Q: What role should parents play in the college search?
A: “By and large, the parents know the student better than anyone,” says Margaret
Appenheimer, co-director of college counseling at Hathaway Brown School. “We often use the analogy that the college search should have the student in the driver’s seat, with the parent suggesting where to turn. It’s important to note that a successful college search requires a lot of self-reflection on the student’s part: you have to know your strengths, your interests and your goals. The whole college search is really a key milestone in a young person’s independence. Students should be the only ones to contact the admissions office. [Colleges] take note of who they are hearing more from. Colleges want to see students who have taken initiative and want to reach out and show that they’re mature and ready for college.
