Parents play an important role in preparing their children for college. This includes making sure that they have the financial means to send them to a good school, as well as giving the guidance and the support the child needs to get great grades. Studies show that family environment is one of the biggest factors in a child’s academic achievement. So even as early as pre school, parents are already influencing how the child will be able to cope with the college environment.

The Financial Preparation

College tuition can be very expensive, and parents must plan for many years to have the kind of money that the Ivy League schools and other reputable universities charge for education. The smartest thing to do is to make an investment in college educational plans. Talk to your bank or finance adviser about long term investment options that will ripen by the time your child graduates from high school.

Other options are available as well. For example you can assist your child in getting a scholarship. You can also help your child get financial aid from the various agencies and institutions that specialize in those kinds of loans. Even the school you apply to has student aid programs. As a last resort you can take a home equity loan but don’t do this without exhausting other options.

The Academic Preparation

You can’t cram years of education in one summer. Parents help prepare kids for college throughout their lives. This doesn’t just mean making sure they do their homework or reviewing them right before a test. It also includes developing their curiosity and their love for learning. You can do this by taking them to museums, musicals, field trips, and generally expanding their horizons through activities and experiences.

You should also create a home environment that is conducive to studying. Make sure they have a study area. Create a system of rules and rewards in place for good behavior, good grades and success. If they have a hard time with a subject be sure to step in and help them study. Also praise them when they do a good job and build their confidence and self esteem.

There’s one last thing which shouldn’t be forgotton when preparing for college and that’s personal preparation. For many children, college is their first time away from home and so sabatical years are very much a worthwhile idea as a way of developing independence and confidence. It could be a planned trip through an agencia de viajes, staying Spain for example and learning a little bit of the language, or it could be a worldwide trip - both will promote personal growth within the individual. A common way to prepare is to take one year off between school and college, work for 6 months to earn money and travel for 6 months (spending the money!). This is ideal because not only will the individual have personal experience from the travel but professional experience from the job too - and all this before even starting college!