How to Prepare a Child for College Entrance Exams and Financial Independence 

The QuestBridge Scholarship Program

My oldest, currently in his third year of college, and my second child, who just began her freshman year, have both been selected as recipients of four-year scholarships to prestigious universities in the United States through the QuestBridge program. One child received a direct match with her chosen school, while the other, although not directly matched, still secured a scholarship through the general selection process, thanks to his prior application history with QuestBridge. This program provides vital financial support to students from families who may face challenges covering college expenses such as tuition, books, and living costs.

Being chosen as a QuestBridge Scholar empowers your children to pursue their college education with a sense of financial independence. It ensures that they can navigate their college years without the weight of student loans, allowing them to focus on their studies and experiences. Upon graduation, they can embark on their post-college journey without the heavy burden of repayment overshadowing their aspirations.

Fostering fundamental skills

Absolutely, focusing on building fundamental skills holds far greater importance than fixating on achieving high grades. It’s of utmost importance to provide proper guidance in nurturing children’s emotional resilience, ethical and virtuous character, spiritual awareness, creativity, interpersonal relationships, moral values, and the spirit of servant leadership from a young age.

At the same time, it’s vital to lead them towards cultivating a deep connection with books from an early stage. Creating a family tradition of reading together significantly contributes to improving children’s academic performance. When books are enjoyed in a pleasant setting right from their infancy, it naturally fosters a widespread habit of reading. Keeping books in shared areas such as the living room or kitchen fosters an environment where children treasure books and actively participate in extensive reading.

As our children moved into middle and high school, they naturally grew somewhat distant from books. However, the strong reading foundation they established during their early years has proven to be incredibly valuable. Engaging in extensive reading of English literature can organically foster the literacy and critical thinking skills that are crucial for the SAT language section, as well as the writing skills needed for crafting college essays. Expensive English tutoring is not a necessity, and there’s no need to feel pressured to compare your child to others. Your role is to guide your child in absorbing the knowledge found within the pages, encouraging them to critically analyze situations through the lens of their ethical and moral values, and then to translate those insights into action.

You can play a role in helping your child explore and immerse themselves in books related to their favorite subjects, sparking their creativity and encouraging them to apply the knowledge and wisdom they gain. Inspiring your child to craft their own stories or experiment with poetry can also yield significant benefits. After they’ve finished reading a book, there’s no need to enroll them in extra courses. Instead, you can ignite their imagination and problem-solving abilities by asking questions like, “How would you approach writing the story from a different angle?” “Could you briefly summarize the author’s message in this piece?” “In your opinion, how could the main character have tackled the situation more effectively?”

Engaging children with thought-provoking questions from parents has a notable positive impact on enhancing their cognitive abilities. However, if time or mental resources are limited, I suggest a straightforward approach: opt for timeless works like the Bible or reputable classics, and incrementally transcribe them to cultivate writing skills. Alternatively, embarking on a feelings journal or a gratitude journal alongside your children encourages self-reflection and self-expression. If the thought of juggling all these tasks feels overwhelming, remember that simply reading books together with your children and relishing the experience is a valuable endeavor in itself.

Utilizing Free Local Resources and Support

Beyond the emphasis on reading and writing, it proves highly advantageous to tap into the wealth of local resources and assistance available. Many schools and libraries offer exceptional programs that provide valuable support at no cost. Alongside the QuestBridge initiative, various states and organizations extend a multitude of scholarship opportunities. Collaborating with school counselors grants access to an array of pathways.

Guiding our children to fully embrace their inherent talents and then channeling these talents back into society through these resources enables them to embark on their college journey without the undue pressure of attaining a flawless SAT score or overextending themselves with costly extracurricular activities. The pathway to achieving financial independence is open. It’s important to remember that it’s within your purview, as well as that of your child, to possess the wisdom and diligence necessary to uncover and effectively utilize resources that harmonize with your child’s growth in a timely fashion.

To be continued.