College Planning Checklist - For Parents - COLLEGE ANSWER GUY: Answering your college preparation questions

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College Planning Checklist - Parents

This article is the final entry in my series of college planning checklists. This one is for parents.

Save money for your child’s college, even if you are just now starting. It's never too late to start saving

Discuss with your young child the existence of their college account, and that you contribute to it regularly. Discuss jobs and careers, and the education required to pursue those careers.This week’s column is the final entry in my series of college planning checklists. This one is for parents.
Save money for your child’s college, even if you are just now starting.
Discuss with your young child the existence of their college account, and that you contribute to it regularly. Discuss jobs and careers, and the education required to pursue those careers.
Encourage your child to serve others, get active in their school and community, and to take responsibility for themselves.
Insist that your child get a job and work as much as possible before college.
Plan on spending significant time assisting your student in locating and applying for scholarships for college.
Visit schools with your child, but let (make) them take the lead.
Organize other parents to meet about your children going to college (sort of a support group), whether formally or informally.
Don’t do your child’s college applications for them.
Do your taxes ASAP after January 1. Visit www.fafsa.ed.gov
Have a budget and financial planning meeting before your child leaves for college.
Differentiate for your student between your financial lifestyle at home and their lifestyle at school.
Ask open-ended questions and LISTEN, both throughout the application process AND once they’ve gone to school. They’ll need to talk…
Allow your student to make the final decision as to which college they will attend.
If your student has a disability, get them in contact with Disability Student Services at their school.
When your child has a problem at college, let (make) them take care of it.
Encourage your college student to seek out and utilize campus resources.
Keep things in perspective. One blown test is not the end of the world.
Stress the importance of decision making. Knowing the right thing to do is very different from doing the right thing.
If possible, don’t require your student to get a job during their first semester of college.
Encourage your college student to stay at college on weekends to connect with their new environment.
Buy clothing (shirt, hat, etc...) supporting you child's school
Don’t be a helicopter parent! Google it!
Send your college student things in the mail – an edible care package, encouragement from home, photos of the family dog, whatever!
Join the parents club at your child's college, if one is available.
WHEN INVITED, attend events at your child’s school
Give your opinion of their choices WHEN ASKED!
Don’t expect them to act the same when you visit or they come home.
Don’t get mad when they don’t respond to your call, e-mail, text, etc. immediately.
Go back to doing what you quit doing when they were born – having your own life!