Help for the Soon-to-Be College Parent!

Many books exist that espouse various ways to make sure your child's college application stands out so they get into their dream schools and how to ensure your child aces the scholarship competition. These books seem to stop at the application stage and do not address the important questions of how to navigate the time between receiving acceptance letters, move-in day, and even through the end of the first semester. Countdown to College: The Essential Steps to Your Child's Successful Launch by Monique Rinere tackles these questions and so many more. Monique Rinere speaks from experience as she has served as dean of advising, residential dean, and a myriad of other positions at Ivy League schools. She is currently Associate Vice President at The New School in Greenwich Village, New York City. Her experience with countless students allows her the opportunity to share first hand the questions that you never thought to ask but now will know are important to consider.

Countdown to College is divided into three parts. Rinere begins with the questions of how to choose the college your child will attend after the acceptance letters have been received. She proposes numerous questions to explore to help you decide between choice A and B or more. Questions include items about financial aid and deciding whether a college is a good "fit" for your child. After deciding on the one school, Rinere then turns to the questions and concerns that arise over the summer such as housing, medical, registration, orientation, and more. She also provides helpful hints on how to prepare your child for the changes in schedule they will find when heading to classes that meet a few times a week instead of the day-in and day-out schedule of high school. The final part focuses on the all important first semester. Rinere does not advocate helicopter parenting at all but does raise items that you as a parent can suggest your child look into or do on campus, particularly if they hit a snag. My favorite part of the book are the wonderful lists of questions and summaries that pepper the pages. In addition to addressing concerns related to your soon-to-be college freshman, Rinere does a wonderful job of exploring not only the questions pertaining to your child's future but also including questions and suggestions concerning what you as a parent, and potentially an empty nester, will do with all of the new found time you have. She encourages parents to use this time to re-engage in previous hobbies and discover new interests or to further dive into your professional life.

Countdown to College is a great resource to guide parents through the send-off time period. While not quite there yet, I look forward to having this book handy during that time period. This is a book I highly encourage purchasing as a print copy instead of digital. You will find there are sections you wish to underline or highlight or add a post-it note to so that you can find a portion when needed.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book Countdown to College via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.