Real-World Tutoring: Life Skills for College

Many parents of college-bound high school students have plenty of experience with tutoring. In fact, some families feel that the rigorous, competitive nature of the college-application process practically requires factoring tutoring into the family budget.

First, there's the tutor who helps prepare a student for standardized tests. This type of tutoring focuses not just on core academic areas, like reading and math, but also on test-taking techniques and strategies for "thinking like the test-maker." Then, there's the writing tutor, who helps a student polish her college applications essay, making it stand out from the thousands of others that will land in the admission office's mailbox.

These types of tutoring sessions are very valuable (and you can find expert advice on hiring such tutors here). But, sometimes, in the hectic months leading up to that college acceptance letter, students and parents forget about another crucial form of tutoring: preparing college-bound seniors for real-world experiences.

If you have a child who is headed to college in the next year or so, take time to "tutor" him about what he can expect when he heads off to school. If the college allows it (and nearly all do), schedule a weekend-long visit to the campus. During these visits, prospective students are given the chance to spend a couple of days with "student ambassadors" — current college students who give campus tours, allow prospective students to share their dorm room for a couple of days, etc. Glossy brochures are nice, but they only way to see what a college is really like is to visit and hear the perspectives of current students.

Once your child has decided upon a school and paid it a visit, you can begin tutoring her in other "life skills" areas. This is a great time to introduce the importance of time management, as the academic, social, and extracurricular activities offered by colleges can become overwhelming. Help her to understand the importance of making daily, weekly, and monthly schedules, so that she can account for her time and stay on top of her assignments. Along with time-management skills, financial know-how is crucial when entering the "real world." Help her to set a budget, and have an honest discussion about how much money you are willing to provide, and how much she needs to provide herself (through a summer job, a work-study program, etc.). Instilling good financial habits now will help her tremendously in the future.

While these real-world skills may not fall in the typical college-tutoring purview, they can be just as important as high test scores and strong essays. And the real bonus? You'll be spending valuable time with your child, preparing her for the great big world out there.

TutorsAnywhere can also assist in finding SAT help for your college-bound child.