#127 – Encore Episode – Navigating College Financial Decisions: An Interview with New York Times Bestselling Author Ron Lieber

If you are in the midst of the college search and admission process, financing this college education is likely top of mind. It’s an essential issue!  Merit aid is an important part of many financial packages and there’s no one better to talk to about the topic than Ron Lieber, financial columnist for the New York Times.  It’s so impo9rtant that we decided to share this episode again. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear Ron talk about his Merit Aid course, a great way to get a head start on understanding how it all works.

Vicki and Lynn spent this episode in conversation with Ron Lieber author of The Price You Pay for College: An Entirely New Road Map for the Biggest Financial Decision Your Family Will Ever Make. Ron helped us unpack how complicated the financial aid system is and how crucial it is to understand how it works. The Price You Pay for College examines how our feelings and our ideas about success affect the choices we make about what we are willing to pay for college. Ron also shared information about his new course for families that helps them understand and navigate college Merit Aid.

 

Read more


College Parent News and Views – January 2025

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 in the comments below.

Read more


Why Withdrawing from College Can Be a Brave Decision

More and more students are taking a winding path through their college career. Many students still take the direct, traditional path – enter college and graduate four years later. A few students take the fast lane and graduate in less than four years. Still others take the slower route and take longer than four years, adding an extra semester or finishing in five or even six years. For a large percentage of students, taking a break – withdrawing from college – is part of their journey.

If your student is one of those considering a break – deciding whether or not to withdraw from school, it can be a scary time. You wonder what your student will do, whether they will return to school, and you wonder whether your student is making a wise decision. Even if you know this is the right decision for your student at this time, the situation can still be scary.

Withdrawing from college – leaving school before completing your degree – is a serious decision and for many students, it is not an easy one. But your student is not alone. According to the Education Data Initiative, approximately 23% of first-year students withdraw from school. It may help to try to understand why so many students leave, what to consider if your student is leaving school, and why this can, indeed, be a very brave decision.

Read more


#126 – They’re Back! Parenting Our Boomerang Kids

Nearly half of recent college graduates are finding themselves back in their childhood bedrooms, and it’s not just nostalgia pulling them home. Financial pressures are nudging this generation towards a new developmental stage of life. These shifting family dynamics come with their own set of challenges and opportunities. In this episode, Vicki and Lynn explore the concept of “boomerang students” and share their personal journeys as parents navigating this transition. We discuss the practicalities of living with adult children, from negotiating household contributions to ensuring everyone maintains their independence. With open communication and a bit of humor, this life stage can be a chance to strengthen family bonds and gain fresh perspectives on adult life.

SUBSCRIBE VIA
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn Radio | iHeart Radio

Please leave us a review at “Love the Podcast” to help others find us.


Read more


What’s the Difference Between Leave of Absence and Withdrawal from College?

Perhaps your student has had a difficult time at college. It happens – more often than many of us realize. There are many reasons your student may struggle, including academic issues, social issues, health or personal issues. Whatever the reasons, some students can power through, and others may decide they need to take a break from school.

If your student has decided they need to leave school, Withdrawing from college may seem to be the only option. Withdrawal is certainly possible, and is appropriate for many students. But another option may be a Leave of Absence. Before your student makes a final decision about what to do, it is important to understand, and discuss, the differences between Withdrawal and Leave of Absence.

Essentially, a Leave of Absence is a temporary time away from school with the intent to return, while a Withdrawal is a more permanent leaving. Both options are big, and sometimes difficult, decisions and should be considered carefully. They can involve strong emotions, feelings of disappointment, shame, and fear. Your student may feel sad, or numb – or may feel relieved and optimistic about a break and/or a fresh perspective.

Read more


#125 – Encore Episode – Second Semester of College: The Transition No One Talks About

The transition to second semester of college is so important – and often hidden – that we’ve decided to share this episode again. You and your student may be taken by surprise when the start of the second semester of college seems so difficult. In this episode, Vicki and Lynn explore why some students may experience the “second semester blues” and why some parents feel they need to increase their involvement. We share strategies you can use to calm your fears and help your student make the most of this fresh start.

