Advice for Parents of Junior High School Students

While high school may be an exciting time for many children, there are many things that they should do in order to prepare for college. This is especially true if you or your children have sights set on selective colleges. Before your children get to their senior year, they need to get serious about school and absorbing all of the knowledge they can. Doing so will make their college admission that much easier. As you prepare your child(ren) for college, make sure you go through this checklist.

• Make them take school seriously. While grades are extremely important, that is not the focus here. Instead, focus on how working hard now can make things easier for them later when it is time to apply themselves in college. It is also a good idea to encourage a lot of reading.

• Talk about college with your children. Even though it is still a year away, now is the time to really get into their heads to see what they are thinking. Figure out what kinds of schools they are considering, if they want to go to another state, or if they are looking at certain regions.

• Talk to them about majors and potential career paths. No one said they needed to know what they were going to do in college on day 1 but getting those wheels turning now will really help in the long run.

• Encourage extracurricular activities. If your child is not already involved in extracurricular activities, now is the time for them to start. This will help them really figure out their interests and it can help on their college application. Plus, it can make high school even more fun when they are doing something extra that they enjoy.

• Visit some college campuses. It is never too early to visit some campuses to figure out what they like. It is also a good idea for them to get a feel for the college life and is a good way to get them excited for the future. You do not have to go on organized tours just yet but do take some weekends to take a look around.

There are a lot of things that you can be doing during this time with your children but if college is a goal, then these tips can help you prep your child better for the future.

Need help? Let our expert advice help you and your child to manage, execute and WIN the college application process.

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