What Should My Kid Be Doing Now?
As the latest chaotic year comes to a close, I've done a handful of College Clarity Call sessions for parents who are concerned whether their kids are on the "right track" in 9th, 10th and 11th grades.
A few questions keep popping up:
Is he taking enough AP classes?
Is she doing enough volunteer hours?
Is he doing the "right" extracurricular activities?
Should he take the SAT or ACT?
Should she submit her SAT/ACT or go test-optional?
Is she looking at the right colleges?
I've heard that XYZ College "doesn't give money," is that true?
All valid. I do my best to answer these questions, especially because it's a tall order to get this advice from your standard, off-the-shelf guidance counselor, public or private school.
# # #
Speaking of guidance counselors, I had one in attendance at our in-office workshop last night. Apparently she felt that it was OK to stuff her pocketbook with a few extra bags of chips, in addition to the bags (plural) that she consumed during the presentation.
Gotta be at least three extra bags in there, right?
# # #
Back to the email.
There's one question that I wish people would ask, hardly anyone ever does:
How do we find a college that actually PAYS off? One that will help my child position himself for success, post-college, in LIFE?
I call this focus "The 40, not the Four." As in the 40-50 years AFTER college, the ones that matter more than the artificial, four year (hopefully!) blip in our kids' lives.
On the other hand, despite the blippy length of time in college, these four years are usually highly impactful and help set the trajectory of our kids' futures, professionally, intellectually, financially, you name it.
College is important, but -- at least in my view -- as a means to an end.
Not THE end.
Getting into a great college is where things start. Your major, internships and other experiences -- or lack thereof -- set the table for the post-college years.
But it's so incredibly confusing to figure out how to do that, in today's chaotic, high pressure, high stakes times. Your friendly snack-loving neighborhood guidance counselor just isn't equipped to help you in this regard.
Or even THINK about these questions. The solution:
You and your kid have to take charge, plain and simple.
If you want to chat about any of these topics or related, "burning" college questions, I have five College Clarity Call spots available, currently.
Here's where to learn more about what happens in these sessions:
<<<< College Clarity Call >>>>
-Andy "Come for the College Knowledge, Stay for the Cheetos" Lockwood
P.S. Do I sound a wee bit bitter about the aggressive snack bag self-helper?
I'm actually more amused than anything else. Fascinated and amused that a person would think it's perfectly fine to stuff a few extra free snacks in her bag without asking.
Oh, and she grabbed a few extra Lockwood College Prep pens on the way out too.
Can't make this up.