College Awareness-It's Never too Early

As I go around probing youth and their parents about their college goals and planning strategy, you'd be suprised at how many parents and students alike tell me how "it's too early to be thinking of college" and their student is already in high school! I always quickly recover and inform them that its never too early to make the expectation of college evident with your children. Research supports the most simplest of concepts in college awareness: the early you begin planning and setting expectations, the more likely college attendance and eventutal graduation will occur. There are many ways to introduce college to your child, even as early as kindergarten!! Here are a few ways to get the college conversation started:

• If you are a college graduate, taking your child(ren) back to your alma mater for events (Homecoming, graduation, etc) will provide exposure early on. Wear your college shirts so that your children are familiar with the school you attended as well as reminding them that their parent attended college. It also serves as a conversation piece to engage other children in the interest in college by offering yourself as a resource.
• take advantage of the free and low-cost  community programming colleges offer in your area. Both the student population and the universities/colleges offer programming aimed at increasing the community outreach to the local and surrounding areas.
• Attend a college sporting event. The ticket costs are cheaper than a professional sports league game and way more exciting!!
• Take your child to a college fair. Allow them to ask questions and take home college information.
• Point out famous college graduates and talk about their college pursuits in their current success.

Making college a conversation piece with your child early on is one of the key ways to implement how important early college awareness is in your family. "For students to set higher-education goals, they must have exposure to, and encouragement for, post-secondary learning experiences." (Islandinstitute.org)