It seems that all the friends I got just got to come interrogate me...
Posted on Thu, 02/28/2013 - 17:08Calling all parents, aunts, cousins, grandfathers, unrelated alumni and well-meaning -- or not -- neighbors… Tis the season when college admission decisions are about to arrive! So inquiring minds want to know if students have heard from the colleges, what they've heard from the colleges, where they will be going to college… And you don't even have to be a senior to get the third degree. Inquiring minds want to know if 11th graders are looking at parents' alma maters, made captain in lacrosse or are taking the SAT or ACT.
Here's the answer: it's boring, annoying and anxiety-producing and it's not motivating for students to be questioned about their college application process. You -- and your extended family and friends -- need to sit back, take a deep breath and stop. Our fellow bloggers over at Grown and Flown -- parents of two 11th graders -- have a highly entertaining and heartfelt column today on the ten toxic questions everyone should avoid asking any young person engaged in applying to college. They bring just the right recipe of common sense and humor to the subject. Check it out here. And take the advice -- please!
(Special thanks to Lynyrd Skynyrd for the header...)
Comments
Good advice. I learned from a colleague, Deb Donley at New Trier HS, about a simple and effective way to talk to your son or daughter about college search.
Schedule an hour a week. That's it. No other questions during the week when your child does get asked questions during that hour, they're prepared and (you'd hope) ready for it.
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