Do you want your future college student to be an independent go-getter and have an easier time when he or she arrives on campus? Gradually make some simple day to day changes in your household and watch your rising senior become a ready for college superstar. 

Start by handing over tasks and some adult responsibilites. During their senior year of high school, you will have the opportunity to provide casual guidance that will help them launch easily when the time comes to live on their own. 

1.  Demonstrate how to create a weekly budget and teach your student to live within his or her own means.  Perhaps he or she will have to delay the purchase of the latest clothing item or concert ticket or help pay for gas.  Maybe they contribute to items that you usually purchase, or place a large percentage of their summer or after school job earnings into a savings account for later usage.  The point is to start getting used to a budget. 

2.  Teach your child how to use a debit card, and even a credit card if they occasionally borrow yours or have access to their own.  That means going over the statement at the end of the month and showing them how to make a payment. 

3.  Hand over personal tasks such as doing their laundry, waking up on their own, and preparing an occasional family meal. Even grocery shopping and comparing prices, labels and ingredients is a beneficial task students should learn!

4.  Direct your child to start scheduling appointments on his or her own – including the doctor, dentist, haircuts, and anything else.  They should keep you in the loop, especially if you are still footing the bill, by entering their appointments into a shared calendar. 

With these easy steps, students usually glide into their fall semester of college ready to manage and organize their world!