Is Your Teenager Ready for College?

Yesterday as I sat having my hair cut, I mentioned to the stylist—with whom I have many good conversations—that my book was released in July. She congratulated me and, not surprisingly, we ended up talking about subjects related to the book, particularly about how many teenagers are not ready for college right out of high school.

She told me about her nephew who is a talented musician and who was offered a music scholarship. He eagerly accepted his scholarship, but despite his proven proficiency with music, he was not ready for college. He did not take the commitment seriously enough, was not mature enough to see he was in trouble, and consequently ended up with such poor grades that he lost his scholarship after his first semester.

His parents informed him that once out of college, he was on his own financially. He found he had to work three jobs in order to keep up with living and car expenses. He had little time and little money for entertainment, and after several months of struggling to make ends meet, he decided that maybe a college degree would serve him better. He made the decision to apply to college again, but found out the consequences of that first semester still lingered. His grades were so poor that he was denied acceptance into a four-year university. Instead, he enrolled in community college, and my stylist said, he is doing well. He now takes his commitment seriously, studies hard, is making the grades he needs, and plans to apply to a four-year university for next year.

In my book, Toward College Success: Is Your Teenager Ready, Willing, and Able?, I stress the importance of evaluating a teenager’s readiness for college. Going to college straight out of high school is not the right path for every student. Some need more time to mature, to develop time and priority management skills, to understand commitment, or to just take some time away from books. Whatever the reason, if your teenager is not ready, sending them to college without the desire, commitment, or skills they need to succeed, most likely will result in failure at some level.

Toward College Success asks parents if their teenagers can effectively manage time and responsibilities; diplomatically resolve conflicts; wake themselves up in the morning; self-advocate; interact with teachers and adults; know when, how, and where to ask for help; and handle personal finances. Such skills and others smooth the transition to college and result in a much higher success rate for most students. Toward College Success also gives parents ideas on how to teach their teenagers such skills. Is your teenager ready, willing, and able?