Research and Organization

Researching colleges can be a big job.  I don’t see why parents shouldn’t help with it, as long as parents aren’t trying to influence the decision that their children are making by only presenting the information that supports the colleges they favor.  I do think that it shouldn’t be only the parents’ job to do this however.   The person who is going to go to the university should be involved in all aspects of the college search, application, and getting financial aid, and the only person involved in some aspects.

There can be a huge number of deadlines to keep track of,  if the student is applying to more than a few universities.  It can be particularly helpful if the parent makes a calendar of these deadlines to keep the student from missing one.  Other organizational tools like notebooks or folders could also benefit the student during this process.  Even making folders on the computer could be helpful.  Perhaps finding information that the student will need for their applications is another organizational task that a parent could do to assist in the process.

Here’s what Shawn Abbott, Director of Admissions of Stanford University, has to say about parent involvement in a YouTube video:

Financial Aid Process

I see no reason why a student shouldn’t be involved in the financial aid process, although some parents may want to keep their financial information private.  Because of that, filling out the FAFSA is probably something that more parents than students do.

The only part of the financial aid process that only the student should do is writing essays for scholarships that are independent of the colleges.  Even here I see no harm in parents reading those essays for grammar, spelling and to see whether the essays convey the points the student is trying to make.

I hope that gives you an idea of what you can do to support your student during the search and application process.

Blessings,

Bonnie

Through this blog I plan to address the concerns and issues of Christian parents who are helping their children go through the arduous process of selecting, getting admitted to and finding funding for the special college that is just right for them.

When I was a high school student back in the late 60’s the process was nowhere near as difficult. I applied to one college — Vanderbilt University — early decision and got admitted. I hate to admit it, but it was easier to get accepted to the college of your choice back then, because fewer people went to college. Now a college degree has become what a high school degree was then — absolutely necessary to get a decent job. The cost of Vanderbilt has increased approximately 2000% since my freshman year. When I graduated I had a loan to repay, but the payments were only about $17/month. Now I read about students who graduate $100,000+ in debt. All of these factors makes the process a lot harder and a lot scarier to navigate.

That’s where Christian College Parents can help. Our goal is to make life easier for parents who are helping their students with the whole big selection, application, and funding college process. One of the ways I’ll be doing that is through information, but I also will be offering Christian support during this hair-yanking-out time.

And I’ll be going through the process for the third time. My daughter Kat is transferring next Fall so I’ll be reporting on our journey through the maze.

What are your biggest concerns and questions about the process? Let me know and I’ll address them in future blogs.

Blessings,
Bonnie