Choosing the right college is not an easy decision for parents and their teens. This requires exhaustive online and physical research, and even more so, soul searching. This decision will weigh heavily on teens’ future. Therefore, it’s necessary that they take into consideration their potential, interests, professional and personal goals before making the decision. However, one thing that parents and teens usually overlook is the capacity of kids to qualify for a college of their choice. So, parents have to be realistic when it comes to grade points average of their teens, college of their choice and its minimum entry requirements.

The discussion for teens’ future begins as soon as they enter the eleventh grade. Parents will have to sometimes push their teens to share their plans for future and pursue further education. But usually they are met with complete silence or reluctance to engage in discussions. This is mainly because many of them have not made up their minds about which course to take or college to attend. So parents will have to step in to help (read not decide) their teens make one of the most important decisions of their lives.

Your teen’s interests

The most important thing is to find out your teen’s interests. Sometimes children’s interests may clash with their parents’ ideas, who wish for a secure future for their kids. Letting teens follow their interests will give them a chance to explore their path towards their future and experience the highs and lows that will ultimately help them to become responsible adults.

Cost of education

Cost of college education is one of the major factors that should be considered wisely before making any decision. Parents have to decide if they can afford the tuition of a private college they are interested in. If not, they would have to either take government loan or change to a public institution. However, cost isn’t a problem if the teen is offered a partial or full scholarship by the college.

Distance from home

Parents would usually want their teens to stay close to their home even if they are on their own. But don’t feel hurt if your child wants to enjoy his/her newfound freedom. Sometimes being away from home matters to teens as they experience what life has to throw at them, turning their life into an adventure they would love every bit of.

Choosing the right college for your kid can be the most important decision of your life as it needs to be thought over with patience and understanding.