Going to college is a significant, potentially formative event in any young person’s life. Helping your offspring to stand the best possible chance of getting into the college of their dreams is an essential part of parenting. Continue reading for our guide to supporting your child to improve their college application.
Table of Contents
Improve grades
We all want our children just to do the very best they can. However, for some, 100% effort is not quite enough. A course of private tuition sessions may boost confidence in certain areas and plug any gaps that there might be in terms of subject knowledge and understanding. Of course, they may simply need to knuckle down for some students and have fewer distractions to ensure they reach their full potential. Reducing expectations in terms of chores and extracurricular activities should be considered. Whether your child wants to be helped to find out how to get into Stanford, for example, it is always best to look first at the entry requirements in terms of grades.
Encourage volunteering
Not only does it look good for an applicant on a college application to show that they have supported charities or people who are more in need, but it can also have a huge impact on them personally. There is also a wide range of skills to be gained from spending time undertaking voluntary work. For example, someone giving up their time to work with a homeless charity would support someone’s assertion that they are thoughtful, kind, and giving, most likely also showing empathy for others.
Extracurricular activities
Joining twelve clubs or societies in the months leading up to college applications being submitted is never advisable. While having a range of hobbies and interests can look impressive on an application, ultimately, they will not have the desired impact if these are just superficial. From a young age, encourage your child to join several clubs. They can help to improve social skills, develop a particular interest and help to keep fit. All of these things are useful regardless of whether a college application is potentially years away.
Work experience
Most college applicants have a clear idea of what they would like to study at college, which leads them in terms of their careers. Before applying to college, gaining work experience in an area relevant to their chosen course reflects enthusiasm and a willingness to get ahead within that sector. Furthermore, this could even help once college studies are over and your child is attempting to secure employment. Having links within the industry is always useful.
Proofread
Sloppy spelling and poor grammar can leave a lasting impression on people. Rather than those associated with sifting through college applications and making the all-important decisions being impressed by top grades and super work experience, a badly-written personal statement will not provide them with much hope that a student will submit a decent quality of work. While free programs, such as Grammarly, can offer a great basic service, they can also erase the particular style and cadence of someone’s writing style if you use all of their suggestions. Perhaps, you could support your child by paying for the services of a professional proofreader.
Featured Image by Randy Stanz from Pixabay
