College admissions experts are looking for students who have found and developed an area of interest. Whether it is a special skill, a high level of commitment and dedication to a cause or career goal or a pastime that has enriched their lives, by the time your child is a senior in high school they will be expected to demonstrate a commitment to something and speak about the ways it has enriched their lives.
So what does the college application have to do with your 11, 12 or 13 year old? While your child is probably not ready to commit to the one thing that will still be their passion in senior year, you can help them explore their interests in meaningful ways and build the skills that appeal to universities and build engaged and multidimensional students.
Whether your son or daughter has a hobby or extracurricular that they are interested in or are exploring a number of different interests, you can help them build these skills:
- From team player to leader This starts with encouraging good team player behaviors whether or not your child is involved in a sport, club or group. Learning how to cooperate on tasks, make friends and be a reliable member of the team will ultimately lead to them to becoming a n important part of the group and perhaps, a leader.
- Practice, practice, practice Help your child understand that being good at anything takes practice. Share your own experiences, encourage your child to put effort and practice into something they care about and praise effort as well as skill.
- Problem Solving/Critical Thinking Ask you child about the new skills and difficult tasks that their hobby requires of them. Encourage them to learn more about the history, technique or successful members of their sport or hobby. Talk to them about strategies to plan new approaches to the real life challenges that confront them when participating in a club. Keeping a journal during their activities can help them track their thinking during different important events.