College is not for every child. I have had 2 children go to college, another that has concluded her search narrowing down where she plans to go and one that will be starting his process in the not too distant future. It is important to let your child be in the lead on this search. There may be some boundaries that need to be applied such as cost but giving your child the ability to choose and be in control will allow for a much more positive experience in the short and long term. Here are some of the things that went into my children's search and journey to find the right fit.
Determining the Priority: Deciding what will be the driving factor for choosing a school.
Has your child decided what they want to be when they grow up? Choosing a school on their available programs or the success of a preferred program is something to be considered. Some programs are fairly universal and available at a lot of schools but others are more limited and only offered at a few schools. If your child's preferred program is one that is only located at a few schools this may be a large deciding factor.
Is location important? Does being close to home matter to your child. Some children are nervous about being too far from home where others are excited and want to spread their wings a little. Each child is a little different and it comes down to their comfort level.
Cost...Cost is often a large deciding factor. It is important to look at the over all cost not just the cost of tuition. Are there scholarships available? How much does housing cost? Living at home can help to reduce cost and may be something to consider when choosing a school. Make a chart to compare the over all costs.
Does your child want to participate in any college sports? Do they want to be a college athlete? (This became important with 2 of my children. My oldest ran Cross Country in College and my daughter has just verbally committed to play Soccer in College. I have included a planner below that mirror the process they took to decide)
Once you have narrowed down your school choices next comes applications.
Knowing the application requirements and the preparation to apply will become important.
Does the school require...
certain academic standards or have a minimum GPA
an application essay
the SAT
the ACT
references
an application fee
Often applying early is important for scholarship availability. Consider preparing early to have everything ready to go.
I have created a guide/planner to mirror the process my children and I have gone through when they have chosen their next College Step. Digital templates to personalize them to you and your child are available on ETSY. I have included one with athletic decision making tools and one without. See the links below.
**Please take note, my views are my own and are not associated or representative of my employer(s). This website and its associated platforms are for education purposes only and not medical advice.
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