Seven life skills your child needs for college

College success requires more than academic knowledge. Beyond subject expertise, students need 21st-century skills like critical thinking and problem solving—plus essential life skills to thrive in college and beyond. Here are seven key ones: 

1. Money management – Students go to college to prepare themselves for their future careers (in which they will make money), but it’s essential that they understand the basics of money management long before they set foot in the working world. At a minimum, talk with your child about how to create a budget, why it’s important to manage that budget, how to set financial goals (such as saving toward something) and why debt can be dangerous (especially debt racked up by credit cards). 
2. Communication – Every career involves communication in the form of writing, talking and non-verbal communication. Students need to learn how to communicate their ideas and opinions clearly, but it’s also crucial that they can negotiate, build good working relationships through effective communication and diffuse conflicts when they arise.  
3. Listening – In addition to being able to communicate and express themselves, students must be skillful listeners. Remind your child that listening is not just about hearing people talk. It’s about focusing on what they are trying to communicate, processing it, watching for non-verbal cues and confirming understanding. Good listeners listen to understand, not just to formulate their own responses.  
4. Self-discipline – In college, students no longer have parents telling them what to do and how to do it. It’s up to them to decide how and when to study and whether to go to class or not. Do your best to take a step back during your student’s high school years so that they can step up and take responsibility for their life—including school. You can support your student from the sidelines by providing structure and encouraging the adoption of good routines, time management and organization. 
5. Self-advocacy – Self-advocacy goes hand in hand with good communication. In college, it is expected that students will reach out when they need help or want to understand professors’ grading policies or something similar. Encourage your student to be assertive and to take the initiative in high school to talk directly with teachers and guidance counselors about all things school –related.  
6. Decision-making – Without Mom and Dad around at college, students are put fully in charge of their lives—quite possibly for the first time. This can be a rude awakening without practice, so the best thing you can do is offer your student choices when appropriate. For big decisions, let your student weigh their options and think through various outcomes. Be on hand for support, but make sure your student learns how to navigate decision-making independently.  
7. Emotional intelligence – People who are emotionally intelligent recognize their own emotions as well as those of others and use that to guide their thinking and behavior. This aptitude is essential in college, and helps students work effectively with others, build good peer relationships, solve problems and feel more confident in their abilities.  

The above skills are all related to school and/or productivity, but there are plenty of other life skills your student will need. They must have navigational skills and basic cleaning, laundry and cooking skills as well as good personal hygiene and healthcare routines. Don’t wait until a month before your child goes to college to start fostering these aptitudes. Start early and keep reinforcing life skills throughout your child’s teen years.