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Posted by Naomi Rockler-Gladen Jun 2, 2008 |
As high school students prepare for college, how involved should their parents be in the process? Families differ quite a bit in their approach. In some families, parents do it all; the FAFSA, help with the applications, keeping track of deadlines, driving their kids for college tours, the works.
And in some families (like mine, as a matter of act), parents don't help much at all. Kids are mostly on their own, except for the FAFSA, which parents have to fill out if they want their kids to receive financial aid.
Of course, there are lots of families that fall somewhere in between as well. So what approach is right for you?
As a former professor, I can tell you that some kids really need a lesson in figuring things out for themselves. They seem lost by the simplest of problem solving tasks, and completley overwhelmed by time management and deadlines. Thus, I suspect that many parents help too much with things like college applications, and would do better to let their children figure things out for themselves-- or at least some things, like deadlines.
On the other hand, some kids--like myself--received precious little help with this confusing process. Parents can be a huge help to students in helping to organize paperwork, visiting schools, and just being a source of moral support. A lack of help can put kids at a distinct disadvantage.
Talk to your kids about the college application process, and figure out what role you will play in assisting. If possible, meet with the student's guidance counselor to help figure this kind of stuff out. Good luck with the college application process!