Parents, Teens and Starting College

Happy 2014!

Our college-bound high school seniors have submitted (or are close to submitting!) their college applications and our college students are home for winter break, so this seems to be an appropriate time to talk about the question parents most often ask me: How can I best prepare my teen for college?

Parents are usually asking me about the academic piece–what should teens be learning and what’s the best way to learn it? The answer to that question is wide-ranging and varies according to each teen’s skills, abilities, and goals– if that’s the question you would like me to answer, shoot me an email and we’ll set up an appointment!

But an equally important question is: How can we best prepare teens for independent living? In other words,  how can teens learn the time management and self-discipline skills that are so crucial for success in college and in life?

The short answer: it’s a process, and like any skill, the more you practice, the more capable you become. This KCUR-NPR interview of psychologist Wes Crenshaw and current college freshmen offers insights into the freshman college experience along with helpful advice on how to prepare for success.