Category — Transition To College

If the college acceptance letters have just begun to come in, congratulations!  You are now officially a college parent.  You are excited for your student, and possibly a bit overwhelmed for yourself.  You’re not sure what you should be thinking about, or doing, or how to help your student prepare for the next phase.

Here at College Parent Central we believe that the more information you have, the better you will be able to support your college student as he navigates his new experiences.  But the problem with lots of information is that it can feel overwhelming.  Here are a few posts that we think might be a good starting point.  You’ll want to read more specific information later, but if you’re a new college parent, these posts should help you think about your new role and help you get started on your journey.   Congratulations!

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Returning to college for your second semester is a very different experience from heading off to college for the first time.  Students heading back to school for their second semester bring their wisdom and their mistakes, their college knowledge and their new life experiences with them.  Although neither the anticipation nor the worry may be as high as first semester, students recognize that the start of the second semester of college is another new beginning for them.  Parents can help their college students prepare for the reality of the second semester by helping them think about it and plan a few goals before they return to school.  Here are a few suggestions for your student:

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New Year’s is often a time of new beginnings.  For parents of high school students who may be headed off to college in the fall, this year will bring significant changes.  You may, or may not, be prepared for those changes, but you know that they are still several months away.  We’d like to offer some New Year’s resolutions to help you, and your college bound high school student, begin to prepare now.  We hope that you find them helpful – and that you pass some of these on to your student.

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Many college parents wait expectantly, hopefully, and sometimes fearfully for those first semester college grades as a measure of how their student is doing in college.  Although many students may have a better inkling of what to expect when the grades arrive, they, too, wait anxiously to hear the final verdict.  For many students, and their parents, those first semester grades may not be what they expected.

It is important that both college parents and their college students keep first semester grades in perspective.  For many students, they may be all that they hoped for.  However, if your student’s grades are lower than anticipated, there are several factors to consider.  This doesn’t necessarily mean that you student is incapable of college work, or that he has been slacking off all semester.  Grades are certainly important, but the first semester of college involves both tremendous transition and, for some students, a “reality check” about college in general.

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Colleges and universities want their students to succeed.  Whether the institution is a highly selective ivy-league college or an open enrollment community college, schools want to see their students accomplish their goals.  Unfortunately, not all students enter college with a level playing field.  Some students come to college with qualities that will make it more difficult to succeed.  Colleges often work hard to identify those students who may be academically “at-risk” so that they can help them to overcome potential difficulties.  Understanding some of the factors that may place a student at-risk, as well as some of the strategies that colleges may use to help these students will help parents to better support these students.

Who is At-Risk?

It is important to understand that not every student who fits into an “at-risk” category will truly be at risk.  Many students experience significant academic success in spite of tremendous hardships or difficulties.  However, research has identified some factors that may create difficulties for students.  Some of these factors include:

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Most students go to college to learn.  Most know, or at least soon discover, that their academic work at college will be different than the work that they did in high school.  They are expected to spend more time studying and there is a higher level of thinking demanded.  But the college years are also about other kinds of learning.  Often much of this other learning happens outside of the classroom.  College offers students opportunities to pursue old interests and to discover new interests.  Unfortunately, too many college students pass up some of the opportunities that they have in college because they are too focused on either their academic life or their party life.  Many worry that getting involved in activities or organizations on campus will distract them from their academic pursuits rather than enhance their academics.

Your college student is learning to find her own path during college.  She will need to make her own choices.  But as a college parent, you can encourage your student to take advantage of the many opportunities available on campus.  Help her think about the benefits of getting involved in groups and activities that the college offers.  Here are a few things to suggest that she consider.

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The step from high school to college may actually be better termed a large leap.  Students need to make important changes in their expectations, approaches, habits, attitudes and responsibilities.  For students who are moving away and living at school the challenges are even greater.  Although most students understand that there will be significant changes in their social world and in their independence and responsibilities, many students – and their parents – underestimate the significance of the academic differences between high school and college.

Although they may be ready for college in many ways, a portion of students may not be ready for college level academic work.  Most colleges recognize that some students need to improve academic skills or fill in gaps in order to enhance their chances for academic success.  These students needing extra readiness skills may be placed in “developmental courses”.  Although these courses may have different titles or designations at different institutions, their purpose is the same: to help the student gain proficiency in basic skills in order to help him succeed.

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Not all colleges and universities offer a course called First-Year or Freshman Seminar.  But more and more colleges are offering some kind of course specifically designed to help students make the adjustment to college life and college academics.  Your college student may be registered for such a course and you may be wondering what it entails.

First Year Seminar courses are designed to enhance the success of first year students as they make the transition to college and college level work.  They are usually available only to new first year students, but occasionally they are also open to transfer students.   In recent years, as the result of many research studies, more and more colleges are focusing on the entire experience of first-year students.  There is a growing effort to help these students adjust and succeed.  The focus on the first-year experience provides a double benefit.  Students succeed, and therefore the attrition rate decreases.  Students stay at their college and colleges increase their retention rates.  It is a good outcome for everyone.

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You’ve probably already visited your child’s college several times.  You may have had one or more admission visits, an orientation visit, and then you dropped him off at the beginning of the school year.  However, each time you visited, both you and your student were still outsiders at the college.  College Family Weekends offer parents an opportunity to be hosted at college by their college student.  It is an important step for your college student and for you.

Most, but not all, colleges offer a Parents’ Weekend or Family Weekend – most often scheduled in late September or early October.  Family members (often including grandparents and siblings) are invited to come to campus to visit for the weekend, or for a long weekend.  The college plans numerous activities for family members, students actually clean their rooms, at some schools families may visit classes, and families and their students spend important time getting reacquainted.

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When your college student first leaves for college you may be anxious to have her come home again for a visit.  You want to be able to touch bases in person, cook her favorite meal, reassure yourself that she is fine, and find out how things are going for her.  If your student attends college reasonably close to home, weekend visits home may be an option.  Can they be a bad thing?

Getting home to visit family, catch up on sleep, get a few home-cooked meals, and even get some laundry done is not a bad thing.  Occasionally, it may be just what your student needs.  If your student is feeling serious homesickness, she may need to reconnect with family and recharge.  However, there are some things you should consider before encouraging your college student to spend many weekends at home.

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