Start College Prep Early. But do the prep work right.

In the past one year, I have gotten more inquiries than before about services for middle-schoolers, and even younger. I understand the pressure to prepare students early for the competitive college admissions process. But, whether one is coming from an ethical standpoint or developmental standpoint, children should enjoy their childhood, not being forced into enrichment classes aimed at prepping them for top colleges.

Of course, for these families who inquire if I have college prep programs for their kids who are not yet in high school, I send them off with some tips on what parents can do to instill in their children to prep them for success in life, beyond college.

(1) Outstanding extracurriculars

An outstanding extracurricular record is important for admission to the top-tier colleges. But, it is really not so much about what activities you do than the qualities in a student that the extracurricular activities show. There isn’t ONE activity that admission committees in top colleges are on the lookout for. What is important about extracurricular activities are the inner qualities that participation showcases such as persistence, diligence, humanity etc.

Those are the qualities that help a student stand out during the admissions consideration, not some “save the world” projects that are contrived by tiger parents or profit-minded consulting companies.

So, whether it’s a part-time job or running cross-country, intangible values like diligence, delay of gratification and perseverance should develop naturally. Let them gain independence. Let them do what they genuinely like. When you love what you do, you will excel.

(2) READ!

And, READ a lot; read widely. It will broaden one’s world-view, help with critical thinking skills and help with writing with depth. Even if it’s only for the short-term goal of college applications, these skills will come in handy; because of the college essays. They are crucial in showcasing who you are to the admissions. If you are not able to write a good story about YOU, it’s hard for you to prove your worth beyond being able to do well in classes and exams at school.

(3) Executive function skills

I have coached enough students to see a correlational between college success and possession of practical skills such as time management, the ability to communicate, the discipline to do what has to be done, independence to care for oneself etc.

Time management is a very important skill for success in college applications and beyond. I can often predict admission results based on how well a student is able to set deadlines and cope with the stress of school, life and extracurricular activities in addition to completing his/her college applications in time.

If you want your children to succeed, stop coddling them; let them communicate and advocate for themselves with teachers, friends, people outside of the family; let them learn to manage their time and discipline themselves to do what has to be done. Successful students are responsible and work for what they want, themselves, not relying on parents to do it for them. Parents, please, you can’t do your kids’ college assignments for them, or their workplace projects. Do them the favor as early as possible; let them learn to help themselves.