The Welfare of the Student

“The primary obligation of LCS is the welfare of the student” is the most important line in my contract.

But what is the welfare of the student? It’s simply caring. I show my students and families that I care by providing perspective and taking the intensity down.

When families and students consider college, every moment can be stress-filled. What does a parent truly want? As much as we believe that it’s admission to a highly-rejective college, it’s really for our kids to be happy and healthy (mentally and physically) and confident about their futures. We also want our kids to know that we love and support who they are.

That’s why I remind parents how much their children want to please them. If your idea of success is for your child to attend Harvard (or any other college in this minute category), then any outcome outside that <10% acceptance rate will make your child feel like a failure. Because admission to these colleges is based on institutional priorities, a denial or deferral has little to do with the student’s qualification (provided the student/family understands what is required to be a competitive applicant to the most selective colleges). It has even less to do with their future success and happiness.

Parents: be excited about the realistic options on your students’ list and not just their reaches and unlikelies. This will give them confidence and make them feel successful and happy about the college process and allow you to enjoy it together. I support my families for three, two or just one year, but to me, “welfare” really means your child’s big picture, longterm welfare as well.

Look for next week’s post about my grad school applicants.