Advice & Planning Checklist for Sending Kids to College
As your teenager approaches the end of high school, the looming prospect of college can feel both exciting and overwhelming. From choosing the right college to navigating applications and scholarships, there's much to consider.
As a parent, your role in this process is crucial. While you can’t fill out their applications or write their essays, your guidance, support, and encouragement will help your teen make informed decisions and ease the transition from high school to college.
You may see them as an engineer, a teacher, or a doctor. You may picture them at your alma mater or being the first in your family to attend college. Maybe you just hope they find a career interest and pursue it passionately. Whatever you hope, you want what is best for your child, which means supporting them in achieving their goals.
College prep is a team effort. While the student leads the team and ultimately makes the final decision, parents should participate. I'll share the advice I tell the parents I work with as they support their children in planning and preparing for their next chapter after high school.
Here is a list of the best advice I share with parents to help you send your kid to college:
Provide balanced support & help when needed
Parents tend to become less involved in their children’s education as they get older. But if there was ever a time to be more involved, it's during the teen years and the college admissions process.
Don’t disappear from their lives just because they are in high school. Go to parent conferences. Attend high school events. Get involved in parent booster clubs. Participate in their lives.
Your teen is probably feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety about the future. While you want the best for them, it’s essential to approach the process with patience and understanding. Avoid adding pressure by comparing them to other students or expecting them to follow a specific path.
Instead, offer support by helping them stay organized, discussing their goals, and providing reassurance. Encourage your teen to find a college that’s the right fit for them—not just the one with the most name recognition.
Pay attention to what your college-bound teen wants and needs. To do this, you must listen to them talk. It doesn’t have to be a regular sit-down, either. Just listen during normal conversation to and from school, while they are getting ready for a date as I did with my daughter, or during family dinner time.
Offer your advice, which is different from nagging. Advice helps your teen learn from your experience. Giving advice during college prep comes easily for parents, and it’s something our college-bound teens need to hear.
If they ask for help, step in. The college admissions process can feel like a monumental task. It’s unfair to expect them to handle everything alone. There are times when they will need your help, and you will have to step in and parent. If you find they are struggling, help them find a solution and work on a plan together.
Start the college research process early
One of the best ways to reduce college-related stress is to start planning early. You and your teen should begin discussing their college goals as they enter high school.
Encourage them to explore their interests, potential majors, and future career paths. In addition, visiting campuses, either in person or virtually, can provide insight into the school’s environment and help your teen narrow down their list of choices.
Take time to research colleges together, looking at each college’s statistics, campus culture, and academic offerings.
Encourage career exploration
Discuss options and how their interests could prepare them for a rewarding career. Urge your student to shadow professionals, investigate various careers, and intern with companies that match their interests.
You can also work with a career counselor to take skills tests and narrow down their choices to a field of study that will work for them.
Plan and prepare for standardized tests
The SAT or ACT is a major component of most college applications. Encourage your teen to start preparing early, using practice tests, prep books, or even tutoring if needed. Many students take these tests in their sophomore or junior year, leaving time for retakes as it gets closer to senior year.
If standardized tests aren’t your teen’s strong suit, don’t panic. Many colleges now offer test-optional admissions, allowing students to focus on other aspects of their application, such as essays or extracurricular achievements.
Help with the scholarship search
Parents can play an essential role in helping students find and apply for scholarships. Start early and search for scholarships that apply to your student. Create a spreadsheet with deadlines and requirements.
Ask your employer and friends and search on social media. Keep your eyes and ears open for any scholarships offered to local students. Remind your student that applying for scholarships is how they can contribute financially to their education.
Accompany them on college visits
Before the college visits start, resolve to be flexible. Your lives will be less stressful, and the college application experience will be more exciting. Accompany your student, but stay silent.
This is their responsibility, and they should take charge. Expect the visits to be emotional and expect irrational comments and responses. This is all part of the process and will help your student find the college that best fits their needs.
Be open to alternatives to traditional college
Not every student fits the typical four-year college path. Discuss other alternatives: community college, trade school, career-focused college, and even gap years.
Students who are hesitant to consider college will welcome this discussion. The last thing you want is for your student to attend college without a total commitment. That’s not best for the student, even though it may be your dream. Not every student will take the traditional college path.
Offer financial guidance
At the beginning of the college search, you should discuss finances: what you are willing to pay and what you expect them to contribute toward college expenses, even if it’s just acquiring scholarships.
