Top 5 Stressors for Students and Parents

For many parents, the stress associated with preparing a child for college begins at a young age. As soon as children are old enough they begin piano lessons, join soccer leagues, and participate in numerous other extracurricular activities. Children are often pushed to participate in a wide array of activities, fueled by the parent’s motivation to give them a head start for college. College stressors have a substantial effect on both students and their parents.

Let’s look at the top 5 college stressors:

1. GPA

Those three simple letters have the ability to cause a tremendous amount of stress for students and parents. However, it’s important to remember that your GPA is not the end-all, be-all of your college application process.   Create a strategy to optimize your GPA in your sophomore and junior years.

2. AP Classes

Colleges and Universities like to see a challenging high school curriculum that demonstrates a student’s hard work.  Enroll in AP classes that you will perform well in and interest you.  Don’t let this common college stressor overwhelm you. Stay focused and demonstrate a good work ethic and strong effort.

3. Extracurricular Activities

Be sure to focus on depth, not breadth of activities. Choose a few activities to which you can fully commit and can really excel, rather than splitting your time between a wide array of activities.

4. ACT/SAT

Battle this college stressor with practice tests, which are readily available in books from your local library or online.   Attend SAT Prep Classes that focus on test time management skills.   Get a tutor for subjects that you need improvement in.

5. Cost of Tuition

As tuition costs continue to rise, it places continued pressure on parents and students. Consider developing a budget to monitor expenses or visit your school’s financial aid office to discuss payment options.     Lower the stress by selecting colleges that will pay you to attend based upon your high academic achievements, test scores, leadership, character, and extracurricular involvement.

 

 

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Tucker College Solutions is committed to lowering the stress for students and parents.   Our college advisors work with students to create strategies to minimize stress and maximize scholarships to pay for college.    Call Tucker College Solutions at 720-403-3333 to find out how we can lower the stress for your family.