Preparing for the Transition Beyond High School

High school graduation is quickly approaching, and there are plans your student can be making at this time. As you approach the transition from high school to the next step, you and your student should create a list of essential actions

Why It Matters

College decisions must be made soon.
If your student hasn’t yet made a final decision among the top contenders on the college list, now is the time. May 1 is typically the deadline to accept admission into the preferred college. However, with the delayed release of the 2024-2025 FAFSA and the resulting delay in receiving financial aid offers, many colleges have pushed their decision days forward.
A plan for the next step is essential.
If your student will not be attending college or another training program this fall, having a plan for employment or other occupation will help you both.

What Your Student Can Do Now

Make a commitment.
If your student has not already done so, a final commitment to the college or program of choice should be made now. After May 1, choices for four-year college programs may be greatly limited as institutions finalize their class rosters. Community colleges and other training and education programs may allow acceptance as late as the first week of classes, but having a definite plan will allow your student to make short- and long-term plans.
Complete college housing applications.
Many institutions have limited ability to meet housing preferences, so if location, cost or other considerations are an issue, the earlier the housing application is submitted, the better. A deposit is usually required to reserve housing, so if a final decision has not been made regarding college choice or housing preference, check with the college regarding refund policies. Even if a portion of the deposit may be lost, consider that loss against potential savings for the housing of choice.
Register for orientation.
Available college orientation dates will become more and more limited as time goes on. If your family needs to plan for travel, time off from work or child care, earlier registration for orientation will provide the most options. In addition, freshmen often register for classes during orientation, so later orientation dates may result in fewer options for available classes.
Submit any required documentation.
Your student should explore what documents or actions are required in the coming weeks and month to enroll in the chosen program. Health insurance verification, vaccination records, completion of alcohol and safety training, and campus- or program-wide reading are often required by or before orientation.

What Your Student Can Do Later

Prepare for full-time employment if college or another program is not the plan for this fall.
While your student may feel a break after high school is in order, some preparation for full-time employment should take place. Your student can brush up on interview skills, understand how to complete an employment application and IRS Form W4, finalize a resume and draft cover letters for available positions. Starting the search through online job sites will help your student understand what employers are looking for and how to customize their materials for the best chance at an interview. In addition, your student should take the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) exam if that hasn’t been completed yet.
Prepare for college orientation.
Your student should gather a Social Security card and another form of government ID, or other documents suitable for completing a form W4 if on-campus employment may be a possibility. Opportunities to apply for work-study and other positions are often available at orientation. In addition, your student may be able to sign up for a choice of sessions, choose a class registration time, participate in a wide variety of activities or sign up for clubs and organizations at orientation. Checking out the options ahead of time will allow your student to make the most of the time on campus.
Write thank-you notes.
Your student should write personal thank-you notes to those who gave graduation gifts and to the providers of scholarships, as well as those who helped by writing letters of recommendation, acting as a reference or providing other assistance. These notes should be delivered within a few weeks after high school graduation.
Request final transcripts.
The high school and any colleges from which your student took classes during high school may have their own forms or processes for providing final transcripts to your student’s college or other institution. Your student should take note of deadlines and be prepared to follow up on these.

What You Can Do

Make a list and check it twice.
Help your student by making a list of documents that may be necessary to obtain within the next few months. These could include a renewed driver’s license or government ID, passport, TSA Precheck or Global Entry for students who will travel, vaccination records, insurance forms and transcripts. In addition, you may want to work with your student to complete an official power of medical attorney and medical information release forms in case of accident or illness while your student is away from home. Once you know what’s needed, help your student make appointments and manage these documents.
Teach life skills.
Some students are completely self-sufficient at 18 years of age; others not so much. Wherever your student falls on the sufficiency scale, take the time now to help your student learn (or learn together) how to manage car maintenance, protect personal and financial information, do laundry, shop for meals and cook, and take care of other everyday needs.
Plan for travel if needed.
If your student will be traveling to an orientation session and to a program, be ready to assist with arrangements. It’s often more cost-effective to book flights and shuttles early, and hotel rooms can fill up fast and cost more than average in college towns.
Be the calm in the center of the storm.
Your student is facing a major life transition as high school ends. Frequently, prospective and recent graduates struggle emotionally and mentally with the new challenges. Keep an eye on your student’s well-being and ability to cope with the variety of new tasks and changes to come. Having a plan and checking off items can help students feel like they are in control, as can talking to someone outside the family. Help your student seek out the available resources for medical or mental help if necessary.

For a short time only, and in celebration of April being Financial Literacy Month, all new and currently registered Iowa parent participants will be eligible for a one-time drawing for a chance to win a $1,000 529 college savings deposit. Ten random winners will be chosen to receive $1,000 following the special giveaway’s closing date of April 30, 2024. New participants just need to register before April 30, 2024. See rules for details.

Next Steps

Be sure to complete the survey questions at the end of this article to be entered into the 529 deposit giveaway!

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