Don't Ruin Your Child's Life For College Apps

Too many parents plan their child's life according to what looks good on an application - with no guarantees.

There are “experts” in the Web world who advise parents that the way to guarantee admission to a top college is to plan a child’s whole life—whether he likes it or not—beginning way before high school. It horrifies admissions officers that families believe they must resort to such tactics.

Adopting this philosophy exacts a high cost. Do you really want him or her to plug away at a set of fake activities, lose four years of high school’s developmental experiences, and, perhaps, still not get into that dream school?

Rejecting this philosophy means you’re thumbing your nose at scare tactics. Know and remember that there are no guarantees in selective admission, ever; no matter what your child’s profile. If you can make peace with this idea, you will succeed in every part of this process: conquering the fear that will in turn make your child stressed; balancing hopes and dreams with reality; and managing the April admissions notifications healthfully.