Parenting a Senior

Congratulations! You have a high school senior, and emotions may be causing turmoil in your senior’s — and your own — head. There will be so many “lasts” that it will be hard not to get caught up in all of them, but it’s time for some deliberate planning. Senior year still matters for both career and college pathways.

Why It Matters

Grades and course load are still important.
Your student’s grade point average (GPA) is a key factor for college acceptance or to explore apprenticeships after graduation. Even if four years of math and science courses aren’t required for college acceptance, it is much more beneficial — and less expensive — to take those courses in high school versus college.
Everything counts when it comes to free money for college.
The GPA plays a large role in the academic scholarships a student can receive in college. Many scholarships are merit-based, meaning test scores and GPA are closely reviewed before money is awarded. Some colleges may even accept an eighth semester GPA for scholarship reconsideration if the final term of high school boosts your student’s cumulative GPA.
The road to independence requires a map.
Your student may resist adult advice and other rules this year, but with guidance and structure, independence and self-reliance can be achieved before heading out into the “real world.”

What Your Student Can Do Now

Stay the course.
Keep the end goal in mind and continue working hard throughout the year. If college is the goal, have your student compare completed coursework with the college’s admission requirements, as well as any intended major requirements, to see if any coursework is missing. If a course can be completed through the high school or a local community college, that’s fewer college credits to pay for in college. If an apprenticeship is the goal, explore the courses and testing that are needed.
Set some savings goals.
In earlier discussions with your student, you may have set some expectations about your student’s earnings and savings being used to buy or rent books or to use as spending money while at college. Perhaps that money will be used to pay for any apprenticeship testing. Have your student set a goal for saving a certain amount by graduation to rely less upon loans to help with overall costs.
Avoid speed bumps.
Your senior may expect fewer restrictions and rules this year, but it’s important to remember the related consequences from poor decision-making. Don’t forget about the role of social media in college admissions and job searches. More poor decisions appear online than good ones. Your student should understand the impact social media has and make sure the online persona reflects the positive person within.

What Your Student Can Do Later

Reflect on the past to build the future.
Your senior is on the threshold of an entirely new chapter, and it’s appropriate to reflect on prior experiences and use them to shape the future. More than likely, mistakes were made along the way, but if there was a lesson learned, then consider it part of life’s education along with the chance to redirect, if necessary. It’s similar to the fresh start your student had as a high school freshman.

What You Can Do

Start the conversation.
Discuss any new liberties you feel your senior has now earned, whether that’s increased access to a family car, a later curfew or fewer hours babysitting younger siblings. Also discuss the consequences that result from abusing those liberties. Believe it or not, teenagers still crave guidance and being able to use the occasional “my parent(s) won’t let me” excuse.
Monitor your student’s online presence.
Follow your senior’s social media accounts and be sure to address any inappropriate activity as soon as it occurs. Remind your student that professionalism counts now more than ever, and what’s out there never really goes away.

Next Steps

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Additional references, handouts and talking points are available in the right sidebar to use at your leisure. They may prove beneficial to reference now or after receiving future emails — we’ll leave it completely up to you. Use our emails like a recipe for a successful outcome — assemble the recommended ingredients and then follow accompanying directions to add flavor and depth.