There’s Nothing Wrong with Helping Your Kids with Their College Applications

For the Student

A flawless college application and well-written essay may seem like the winning ticket to any college, but the truth is, even the tiniest of mistakes can put your application into the rejection pile. And while having your parents help during the application process can be of significant value, it is important that you take the lead and do most of the work yourself. You don’t want to be an “emotional softie who still needs your parents to make decisions for you in college.” Instead, you need to put forth the legwork yourself and find a college that truly fits who you are as a person.

For the Parents

There’s nothing wrong with helping your kids with college applications, but this is a crucial part of their lives when they are transitioning from waddling in your care to having to take care of themselves. Part of letting them take care of themselves means they should be filling out their college applications without you hovering over their shoulder. This does not mean, however, that you can’t take a final glance at the application and correct any mistakes that may be present. In fact, you will want to make sure none of the following mistakes are present whenhelping students with applications for college admission.

Common Mistakes to Avoid On College Applications

Failure to Read Directions

College applications come with a clear-cut section that details the instructions and directions to follow as the application is being filled out. You should carefully read through this section and make sure your child has followed each direction carefully.

Lengthy Resume

College admission officers hate getting applications that have multi-page-long resumes. Your child has just finished high school, meaning there is no need for him or her to have an 8-page resume. In fact, the resume will likely only consist of one to two jobs and a sentence or two describing the skills your child learned while holding these jobs.

Sending In the Application at the Last Minute

There’s nothing worse than sending in a college application at the last minute. Not only does this aggravate college admission officers, but it also shows that the student lacks good time management skills.

The Takeaway

There’s nothing wrong with helping your kids with college applications, but make sure you let them do the most of the work. College applications aren’t the easiest thing in the world to fill out, and letting your child do the work will help prepare him or her for the real world.