So, your teen is on the road to college after graduation, and you likely have dozens of questions. Maybe you’re wondering, “How do I prepare my teen for college?” or “How in the world do we choose a college out of so many options?”  or “How do I know which college is a good fit for my grad?” 

Preparing your teen for college is a multi-year process, so you have time to sort out all the details. But here are four important things to do with your teen throughout high school to help prepare them for college after graduation. 

1. Make a college prep course plan 

You can get your teen excited and engaged by approaching college prep together—exploring their career interests, discussing course options, and penciling proposed courses into a four-year high school plan. (HSLDA members, here’s a blank four-year plan form you can download and fill in.) 

Here are three typical college prep course plans (with sample college plans attached at the bottom of this post): 

  • Average—Usually a minimum of 24 credits 
  • Strong—Approximately 26–28 credits, with higher-level math and science courses as well as additional social science, history, and foreign language courses 
  • Rigorous—28 or more credits, with AP (Advanced Placement) and dual-enrollment courses strongly recommended 

Though not a technical term, the “strength” of your student’s high school program depends on the number of credits earned and the number of advanced courses taken, which include AP (Advanced Placement) and dual-enrollment courses (whether taken at a local college or through a distance learning program). Advanced courses are a great way for your teen to demonstrate they are ready for college-level work. 

For all college prep programs, the senior year of high school should consist of a full course load that includes higher-level courses. Colleges consider the senior year a good indicator of the student’s college readiness, so it should be academically challenging. 

The types of courses found on a college prep plan equips your student with much more than academic knowledge. These kinds of courses can help your teen develop the study skills, independent work ethic, research proficiency, and time management skills they’re going to need to succeed in college. 

2. Consider outside courses 

Another way you can boost the strength of your teen’s high school program and its appeal to college admissions officers is by incorporating classes from outside sources and coursework that is evaluated by a non-parent or non-family member. As a bonus, outside instructors can be excellent sources for letters of recommendation often needed during the college admissions process. 

Other benefits of taking outside classes include: 

  • interactions within a group setting, 
  • exposure to different teaching styles, 
  • evaluation of grades by a third party, 
  • development of note-taking skills, 
  • deadline requirements for coursework, 
  • college credit for dual-enrollment courses, and 
  • development of time management skills. 

3. Explore future career interests 

You might consider inviting your teen to go a little deeper in their college prep with career interest testing and job shadowing opportunities. Gaining clarity about your student’s likely careers will help you together choose high school courses that best prepare them for college majors related to that career. 

Elective courses and extracurricular activities are both great ways to incorporate your teen’s interests into their high school plan). For example, your teen could take a computer programming elective if they’re interested in computer science, or volunteer at a local pet shelter as an extracurricular if they’re interested in veterinary science. Even if your teen isn't sure of which major or career they want to pursue, electives and extracurricular activities add breadth and variety to their academic profile. 

Of course, it helps to keep in mind that this overall four-year plan can be adjusted along the way if needed to meet course requirements for admission to specific colleges. 

4. Emphasize reading & writing 

Though it’s important for every student to have solid reading and writing skills, it’s especially important for college-bound students. Reading/writing skills help in the college admissions process, demonstrating that your teen can understand and express complex ideas in writing. These skills continue to be crucial in college since many courses rely heavily on reading and writing for assignments and papers.   

Late middle school to early high school is a great time for your teen to take a deeper dive into reading good literature. By reading classics and other good books often, if not daily, your teen can significantly broaden their vocabulary and knowledge. 

It’s also important to emphasize writing skills throughout high school, regardless of your teen’s intended major. Writing helps students to be more analytical, logical, creative, and composed, skills that apply to just about any career field. 

Now you’ve got some helpful tools for the first step in preparing your teen for college and beyond! At the end of the day, college is just one stop on your child’s post-high-school path. All of the skills your student is acquiring will help equip them for a lifetime of learning.