SUBSCRIBE VIA
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn Radio | iHeart Radio

Please leave us a review at “Love the Podcast” to help others find us.


Read more


Do You Have a Word for 2025?

It’s that time of year again. Holiday shopping, wrapping, cooking, partying and family gatherings are over. We’ve begun to catch our breath, and we’re immersed in “Best of” and “Reviewing the Year” in all of the media. And, inevitably, we begin to turn our attention to 2025.

Some of us make resolutions. Fewer of us keep those resolutions. Some of us choose a Word of the Year (WOTY). Some of us just hope for the best, and some of us just move ahead – perhaps feeling the optimism of a fresh start or just continuing as usual. How we deal with the close of one year and the opening of another is a very personal thing.

Here at College Parent Central we’ve taken different approaches over the years (and yes, there have been a lot of years by now.) In the past we’ve offered some resolution suggestions for college parents and students. We’ve offered some suggestions for high school parents and students. We’ve thought about what makes a good resolution.  We’ve suggested activities for the new yearpeople to thank, and even offered a few “one-and-done” resolutions. For the past few years, we’ve experimented with a Word of the Year. In 2022 we suggested some options for the WOTY approach. There’s no shortage of plans that we can all make. You might enjoy going back and checking out some of our earlier suggestions.

This year, as we looked back and some of our earlier suggestions, we decided that the word we chose in 2023 fits well this year as well. We’ve decided to update and re-release this article because we believe it’s a timely choice for 2025. We’re suggesting a specific word both you and your student might adopt. The choice of this word is based on what we’ve observed over the past year in the students we’ve worked with and what many of us, as parents, may be feeling as well..

Read more


Why Your Excellent Student May Be Failing in College

Your student sailed through high school. They had a reputation as an excellent student throughout their school years. They won awards, or were named consistently to the honor roll, or even valedictorian of their class. You were proud. They were proud. Everyone was confident of their success in college.

But something happened.

How is it possible that this excellent student, this conscientious, motivated student with an outstanding academic history is failing one or more classes, perhaps even considering dropping out or facing probation or dismissal?

Transitions are difficult for everyone, but shouldn’t your “good” student be able to weather this transition? Why do some students, who fared so well in high school, seem to have exceptional difficulties?

Students who have always done well may be especially at risk because they are not prepared for the challenges or obstacles they may face in college. They haven’t experienced the discomfort of hardship before. They haven’t had to work their “resilience muscle.”

Students who have had difficulty throughout their early school years, who have struggled regularly with their academic work, who have needed and used help and support, and who have overcome significant challenges, may be in a better position to face the new challenges college presents. They are experienced “strugglers” who have developed their ability to handle – and overcome – difficulty.

For students who have never before found school difficult, this new, unfamiliar threat may feel frightening and overwhelming.

Read more


#124 – Reflections on Season 5 – And on the Past Year in the College World

This is the time of year when we reflect on the year and another season of the College Parent Central podcast. It’s been a busy year for all of our cohosts, Vicki, Lynn, Elizabeth and Sarah. It’s always fun to get all of us together to share thoughts and stories, but our schedules just wouldn’t allow that to happen this year. So Vicki had a conversation with each of our cohosts and we share those conversations in this episode. We take a look at what’s happening in higher education, our favorite book/article/podcast recommendations for parents, and we offer some New Year’s resolutions for parents and students. It’s time to look back – and to look ahead. Can’t wait to get started on Season 6!

SUBSCRIBE VIA
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn Radio | iHeart Radio

Please leave us a review at “Love the Podcast” to help others find us.


Read more


College Parent News and Views – November 2024

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 in the comments below.

Read more


Log In

or

Log In to Favorite articles and Post listings

Enter College Name to See Local Results

Log In

Contact Us

Forgot your password?

Your new password has been sent to your email!

Logout Successful!

Find Your School

You just missed it! This listing has been filled.

Post your own housing listing on Uloop and have students reach out to you!

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
Please enter First Name Please enter Last Name Please enter Phone
Please enter Email
Please enter Message

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

Please enter Email

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Success, your registration has been submitted

An email has been sent to you with a link to verify your registration
Image not available.
By clicking Get Started or Sign In you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service