It's a fact: not only do those with a college education make more money; they also have a better chance at employment. According to a 2008 report on academic outcomes by the National center for Education Statistics, adults between the ages of 24 and 34 with a four-year college degree earn an average of 53 percent more than those with only a high school diploma and 28 percent more than those with a two-year degree. Employment shows the same trend: 72 percent of college educated adults between the ages of 25 and 34 had a full-time job, compared with 62 percent of high school graduates. If you're a parent, you can do certain things to influence your child's decision to go to college and earn a degree.
Step 1
Start young. By talking to your children about college when they're in elementary school, they'll get used to thinking of their school career as taking 17 years until their finished, with high school graduation being a mere step rather than completion of their education. Loren G. Yamamoto, MD, MPH, MBA of the University of Hawaii in his book "Tidbits on Raising Children" suggests watching sports matches, driving by a university, or when attending a graduation are all perfect times to comment on colleges and suggest the child consider attending a particular institution.
Step 2
Involve yourself with your kids' school. Nancy E. Hill, associate professor of social psychology at Duke University, states that the time parents spend visiting their school, talking to teachers, keeping tabs on performance and helping with homework correlates evenly with the plans kids have in future college attendance.
Step 3
Encourage academic achievement early. Hill states that advanced courses in middle school will give children a solid base to build upon once they reach high school. The earlier a child decides on a career course, the earlier they can begin to take classes that will enhance their high school and college choices.
Step 4
Plan for college with your kids, making them aware of the financial and scholastic needs that college will require. Encourage them to begin searching for scholarships and grants once they reach seventh grade with a one- to two-hour online search with your child each week; once they reach high school this should be expanded to two or three sessions per week, and include researching specific colleges that they might consider attending.
