My friend, Melanie, is sharing with us today about getting our kids ready for college. Melanie helps students prepare for this big step everyday as an academic college advisor. The information she provides is very encouraging no matter where you are in this process.
One of my absolute favorite movies is Steel Magnolias and one of my favorite lines in that movie is when Shelby (played by Julia Roberts) is ready to walk down the aisle, but she can’t find her father. Finally, she finds him outside and yells, “It’s time! Daddy, it’s time!” He responds with, “Oh! It’s time!”
This is how many families feel when it is time for their child to begin thinking about and planning for college. A concept that seemed very far off into the future, is at your front door and it’s finally time to take that first step in planning for the future. Naturally, many emotions come flooding in, but I would like to take this opportunity to share with you some key tips that will help you walk through the process with confidence and excitement instead of uncertainty and dread.
1.You are not behind.
Can I say that again? You are not behind. Take a deep breath and absorb that for a minute. For some reason, when I work with families through this process, most are fearful of starting the process too late or missing an opportunity. Let me encourage you that wherever you are in the process, that is a great place to start. Doing SOMETHING is much more important that feeling stressed to do all the things right now. Yes, if you have a sophomore or junior, your to-do list might be a little longer than if you have a freshman, but that is ok.
2. Begin writing things down now.
There are four main parts to every college application: transcript, awards and activities, essays, and standardized tests. Beginning in the summer before your student’s freshman year, keep track of every class they take, grade they earn, activity they participate in, and award they receive. A simple Excel sheet or Word document will suffice as a way to keep track. Believe me, it is much easier to remember everything your student did if you keep track of it along the way then if you wait until they are a senior and staring blankly at a application. Haven’t started yet? No worries! Just start today. Let’s look in more detail at these first two parts of the application package.
- Transcript: A transcript is simply a listing of all the classes your student has taken and what grade he earned in those classes. There are many resources out there that will help you put together a transcript for your student. The most important thing is to know your state’s graduation requirements. Most universities follow those same requirements. Clearly state what courses were taken as dual credit or in an AP setting. These type courses appeal to universities and give the student a higher “strength of schedule” which shows that your student has chosen to take more challenging courses.
- Activities and Awards: This section is simply a way for the application or scholarship committee to see what type of non academic activities your student enjoys. In this section, two things are important, depth of activities and breadth of activities. By depth, I mean how involved a student is in one particular thing. How many years have they stuck with an activity? Have they looked for leadership opportunities or ways to mentor others? Secondly, breadth is important in showing versatility. Think of it like a pyramid. At the beginning of their high school career, a student might be involved in 3-5 areas of interest over the course of the year. These could be different sports, volunteering, church involvement, or employment. However, as they continue on into their junior and senior year, those interests will decrease into 1-3 activities. However, in those few activities they will be leading and investing in the next generation of students coming behind them. As you are keeping track of these activities, you will begin to see a pattern. Simply encourage your student to become more intentional each year in choosing what he is involved in and look for opportunities to dig a little deeper into those areas that really interest him.
3. Visit a campus.
One of the best ways for your student to know what he likes or does not like in a college is to visit a campus and take a tour. Even if they are not interested in that specific university, visiting will expose them to what college life is about. Visit a smaller, private school, a large, public university and everything in between. At the end of each visit, take the time to debrief with your student. What did they like? What did they not like? Could they see themselves living on a campus like this one? Why? Does that setting match what you want your environment to be like for the next few years? How could you contribute to the culture there? What majors would you pursue and what ministries would you join?
4. Be willing to let the Lord move.
As a parent, helping your student navigate the process of choosing a college is a major step in launching them into the world as an adult. It is important to convey to them your confidence in the Lord working in their life. It will probably not end exactly how you think, but the Lord is always in control and will use this time to mold your student’s faith and trust in Him (and yours, too!). Hold all dreams and desires out to God with an open hand. The beauty comes in the process not just the result. Show your student that you are thankful to walk through the process with him, not only interested in the end result. Then, step back and watch the Lord move.
Now, its time! Take a deep breath and make those first steps to confidently walk your student through the process of planning for college. The Lord has great things in store for you and your student along the way.
Melanie Lenow lives in Fort Worth, Texas where she is the wife Dr. Evan Lenow and mom of four very active children ranging in age from 7 to 13. After completing her undergraduate work in psychology and Christian studies, she went on to obtain a Masters of Biblical Counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Melanie’s life verse is Colossians 4:17. God has called her to spent her days ministering to her family and helping the students at Christian Life Preparatory School as the academic college adviser. Melanie also has a passion for teaching God’s Word as she leads Bible studies and writes for biblicalwoman.com. When she does have free time, she loves creating things with her hands by cooking, sewing, or crafting.
If you have any questions you would like Melanie to answer, leave a comment below.
