Hey Moms, the TCT Class is in Session!
By Samantha Jonas-Hain
Congratulations, moms! You have made it to parenting Level 3, otherwise known as the teen years. Cute elementary school plays are a thing of the past, middle school meltdowns have hopefully subsided and now you are raising a high schooler who probably thinks they know it all. Next up, the college years, a totally new experience far different from the days of PTA bake sales and putting in teacher requests for your child to be seated far away from the neighborhood bully.
“How did we get here,” is a question we all ask ourselves. Weren’t we just teaching them to tie their shoelaces? Whether or not we are ready for it, is beside the point. College is just around the corner and now is the time to educate ourselves so we can ultimately help them make smart decisions when it comes to their future. With so many types of colleges, the starting point is extremely overwhelming, which is why the TCT Class is you going to be your new best friend! It is an incredible tool that helps to put the entire college landscape in perspective, while decompartmentalizing it into categories that help to make this daunting task seem super easy.
Before even approaching the subject of higher education with your teen, I suggest you do a TCTC Class session for yourself. It will serve as a great foundation for learning what critical elements to have your child look for in a modern-day school. Rather than coming to them with outdated knowledge from your college days (you know, from the ancient times when people had to use archaic things like payphones and VCRs), brush up on what college looks like nowadays. For parents who never went to college, the TCT Class is like the ultimate Cliffs Notes on what matters most in higher education. You will be amazed at how many wonderful resources are currently being offered by colleges all over the country, including exciting new career opportunities that didn’t exist back when we were making professional decisions.
To really get the most out of the TCT Class, watch each video and answer the questions not from the perspective of what you think your teen would say, but from your very own. By examining yourself critically, you will be able to really understand the benefit of how the TCT Class articulates key priorities. Use yourself as the case study and see what types of categories stick out to you. Are you motivated by clubs and school spirit or are you looking for something that honors your heritage? Do you want to have access to a big city or are you someone who will feel more comfortable in a quant area away from it all? These questions will help paint a picture of what life could look like on campus.
Now that you are thinking like a prospective student as a pose to just a worried mom who is anticipating separation anxiety, here are some additional tips on how to use the TCT Class so you can confidently walk away with an A+ in navigating college life in the year 2022.
EXPLORE THE UNKNOWN
Don’t just watch videos pertaining to what you already know about. Click on videos in subject matters that may seem a bit out of your comfort zone. You might be really surprised at how interesting you find aerospace, hospitality and tourism or even forensics. With the TCT Class you have the amazing opportunity to get access to areas that you may never have had the opportunity to before. Take advantage of it and really use your session as a chance to think beyond what you already know.
GO CLUBBING
Well, not just clubs but all activities. Campus culture comes in many forms. From Division 1 and Division 2 sports to military friendly colleges, and schools with a study abroad program, colleges today have so much to offer outside the classroom. Watch some videos and get familiar with some of the great ways students can connect to their school and community beyond academics. College is a completely immersive experience, where all aspects of the student can be nurtured. Figure out what excites you most and factor that in to your decision making process.
BE HONEST
Nobody here is judging you. So many times in the college search people say what they think is “right” rather than what they truly believe. The anonymous aspect of TCT Class gives you the opportunity to examine yourself in a safe and effective way. This is a time to get to know you and answer some important questions free from bias or other people’s opinions. It’s extremely liberating and eye opening and will give you an understanding of yourself that you may not have had prior.
Once you have finished the TCT Class, feel free to take it again and again. This is a place to learn, grow and explore. All the information you are learning about college and yourself will be invaluable in helping your child navigate the world of higher education. Just one last tip; have fun! This isn’t meant to be painful. College is an exciting chapter in life and while academics, clubs, sports etc. matter, so does your child’s mental health and happiness. Focus less about the pressures of school and more on the fantastic world of possibilities that is about to come there way.
