I know it is the exact opposite of what you are looking for, but not all kids are college material. After you read it, you will have a much more open mind about your child’s potential for success in high school and college, and what it REALLY means to a successful future. Many people are equally as succesful financially with on the job training, vo-tech, military experience, etc. If the child does not want to go, it will just be an expensive lesson for you both to force the issue.

So for your original question on motivating your teen, try this website

http://www.eons.com/love/feature/kids/encouraging-teens-to-be-selfmotivated/3867

YOU have to teach a love of learning to them. Mainly you have to be intimately involved every step of the way. You must know what they are learning, and know it as well or better than they do. Do homework WITH them giving them guidance on where and how to find the answers. Teach reference materials to them (dictionary, encyclopedia, thesaurus, atlas, etc). Reward good efforts, good grades, and improved grades. Downplay the negatives and encourage them to do better. Read yourself, and insist they read every night (turn off the TV/PC and both of you read.) Reading the same book as your teen (something they pick). Discussing a chapter with them each night encourages them to keep doing it. They want to know your thoughts and opinions on it. Apply math at home. Getting them to help cook following recipes (but halfing or doubling total quantities of recipes) is a great way to reinforce math and adding/multiplying/subtracting/dividing fractions. Get then to do some woodworking or mechanic work, where they have to work with fractional wrenchs, sockets, tape measures, etc. They need to understand math is everywhere and IS real world. Do science experiments at home. For example, next time you buy cut flowers, have them put them in different vases with different quantities of sugar in the water. See which last longer before dying, and have them do the internet research to figure out why. Have them do some gardening, starting plants from seeds, etc. If an old appliance or electronic breaks, have them take it apart and try to “fix” it, or figure out why it broke. They may get lucky and save it, but more importantly, they will be learning about science, mechanics, and electronic. Expose them to all you can in the arts. Go to plays, museums, historical sites, etc. Have them do an at home geneology project, and relate each person’s name to what was happening in the world then, to get them interested in history. When you watch TV together, make it educational (History channel, PBS, Food network, animal planet, etc). If you can add a discussion to the program about what or why something is happening, do. If you have time and can afford it, take an enrichment class at the local college yourself. If not, make it a point to start taking them to the colleges for events, such as art showings, plays, ball games, open forums, free lectures, seminars, etc. Let them see what campus and college life are all about. Maybe they will find it as attractive as you hope.

Good luck!

Good luck.