Struggle to Success: Creating A Roadmap for College Admissions Prep
Guest post
Preparing for college admissions can feel daunting under the best of circumstances. But if you have a child who’s struggled in high school — whether that’s academically, socially, or emotionally — it can sometimes feel downright insurmountable.
However, with the right blueprint and a balanced approach to helping your child plan their future, you can turn struggles into strengths and help your student chart a successful path toward college. In this blog post, I’ll offer four ways — including identifying strengths and interests and making standardized testing plans — you can start road mapping college prep with your child.
1. Help Your Child Identify Their Strengths
Of course, not everyone knows what they want to do, be, or study while they’re still in high school. And we shouldn’t expect our children to — especially if they’ve struggled during high school. Still, your student may be comparing themselves with their classmates who have already mapped out clear (and sometimes lofty) collegiate and career paths.
Remind your child that they don’t need to know their major or career right now. Instead, help them focus on their strengths. What are they good at? What do they enjoy doing? Your high school may offer interest inventories, like the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) or the Strong Interest Inventory, or your child can take an online one, like O*NET Interest Profiler at My Next Move. Knowing what they’re good at — and what careers those qualities connect with — may help increase your child’s confidence as they map out their post-high school path.
2. Explore With Your Child What They Want From the College Experience
With thousands of colleges nationwide, there’s a perfect match (or several) out there for your student. But to find that match, you need to ask your child what they’re hoping to gain from their college experience.
It might be quite different than what you expect — or what they’ve had available to them in high school.
Do they want to further their education in a specific field, or are they eager to explore new areas of interest? Do they have their heart set on a particular college or university, or are they open to a wider range of options? Would they thrive in smaller classes, or would they feel more comfortable in larger ones?
By helping your child figure out their priorities and aspirations, you can help them create a more focused and effective plan for their college admissions journey. And if they’re not sure what they want, Corsava’s free and easy card sort can help them discover what’s important to them about the college experience.
You’ll also want to learn more about the resources at these schools that can help your child succeed, such as tutoring services, advisors, career centers, and mental health support.
Don't be afraid to reach out to current students or alums to get a sense of what the school is really like. Attend college fairs and campus tours to get a feel for the campus culture and ask questions about the student experience.
3. Make a Standardized Testing Plan
Another way to support your child in the college preparation process is to help them make a standardized testing plan, especially if they have any test anxiety or have had negative experiences in the past with standardized tests. While not all colleges require SAT or ACT scores for admission, they can be a crucial component of the college application process if your student is considering applying to competitive schools — or they can strengthen an application if they’re applying to target schools.
While these tests may seem intimidating, with the right preparation, students can often improve their performance. Here’s how to help your students get the most out of testing:
Check the policies of the schools your student is interested in, and then check each school’s Common Data Set to learn more about the test score ranges of admitted students. This can help you both set expectations and have a goal to aim for.
Get familiar with the format of the tests and the types of questions asked. Many students find they prefer one over the other.
Take practice tests to identify areas where your child needs improvement. While at-home tests can’t replicate the actual environment, it can be helpful to mimic it as closely as possible by using the timing and supplies (e.g., calculators) used in the proctored tests.
Seek help. If independent studying isn’t getting you and your child the results you expect, consider getting group or one-on-one tutoring. Seek out ones that align with your student’s learning style and challenges and that fit your budget.
Consider test-optional schools. Many colleges are still test-optional, which means students aren’t required to submit test scores to be considered for admission. Knowing you can opt out of the ACT and SAT and not have it negatively impact your application can help make the application process that much less stressful. (Do note, however, that some colleges could require test scores for merit aid or to test out of entry-level classes.)
Preparing for standardized tests takes time and effort, so help your student start early and stay consistent.
4. Break Down the College Application Process
There are many moving parts to the college research and application process, and trying to do them all at once can easily become overwhelming. For example, starting your student’s resume in 9th grade and adding to it every semester is much easier than trying to document three years of accomplishments and activities when your child is applying to colleges.
The same goes for other parts of the college application, like planning your student’s four-year course curriculum, developing and refining the college list, writing essays, understanding financial aid, and applying for scholarships. For students who easily get paralyzed when they feel they have too much to do, making a plan for where to start with college prep can feel impossible.
Identifying the tasks required for college applications and breaking them down year-by-year and even quarter-by-quarter can simplify a potentially overwhelming task.
You can find plenty of college application timelines online, like through the College Essay Guy or myFUTURE, which also offers timelines for students considering a professional career or a career in the military after college. Download my free “College Application Information Planner” to start tracking that important application data.
Mapping a Successful Future
It’s easy to compare yourself (and your accomplishments) to others, and it’s no different with teens. And if your student has experienced challenges during high school, those comparisons may end up robbing your child of the pride in all they’ve accomplished.
Remember, getting into college is just one step on your child's journey — and it’s one that’s accessible, when you’ve started planning early. By focusing on your student’s individual strengths and passions and offering them support and encouragement throughout their four years of high school, you can help your child thrive and succeed in whatever path they choose.
About Julia
Julia Byrd is a Houston-based college admission essay specialist with nearly 20 years’ experience in writing, editing, and storytelling. Combining her extensive writing background with her master’s degree in counseling psychology, she’s perfectly positioned to help students find their deepest stories, develop their voices, and write the essays that stand out to admission officers.
Working one-on-one or in small groups — in person and online — Julia leads students to recognize their accomplishments and draw unique connections between their life experiences, their values, and their college and career goals. Learn more about her customized approach at www.essay-coach.com.
