step back, and let them step up.
Be supportive no matter what happens
Ultimately, being supportive is the most fundamental thing to do when your kid is applying to college. They are bound to be nervous and second-guess themselves, which is why you need to be the rock that stays constant throughout the ups and downs of this process.
Need college application help?
If you need help supporting your child through college applications, you should contact a business school admissions consultant or private tutor to help give them a fighting chance. Click the link above to find out more!
