Ep.78 – Holly Markiecki-Bennetts – The Emotional & Financial Sides to College Planning
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How do you help your kids determine what they want to be when they grow up? Furthermore, how do you balance the emotional and financial sides of going through the college planning process to help them find their way?
These are questions that almost every parent and family wrestle with when it comes to raising kids. Fortunately, there are professionals to help parents along this journey, like Holly Bennetts, a high school guidance counselor and licensed counselor with multiple master's degrees.
One of the hidden secrets of any planning, be it financial or personal, is the pressure it can take off of you. Planning for your kid's college is no different. Like wealth planning, the best time to have conversations regarding college planning is early and often.
Holly points out many times throughout our discussion that these conversations help us determine what makes sense for our kids academically and socially when it comes to selecting the best-fit college for them. But, critically important, according to Holly, is to break these conversations into bite-sized pieces that your kids can comprehend.
A point of emphasis that I make with all the families I work with that Holly also supports is putting together a list of schools that your student may be interested in. From there, it is critical to consider three factors that we discuss in creating a college list that works both for you as a parent and your student.
Holly points out there are stages and seasons when it comes to college planning. Knowing when there are key deadlines, the appropriate ages/grades to begin asking probing questions of your student, and taking chances to find out what your child may be interested in.
Please enjoy my conversation with Holly Bennetts.
Resources Featured in This Episode:
Holly Bennetts, MSEd, MS, LPC, SCL, NCC
The College Planning Process Part 2: Finding the Best College Fit for Your Kid(s)
Sandy Hodde - Critical Skills That High School Students are Missing