Ten Essential University Planning Tips for Parents

1. Start early: It’s never too early to start planning for your child’s college education. The earlier you start, the more time you’ll have to research options and opportunities and ensure readiness.
2. Set realistic expectations: Talk with your child about their goals and expectations for university. It’s important to have an open and honest conversation about what is feasible and realistic, including a discussion of affordability.
3. Encourage your child to take challenging courses: Universities look for students who challenge themselves academically. Encourage your child to take advanced courses and to get involved in extracurricular activities that align with their interests.
4. Start saving for university as early as possible. Consider opening a 529 college savings plan (US) or an RESP (Canada) or another type of post-secondary savings account. Even small contributions can add up over time.
5. Visit universities: Take your teen on college/university visits to get a sense of what different institutions have to offer. This can help your child make informed decisions about where to apply and where they would like to attend. Book an official tour and information session ahead of time through the university’s website.
6. Provide emotional support: Preparing to apply and go away to university can be a stressful and challenging experience for some students. Be supportive of your teen’s decisions and offer guidance and encouragement along the way.
7. p in mind that this is a student-driven process: Encourage your teen to take ownership of the process but help them stay organized and meet deadlines while allowing them to make their own choices about where to apply and what to study.
8. A senior student’s time and energy are limited: Applying to a manageable number of universities rather than a huge number can make all the difference in the quality of the applications and essays.
9. Encourage balance in the list of chosen universities: While a prestigious university may seem appealing, it’s important to consider fit and to be realistic about admission chances. Encourage your teen to apply to a range of schools that are a match for their profile, personality, and needs with a final list which includes reach, target and likely choices. It is devastating when a student only applies to high reach institutions and receives a dozen rejections.
10. Communicate with your teen: Keep the lines of communication open with your teen throughout the university planning process, setting a time to discuss this weekly rather than hounding your teen about university applications and decisions throughout your daily interactions. Listen to their concerns and offer support and guidance as needed.

The support you provide can be in the form of hiring an independent educational consultant to oversee deadlines and timelines, answer questions, as well as to brainstorm and edit applications and essays. Contact Select College Admissions for guidance with university preparation and admission.