College Parent Central

Beyond Bedding and Mini-Fridges: 12 Dorm Furnishings You May Not Have Thought Of

July 26, 2021 by Vicki Nelson

There is no shortage of lists of dorm-room essentials. Almost every store or website will offer you a myriad of suggestions. And the list can get longer and longer as the summer progresses. Packing the car for move-in day can be one of the biggest challenges your family will face.

Rather than add to the already steady supply of suggestions for bedding, laundry hampers, storage solutions, and shower caddies, we thought we’d include a list of a few things you may not have thought of but that can be great additions to your student’s dorm furnishings. You won’t want them all, but adding one or two of these items to your list could be just the thing to make life easier for your student.

#045 – Transitioning from Summer to College: The Importance of the First Six Weeks – Part 3

July 21, 2021 by Vicki Nelson

In this final part of our summer college preparation series, Lynn and Vicki discuss how to support your student on Move-In Day and throughout their first six weeks on campus. Parents and students who are prepared for the emotional peaks and valleys of transitioning into the world of college, are better able to feel in control of their experiences. In this episode we offer suggestions for how to support your student on this exciting new journey.

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10 Non-Essentials (But Fun) for Your Student’s Dorm Room

July 29, 2021July 19, 2021 by Vicki Nelson

As your student gets ready to head off to college in the fall, there’s a lot to do. One of the things on your mind may be helping your student prepare for living in the dorm. This is a big shift for most students, who have never shared a room with someone. And this shared dorm room is now going to be their bedroom, living room, rec room, and part-time kitchen as well.

As parents, there are many ways we can help our student prepare over the summer by having some conversations to help them anticipate what they may encounter, but we often jump into helping them think about their dorm room – possibly because it is one of the few concrete, measurable things we can do. And we want to make sure they’ll be comfortable and provisioned.

So rather than add to the already steady supply of suggestions for the essentials, we’d like to suggest ten items that your student doesn’t “need” but that could be fun additions to liven up their dorm room. You won’t want them all, but adding one or two to your summer shopping list might be fun. Some are mildly practical and some are just plain silly. See what you think.

Book Review – How to College

July 13, 2021July 12, 2021 by Vicki Nelson

From time to time, we like to review some of the books available for parents of college students. There is a wealth of literature available to help parents cope with the transition to college and the changes that occur throughout the college years. Visit our Resources page for a list of important books for college parents and their students.

If your student is heading to college in the near future, you need to get this book into their hands. How to College: What to Know Before You Go (and When You’re There) by Andrea Malkin Brenner and Lara Hope Schwartz will help your student make the transition to college and be ready to succeed once they are there. We like to think that we’ve done all we can to prepare our students for college, but once you read this book you realize how much more they should know.

#044 – Summer Conversations to Help Your Student Prepare for College – Part 2

July 7, 2021 by Vicki Nelson

Summer is a perfect time to begin conversations that will help both you and your student prepare for the transition to college. From roommates to money to autonomy and independence, these conversations will help your student articulate both their concerns and expectations and help you get to know your student in a new way. Because Lynn and Vicki are both college professors we also leave parents with a homework checklist of tasks to complete before the summer ends.

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This podcast episode is Part 2 of our 3-part series on using the summer to help your student prepare for college. In case you missed it, be sure to listen to Part 1 in episode #043 – Using Summer to Help Your Student Prepare for College.

Our next episode – Part 3 in the series – will cover more about Move-In Day, the transition for everyone, and the first few weeks of the semester.

We talked in this episode about some of the important conversations to have with your student during this important summer. Some of them were conversations we had with our own kids as they headed to college, and some were conversations we missed and wish we had talked about. Topics include communication with your student, important money conversations, FERPA, roommates, cars on campus, and more. Pick and choose the ones most appropriate for your family.

We also referred to some earlier podcast episodes that can help you follow up on some of these topics.

#005 – Communicating with Your College Student

#021 – College Roommates: Navigating This Complex Relationship

#027 – Student Anxiety: Helping Your Student Cope

Because we all need some summer reading, we suggested that you listen to a couple of our episodes that suggest some great books for parents and students.

#020 – Our Favorite Summer Reads for College Parents

#041 – More Summer Reads for Parents – Two Authors, Four Books

#040 – Our Favorite Books to Share with College Students

#038 – The Addiction Inoculation – An Interview with Author Jessica Lahey

Finally, at the end of the episode we gave you a homework checklist of things for parents to do over the summer. Be sure to listen to why these seven items can make a difference.

Look at the college website with new eyes.
Get familiar with the college catalog.
Check on all insurance needs and requirements.
Get some summer reading done – and stock up for your student as well.
Make any needed hotel reservations for Family/Parents’ Weekend.
Make a plan for your own transition to your new role.
Find the friends who will be your support system this fall.

Don’t forget that you can listen to all of our previous podcast episodes here or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Let us know what you’d like to hear about on future podcasts! Leave a comment here or email us at podcast@collegeparentcentral.com.

College Parent News and Views

June 30, 2021 by Vicki Nelson

The more that college parents know and understand about the college experience, the less we worry and the better we will be able to help our students to succeed and thrive throughout their college career. However, there is an overwhelming amount of information out there on the web. We’d like to help you find some of the information that might be most interesting and useful to you as a college parent.

In News and Views we share recent college related news and sources we’ve found as we do our research. We hope that this feature will help to introduce you to new ideas and to help you keep up with some of the current issues that may affect your college student – and you.

We invite you to read some of the articles suggested below – and to let us know what you think of some of the ideas included here.

#043 – Using Summer to Help Your Student Prepare for College – Part 1

June 16, 2021 by Vicki Nelson

So many decisions! The summer before college is filled with a flood of information, decisions to be made, and a roller coaster of emotions. In this episode, Lynn and Vicki share advice about what to expect during this crossroads summer. They suggest ways you can help your student organize their tasks and make important decisions about the fall.

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Review – Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions by Jeffrey Selingo

June 14, 2021 by Vicki Nelson

From time to time, we like to review some of the books available for parents of college students. There is a wealth of literature available to help parents cope with the transition to college and the changes that occur throughout the college years. We’ve offered some lists of recommended reading, and there is something for everyone. Visit our Resources page for suggestions of important books for college parents and their students.

Jeffrey Selingo’s book, Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions is an important book for both students and parents. It is a perspective altering book that will help families understand how the admissions process works – especially at more selective schools. If you have a high school student who is thinking of applying to college, there is no excuse not to read this book.

Jeffrey Selingo spent a year inside the admissions process. He interviewed students who were applying to college, he interviewed high school counselors who were preparing students to apply, he interviewed college admissions personnel, and then he sat in the room while decisions were being made and watched how to process played out. When you read Who Gets In and Why, you are there – with someone alongside you who can explain what is happening and how we got to this place.

#042 – The Ins and Outs of College Scholarships: An Interview with Scholarship Coach Janet MacDonald

June 19, 2021June 2, 2021 by Vicki Nelson

The scholarship application process can feel overwhelming and complicated to many students and their parents. In this episode, scholarship coach Janet MacDonald shares some of the secrets to making this process more approachable and productive. She helps us understand when to start, what to do, how to get organized and how parents can best support their student. According to Janet, there are more scholarships available now for more types of students than ever before. If you have a student heading to college, this is information you need.

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