“Why isn’t my kid taking more initiative in the college application process?” is a common refrain from parents of high school Seniors heard at this time of year. Since the initial college application deadlines are generally one to two months away, and months in teenager time can be like dog years in reverse, parents may encounter resistance to action from their teen.
Simultaneously, teens (in their inexperience) may not know where to start, and the daily pressures of multiple Advanced Placement (AP) classes and extra-curricular activities are enough effort to keep small countries busy, so by default, teens procrastinate.
On the other hand, parents typically have the wisdom of experience, which can lead to feeling anxious about missed deadlines. Thus, conflict may arise.
In our experience, these differing perspectives and experiences are why college applications are a whole family endeavor. Each parent and the teen contribute their efforts, swapping who leads the team and work together to complete applications before (or right on) the deadlines.
