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If you have children, you know the mix of joy and pain that comes with seeing them move from one rite of passage to the next in what feels like moments to you but is a literal lifetime to them. That mixture of emotions includes fear – fear of missing important milestones, fear of seeing them fall behind their peers, or perhaps fear of the day when they will pull themselves out of your parental orbit to traverse the wide universe on their own.
The lives of many teenagers and their parents are consumed by the drive toward college. After your kid leaves eighth grade and enters high school, you begin to see the sands in the hour glass fall faster toward deadlines – scholarship deadlines, SAT deadlines, admissions deadlines. In your mind (and perhaps in your kitchen), you might begin having heated Q&A sessions with your teenager:
What are you interested in that will lead to a career, preferably one with a high demand for skilled workers and a rise in employment opportunities? Which colleges are you considering? Have you even started thinking about college? Why not?! It’s time! Your interests will affect your career choice. Your career choice will affect your college choice. To get into that college, you’ll need to take the right classes in high school, and high school has already begun. We’re behind!
But fear not. How many times do we read that in the Bible? Some say God tells us not to be afraid exactly 365 times – once for every day of the year – but it depends on which translation and how tightly we define the phrase. Regardless, we are instructed to eschew our fears enough times to take the advice seriously. We were not designed to fear; we were designed to trust. When we give into our fear, we are going against the way God designed us.
Yes, college – this milestone of milestones looming in the near future of your child’s life is daunting and complex. There are variables you cannot control – rising tuition costs, shifting admissions requirements, and your own kid’s fluctuating interests.
But again, fear not, Nervous Parent. You have a partner, a guide through the murky waters of college preparation and admissions. Berean Christian has deployed an experienced college preparation sherpa to give you clarity and peace of mind as you and your student move forward. Ms. Katie Grieb has carefully constructed a path on which your student may walk without faltering to reach the other side of high school, fully prepared to be a college-bound young adult.
“I think a college degree opens up a lot of doors for kids’ careers.” says Grieb. “I want every student at Berean to go where God is leading them, and my goal is that every senior will be eligible for college when they graduate even if they don’t intend to go to college right away.”
One of the first paving stones along the path that Grieb has laid out is the upcoming College Fair on Tuesday evening, September 27. All Berean students (freshmen included) are welcome and encouraged to attend this free event. Around 40 different colleges and universities will be represented at this year’s college fair.
During the school day, juniors and seniors will have the opportunity to step out of class to hear some of the colleges give presentations about their programs. The annual College Fair will be held on Berean’s campus from 6-8 pm on the 27th.
Students are encouraged to register ahead of time. When they register, each student will receive a barcode that will make it easier for school representatives to follow up with them.
Grieb says that parents of freshmen often ask if their kid really needs to attend the College Fair. “My answer is always yes, because I want students to start forming a list of criteria that is important to them in a school.”
Given how close Stanford and Berkeley are to Berean Christian, a lot of students say they’re interested in going there, but they don’t know why. The College Fair exposes students to a lot of schools that they might not be considering. When they start to ask the representatives real questions, their criteria for selecting a school becomes clearer.
The annual college fair is just one of the ways that Berean Christian High School is helping students and parents feel prepared for college. All Berean students are encouraged to register and attend. Take advantage of the opportunity to speak to representatives from schools all over the country. Register your student today!