When your child is in their junior and senior year of high school, one of the most exciting things about that time in their life is knowing that they are just several months away from going away to college. But sometimes, even amidst all of the planning and excitement, it can be challenging to maintain the kind of grades that are needed to be accepted into the school of their choice.
If you have a college bound kid who appears to be struggling academically and you’re looking for some tips on how to help them, we have five proven ones that will have them ready to receive their college acceptance letter sooner than you might think:
Encourage them. Whether it’s been while we were in school or on our jobs, we all have experienced moments when we were simply burned out. That’s why, even in the midst of all of the hustle and bustle that comes with the everyday demands of life, it’s important check in with your child and keep them encouraged. Oftentimes a little pep talk can go a long way toward getting them back on track.
Suggest that they to get into study groups. In college, it’s nothing out of the ordinary for students to get together and have study sessions. So, in preparation for campus life, why not encourage your child to either become a part of a study session or to start one in high school? Having the support of their peers can also be a very effective tool.
Be willing to assist them. Yes, for many of us, it’s been years since we were in high school or college, but you might be surprised by the amount of information that you’ve retained. It doesn’t hurt to at least sit down with your child and ask them about the areas where they are having trouble and then offering your assistance where you can. If that doesn’t work, then there’s also the next suggestion.
Get them a tutor. There is absolutely nothing wrong with getting your child a tutor. As a matter of fact, it could prove to be one of the best things that you could do for them if their grades are truly suffering. A wonderful thing about this particular option is that there are private tutors who can come to your home, or you can enroll them in something like a Sylvan’s Learning Center program, or there are even free online tutoring options available. Some of them include Khan Academy, Free-Tutoring-Online and LearnToBe.org. If your child is comfortable with a tutor now, they will be less hesitant to get one later should they need something like a GMAT tutor to prepare them for an MBA or law school entrance exams down the road.
Don’t rule out getting them tested. Sometimes, you can find yourself doing all of the “right things” and your child is still not excelling. If you sense that they are doing their best and you’re still not getting the kind of results that you would like, don’t be closed to the idea of having them professionally tested. If they do have some kind of learning disability, it’s better to know as soon as possible so that you can get them the appropriate help that they need before they get to college.