An Inclusive Litany

2/22/93

The Department of Education printed 50,000 copies of a booklet called "Preparing Your Child for College," which includes tips such as these:

"A person who attends college generally earns more than a person who does not... With a college education, your child can earn higher pay." "To prepare for college, there is no substitute for your child getting a solid academic education. This means your child should take challenging courses in academic subjects and maintain good grades in high school."

Another section says "your child needs a quiet and comfortable place to study." To make one you can:

  1. "Help him or her find a quiet place with some privacy."
  2. "Set up a desk or large table with good light and place reference books such as a dictionary on the desk or nearby."
  3. "Make sure your child studies there on a regular basis."

The booklets cost 50 cents each to produce and do "not qualify as a waste of government money," according to Maureen McLaughlin, acting assistant secretary for post-secondary education. The advice, she says, especially helps parents who lack college education.