Talking to Your Teen

It may not always be easy to talk with your teen. But it's important that you support your teen throughout his or her college planning. Help your teen organize the process, meet deadlines and talk with the right people. Here are a few tips to consider:

Listen

Be receptive to and listen when your teen wants to discuss career and/or college plans.

Explore

Have your teen explore career and college options and collect as much information as possible.

Encourage

Encourage your teen to capture his ideas on paper. One idea is to create a scrapbook of their plans for career and college.

Be aware

Be aware of various deadlines for applications to colleges and financial aid. Put them on a calendar that both you and your teen can look at.

Step in

Suggest that your teen meet with a school counselor at least once a year, beginning in the 10th grade, to learn more about college and career planning.

Be supportive

Be supportive of your teen, and meet with a counselor if you sense that he or she needs additional help.

Connect to career

Encourage your teen by helping them see the connection between college and career. Emphasize the importance of selecting a major that helps prepare for a career.

Research

If your teen is undecided about a career direction, do not try to fix it. Let your teen look into all the possibilities.