College Admission Help

College Admissions Help: Four tips to prepare your teenager for college -- and the job market
By Jennifer Openshaw
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- If your child were looking for a job right now, would she get hired?
Ask yourself, honestly: Would you hire him?
It's a rough job market out there, so if you've got children in high school or college, chances are you're worried about how prepared they'll be. A study by SuperFutures.org found that parents placed "preparing their teen for success in the 'real world'" above getting into college or even financing it.
There's good reason to worry. Today more students are facing stiffer competition as more people -- including more experienced workers -- look for jobs. And, as segments of the population return to college in a down economy, getting into college or finding first-time jobs can be even tougher.
"We know more than ever that this is a global world, and the students who are part of that are the ones who will be prepared to compete in a tough job climate," said Patrick Sciarratta, co-founder of the Youth Assembly at the United Nations which, along with SuperFutures.org, is holding a nine-day youth leadership and social entrepreneurship conference for teens this summer featuring Arun Gandhi, great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi.
Listen to this: For every available job, according to the Labor Department, there are four unemployed people. And companies are receiving more resumes than ever before.
So what does this mean for your child? Here are four things children must know to be successful as they look ahead to transitioning to the real-world:
1. Stand out from the crowd
I've talked to a number of colleges and admissions coaches hired by parents for college applications and all stress the importance of "creating a story." That means being good or passionate about something, but having activities that support that passion.
Why is this so important? In college applications and even on the job front, you want to be able to tell a compelling story about your professional desires and commitment. For instance, a child planning to become a veterinarian might attend a summer camp or program to learn more about animals, start a charity to use animals in some positive way, or intern at a local vet's office.
2. Plan early
Too often, parents or students don't start thinking about the all-important extracurricular activities that are crucial to creating a story and discovering a child's true passions. And, unfortunately, many schools often have only one high-school counselor per 1,000 kids, meaning they're short-handed to provide personal guidance for college or career planning.
One 50-year-old investment banker told me how, looking back, he can now finally understand why he didn't get into medical school, even though he graduated 17th in his class of 1,400 and had a father who was a cardiologist.
"I didn't have anyone providing me guidance -- no one who told me how to network, how to get an internship, what extra curricular activities I should be doing, and why this was all so important," he said.
3. Demonstrate impact
Today more than ever, to get into college and to land a job, students need to show that they can lead and make things happen. After all, colleges are looking for students who can demonstrate their chance of being successful. More ability to succeed now equals a higher probability of succeeding later.
To help its students learn how to create change and operate in today's global world, SuperFutures.org has students develop their own social entrepreneurial ventures in small groups based on their personal interests. Students then create an action plan to move their project forward along with a video or essay -- which can be used in college or job applications -- describing the impact they have or hope to have. (Full disclosure: I am one of the conference leaders for the summer program).
4. Get experience
Internships are critical for real-world experience and for exploring a child's interests. But too often students don't do them until they're in college, even heading toward graduation. Internships even in high school can lead to great references that can help with college applications and help steer you toward the right college. The vet with whom your child interns, for instance, could educate her about the pros and cons of colleges in that space. At the same time, your child is forging an alliance with a successful alumnus, which might help her get into the school of choice.
Ultimately, with the cuts to support services in schools, it's up to parents and teenagers to start planning now for a successful transition to the working world.


College Admissions Help: Four tips to prepare your teenager for college -- and the job market