Sending your child off to college is a huge milestone — one that comes with pride, excitement, and a touch of anxiety. While academic readiness is important, being prepared for the everyday challenges of independent living is equally vital. Here are 15 practical life skills to help your child succeed before stepping onto a college campus. (Please note: These are merely recommendations, and I am aware that many neurodiverse teens have gaps in skill sets):
1. Do Their Own Laundry
College laundry rooms are a rite of passage. Your child should know how to sort clothes, choose the right settings, and avoid shrinking their favorite sweater. Bonus points for understanding how to treat common stains.
2. Cook a Few Basic Meals
Dining halls have limited hours, and takeout gets expensive fast. Make sure your child knows how to make a few nutritious, affordable meals — think pasta, stir fry, eggs, and something in a microwave.
3. Manage a Budget
College is often the first time students are handling their own money. Teach them how to track expenses, avoid overdrafts, and prioritize needs over wants. Tools like budgeting apps can help.
4. Schedule and Keep Appointments
Whether it’s a doctor’s visit or a meeting with a professor, students should know how to schedule and attend appointments without parental reminders.
5. Navigate Health Care
Make sure your child knows how to find a local clinic or campus health center, carry insurance cards, and describe symptoms clearly to health professionals. They should also know how to get prescriptions from the pharmacy and how to get refills.
6. Clean and Maintain Their Living Space
Basic cleaning tasks — vacuuming, taking out the trash, washing dishes, and cleaning a bathroom — are essential for health and mental clarity in shared living environments.
7. Communicate Effectively
This includes writing professional emails to professors, resolving roommate conflicts calmly, and asking for help when needed — skills that often define college success.
8. Use Public Transportation
Understanding bus or subway systems can expand a student’s independence, especially if they’re in a new city. Apps like Google Maps and transit apps can help, but practice is best.
9. Understand Basic Car Maintenance (If Driving)
If your child is bringing a car to school, they should know how to check tire pressure, oil levels, and what to do in case of a breakdown.
10. Protect Their Personal Information
Teach them about phishing emails, keeping passwords secure, and safely using ATMs. Identity theft is a real threat, even to college students. They should also know how to set up their own personal voicemail.
11. Get a Good Night’s Sleep
It sounds simple, but many students underestimate the importance of sleep. Encourage routines that support mental and physical health, not just all-nighters and caffeine.
12. Handle Stress and Mental Health
Talk openly about coping mechanisms, recognizing when they’re overwhelmed, and how to access support. Campus counseling centers and wellness resources should be on their radar.
13. Create and Follow a Schedule
Balancing classes, study time, work, and social life is a new challenge. Help them build a system — whether it’s digital or analog — to stay organized.
14. Do Basic Sewing and Repairs
Knowing how to sew on a button or fix a loose hem can save time and money. It’s one of those little skills that unexpectedly comes in handy.
15. Be Their Own Advocate
College students must make decisions without constant input. Teach your child to speak up, ask questions, and take responsibility for their own path.
16. How To Grocery Shop
Not everyone will have a dining plan. Your child should know how to use a shopper card at the grocery store, compare prices, use store digital coupons.
17. E-mail Etiquette
Your child should know when and how to email professors or offices at the college and how to ask for something. Include their name, phone number and email in the signature line.
18. How To Navigate the Airport
The airport can be scary for a lot of people, adults included. It’s fast paced and there is a lot going on. Teach your child how to navigate the airport including parking (making and paying for reservations), luggage charges, ride share options, etc…
19. Negotiation Skills
20. Know How to Register for Classes and Monitor Academic Progress
Understanding how to use the college’s student portal to register, track degree requirements, and monitor grades helps avoid surprises come graduation time.
Final Thoughts:
College is more than academics — it’s a crash course in adulthood. Equipping your child with these life skills gives them the confidence to handle challenges, embrace independence, and make the most of their college years. You don’t have to prepare them for everything, but laying the groundwork now can make a world of difference later.
What else have I missed?
