Late adolescent years are extremely busy for parents and students. For those of you with teens who are entering the last couple of years of high school, the topics of college and career planning have probably come up in conversation. The thought of this next step can be overwhelming for students and parents, but it doesn’t have to be this way! In fact, proper planning can save both of you time, money, and frustration. Here are three secrets to help you best help your child when it comes to planning for their future college education and career.
1. Begin with the end in mind: career first, college/training second.
No one wants to spend four years of their lives and $100,000 pursuing education without certainty regarding how it will be used and what the return on investment will be. Yet, every year, millions of hopeful students head off to college unsure about their plan and hopeful they will figure it out along the way. This approach often results in several major changes which will tack on more time and more money as well as increased frustration and anxiety for the student as each semester passes.
Students who enter post-secondary education with a focused plan are more confident, get better grades, and are more successful in securing employment after graduation. I help students get the experience and perspective they need to develop a career and education plan with confidence! A small investment of time and money up front can save loads of time, money, and frustration in the long-run.
2. Experiences are a key part of the planning process.
We learn through experiences, period. If a student makes a career decision without any first-hand perspective and experience, he will be taking a big risk by pursuing a four-year degree. A college education is a huge financial investment. We would never invest $100,000 of our hard-earned money in a start-up company with no business plan. The same should be true with a child’s education. Before investing the money in a college education, a student needs to do market research, understand the opportunities and threats of their top career options and then develop a well-thought-out plan for pursuing their future. Only when a student has thoroughly explored a career field and has a good understanding (through first-hand experiences) of the positives and negatives can she confidently proceed with education and training.
I have prepared a free five-step guide for parents who want to engage in college and career planning with their children. If you want your child to have clarity and confidence before making such a huge investment of time and money in a college education, get my free guide today!
3. College visits should be strategically planned.
After your child has spent time gaining the experience and perspective she needs to make a decision about her future career with confidence, academic planning is the next step. The best college visits are planning around strategic meetings with program department heads.
Let me explain. When I was transferring from my community college to a four-year university, I called the college admissions department and told them it was very important that I meet with an advisor/instructor within the Business Education department (that was my major). Meeting with her and being able to ask very specific questions about the program, graduate employment rates, etc., made my decision very easy. A tour of the library and dining hall is not nearly as important as the perspective you and your child will get by learning about a program and department by sitting down with someone who knows the degree inside and out. It reasonable and wise of you to know the program before you make a big investment in the university!
While planning for your child’s future can be overwhelming, it can also be a beautiful and rewarding process that brings you closer to your adolescent when approached a certain way. By having someone to walk them through the process and act as a sounding board, you can foster an experience and relationship that makes you both feel great and confident about the future.
Get my free, five-step guide to College and Career Planning today!
How can I help?
As an experienced educator and career coach, I sit down with students and young professionals one-on-one and assist them as they articulate their goals and develop a plan to achieve them! The path to success is not straightforward. My mission is to help you experience true career fulfillment through proactive coaching and career planning.
Book a free consultation today!
