How to Create a College-Going Culture in Your Home

Toddlers to school-age:

• Read daily to toddlers and pre-schoolers
• Enroll 3-5 year olds in Head Start or Pre-School
• Talk about how fun it will be to go to kindergarten
• Talk about “when” (not if) you go to college

Elementary School:

• Talk about how important it is to work hard and do their best so they can feel pride in themselves; and how important it is to go to school (not miss days unnecessarily) and arrive on time ready to learn (with full tummies from a healthy breakfast and a good night’s sleep)
• Start talking about “growing up to be a _____” after going to college
• Encourage good habits: calendars, lists, schedules; regular study time, engagement in school activities
• Celebrate achievements: regularly check classroom progress and praise children for the efforts
• Make sure your children stay on grade-level; if they fall behind, ask about free tutoring or other academic support
• Continue reading to your kids and have them read to you—perhaps read a chapter from a good book every night. Make a run to the public library a regular family event.
• Make sure kids know that math is fun and important for their success in school and life
• Provide a quiet area for homework and make it a priority before kids relax in front of the TV
• Talk about important adults in their lives and where they went to college (e.g. their teachers, the President, their pediatrician, etc.)

Middle School:

• Make sure your children meet with their middle school counselors and tell them that they are planning to go to college
• Have your children join any middle school programs that support first-generation college-going students (e.g. AVID, GEAR UP, etc.)
• Make sure your middle schooler is reading books on a regular basis—continue your family library visits
• Help middle school students find productive summer programs to engage them with the community or to reinforce academic skills
• Make sure your middle schooler is prepared to take Algebra I by 8^th or 9^th grade (at the latest)
• Make sure your middle schooler considers beginning foreign language study in 8^th grade (e.g. Spanish)
• Help middle schoolers to make homework a priority before watching TV or connecting with friends after school hours; make sure there is a quiet study space available for your kids
• Talk about career choices and college preparation before entering the world of work; begin using www.cacareerzone.com for self-assessment and information about over 900 careers
• Emphasize how important it is to get to class on time and not to miss school

High School:

• Make sure your teens meet with their high school counselors and tell them that they are planning to go to college
• Ensure your child is enrolled in CSU/UC-approved “a-g” courses, beginning in 9^th grade
• Make sure your teen joins on-campus programs that work with first-generation college-going students: e.g. AVID, Cal-SOAP, GEAR UP, Puente Project, Compact for Success, etc.
• Encourage your teen to continue reading books for pleasure, as time allows
• Have your teen do something productive during the summer months, including free summer academic programs (check UCSD and SDSU and CSUSM)
• Encourage your teen to volunteer at your church, synagogue or mosque or some other community-based organization (e.g. YMCA, public library, etc.)
• Encourage school involvement: have your teen play on a school sports team or in the band or join a club or work on the school newspaper or in theatrical productions, etc!
• Encourage your teen to study about ½ hour each night for each academic class he/she is taking
• Emphasize how important it is to get to class on time and not to miss school
• Visit college campuses in San Diego (regular campus tours are scheduled daily at UCSD, USD, SDSU and CSUSM) and when you visit other cities

Behaviors (to discourage) that reduce your teens’ chances of university admission:

• They miss school, even when they’re not sick
• They don’t take all the college-prep courses in high school required by the CSU and UC (the “a-g”s)
• They spend more time on the phone texting and talking than they do on their homework
• They plan to just “hang out” during the summer
• They do not participate in any activities in high school

Be sure to check out our "Resources for College Admission" page. We have listed numerous support programs in middle school and high school that encourage first-generation college-going and low income students to enroll in college! Make sure your child takes advantage of these programs in her/his school!

"The highest result of education is tolerance."

     ~ Helen Keller