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It's Never Too Early to Prep for College
When you hold your brand new baby, chances are that you're more concerned with getting her to sleep through the night, than paying for her college tuition, but it's never too early to begin preparing for your child's higher education, and with the rising costs of tuition, most of us can't afford to wait.
Here is a list of things you can do to help your child succeed in school (or homeschool!), and help yourself save for their education.
1) Start Saving Now.
Whether you elect to put your money into savings bonds, mutual funds, life insurance that can be cashed in for tuition money, or conventional savings accounts, the earlier you begin saving the better. How much better? Well, if you begin saving $50/month at 5% interest as soon as your child is born, you'd have saved $17,000 by the time they turn 18. Waiting just eight years to begin that account reduces your savings to $7,000.
2) Early Encouragement Makes a Difference.
When you encourage your child to challenge herself academically, and encourage her to develop good study habits, you're laying the groundwork for the discipline that will be needed to maintain good grades, which are key to getting scholarships, and make it easier to earn grants and some kinds of loans. As well, you should begin discussing college in non-specific terms as early as elementary or middle school, reinforcing the concept that going getting a degree of some kind is not merely optional. Help your child explore fields of study they express an interest in, and get them involved in extra-curricular activities.
3) Middle School Matters
Depending on how middle school and high school are broken out in your district, it could be 7th and 8th grades or 7th-9th grades. Either way, it's important to get your child into a college prep track even before they transition to high school, or they may not be able to get into one then. As well, the United States Department of Education recommends that students take Algebra I in eighth grade and Geometry in ninth grade, as well as English, Science, and History or Geography every year. Foreign languages, computer and performing or visual arts classes are also recommended, especially if your child has their heart set on attending one of California's UC schools (UCLA, Berkeley) where an 'f' or 'fine arts' elective is an entrance requirement.
4) Guidance
Not only should you meet with your child's guidance counselor as early as possible in their high school career to make sure they're taking the right college preparation classes and choosing the right electives; you should provide guidance of your own as well with regard to researching colleges and universities and helping your child choose their top schools. (If homeschooling, you should contact the universities you are considering and ask to meet or speak with their homeschool representative or advocate/liason.) Remember not to summarily dismiss schools solely based on cost – a private school can often become as affordable as a public institution with the right package of loans and grants – but do approach this task realistically.
5) There Will Be a Test
Be certain that your child takes all required college admissions tests, including the practice exams. P-SATs for example, are also the qualifying exam for the National Merit Scholarship, and while good scores don't guarantee financial aid, they certainly help with it, as well as with admission itself.
6) Study Hard
In addition to making sure your child keeps up with their studies, you have work to do as well. Make sure you learn everything you can about the financial aid application process, as well as more general admissions procedures and housing application processes as well. Research all the options for financial aid – your church, trade union, or alumni association may offer scholarships, and your child may qualify for grants and work-study loans in addition to federal student loans. Private loans are also an option, if you select the right ones. There are numerous books and websites to help you educate yourself.
7) Budget, Budget, Budget
Once you've put together your child's financial aid package, sit down with him and work out a budget to cover fixed expenses, like housing, tuition, and books, as well as variable ones, such as transportation, meals, and clothing. Don't forget to allow for spending money - even the most serious students still have to be able to take in the occasional movie, or join friends for a weekend away. Figure out how much money will come from you, and how much will come from savings, loans, and your child's own paychecks. If you don't set a budget, your child may end up working long hours while in school, or borrowing more (or less) than he really needs.
With the right amount of planning, saving, study and encouragement it is completely possible for every American student to attend college and complete their degree, but as you can see, it is never too early to begin the process.
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