Preparing for college is puzzling at best. These points can help your teen plan for a successful experience.

 

Two years ago, my husband and I sent our daughter off to college. The experience was one of mixed emotions, part tearful yet we were somewhat encouraged that at least one chapter of her teen years was behind us. The months leading up to this transition were fraught with the many tasks college preparation requires. From applications and financial aid forms to college visits and orientations, the entire process seemed daunting.

Now it’s time to prepare our second child for the world of higher education. Because this can be a stressful time, we talked to experts and gathered the following tips to help parents and teens successfully prepare for the college experience.

Selecting a College

1. This seems obvious, but for many parents it’s not: You should talk to your teen about here interests. Suggest that she take some interest surveys available at high school or online. Note what subjects she excels in at school, as well as extracurricular activities that hold her interest. While it’s not yet necessary to determine a major, it’s time to get your child thinking about her likes and dislikes. Then she can determine which schools offer programs that suit her needs and match her interests.
2. There’s not just one school. Start with the assumption that a number of schools will meet your teen’s criteria, then narrow the list down later.
3. Help your teen get a sense of what kind of environment she enjoys. Does she like being in a big city or a rural area? Is she happy being around all kinds of people? Would she feel comfortable being miles away from friends and family?
4. Request information from the colleges and universities that match your teen’s interests and goals, then access their Web sites for additional information. When your child registers for the PSAT and PLAN tests, she should choose the option that permits schools to have access to her information. “That allows universities to specify characteristics of students that are desirable to them,” says Candace Boeninger, assistant director of communications and technical support at Ohio University. Your daughter will then get mail from universities that are of interest to her.
5. Use an online automated search guide to find schools that match your teen’s interests (petersons.com, aicuo.edu and collegeboard.org). By selecting various interests, the guides generate a list of schools that seem to be a good fit for students. Your teen can go to each school’s individual Web site for more specific information.

College Visits

1. Family vacations are a good time to drive around college campuses since they provide a low-key way to approach early visits.
2. Most college visits should begin around the second semester of your teen’s junior year and continue during the senior year. Since the national date to let colleges know you want to attend is May 1, it is OK to visit colleges after your child has been accepted — as late as March or April. The timetable varies with each student.
3. Don’t let the first visit be your teen’s top choice. It’s likely she won’t know what questions to ask. As a result, it probably won’t be the best visit. Take notes to be prepared for subsequent visits.
4. Be sure your teen takes time to speak one-on-one with an admissions person or at least participates in a formal admissions presentation. “If there is a certain academic area she is interested in, ask to meet with a professor from that area,” says College Admissions Director Kim Ebbrecht. “It’s important to let the college know what it is you want to experience during the visit.”
5. Attend specific college visit days. Colleges and universities host visitation days that feature a particular area of study, such as math and science day or nursing day.
6. Arrange for a walking tour with a current student. This gives your teen the firsthand scoop about what’s happening on campus.

 

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