Photo by Lia Castro from Pexels
Though your child’s future isn’t dictated by what college they go to, it sure does help. You want a college that helps your child excel at every goal, and more importantly, to teach them cutting-edge information that helps them stand out in their field and get a good job in something they love.
When they’re teenagers and even kids, what college they go to might feel like the last thing on their minds, but with a few easy steps you can help them build a resume that allows them to go to their dream college, no matter what that might be:
Make Them a Natural Philanthropist
Girl Guides and Boy Scouts are two of the most popular organizations for kids to join. They make friends, learn skills, and of course, volunteer. You can continue this philanthropy even if your child is no longer interested in the organization. Volunteer together, find causes they care about, and even help them start a new organization at their school so that they can help the world, make friends, and of course, build up their resume.
Help Them Try Out a Lot of Different Hobbies
Your local community center will likely have a lot of different classes for decent prices available. Try to get your teen into at least one course a year in something that they are interested in so that they can expand their skillset and grow a love of learning.
Require Them to Join at Least One Extra-Curricular
It doesn’t matter what that after school club is, but it will look great on their application and help them make friends.
Find the Ideal Degree, Then the Top University
Your child’s perfect college is not necessarily the most prestigious. With the exception of top ten schools where the name alone will get you in the door, most colleges’ prestige does not help with the job search. You want a good school, not for the name, but for the quality of the degree and supportive services.
If you aren’t looking at Ivy Leagues, then the best thing to do is find the top degrees and who provides them. A middle-tier university might host the best agricultural degree, for example, and in this case, it is the best choice because the university provides everything you need and the degree itself is cutting edge.
Know the Admission Requirements and Acceptance Rate Early
Finding these great degrees early on, for example when they are freshmen, can help give you and your teen a better idea of what they need to be accepted. By choosing the best degree, you can set the bar high, and if you want to change later on, chances are your teen will still have a great enough resume to get in.
Finding these admission requirements and acceptance rates is easy to do online at CampusReel. If you are interested in a top agriculture degree from Purdue University, for example, it helps to know the Purdue acceptance rate and that the average GPA is 3.66, though experts advise applicants to aim for a 3.84 to get ahead of the curve.
By starting to help your child get into volunteer work and after-school clubs early you can help them grow their confidence, discover themselves, and of course, build up a resume naturally without stress that will help them get into their dream school later on.