Tips on Preparing Your Child for College
Sending your child to college may be an emotional wreck for you as a parent. The time has come to see your child grow up and leave the nest. You know your child the most, so you have a backlog of remedies for when things aren’t right. A parent is never emotionally prepared for times like this. Since college will be new for you and your child, here are a few tips to help ease the transition of sending them off to college.
Budgeting
Teach your child about budgeting before they run into this new step of their lives. They should realize the difference between being home and living on their own. They probably will hold more responsibilities living on their own as they did back home. Instill the fact that necessities should come before wants. A good idea would be to have a sack of quarters on deck for laundry day before they decide to splurge at the mall.
Form healthy habits.
They may face a stressful week and not have time to depress. Teach them to make time for their health. A clean room can help them feel more organized and in control of things. Remind them that it is okay to take a break or reward themselves after working hard. Know the difference between a well-deserved break and way too much fun. Having a healthy balance of getting things done and having some down time is important.
Make them aware of their surroundings.
Inform your child that they should be aware of their surroundings. There are some things that can be avoided based on simple decisions they make. Having a friend or two around while venturing off or choosing a decent time to gas up the car are simple things that they may not think about.
Make sure that your child tours the entire campus before the semester starts. They should familiarize themselves with where the campus police department and any other emergency areas are nearby. Having a self-defense key chain can also be beneficial for students walking across campus as well.
A physical view of what their daily class schedule will look like before the first day is a good idea as well. Knowing how much time they have in-between classes will allow them to show up on time with all the supplies they need. College students carry all their belongings across campus, so it’s good to know if they have time to run to their dorm for books. This also give them an idea of when they will have some down time between classes, when they can grab lunch with some friends and to find time to study.
Get involved on campus.
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Meet new people: Encourage them to hang out with roommates and classmates. They will never know what kind of wonderful people they will meet. Your child may even discover a new hobby they’d like to take on.
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Join a club: The majority of the academic majors have clubs to join. Joining a club makes it easier to meet new people of the same interest or field as them.
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Greek life: Greek life is pretty big at most universities. Rushing allows for long friendships and a new lifetime membership into an organization full of sisters and brothers.
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Volunteer: Volunteering is just one more thing your child can add to their college resume. It can open up opportunities to find work in their careers and help network with colleagues, organizations, and companies.
Scholarships Opportunities!
It’s no secret that college tuition is a pocket burner. Luckily, scholarships are offered to students to help lower the cost. From fun competitions to just meeting requirements, there are various scholarships your child can apply for to help pay for tuition. The Alfa Foundation Scholarship is awarded to 100 students attending Alabama colleges, universities and technical schools.
Academics
College life will be so much different than high school. There won’t be an adult checking to see if your child is maintaining their grades and attending classes. Remind your child that they are now young adults and are responsible for efforts they make inside and outside the classroom.
College classrooms are often larger, too. With a class of 50 students, the professor may not have enough time to take questions and go in-depth with lectures. Encourage your child to form relationships with their professors and stay on top of their classes. Visiting the campus library, your child can also find all the extra help needed to keep up with the material, like tutors, study books, and online resources.
Your student can help save on car insurance.
Having a car for your first year of college is a must in your child’s eyes. Did you know your kid’s good grades can benefit your auto insurance? Alfa Insurance® offers a youth honor discount for full-time students with a 3.0 GPA or higher. Saving coins on car insurance while knowing your child is doing well in the classroom is a double win! Sounds like a fair deal to make with your student and their car!
Qualifications to save:
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Unmarried, age 16-24, fully licensed
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Full-time student
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Enrolled in high school, college, university, vocational or technical school
Contact to your local Alfa® agent for more details on how to start saving.
Prepare for move-in.
Moving in is when reality starts to kick in. Make sure that your child has everything they need for move-in day. Include items on your list like cleaning supplies, toiletries, and even school supplies. Try not to put items off for later purchase because the stores in the area may run out. Hundreds of students are looking for the same items on your child’s list.
Let them know that you support them.
This may be the first time your child will be away from home. From getting homesick to staying up long nights to study for an exam, college can put your child under pressure. Remind them that their parents are a call away and that they will face a lot of challenges during their college experience. Maybe occasional care packages with their favorite snacks and everyday toiletries can give them fuel to finish the semester on a good note!
While your college student may be eager to leave the house and enjoy their young lives in college, you may be holding back a bucket of tears because you don't want to let your child go. Being an overly protective parent can do more harm to you both than you’d think. It's important to establish a good relationship with your university student and find out how close the boundaries are. Allow your child to have fun and learn to be a young adult. Something to look forward to in a few years is bragging rights once your college student earns their degree!