smiling teen with notebook and backpack laughing with friends on college campus
Education

College Prep Checklist for Charlottesville Families

words by CharlottesvilleFamily Editors
Everything Virginia families need to help teens prepare for college—academically, emotionally, and legally.

Preparing for college in Virginia involves more than applications and shopping for dorm room accessories. This CharlottesvilleFamily college prep guide helps parents and teens stay organized with academic, emotional, financial, and legal readiness tips. Best of all, it’s tailored to help families prepare for college in Central Virginia.

At a Glance

  • Encourage your student’s curiosity. They should cultivate good study habits and focus on one or two extracurriculars instead of resumé-stuffing.
  • Build independence. Teach kids to cook, do laundry, create a study schedule, and make their own appointments.
  • Discuss loans and scholarships with your child. Fill out the FAFSA together, and teach them manage their own money.
  • Make sure you have the appropriate legal and medical paperwork on file before your child leaves for college.

College Prep Checklist for Central Virginia Families

Here in Charlottesville and Central Virginia, parents know that launching a young adult takes more than test scores and acceptance letters. From planning finances to completing legal documents and encouraging independence, there’s a lot to manage before move-in day.

This checklist walks families through five key areas: academic readiness, emotional growth, practical life skills, financial planning, and essential legal paperwork. Together, all five sections will help the transition to college go smoothly.

high school student blond female taking notes in class

1. Academic Preparation

When should Virginia families begin college planning?

  • 9th & 10th Grade: Encourage curiosity and strong study habits. Explore electives, extracurriculars, and volunteer opportunities that align with your teen’s interests.
  • 11th Grade: Visit colleges within driving distance—like UVA, James Madison University, and Virginia Tech—to get a sense of size, setting, and fit.
  • 12th Grade: Track application deadlines carefully. Many Virginia schools use the Common App; others, like VMI, have their own portals.

Local Tip: The Jefferson-Madison Regional Library (JMRL) is an excellent local resource when preparing for college in Centra Virginia. The library system offers free access to online SAT/ACT prep tools and scholarship databases.

2. Emotional & Social Readiness

How can parents help teens adjust emotionally before college?

  • Practice self-advocacy: Encourage your teen to make their own appointments with doctors and teachers, asking for help when needed. Discuss mental health supports available on campus, including counseling centers and hotlines.
  • Time management: Teach realistic skills to balance classes, study, extracurriculars, and rest.
  • Build independence: Be sure your child knows how to do their own laundry, cleaning, and grocery shopping. Teach them to cook simple meals.

3. Financial & Practical Planning

What money conversations should families have before college?

  • Compare costs: Discuss tuition, housing, meal plans, and transportation. Use the Virginia Education Wizard (vawizard.org) for cost comparisons. Be realistic about what taking out college loans might mean long term.
  • FAFSA & scholarships: Submit the FAFSA as early as October 1. Apply for local scholarships. Area high school counseling offices provide great resource lists to help you find options.
  • Budgeting skills: Help your teen set up a simple monthly budget and introduce them to mobile banking tools.
  • Banking & insurance: Make sure they have their own checking account, debit card, and copies of health and car insurance cards.
African American teen holding credit card and using laptop

4. Health & Safety Documents

What medical paperwork does every Virginia student need?

  • Updated immunization record: Required for college enrollment in Virginia.
  • Health insurance card: Ensure coverage continues where your student will be living, or switch to the student plan offered by the school.
  • Medical consent & proxy forms: If your child is under 18 when school starts, provide a medical consent form for temporary guardianship (if attending orientation or traveling). See our CharlottesvilleFamily Guide to Legal Paperwork.
  • Prescriptions & refills: Transfer to a pharmacy near campus.

Local Tip: UVA Teen Health, Piedmont Pediatrics, and Pediatric Associates provide pre-college check ups

5. Legal & Financial Paperwork for 18+ Students

What legal forms should parents and students complete before college?

Once your teen turns 18, parents lose automatic access to health, education, and financial information, even if you’re paying tuition. Talk with your student about whether you need paperwork to restore those rights, such as:

  • Virginia Advance Medical Directive (health care proxy): Authorizes a parent or guardian to make medical decisions if the student is incapacitated. Download here.
  • HIPAA authorization: Allows doctors to share updates and medical information with parents.
  • Durable power of attorney: Lets a parent handle financial tasks in emergencies or while the student is abroad.
  • FERPA release: Grants access to academic and financial aid information through the college registrar.
  • Simple will: For students with bank accounts, vehicles, or digital assets.
Young man moving into dormitory on college campus

6. Move-In Readiness & Independence

What should students pack to prepare for dorm life?

  • Essential items: Bedding, power strips, small toolkit and sewing kit, surge protectors, cleaning supplies, toiletries, tabletop fan, dishes for a dorm room or apartment, reusable water bottle.
  • Emergency plan: Program local emergency numbers and campus security into your student’s phone.
  • Copies of important documents: Driver’s license, health insurance card, and advance directive. Make paper copies, and store digital copies as well.

Local Tip: Shop around Charlottesville! Find dorm décor and school supplies at Rock Paper Scissors, The Scrappy Elephant, Target Charlottesville, or Staples Barracks Road. Stick to a budget for back-to-school clothing and shoes at Uptown Cheapskate, Plato’s Closet, or Darling x Dashing Boutique.

College Prep Checklist: Organize It All

Preparing for college involves a lot of paperwork! Make a central place where both you and your student can access all the information you need by creating a binder or digital folder titled “College Prep Documents.” It should include:

  • Copies of applications, test scores, acceptance letters
  • FAFSA confirmation page
  • Scholarship award letters
  • Housing and meal plan info
  • Medical and legal paperwork

Annual Tip: Review your binder every summer before the school year begins to update documents, insurance, and contact information.

Local & Online College Prep Resources for Charlottesville Families

College is a major life transition for parents and teens alike. Use this college prep checklist as a guide to structure your conversations with your teen and the practical steps you take throughout high school.

With thoughtful preparation, open communication, and the right paperwork in place, Virginia families can send their students off to college confident, organized, and ready for the exciting journey ahead.

CHARLOTTESVILLEFAMILY EDITORS are locals who care deeply about family and community. We are almost all parents who serve alongside our readers in the PTO and band boosters, coaching sports teams, helping with the school fun fair and more. Our insider perspective, combined with great research and expert input from our wonderful CharlottesvilleFamily Advisory Panel helps us to provide you with trustworthy advice as you raise the next generation of brilliant and compassionate kids.