Parents schooled on college application process

School counselor urges parents to discuss post-secondary education as early as middle school.

The parents of Jackson High School students looking to attend college received tips Monday night during a college workshop designed to get parents involved in the college planning process.

Parents Linda and Gary Littlepage are going through college selection with their senior daughter, Loni. For the Littlepages it's the second time

Gary Littlepage said he and his older daughter Dana became closer as they searched for colleges, went on campus visits and plodded through the application process.

"It made letting her go even harder," he said.

The Littlepages suggest other parents go through college selection with their children because it is another way for parents to get to know what their children's interests are.

Sarah Nussbaum, a counselor at Jackson, advises parents and students to search the Internet for more information about the schools that interest them.

"It is an excellent source of information," she said.

There are six options for education after high school: work, military, apprenticeship, proprietary schools, trade schools and college.

Nussbaum and the Littlepages advise parents to start talking about post-secondary education options with their children as early as middle school. That way when their child gets to high school they can take the college preparatory classes which will help them score higher on the ACT.

Strengths and weaknesses

First, the student should acknowledge their strengths, weaknesses and interests. They need to set a personal goal such as increasing earning power. In this step it is important for students to know what kind of extracurricular activities and social life they expect to have in college.

The second step is to look at the college characteristics such as majors and educational programs available, different schools within the college, the admission policy, where the school is located and the size of the school. While some parents want to discuss the financial aspect at this point, Nussbaum advises against it.

Work the money out later, she said.

Third, list, compare and visit a few colleges. Gather as much information as possible. This step is where Jackson seniors should be right now.

Seniors are allowed two college visit days during their school year.

After visiting a few colleges and narrowing the list, students should apply to those schools. Nussbaum said she tells students to apply if they think they might meet the requirements. While the application fees range from $30 to $75 that amount is worth it, she said.

It can be critical to apply early, too. Nussbaum said many schools determine scholarships and dormitory selection based on when they received the student's application, so the earlier the better.

The money can become a factor after students have applied and started to hear back from those schools. Determine an estimate of what college will cost and investigate all possible resources, she said.

Complete FAFSA early

Nussbaum suggests parents and students get the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completed early. Don't eliminate a college because of the cost before investigating financial assistance, it could end up to be more affordable than another school, Nussbaum said.

The last step is to finalize the plan. Follow up with the schools the student has applied to if they haven't heard anything back.

Above all, Gary Littlepage said, be active, listen and don't be too judgmental.

ameyer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127