Is Your Teen Ready for College?

Here, some questions to think about to see if your teen is truly ready for college, from Marian Borden, author of KickStart to College:

1. Is your teen struggling academically and feels like she needs a breather?

2. Is he only interested in college because everyone else is doing it?
   

3. Does she see the value in a year off?
   

4. Are there options he wants to pursue?

5. Does he have good study habits?

6. Does she know how to problem-solve?

7. Is he able to successfully balance her school work, social life, and extracurricular activities?

8. Is she self-motivated?

Expert Advice on Taking a Gap Year

Tips from Gail Reardon and Holly Bull:

Q: How much does an interim year cost?

Average costs for a gap year run about $10,000 to $12,000, which includes consultant fees. Some programs require fees or tuition and others provide room and board in exchange for work.

Q: Will my teen be safe in a setting that's less structured than college?

The safety of clients is the number one concern at both organizations, and they make every effort to recommend options that have been tested and have good feedback.

Q: Should students apply to college first and then defer?

Yes. This way, there's a secure spot when your teen returns from the gap year.

Q: Is it difficult to get back to college after taking a year off?

Most students do go through a transitional period, but it usually has more to do with finding other students who can relate to what they have been through. Often, gap year students have a newfound maturity that their fellow freshmen (who are often a year younger) do not.

• Previous Page
• 1
• 2
• 3

Issue: November 2007