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Is the Traditional Route to College For You?

Before you just assume that your child is going to head off to college right after high school, you may want to explore some other options first especially considering that half of the students don't graduate and a big percentage of them change their major MORE THAN TWICE tacking more years (and money) to that degree! Talk to your child about the various other options available to students like apprenticeships, internships, trade and vocational schools, classes to get various licenses, gap years, mission trips, the military, entrepreneurships, etc....

Communicate with your child and ask questions like:

1. Why do they want to go to college in the first place?

2. Are they going because "it's the thing to do" and that's what their friends are doing?

3. Are they emotionally ready for college?

4. Can you afford it?

5. Do they know what they want to major in, and does their vocation even NEED a degree, or can they get a license or experience another way?

6. Is it going to be a good social fit?

7. What is the college's graduation rate?

8. Do they want to move away from home or be close?

9. Which is the right kind of college for them?

10. Is a traditional 4 year brick and mortar school the way to go or would a nontraditional route be better?

11. Do they learn better in a classroom setting or something that is more self-paced?

12. If they could do anything with their life/for their career, what would it be?

13. What are they gifted in?

14. What are their passions and will college stifle or ignite those passions?

15. Will they graduate in debt with student loans or is there a way they could be debt-free?

It's always good to know the reasons behind WHY you're doing something first before you just blindly follow along. Once you have established your reasons, the next step is to figure out how to reach your goal. And that is what College Out of the Box is here to help you with.