I get this question from families all the time and my advice depends on the age of the student. I've broken it down below:
9th Grade: I believe too much talk about college with a 9th grader is just another way to add anxiety to an already stressful transition year. At most, I suggest parents remind the student that the grades they get now will follow them through high school and get added into their cumulative GPA. Good choices now means more choices later. That's it.
10th Grade: Now that the student has their feet on the ground in high school, they may be more open to thinking about what comes after high school. However, I have found that rather than focusing on a college or a major it can be more valuable to have the student explore and expand their interests. They should be getting involved in activities they enjoy and want to learn more about -but here's the important part - it doesn't matter what it is! Let them explore what they want but make sure they take a class, join a club or try out a new sport. I want to stress that this is not about building a college resume. It's about expanding your child's world.
11th Grade: Early junior year is the best time to start the formal college search. It may seem a little early but with a heavy course load, SAT/ACT testing and unforgiving sports schedules it's imperative to get going on building a list and scheduling visits. Fall is a great time to take advantage of college open houses and using scheduled days off to do a trip that's a little farther from home. What the student learns from early visits will help them decide what schools to visit in the spring. This is also the time to explore possible career options through informational interviews or job shadowing with friends and family. Hopefully by the end of Junior year, the student will have seen most of the schools on their list and will be ready to start the essay writing process over the summer.
12th Grade: If a student hasn't started looking at schools by the beginning of senior year, I might question if that student is ready to make the move to a four year college or might be better off looking at an alternative plan such as a gap year, community college or a technical school. Society has put a lot of pressure on our kids to be ready to go right to college after high school but everyone matures at their own pace and I encourage parents to let their child know that it's OK to be where they are as long as they have a plan.
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