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Before you know it, the kids are ready to fly the nest. Love, life, and college come for us all, and pretty soon, your little ones are off to begin their own life adventure. As a parent, it's all you can do to prepare your kid for college. Before they leave, here are some ideas for a better start.
Enhancing Advanced Subjects
There are many complex subjects within college courses. Students are expected to meet some pretty high standards when it comes to completing coursework. Mathematics is a perfect example. Most people struggle with math, especially advanced subjects. Fortunately, your students can access a TSI math practice test to prepare them for college-level coursework. There are also other services offering practice tests for IT, languages, and the sciences.
Visit Some Establishments Beforehand
All colleges and universities have open days. These are essential because your child can attend for a day and see if the place is right for them. Most kids have their heart set on one establishment. And this completely changes after visiting the place first. Some find that it isn't what they expected and change their minds. Others find that a college they didn't consider suddenly appeals to what they want. The people, the place, and the academia are vital.
Prepare Your Kids for College with Life Skills
Life skills are often learned as we go. As a parent, you can do your kids a massive favor by teaching them some valuable skills as part of letting the kids grow up. This would be a welcome scenario as over 20% of students claim they aren't ready for college. This is often down to not preparing academically and not being emotionally ready. Simple skills such as meal planning, shopping responsibly, and self-care will make a massive difference in their college life.
Consider the Hows of College Life
Just getting to class on time can be a challenge for some kids. Without proper preparation, time management is a lost skill for some people. The logistics of college life are a huge wake-up call for some students. They are now treated as adults and are expected to behave as such. Consider whether your child will live on campus or not. This can make a big difference in time. Living near a college is great, but a car or bike would be more suitable than public transport.
Don't Forget About Financial Planning
The starving student is something of a cliché. However, this is often true for many students. Living on ramen and other cheap foods is a reality for many new college students. Most colleges don't recommend that students work. But this is impossible for many. Yet, with some financial knowledge, your kids can make the most of what little money they have available. Daily and weekly spending limits, using credit cards wisely as a student, and money rules will help.
Summary
Practicing complex tests for advanced knowledge will help prepare your kid for college on an academic level. But there is more to it than that. They will also need to learn some life skills, such as cooking. It also helps to teach students about managing their finances at college.
*This is a contributed post
