The 4 Biggest Tips to Prep Your Kids for College Success

That title may send shivers up your spine. Lori, owner of Union Colony Insurance, knows exactly how you feel…

She has two kids in college now! 

The task is daunting because so much more than grade point averages go into a successful college career. Where do you even begin to prepare your teen – and your whole family – for this big step?

Fortunately for you, Lori has been following College Funding Professionals, and provides these 4 tips that will ensure you and your kids can step up to the task, from applications to graduation:


1. Create personal responsibility.
Do you find yourself intervening now with your child’s homework, who they hang with and handling teachers for them?

As your child rises with each academic level, you gradually need to let them fend for themselves in order to guarantee personal responsibility where such skills matter.

If you never let your son or daughter feel the pressure of procrastination, recognize a bad apple when they meet one or learn how to confront their superiors, they will not survive the freedom of college.




2. Learn financial common sense.
Learn budgeting for your teen and for your family! Studies show financial stress leads to lower grade point averages in college.

Practice organizing, planning and sticking to budgets as a family to ingrain a sense of financial maturity.

If you need financial resources, contact Lori. She has practice in this area as a Dave Ramsey Endorsed Local Provider.


3. Develop Emotional Intelligence.
This tip is arguably the trickiest yet most important.

Recognize that your child will develop relationships that you will not necessarily be a part of or have a say in. Nurture a sense of self-awareness within your kids by helping them think through the motivations of others which can help them learn how to make wise choices with confidence.

You might even consider outside school programs, like LearningRX, to help.


4. Start Early!
You may think it silly to think about college when your kids are just learning to read…

But childhood is when we instill values of responsibility, finances, and emotions.

If your child is curious about these things, nurture that curiosity and help them establish these goals for themselves. This will make the real prep that much easier when the time comes.


What do you think of these tips? Do you have any personal tips for surviving college? Let us know in the comments below!



Lori’s sons are impressed by this prep!