For most high schoolers, the “college” conversation doesn’t really begin until junior year or later. The situation isn’t that straightforward for families living outside their passport country. But matter where you live, there are great ways to prepare and maximize your conversations about the “after high school” options.
This matters deeply to me after growing up overseas as an MK with limited funds and maybe one college visit. My schooling was as varied as the many houses we lived in. I scoured scholarship applications, went to college, graduated, and worked in an international fair-trade business until I was hired as a college recruiter for international students and TCKs. In the almost five years I recruited students, I observed two things:
- Students who live outside the US are interested in what is next after high school, but they have limited opportunities to connect with resources, options, and experts. Understanding the collegiate search and admission process is hard no matter where you live, but it’s especially difficult when you live abroad.
- Opportunities to hear from universities and connect with them were few and far between.
After several years of students contacting me in the spring of their senior year, only to learn most of the scholarship money had been dispersed by then (and the conversation ending in tears), I stopped recruiting and started my own business (KC360.co). My goal and passion melded into one: helping and resourcing TCKs and international students to meet the needs I had observed. I believed we could improve the process for international families and perhaps mitigate a few of those tears.
But let me first say that college isn’t for everyone, and that is ok. We need everyone to walk the road they are uniquely created for because we want all of you in the places that bring you joy and connection. College is one avenue to those roads, but there are others too. So where you do begin?
For families of freshman and sophomores, the majority of your involvement in any college, gap year, trade school, or apprenticeship conversations should be just that: conversations. If you are near a university that is within your family, community, or support system, sign up for a college visit! It is great for students and families to visit a campus (not just drive through it), visit a class, eat in the cafeteria, and hear from admission professionals.
If you normally live abroad and are back in the US, take some time to give this experience to your student. (Feel free to visit universities abroad as well!) College visits are free and help students “feel” some of the nuances they may not know answers to – things like big campus or little campus, walkable or drivable, urban or smaller town, etc.
When families reach junior and senior year, there are some sizable shifts for students to prepare for college. We have an amazing task as parents to help prepare our students for adulthood by helping them slowly ease into this arena within the safety of our homes. Basic goals such as laundry, cooking a favorite meal or two, understanding a budget (how much money it takes for me to be my best self), are all important. Go a little farther if you can, and help them understand time management and goals.
These years are when conversations about college should turn into a bit of action: reflecting on whether college is for you, the types of majors and careers which may suit you, the financial picture of what it will look like for yourself and your family, and more.
Whether you are homeschooled, public schooled, private schooled, or a mixture of these, college search and admission can feel like a lot when you are overseas. Helping students navigate the process is what I have loved doing for almost a decade, and it is a joy.
Factoring in living abroad adds a new level of “interesting” to the plate. If you fall in this category, you and your student are not alone. Yes, there are complexities, but none which cannot be solved together with expert help. Not sure where to start? Here are some ideas:
- Listen in to the free KC360 podcast for college search and admission insights in 15 minutes “bites” (you might hear a familiar voice!).
- Unsure what to major in or where to even start in considering a college? Take a look at The College Project, a self-paced course for students to think through their options after high school, size of institutions, majors, careers, and build a college list and complete a college application strategy.
- Overwhelmed by the finances of it all? The Scholarship Secrets course will help you understand the US financial aid system, uncover secrets to scholarships, and create a strategy to apply for them.
- If access to universities is a frustration for you, join the free Virtual College Fair (September 30 – October 12, 2024) to hear from a variety of universities. Presentations are “on-demand” and can be watched in any time zone. The fair is open for two weeks to accommodate schedules, life, and so much more that enters into this season of our life! Register now here.
- Access a free high school timeline for each grade and get helpful tips for your student and family.
My passion is for families to have resources which help them and make the college search and admission process less overwhelming. Being a global citizen has its challenges, and education is one of them. Know that you’re not alone and that there are resources to help you navigate even this road.
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As a TCK, a former college recruiter, and international education consultant, Kristi Steele created KC360 for international students and families just like you. KC360’s goal is to understand your family’s and student’s expectations for your college search and application journey. With a passionate commitment to TCKs and international students and experience in collegiate university recruiting, KC360 will assist and advise you throughout the college application process.
