The Pygmalion Effect says that what one person expects from another often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Research has shown that when teachers have high expectations for students, those students perform better. The same is true with managers and employees. And yes, it’s also true for parents and their kids.
The more you trust your kids, the more you empower them to take charge of their own college admissions process, the more likely they’ll be to do so and the more successful they’ll be.
But if your expectation is, “He’s 17. He’ll screw it up,” you’re more likely to be proven right.
Expect great things from your kids and you’re more likely to get them. And students, remember that you have to earn it, and that trust begets more trust.