Parents often don’t realize their influence over their kids’ college choices: poll
Posted September 21, 2015 8:19 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Are you and your university-aged children on the same page when it comes to their post-secondary education?
A new poll finds Mom and Dad have a lot of influence on their kids’ choices — even if they don’t know it. Nearly a third of all university and college students chose their major to please their parents.
Mandy Mail, director of student banking for RBC Royal Bank, adds fewer parents (21%) think they have that influence.
“More so, 10 per cent of students actually attend post-secondary school altogether to please their parents, and only half the parents actually realize that,” says Mail.
The survey also suggests there are big differences in terms of expectations.
“Parents are overwhelmingly focused on believing that their child finding a job that’s meaningful and fulfilling is the number one source of happiness after graduation. While this is important to students, students are actually putting more emphasis on a lot of other things. They want to make lots of money, they’re interested in traveling, they’re interested in finding love, and they’re interested in paying off debt. All of those things will contribute to what a student believes will make them happy once they graduate. And the parents don’t recognize that, to the same extent.”
Mail suggests open communication between parents and their children thoughout every school semester.
She also recommends students asking themselves why they’re going to school and what they want to acheive with their diploma or degree.
