I've worked with college students for years. Parents should teach their college-bound kids these key life skills this summer.

• Parents should prepare teens for college by teaching them budgeting, health, and safety skills.
• Many freshmen struggle with independence and managing finances, health, and problem-solving.
• Parents can model and teach these skills over the summer to help teens transition smoothly.

I spent nearly a decade in the college classroom, teaching composition to freshmen. Not only was it my job to teach students how to write a college-level essay, but I also found myself taking on another role. I involuntarily became a college student life coach of sorts.