Increase Your Chances for College Acceptance: Go Overseas

If you are a regular at my other blog, Diary of a Content Black Woman, you know I recently sent my child off to World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia.

I saw this opportunity as a tremendous milestone in the educational experience in the life of my daughter as she prepares to enter the 11th grade and prepares for the final two year push in her efforts to gain acceptance to the college of her choice.

My personal goal was for her to go out of the country each year throughout her high school years. It is an opportunity I did not have as a youth, but very much wanted her to experience. If we pursue our goal of going to Africa next summer, she would have been to 4 of the world's 7 continents before she even enters college.

I find such experiences significant because I believe it will expand her educational horizons far beyond what books could ever teach her and she will have a level of compassion and sensitivity that Americans too often lack when not having traveled outside of the United States.

Over the last 12 months, we have attended several college fairs and presentations and one of the extracurricular experiences that are encouraged is giving the prospective student the opportunity to travel outside of the country. Such experiences will make their personal essays and perspectives far more rich as well as life more interesting.

Of course, the financial means can be a challenge, particularly in times such as these. However, don't be shy about asking for support from your circle of family, friends and community. My daughter was fortunate enough to get a sponsor for her trip for which I am so grateful.

I have been sending my daughter away on travel without me since she was eight. The first time, I was scared to death. However, I never ever wanted my daughter to be afraid of knowing the world and trying new things. I support her growth and development as a citizen of the world as well as a student in search of a career.

As a parent, I am well aware I cannot control every aspect of my child's life, however, I want her to want more for her life and be confident she can have whatever it is she sets her mind to. As a result, I believe such a strategy has minimized potential distractions such as an obsession with boys and illegal recreational activity while significantly enhancing her personal interests and self-confidence.

I heard a statistic once that only 11% of Americans have passports and less than 6% of those use them on a regular basis. We owe it ourselves and our relationship with the rest of the world to move beyond the creature comforts of America if we are to continue to know those comforts as we always have.

Don't believe me? Look over your shoulder. India and China are increasingly showing us the face of advancement of a whole new world.

GET YOUR COLLEGE ON!

Welcome to my newest blog Great Adventures in Searching for College. This blog is designed to provide the perspective of one woman's journey in her efforts to work with her daughter to get into the college that is best suited for her life and career goals and aspirations.

Allow me this opportunity to brag on my daughter just a bit. I love my baby! What good parent doesn't? However, the love I have is unlike any love I could ever know - yes, even with her being a teenager.

What I love about my Jessica most is her spirit for life. As my grandmother use to say, "That chile has been here before." I have to go with that.

Her level of maturity is uncanny. While she is not "perfect" in the conventional sense, she is a perfect her. This is all I've ever wanted; for her to love herself enough to have the proper respect and love for others including me. She exceeds all expectations for that and then some.

As I have gone through my own very adventurous spiritual journey, anything good I've become since the age of 26, I owe to my daughter. She makes me a better me for both her as well as myself.

I recall when Jessica was about to turn two years old. It seemed like everyone was telling me to watch out for the "terrible 2s." While I was no where as spiritually enlightened as I am now, even then I had a notion of the power of words. I recall saying to myself, "Not my kid. There will be no terrible 2s." And guess what? There wasn't.

As a single parent, I didn't have time for any unnecessary foolishness like disrespect or temper tantrums. The Bible gets it right: "Train up a child the way he should go, and he shall not stray from it." (Proverbs 22:6)

The same goes for the teen years. Again, seemingly, everyone managed to warn me about the infamous teen years. Again, I chose not to claim it. I tell my child that I am here to guide her, not harshly judge her. My love for her is unconditional and together, there is nothing we can't come through.

This approach has helped instill a sense of self-confidence I am so grateful for her having. The teen years can be very difficult and awkward. I have witnessed the challenges of some of her friends. With close guidance and a delicate balance between knowing the difference between what our children need and want, we really can empower our children with a healthy head start for life and college outside of academics.

While this is not really what I intended to talk about, it is, what it is. I guess in a nutshell, this post can be considered the dedication post to my darling Jessica.

I also want parents to be encouraged and not too overwhelmed by this whole college search thing. It is a truly a big transition process for ourselves and our children. Know that we are not alone in wanting the best for our kids.

I look forward to providing several links to resources for parents and their kids, as well as advice and as much encouragement as I can possibly muster as I travel through my own journey with my kid in the quest in our great search for college. Letting go - as you well know - will not be easy. However, guided by spirit, and an unadulterated love for our offspring - who knows - maybe, just maybe, we'll be able to do our own part in contributing to making the world a better place.

Peace & Blessings & Welcome!