| A person’s education is actually never completed. We are all
lifelong learners. We do however, have formal education systems
that are finite and well defined. An experience that is nearly
universal in western societies is the experience of grade school
and high school. These institutions do more than educate us in
academics, of course. They also socialize us and are part of our
life-education process: how to make friends, good decisions,
establish personal standards, and so forth.
Some children will continue their formal educations by going
to directly from high school to a college or a technical school,
and that is where most will have their first taste of true
independence. Here again, the institution does so much more than
merely academic education.
How well prepared a graduate fresh out of high school is for
the experience will quickly be revealed. There are classic
pitfalls awaiting young college freshman.
Food, money, study habits, recreation. Each of these areas
requires attention for the young student to do well.
Food: The reason for the term “freshman fifteen” is that
suddenly the teenager is on his own with respect to food
choices. Many students begin by making poor choices, and quickly
put on extra pounds.
Money: Students who have suddenly got to balance their own
checkbook and make large payments on things like tuition and
housing without prior experience and coaching about handling
money are at a disadvantage that could be disastrous.
Study habits: Some freshman aren’t prepared for the
collegiate expectation of time outside of class devoted to
study. They don’t recognizing that it’s a full-time job.
Recreation: There is no curfew and students living in dorms
can be of drinking age, so alcohol is readily available. Many
teenagers on their own for the first time are sorely tempted by
the sense of freedom for experimentation.
Knowing ahead of time about potential problem areas allows
parents to help their college-bound children get better
prepared. Making good decisions is obviously not something one
takes a crash course to learn how to do. It is the habit of a
lifetime, and as parents, we begin to teach our children to make
good decisions by allowing them sufficient independence while
they are still at home and directly under our care.
The freshmen who were tightly restricted at home, and never
encouraged to think for themselves, are generally the ones who
go wildest as freshman. They’ve been given a taste of freedom
they weren’t ready to handle.
If a parent thinks that a graduate needs more time and
maturity before going to college, it is wise to give that time.
It isn’t necessary to go straight from high school to college.
Sometimes, it is better to see to our continuing education after
expanding our life experience.
Callista Neuharth's articles on topics related to college are
published at You
Go College , providing valuable free information about
education. Also visit
Yes Education
for additional articles by Callista.
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