By Paul Fitzgerald – The Toronto Tribune
It’s no secret, mapping out your teen’s path to college or university may seem like a daunting task.
What should they major in? How much money will it cost? And what sort of preparation do they need in order to make a smooth transition from high school to the post-secondary system?
Sure, there are all sorts of questions and they can cause a tremendous amount of anxiety for parents and kids alike.
To add to the stress of planning, teenagers in high schools all across the province are now sadly faced with little resources more so than ever these days when it comes to planning their post-secondary journey.
Why? Well, simply put, there is a lack of guidance counsellors in the high school system – a profession that is now hinted as a dying trade.
It’s widely reported that the ratio of high school students to guidance counsellors in Ontario is 391 to 1, which means students get little face time and support that they need in order to plan their academic and career paths.
While the education system in the province is being strained of pertinent resources for teens in all grades, the light still remains on at the end of the four-year-high-school-tunnel.
Susan McKechnie’s company, Fresh Careers, now offers a one-of-a-kind academic planning and career coaching service for teenagers. She says planning for the higher-education route and choosing the right career path is much easier than you think, despite the fact that the secondary education system is facing a number of cutbacks on the resources front.
Enter Susan McKechnie, who now offers a one-of-a-kind academic planning and career coaching service for teenagers. She is the founder and owner of Fresh Careers in Burlington and Toronto.
She says planning for the higher-education route and choosing the right career path is much easier than you think, despite the fact that the secondary education system is facing a number of cutbacks on the resources front.
“Parents and teens today are seeing all the staggering statistics: student loan debts for university graduates averages around $80,000.00, and college debt is estimated at about $30,000.00, and high dropout rates at the post-secondary level continues to climb at an alarming rate,” says McKechnie.
“Teenagers simply do not want to be a statistic – they want a successful future in today’s globalized world and they want to pick the right programs at college or university that will lead them to their desired careers.”
So, what’s the best way for teens to plan for tomorrow, today?
McKechnie indicates that it’s important for parents to take their kids to a college or university campus even before they start grade 9.
“Visiting a higher education institution will get kids excited about what lies ahead after high school,” she says. “It gets them thinking, it gets them motivated.”
McKechnie stresses that it’s important for all teens to start planning their post-secondary journey no later than Grade 9.
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“Planning for college or university should begin in the first year of high school,” explains McKechnie. “This gives teens the time to really think about what kind of career they will want to pursue and of course this will help them better plan for their higher education experience.”
Planning early includes having teenagers enrolling in harder subjects in the first couple of years at high school so they are challenged more at a younger age. This way they will learn about setting goals and how to achieve them, and they also will learn the ins and outs of particular tough subjects and if they are a right fit for them. This helps them better map out their course planning for the remainder of high school and it also allows them to discover what their calling really is at a young age.”
As well, McKechnie suggests that teens should learn a new language to make them more cultured and this helps them learn more about the world around them. The same holds true with teens taking part in extra-curricular activities, as well as study abroad and work-exchange programs.
“Opening teenagers’ minds up at an early age also helps them learn more about who they are and how the world really works,” says McKechnie. “Having teens cultured at a younger age helps them plan better for the future and it will give them that extra competitive advantage down the road in their careers.”
Another early planning tip is for teenagers if for them to start looking at the cost of certain programs at college or university. And it’s also important for them to start saving money up early through a part-time job or full-time summer job. Money adds up and the more you have means the less debt you will owe after graduating.
“Saving money early is a great step and will reduce the amount of money your teen may need to borrow, and this means that they will come out with lower debt after graduating,” says McKechnie.
McKechnie suggests that teenagers should also take part in career fairs and college and university fairs to learn more about what life is like after high school. And, more importantly, teenagers should take the time to sit in on some college or university classes that interest them in order to see what it’s like to be enrolled in the higher education system.
As well, McKechnie stresses that teens also need to job shadow professionals who work in fields that interest them.
“Teenagers need to learn at school and they also need to learn through exploring more outside of high school,” says McKechnie. “Job shadowing is a great way for teens to learn about a variety of professions and they will know early on what career might interest them.”
Overall, the earlier your teen plans means they will save money and they won’t be saddled with unwanted post-secondary debt. “Planning now only helps your teenager’s pocket book – it’s as simple as that. Once your teen has direction, then they are off to the races and ready for success early,” she says.
McKechnie also suggest that parents enroll their teens in an outside program that will help them map out their academic and career paths.
“There are a number of professionals in the Burlington and Toronto area that offer academic roadmap planning, career exploration, and academic and career coaching,” says McKechnie. “The earlier your teen plans their future means the better ready they are for tomorrow. Planning late for college and university has a plethora of dire consequences. I encourage every parent to consider having their kids take part in private programs outside of high school. Academic and career coaches provide guidance and direction and many private programs are more affordable than you think.”
To learn more visit freshcareers.ca.
