Your Child’s College Decision

If your child is a soon to be high school graduate, then college decision they are going to make in the near future is very important. Colleges across the country offer endless opportunities for recent a high school graduate. Most colleges have a particular, or multiple expertises in a variety of majors and fields, and as many people know, certain colleges are also very dominant in different athletic programs. The college decision students have to make will define the rest of their lives.

As your child begins to think about which school to attend in their collegiate career, there are a couple of things to consider other than which campus has the best weather. The variety of majors, athletic programs, and extracurricular activities are just a few of the key features your high school graduate will have to become familiar with if they want to stay involved in the school spirit. Here are some quick tips for you and your high school graduate to take into consideration when making this monumental college decision:

• Choose Based on Your Major and Interests - Ensure that your child’s school of choice will provide them with the best and most enriching educational experience. There are tons of colleges that offer a variety of majors, so make sure your child considers those that can facilitate subjects that are most interesting to them. Despite this, your child is probably going to change their minds at least once or twice, so find a very academically diverse school. Most colleges do have a variety of majors that appeal to a wide variety of college students. While the choice can seem strenuous, the variety of majors also allow for you to see the numerous classes available. Have your high school graduate try out a few classes and see if that major seems like the right fit for them.
• Be Aware of the Area Surrounding the Campus - Make sure both you and your child understand the type of environment they will be in when they go off to college. If your child’s college decision is located in a more rural area, but actually wants to live in a more lively and city-like area, that college is probably not the right place for them. Both you and your child should do the homework on each school to make sure it will be the right fit! The big college decision should reflect the students personality, interests, and adaptability.
• Consider the Extracurricular Life - Colleges have varying degrees of extracurricular programs. Some colleges have excellent networks of clubs and organizations, athletic programs, and other functions, which can make living on campus very fun. Have your child look up their ideal college to check out the different activities that go on. They might find a specific cause or organization that truly interests them! The many extracurricular programs could vary from very school oriented organizations, to general, personal interests. While not all college students may be on the elite level of official college athletic programs, there are other recreational athletic programs that many students can join in. Ranging from basketball and soccer, to cricket and even quidditch. Believe it or not, quidditch is actually getting picked up by more and more colleges and schools as some of their latest offered athletic programs.

• Visit the School in Person - Many times, making a decision about which school to attend is not always about the perceived prestige of that school. Make it a priority to visit your child’s college of choice so that you and your child can experience the on-campus environment. Your child is going to be in college for several years of their life, so make sure they feel comfortable at the school of their choice!
• Sit in on a College Class - Many colleges welcome recent high school graduates to sit in on classes and take in the full college academic experience with the other college students. With the wide variety of majors, the endless classes for each major offer a plethora of options. Many of the college students are also extremely helpful, and with a lot of school pride, are happy to give the inside scoop with extracurricular programs, athletic programs, the variety of majors, and assist in the college decision of your high school graduate. Your graduate will find college students not just from across the country but all over the world as well. Your child will soon come to find that all of these college students focus on a variety of majors. Even majors that your child might not have known about and are interested in. There is no better source of information than the college students at their school.

Being a high school graduate is a very exciting time in a teenager’s life. The colleges they choose to apply to, earlier on in their high school career, can add only more exciting events for this high school graduates’ summer. With the college’s orientation, discovering the various extracurricular opportunities, athletic programs, and a variety of majors, your child’s college decision will be the best time of their life. Choosing which college to attend is an incredibly important decision for your child to make. Support your child during this process, and give them the resources and encouragement they need to make an informed college decision!