Your role in your child’s college search journey should be more of a sounding board and consultant rather than the person driving the process. It will likely be incumbent on you, however, to bring up college expenses and financial aid; don’t expect your student to broach the subject first. In the heat of the excitement that the college search and admissions process brings, it can be very easy for students to overlook elements such as the financials. Similarly, there are a number of children who don’t truly understand the scope of the debt that some schools would require them to incur in order to attend. As a parent, it’s necessary to guide them through these elements of the college process. However, many parents struggle with conversations surrounding the financial expectations of these institutions. There is no “right” or “wrong” way to talk about the costs of college, but including the topics found in the resource highlighted alongside this post will provide a framework for both your initial discussion and subsequent conversations. Be sure to continue reading on to learn more about how to effectively navigate the college search process as a parent and student duo.

The Parent-Student Relationship In College Searches for more information on the college search process, be sure to check out the Encourage App