Not everyone needs to go to college after high school, and not everyone wants to go. However, for some people, it’s the ideal next step, especially if they’re not quite sure what it is they want to do for their career; having a degree will give them more options than not having one.
Even if it makes sense for your child to attend college, they might not feel overly motivated to do so. They might be nervous, worried about moving away from home, or generally unsure about whether it’s the right option. In this case, you can help to motivate them. It might be that they still choose not to go, and you’ll need to respect that decision, but it could be that this is the way to help them make their decision. Read on to find out how to motivate your child for college.
Give Them Options
There are many different ways that people can attend college these days. What might come to mind first is the traditional brick-and-mortar college, meaning students usually have to move away from home and attend classes full-time. Although this is perhaps the most standard route to gaining a degree, it’s certainly not the only one, and if it is putting your child off going in the first place, you can show them that there are a number of other options.
For example, they might opt for a more local college where they can commute from home. You can click here together to investigate their chances of being accepted into the closest ones. Bear in mind, however, that if the courses on offer are not the right ones, a more distant college could be a better choice.
Another idea is online learning. Taking an online course means working from the comfort of your own home and at a pace that suits you. If your child is anxious about moving away or worried they won’t be able to keep up, this could suit them very well.
Talk About Their Goals
It’s a good idea to have a thorough discussion with your child about their goals for the future. It might be that they really don’t need to attend college and that they have a solid plan in place for what they are going to do. Perhaps they’ve already started putting these plans in place.
Discuss their goals and show that you are interested in their ideas. They will feel a lot more confident in what they are doing with your support, and it will also help you understand their decision regarding college (whether that’s the decision not to go or their choice of classes when they do go). Everyone will be on the same page, and that makes things go much more smoothly.
The Past Doesn’t Matter
High school is not always a fun time for kids. They will often feel anxious and awkward, and they might even have been bullied. Perhaps they didn’t do as well in their grades as hoped, or they just really disliked the learning environment.
Make sure you let your child know that none of this matters and that college is a fresh start. They can make new friends, they can work hard and get good grades without anything holding them back, and they can be their own person. Understanding this could be the catalyst to help them know college is the right choice for them.
