Help Your Teen Evaluate Post-High School Options

Following high school, your teen may go to college, get a job, enlist in the armed forces, or choose to take time off. The help and advice a parent gives a child in the years approaching high school graduation may be some of the most important time a parent spends with their child.

While most parents may remember beginning their college search in the fall of their senior year, today, many students begin as early as the fall of their junior year. This is probably due to the deadlines for early admissions into competitive programs.

As the application process includes a candidate writing an essay regarding their goals and past accomplishments, this might be a good place to start with your teen. Let them begin writing that essay, which will not only be good practice, but also may help bring focus to the type of academic and career interests particular to your teen. Remember, though, this exercise should be used to assist a parent and teen in clarifying goals and preferences for the type of school your child is interested in.

Initially, have your teen write out a list which includes his or her:

· academic and personal strengths and weaknesses
· extracurricular activities
· awards
· grade point average (GPA)
· class rank
· SAT, ACT, or AP scores

Another list your teen needs to compose should include what qualities he or she would like in a college such as going away to school, staying at home for college or, even taking online courses.

The next step is to begin looking into potential colleges to attend. Many guidebooks, the internet, and school counselors are available to assist you. A good idea for composing a list might include choosing six to ten schools and raking them based upon the chances of acceptance.

An important next step is to plan to visit college campuses. By calling ahead, you can arrange for a tour when you arrive and, most importantly, for your child to spend time talking with a student from the school.

As a final word about college, remember there are many avenues for assisting in paying for higher educations. Just a few sources for information include a high school counselor, the college's financial aid office, many employers offer aid for children of employees, and state and federal aid programs.

Besides immediately entering college, many students, and parents, believe there are significant benefits from spending a year or two working prior to beginning higher education.

If this is the route decided, a teen must prepare for finding a job by learning to write a resume and practice interviewing techniques. Additionally, they should learn not only how to answer questions but what questions to ask. For in choosing to work for a company today, issues of health insurance and tuition reimbursement are of utmost importance.

Some teens take advantage of internships prior to going to college. Internships, which are usually unpaid, allow a teen the opportunity to actually work in a field or office environment in a profession they may be interested in. Some teens will work at a number of internships prior to going to college.

For many teens, the military has always been an option following high school graduation. Traditionally, the advantages of joining the military included learning self-discipline, earning money, learning a trade, and taking advantage of veterans' benefits for education following discharge.

Of course, the military is not for everyone and you and your teen should carefully weigh the pros and cons. Additionally, there is always the danger of serving in hostile areas and combat.

One last word about choosing to enter the military. As with any career move, get all promises about future benefits and career training in writing prior to joining on. It might make things easier in case of future disputes.

The decision of what to do after graduating high school is as individual as each teen is. However, openly discussing the options with your teen and helping him or her seek out what is best, will be of great benefit to your relationship with your child.