5 Ways to Reduce Family Stress about College This Spring

It’s no secret that students and their families are stressed about college admissions. It’s understandable–from transcripts to test scores, applications to acceptances, there’s a lot to consider for students and their parents. Below, we’ve identified five tangible steps to reducing family stress around college applications:



  1. Schedule college discussions: Once junior year rolls around, students can feel overwhelmed by the college conversations–from friends, counselors, and social media. To mitigate this stress at home, pick and schedule designated time to discuss college planning with your teen. You don’t need these discussions every day, and doing so will only add to your student’s stress levels. Set an agreed upon time (once every few weeks is more than enough) and stick to the schedule. 
  2. Create fun: It’s a great idea to make the college planning process fun for yourself and your student, while even making some fun family traditions! If you’re watching virtual college tours with your student, pop some popcorn and turn it into a family movie night! When visiting college campuses, make sure to take a fun detour or two in the surrounding area. 
  3. Follow your student’s lead: It’s important to remember that this is your  student’s college journey, not yours. To that end, your student should be driving this process with you following their lead. Let your student share her opinions about a campus openly and honestly. Be sure to ask your student meaningful questions in good faith (What do you hope to gain by attending college? Can you see yourself living here for four years?) so you can better understand their motivations and concerns. 
  4. Conversations about Cost: It’s imperative to have honest and informed conversations with your student about the cost of college. Parents, now is a great time to study up on the FAFSA and better understand your Expected Financial Contribution for the college process. College can be expensive, and it’s important your student knows what is and isn’t financially feasible before they’re accepted.   
  5. Enjoy your year together: Whether your student is a second semester junior finalizing her college list or a senior weighing admissions offers, don’t forget to enjoy this time with your student before they leave home for the first time. Once your student is a college freshman, the stress of applications will have waned, but she won’t forget how loved and supported you made her feel through the process.




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