So Your Child Wants To Go To College? Don't Panic!

So, your child has decided that college is the right path for them. That’s both exciting and equally terrifying. It’s hard to let your kids go and study somewhere away from you, but it’s something that we’ve all got to do at some point, even though it can be tough. The best advice that we can give to you is try not to panic, and instead break it down step by step until you’ve got all of your bases covered. Not sure where to start? Take a look.

Save, Save, Save

The first thing that probably came to your mind when your child said they wanted to go to college was money. It’s a lot of money to pay tuition for your child to study as well as their expenses on top. This is why so many people choose to apply for scholarships, grants, or get a job while they are studying.

If you have been saving for your child to go to college for years as a lot of people have, there are ways to boost the money that you have. For example, if you have been making RESP contributions, then you can look into RESP grants to help bulk out the money that you have saved. Now that they definitely want to go to college, you really need to get your savings hat on though!

Speak To Them About Careers Options

It’s also a good idea to speak to them about their career options so that you can work out what the best path for them is going to be when they get to college. The more you talk about it, the easier it will be for them to explore new things and make decisions when they arrive, following their passions as well as their practical choices.

Discuss Accommodation Choices

If your child chooses a college far away then you will need to look into accommodation choices when traveling from home isn’t an option. There are many to choose from, including dorms on site and apartments just around the corner. You need to ensure your child won’t be surrounded by people they don’t truly know so dorms might be the safest option for their first year. They might then make some close friends who they can move in with for the rest of their college days.

Make Sure They Know The Risks

Finally, there are many risks associated with college and studying away from home. If your child has decided on a college that requires travel or staying away from home then they need to have their head screwed on. College has a bad reputation with parties and lots of things happening with ‘friends’. Make sure your child is aware of this and speak to them about staying safe while out and about. You don’t want to be too overprotective but temptations can occur, you just want what is best for them. They will realize this as they get older and potentially have their own children!

Hopefully you found this article helpful and that it gave you some advice on how you can save for college and be able to send them off.

Remember, college is an exciting time for anyone but you and your child could be feeling overwhelmed. Make sure you communicate with each other so you know how each other feels. Reassure your child that you are always there for them, if it doesn’t work out they can always come home.