Decisions, decisions. Life is full of them, and some people are better at making them than others. You know your teenager better than anyone, so you know how they stand in this respect. Are they decisive? And if they are, is it in a good way? Or are we talking about snap decisions? Maybe they’re indecisive, in which case what they eventually come up with might be reluctant, random choices.
As the high school days end, there is a big decision to be made: whether to go to college or not. Many youngsters who have the academic ability to get into a college will automatically want to go, because everyone else is. On the other hand, they might not want to do it because none of their friends are going, but you see it as a potential missed opportunity. Here are five aspects of the college decision that may need to be discussed.
5 Ways to Help Your Teen with the College Decision
Having a Degree is Better Than Not Having One
There is a terribly negative attitude that exists despite its clearly unfounded premise: ignorance is as good as your knowledge. As a parent, with your life experience, you probably don’t subscribe to this, which can be seen as a loser’s mantra.
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Of course, there are career success stories and professional resumes from people that don’t begin with college, but there are a lot more that do. Even the fact that so many people have a degree these days doesn’t devalue the point of having one. If you don’t, you’re immediately at a disadvantage. At least you should start on a level playing field if that is possible.
The most talented applicant for a particular job won’t even get an interview if there is a screening process carried out by a secretary or an algorithm that will not put an applicant through to the shortlist – let alone an interview – unless they have a degree. The most charming genius won’t have a chance to get in by sheer force of personality if the process involves that sort of prerequisite. All in all, it’s better to have a degree, so a parent should, in theory, be making this plain.
There Are Professions That Teenagers Don’t Consider
Okay, they know a lot more than you do about tech startups and all that IT-based mumbo jumbo. But there is more to life than the digital world and some fascinating careers are available in specialized niches – provided they have a relevant degree. What are their strengths and passions? There is bound to be a career in those areas, even if it isn’t the headline career. If they are obsessed with music, for instance, but they are no Billie Eilish or Ed Sheeran, the music industry needs IT people, PR people, accountants and all the rest. If a career in law sounds dry to them, have they ever heard of a showbiz lawyer? These things are real.
Money Doesn’t Have to be a Problem
If a teenager wants to go straight into the workplace to make money, point out that being a student doesn’t have to be a struggle. There are scholarships and bursaries, federal grants and private grants, and if none of these things appeals, you as the established citizen, if you are a homeowner, can apply for a HELOC – a home equity line of credit – which can be a lower interest way of borrowing money. It’s worth looking into and it’s a good idea to review a guide to see what’s involved before signing on the dotted line.
Spreading Your Wings is a Healthy Thing
While most teenagers are dying to get a bit of freedom, there are those who are homebirds but still want to boost the college learning experience need encouragement and support. You will always be only a phone call or a text away, and university doesn’t have to be on the other side of the country.
