Did you grow up hearing, “you get what you get, and you don’t get upset?” Or maybe a different version, “you get what you get and don’t throw a fit.” There are reasons we teach our kids to be quiet and accepting, but as they mature, they must begin to question things. Asking questions helps us learn and grow. Last week, at the dinner table, my 10th grader mentioned he is taking French for his foreign language requirement. His older brother, Donnie, was perplexed. He thought Spanish was...
I recently met a mom whose son is starting his first year in college. I congratulated her on his accomplishments. Then I asked out of curiosity, “What’s he majoring in?” She replied, “Oh, we don’t know. Plus, how can a 17-year-old know what career they want?” Actually, it is very much possible for them to know, and I have the answer. Many teens don’t know what to study in college. It’s been that way for a long time. Some of us got lucky when we were teens and stumbled upon our...
My family and I recently attended our sophomore’s high school open house. Even though this was the sixth open house I had attended, I felt a bit overwhelmed. The cafeteria was quite crowded, with families going in all directions. Several booths were set up, and mobs of people were waiting to talk to someone at every booth. Some of the stations to visit were: Counselors PTA Sign Up Sports Passes Cafeteria Accounts STEM Academy Registration I have to say, though, that I breathed a huge sigh of...
It’s hard to believe that summer break will soon come to an end for most families. As the start of a new school year gets closer, we wonder where the time went and think about all the things we wanted to do over the summer. If you follow my posts, you know I talked about how summertime is the perfect time to work on post-high school planning. Maybe you had the best intentions this summer: tour college campuses, write the application essay, research career options, and so on. But as always,...
My younger son has a learner’s driving permit. When we go out, he always asks, "Can I drive?" He is eager to be on his own, and it’s no secret that he is a planner. He already has plans A, B, and C for his future, which includes college. And he is confident in the career he wants to pursue. On the other hand, my 19-year-old son is very different. He graduated from high school and went into the Marine reserves. We knew forcing him to go to college would not have been good for him. He decided to...
Using social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, teens can interact and share their lives instantly by posting status updates, videos, and photos. They view these platforms as essential tools for social connection and self-expression. But social media can be a slippery slope. Teens can easily make mistakes in sharing or commenting that can reflect negatively on them. How can teenagers use social media platforms to stand out in a good way, especially to college recruiters and...
I was recently interviewed for a TV show. One of the questions the interviewer asked was, “What is the one thing you want to get across on this show? What do you want parents to know?” My answer was that college debt is unnecessary and easily avoided. The answer is right in front of us. We just need to do it. What is the answer that is right in front of us? We parents need to teach our teens how to: Find their first career steps that match their natural interests and behaviors Analyze the...
Choosing which colleges to apply to depends upon two factors. You want to find a school that is the right fit and at the right price. The good news is that there are over 5,000 colleges and universities in the US from which your teen can choose. The bad news is that there are over 5,000 schools from which your teen can choose. How do you narrow it down? If you are like me, you get overwhelmed just picking out a wall color when there are so many different shades of gray. The thought of helping...
I received an email from a father whose son is in college and has already changed his major three times and is in his fifth year of college. Yet the son still hasn’t found the right major. The father is lost on how to help his son and needs some guidance. The impact of changing majors is much bigger now than when we went to school. I changed my major in college and still graduated in four years. That’s not the case not now. Recent research shows that college students change their major up to...
If you follow my posts, you know that the higher education industry is a big business. Colleges are not-for-profit, but that doesn’t mean they can’t make one. It simply means they don’t have shareholders to whom they report their profits. Did you know in Germany, education is free? In the UK, higher education pricing is capped at $12,000, including schools like Oxford and Cambridge. In the United States, colleges do not have price control, and the prices just keep climbing. College costs,...