For many families, deciding when the time is right to start helping a child look at colleges is often a complex process. A child’s maturity level and personal goals all come into play when creating a timeline for college applications, but it also helps to know what your family can afford to pay when it comes to tuition costs.
Fortunately, there are ways to know when the time is right to find the perfect college for your child and for your family’s budget. Here are just a few great ways to decide when to begin looking at schools, and why doing so can give your child an edge in a competitive process.
1. Starting in Early High School
If your child expresses an interest in college in their freshman or sophomore year of high school, a visit to various target schools can be very informative for them. After knowing what is required to gain admission to target colleges, for example, children can get a good sense of how they will need to perform over the course of their high school careers to gain admission to their dream school. Preparing early for college admissions may also give your child the boost of confidence they need to excel in their studies.
2. Benefits of Starting in Your Child’s Junior Year
If you feel as though your child’s academic performance in junior year is a good indicator of their scholarly potential, beginning the college search at this stage might be helpful for your family.
Indeed, by researching schools well ahead of admissions deadlines, you’ll avoid the rush to complete applications that plagues many seniors, and you’ll still also have time to visit college campuses that interest your child. By getting a good sense of between five and ten colleges to apply to, your child will be able to enter their senior year with a good sense of what they’ll need to achieve to remain competitive as an applicant.
3. Knowing the Costs Ahead of Time
Moreover, by starting the college search in your child’s junior year, you’ll give yourself time to become familiar with the different tuition rates and financial aid packages available at various universities. Researching school websites or reading a 10 cheapest accredited online colleges list can also help you narrow down the best options your family’s budget.
If the sticker price on your child’s first-choice college seems beyond your budget, however, don’t get too worried; try contacting the school’s financial aid office to see what kind of deals are available. You might just find that scholarships, grants, and work study options significantly lower the costs of attendance at your child’s target schools.
4. Using Senior Year Wisely
If your child is a late bloomer in their studies, you might want to hold off on looking for colleges until their senior year. So long as the process isn’t put off until too late in the game, finding schools during a child’s senior year can be a rewarding process that plays to their strengths.
This is particularly true for children who have increased their GPA over time; admissions committees at universities recognize that some students mature later than others, so don’t be alarmed if your child needs to start the search for colleges later than their peers. Finding the right college is more like a marathon than a race!
5. Considering the Benefits of a Gap Year
Indeed, if your child is a late bloomer, a gap year between high school and college can also be a great opportunity to formulate plans for the future. Because your child will have an extra year to gain work experience, retake standardized tests, and visit college campuses, a gap year may be just the thing your child needs to take their academic performance to the next level.
For these reasons, it isn’t always easy to decide when to start the college search. While there are many factors to consider in choosing an academic program that is right for your child, understanding your child’s needs and your financial resources can help you make the right choice. Truly, that is planning for the future at its best!