If your teenager is planning to go to college once they’ve graduated, you’ll want them to do so only once they’re truly prepared, mentally, emotionally, and even financially. Helping to prepare your high schooler to go to college isn’t just a way for you to ensure they remain independent, but it’ll allow you to do so knowing your adolescent is intelligent, wise, and will make responsible decisions even when they’re away from home. The better you help your teen prepare for college in advance, the more likely they’ll be to continue with their higher education until they’ve earned their preferred degree or certificate.
Discuss Future Career Options With Your Teen
If you want your high schooler to pay attention to their finances when applying for college, you’ll want to consider discussing financial matters early on in their teen years, especially if one of your main goals is to get your teen to budget properly. Discussing future career options, locations, paths, and potential costs in advance will also help your high schooler get a true picture of what it’ll take for them to graduate. It’s important to note that approximately 57% of public high school students apply to college as opposed to 88% of private high school students, according to NCES data.
Determine Your Teen’s Areas of Interest and Natural Talent
If your child is still in high school, and you want them to reach their maximum potential, you may want to consider enrolling them in a private school that will allow them to hone in on their natural skills, abilities, and talents, even while they’re away at school. With smaller class sizes are mostly common in private schools, with a student-to-teacher ratio of approximately 12:1, your teen may have a teacher they feel comfortable talking to about their subject of interest further.
Encourage Your Teen to Seek Employment
When you have a high schooler who is eager to head off to college in a year or two, it’s highly advisable to recommend that they seek employment before doing so on their own. Ensuring your teen has had adequate work experience will help them understand the value of handwork and a dollar. The more experienced they are with working for a living, the less likely they are to make impulsive spending decisions or poor financial decisions.
Start a Savings Account for Your High Schooler
While your teen’s still in high school, it’s recommended to start a savings account for them, especially once they start working. You can add money to your teen’s savings account based on how much they’re learning to save each month, which may motivate them to be even more vigilant about the money they’re earning and storing away in savings. The more cognizant your teen is of their savings, the less likely they’ll be to spend their hard-earned money frivolously, especially when they go to college and are out in the real world.
Encourage a Visit to Their School Counselor
While public high school counselors and advisors say they only spend approximately 22% of their time working on college-related counseling, approximately 55% of the time of private school counselors is spent on the same subject. No matter what type of high school your teen attends, encourage them to see their counselor or advisor. This can guide them in the right direction when selecting a school to apply to and even choosing a proper major or program.
Helping your high schooler prepare to go to college is a way for you to maintain your peace of mind knowing your teen can budget and handle major financial decisions that are likely to impact their future. The more comfortable you feel with your teen’s knowledge and understanding of the world around them, the easier it’ll be for you to allow them to go off on their own independently, regardless of where they’re planning to attend college.