Starting the College Journey: Overview

August 28, 2008

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Starting the College Journey: Overview

by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P.
reviewed by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P.

College means different things to different families. For some, the very fact that a child gets into college--any college--and comes away with a diploma is a major triumph. For other families, acceptance by anything less than the most prestigious university represents a disappointment, if not a failure.

In modern U.S. society, the college diploma is an admission ticket to most of the jobs that pay a decent wage. Although much is made of getting into the "best" college, the actual education that a college student acquires depends at least as much on the individual as it does on the school and its professors. It is easy to find highly educated people who went to obscure schools, just as there are others who attended famous schools but managed to take away very little.

Lowering the pressure
To judge by their behavior (including the Mozart they listened to while pregnant!), you'd think that some parents believe the ultimate goal of child rearing is to see their child admitted to a prestigious college. But college should meet the needs of the student, not the parents' need for proof that they did an outstanding job of raising their child. While it's reasonable for parents to set long-term goals for their children, it's also necessary for children to be able to follow their own inclinations, to play, relax, explore, or just daydream.

As college admissions approach, parents and children both tend to feel an increasing amount of pressure: children to raise their academic and extracurricular performance, and the parents to figure out what the family finances can afford. A little pressure can be a good thing, giving students the incentive they need to focus on schoolwork and prompting parents to take a good, hard look at their finances. But too much pressure can lead to feelings of desperation and the conviction that one is not good enough.

I hope that the articles in this section can help to relieve some of this pressure and can point you in the right direction as you navigate the many areas of decision making that lie ahead. The topics covered include:

Precollege counseling. A good precollege counselor can be a powerful ally, not only when it comes time to complete applications, but also at the beginning of the process, years earlier. This article outlines some of the roles of the precollege counselor and suggests ways you can work most effectively together.

Choosing the right college. What's right for any one student depends on the student's goals, abilities, maturity, and personal preferences. Someone who thrives on philosophical discussion needs a school with a particular intellectual atmosphere. Some students feel lost on a large campus; others like the variety and relative anonymity. This article presents a list of potentially important characteristics and suggests sources of information about different schools.

Affording college. College is expensive, and costs are rising, but there is also a lot of financial help available. This article gives an overview of the process and introduces major sources of aid. A companion article points to some of the more helpful--and free--online resources.

Preparing for tests. Test taking is a stumbling block and a cause for concern for many students. This article reviews the main tests, explains how colleges use the scores, and suggests various ways that parents can help their teen get ready.

The application procedure. Do college admissions officers really read every word of those essays that many students agonize over? How much help should you offer your teen? And what about the increasing number of students who use pricey consultants?

Handling college separation. The end of a successful college application process is just the beginning of the bigger challenge--college itself. For many parents and children, one of the hardest parts of starting college is getting used to living far apart. A common-sense approach, and some specific coping techniques, can make this transition less trying for everyone involved.

Talk about:

College issues


RELATED INFORMATION

			Choosing the Right College
			Online Resources for College Planning
			Precollege Counseling: Making It Work for You
			College Issues

Created August 27, 2001
Reviewed August 15, 2004

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