College preparation
People who pursue postsecondary education are likely to earn more and be more fulfilled in their career choices than those whose learning ends with a high school diploma.
The recent recession reinforced the reasons your child should plan for postsecondary education. According to the Wall Street Journal, college graduates were less likely to be laid off during the recession. Those who were laid off were hired back more quickly than people without a college degree.
It’s never too early to start talking to your children about their plans for the future. So why not include college in that conversation, even for kindergarteners? The earlier that children are exposed to college as a viable option for them, the more likely they are to factor college into their own plans. Many college graduates share that “it was never an option for me NOT to go to college. . . it was an expectation of my parents that I would go.”
Conversations about college with young children can be as simple as mentioning the different things that people with college degrees can do. By middle school, eligible children should be encouraged to sign up to be Twenty-First Century Scholars and parents can begin to explore college-prep courses.
The Web is filled with college-readiness resources that can help you spark your young child’s interest in college and vocational education. Encourage your middle-school child to think about careers and help your high schooler find the right fit and apply for admission.
Is your child’s school doing all it can to encourage him and other students to go to college?
The Annenberg Institute studied 13 high-performing, high-poverty schools in New York City and identified characteristics of schools that are “beating the odds” by pointing their students in the right direction:
- Students and families are exposed to college through college visits and college fairs
- Parents are involved in planning and supporting the goal of attending college
- Information on required tests and courses, admissions process, financial aid and colleges in the area is available to students and families starting in the ninth grade
- There is a college office or other place for students and families to get information, fill out applications and receive counseling on attending college
- Visits by community members, graduates and college representatives show students the possibility and value of going to college.
Read the “Beating the Odds” survey results from Indianapolis Public Schools.