Asking Eric: Daughter Accepted to College, but She May Not Be Ready
The parents want a gap year, but Eric says changing course now could feel like rejecting the work she has already done.
- Parents are increasingly hesitant to send their 17-year-old daughter to college this fall, preferring she take a gap year. She refuses to consider the proposal, shutting down conversations without thinking about it.
- Advice columnist Eric Thomas suggests parents take a step back from proposing solutions. Instead, he advises determining if both parties first agree that a specific problem exists before moving forward.
- Thomas recommends starting conversations by asking if she agrees specific issues could cause difficulty. Parents should then focus on setting her up for success through mentorship or local connections near the university.
- One success story involved a wealthy Friend whose son was failing at an elite university. After discussing his goals, they supported his transfer to a state college where he became a successful gym teacher.
- Higher education often acts as a 'pressure cooker,' yet remains vital for learning how the world works. Students may need smart mentorship to adjust their focus rather than follow a rigid, predetermined educational path.
14 Articles
14 Articles
Asking Eric: Daughter thinks she’s ready to start college at the age of 17; I think she should wait
Dear Eric: My daughter recently committed to a university across the country, and she is supposed to start in the coming fall. She is only 17 and we think that she should be older before starting this new chapter of her life.
Asking Eric: My daughter recently committed to a university across the country and I don’t think she’s ready
DEAR ERIC: My daughter recently committed to a university across the country, and she is supposed to start in the coming fall. She is only 17 and we think that she should be older before starting this new chapter of her life.
Asking Eric: We don’t think our 17-year-old daughter is ready to go away to college
Dear Eric: My daughter recently committed to a university across the country, and she is supposed to start in the coming fall. She is only 17 and we think that she should be older before starting this new chapter of her life.This among other reasons is why my husband and I have been increasingly hesitant to send her off to college this year and we want her to take a gap year, but each time I mention it, she immediately shuts the idea down withou…
The Mercury news
Orlando SentinelAsking Eric: Our daughter insists she’s ready to go to college
Eric Thomas: We want her to take a gap year. She won't even consider it.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Asking Eric: Daughter accepted to college, but she may not be ready
Dear Eric: My daughter recently committed to a university across the country, and she is supposed to start in the coming fall. She is only 17 and we think...
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