College can be used as a personal laboratory for these discoveries. Besides footing the tuition bill, parents can play the role of career coach and encourage the very important involvement in academic studies and cocurricular activities. Internships serve several functions. Some provide access into an industry, such as entertainment. Most provide a testing ground to check reality or fantasy of a major or career.
Students then can opt in or out of a field or company, and maybe land a job offer after graduation.
Encourage your students to turn one or two professors into mentors. A student who does this will learn to build a relationship. Faculty can give direction based on the student s demonstrated work, ideas, and skills. Encourage your student to join cocurricular activities and service-learning classes. While parents can't determine which clubs or groups their students join, the act of selecting an activity itself leads to self-discovery and growth.