Discuss the ramifications of student debt and talk openly about which colleges would fit into the family’s financial picture. Paint the picture clearly and explain to them this is a large investment and needs to be treated as such: you expect them to do their part, study, and graduate.
Help them understand the importance of applying for financial aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Even if you think you won’t qualify for aid, many schools use FAFSA to determine eligibility for scholarships and grants.
Help them navigate their final college choice
Once the acceptance letters come in, your teen will have some big decisions to make. This can be overwhelming, especially if they’re torn between multiple schools. Sit down together to weigh the pros and cons of each option. Consider factors like financial aid offers, distance from home, academic programs, and campus culture.
Even though your child wants you to treat them as an adult, they are still a teenager. Their emotions are all over the place and this next step in their life is frightening.
Remember that college is largely an emotional decision, and you should expect emotions to play a part in that decision. When the dust settles and the emotions clear, they should decide based on all the factors, including the campus visits.
Remind your teen that there’s no one "perfect" college. The best choice is the best fit: emotionally, academically, and financially.
Foster independence
One of the most important aspects of the college transition is teaching your teen independence. Help them develop time management, study habits, and life skills, such as budgeting, doing laundry, and handling minor health issues.
The college experience is about more than academics—it's about learning how to manage life on their own. Encouraging independence now will make the transition to college smoother and help them thrive in their new environment.
Helping them stay on track with a checklist
Now that we've covered your part in the process, your student will need to know their part and stay on track with a plan. That's where a college planning checklist comes in. Making sure your student is using one throughout their high school years.
A good checklist should be easily accessible and provide a step-by-step guide to the college prep process. It should cover all four years of high school and offer parents and students advice on each phase of the college application.
Here’s a simple checklist to give you an overview of the tasks you will be facing:
Freshman/Sophomore Year: Building Foundations
Encourage Strong Academic Habits
Help your child build consistent study routines and seek help if struggling with courses.
Explore Extracurricular Activities
Encourage involvement in sports, clubs, volunteer work, or part-time jobs to build a well-rounded resume.
Research College Options
Begin informal discussions about college preferences, including size, location, and majors of interest.
Create a College Savings Plan
Assess current savings, open a 529 plan (if applicable), and calculate future needs.
Junior Year: Start the College Search
Set Up College Visits
Plan visits to campuses, either in-person or virtually, to explore different college environments.
Register for Standardized Tests
Sign up for the SAT, ACT, or other required standardized tests, and ensure your student is prepared.
Discuss Potential Majors/Careers
Narrow down interests and consider how those align with possible majors and career paths.
Build a Preliminary College List
Research a variety of schools that meet your student’s preferences.
Talk About Paying for College
Discuss financial aid options, scholarships, and the overall cost of college with your child.
Summer Before Senior Year: Getting Serious
Finalize College List
Narrow down schools to which your student plans to apply and check application deadlines.
Prepare for College Applications
Gather materials like transcripts, recommendation letters, and create a resume of achievements.
Draft College Essays
Begin working on personal essays and reviewing prompts from selected colleges.
Plan for Early Action/Decision
If applying for early decision or early action, ensure all materials will be ready by the deadlines.
Senior Year: Application & Financial Aid Season
Submit College Applications
Track all deadlines and send in applications, including early decision/action where applicable.
Complete the FAFSA
File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as it becomes available.
Apply for Scholarships
Search for national, local, and school-specific scholarships and ensure all applications are submitted on time.
Send Test Scores & Transcripts
Make sure test scores and transcripts are sent to each college according to their requirements.
Spring of Senior Year: Decision Time
Review Acceptance Letters
Discuss and compare acceptance letters, scholarship offers, and financial aid packages.
Plan Final Campus Visits
If still undecided, schedule another visit to top schools to help with the final decision.
Make the Final Decision
Submit the enrollment deposit and complete any required paperwork for your chosen college.
Notify Other Schools
Let schools you are not attending know of your decision to decline their offer.
Appily's College Planner Checklist for students
As we've said, staying organized and on task is crucial to a successful college prep and application journey. That's why your teen should take advantage of Appily’s Digital College Planner, a free planner tailored specifically for college-bound students.
This college planner helps students manage key application steps and deadlines while suggesting applicable scholarships and resources to simplify the process. Just click the button below to access this free college planner.
