The Path To Graduation: The Fast Track

March 29, 2021August 6, 2009 by Vicki Nelson

In our last post, we discussed students who may need to take longer than the traditional four years to complete their college degree. In this post, we look at students who choose to accelerate their college experience to finish early.

In addition to those students who may take longer than the traditional four years to complete their degree, there are a growing number of students who may decide to attempt to complete their college education in less than four years. Students who finish in three or three and a half years may save on tuition fees. They have the opportunity to get started working in their chosen field earlier. However, these students may also need to give up some of the traditional college experiences in order to be able to complete their degree early.

College Parents Can Help Freshmen Understand the Differences Between High School and College

November 28, 2017July 30, 2009 by Vicki Nelson

Both you and your almost college freshman have been looking forward to the start of college for a long time. Both you and he are excited, emotional, and most likely a bit nervous. One of the concerns that many students and their parents share is wondering whether the student will be able to succeed in his schoolwork at the college level. You know that he is capable, he’s done well in high school, he’s anxious to do well, but you still have some concerns. The world of college is a new arena – with new approaches, new expectations, and new standards.

You can help your college student make a good start in college by helping him to consider some of the differences between high school and college. College will not simply be “more of the same thing” as high school. One of the secrets to success in college for some of the best students is that they make the adjustment to the differences. Here are some of the things that you and your college freshman might think about as she prepares for her first semester.

How Parents Can Help College Students Understand General Education Requirements

September 13, 2021July 21, 2009 by Vicki Nelson

Most colleges require students to take a certain number of courses across the disciplines. These courses, known as General Education Requirements, or sometimes Liberal Arts Requirements, are the courses that students must take, in addition to the courses in their major, to graduate. General education requirements may vary from school to school. Some schools are very broad in their requirements, while other schools may be very specific. Whether the requirements are broad or specific, general education requirements are designed to help students expand their perspectives.

Many students dislike the idea of having to take courses across the spectrum in college and want to focus solely on their major or the areas in which they are interested. Students become impatient and dissatisfied with their general education requirements, and many see them as “hoops” they must jump through in order to graduate. Parents can help students view their general education courses as opportunities rather than barriers. Conversations with parents can help students understand why the school may require them to explore things outside of their major.

Here are some of the reasons why colleges require general education or liberal arts courses, as well as some ways that parents can help students think about these courses.

College Parents Can Help Freshmen Overcome First Semester Challenges

July 23, 2019July 19, 2009 by Vicki Nelson

As your college student heads off for freshman year, you know that there will be challenges ahead – both for your student and for you. This is a year of transition for everyone. The challenges facing your student will exist in many areas, and you may feel that you will be unable to help them face challenges if you are not there. Your student must do the work of college, but you will provide an important and necessary support system as they cope with this new life.

Some students will find reasonable challenges in many areas of their new life, and some students will find smooth sailing in several areas and massive challenges in other areas. In this article, we consider nine major areas in which many college students encounter challenges during their first semester transition to college. Parents can consider how they can best help their student gain mastery and independence in these areas.

Should My College Student Consider Summer Classes?

May 3, 2020June 30, 2009 by Vicki Nelson

Once the last of the final exams are finished in the spring, most students look forward to a long summer break before classes resume in the fall. Students often spend their summer working hard at a summer job, but they enjoy having a summer free from classes, textbooks, papers, and tests. Some students, however, may consider signing up for summer classes – either at their own college or at an institution closer to home. There are some things for your student to consider before they make the decision to continue classes during the summer.

Why would a student want to take summer classes?

Students opt for summer classes for a variety of reasons.

Helping Your College Student Find Support On Campus

September 16, 2021June 22, 2009 by Vicki Nelson

As a college parent, you want to support your college student in any way that you can. You talk on the phone (but hopefully not too often), you send mail (students love to find something in their mailbox), you send care packages, you listen when they share joys or worries; but there is a limit to what you can do. In your attempts to help your student find their increasing independence and sense of responsibility, you need to help your student find and use appropriate on-campus support systems.

Your college student may continue to turn to you for help. Or they may feel that being grown up means that they need to do everything for themselves. In either case, your student may not be finding and taking advantage of the resources available on campus. Be there, but help your student consider who else might best help. Ask questions and suggest that your student investigate some of the possible support available on campus. Here are fifteen possible sources of help.

College Professors Are People Too!

September 16, 2021June 12, 2009 by Vicki Nelson

As a college parent, you may wonder about the people at college with whom your student spends much of their time. Who will their classmates be? Who will their friends be? Who will their roommates or suitemates be? Who will theircoworkers be? Who will their professors be? Students often head off to college with many of the same questions. They wonder, and then they discover their classmates, roommates, coworkers. They work at making and maintaining friendships. However, although students will see their professors in class each day, they may not think about the importance of working at establishing a relationship with these professionals.

You can encourage your student to get to know their instructors. It will be to your student’s advantage to get to know their professors – and to help them get to know your student. However, it is often difficult for many students, especially new students, to reach out to faculty members. Here are a few suggestions you might pass on that will help your set your student apart as an individual. Some may require more effort than others. However, using even a few of these suggestions will help your student stand out in their professors’ minds.

Exploring a Field of Study: Talking to a Faculty Member and Others

December 1, 2021June 11, 2009 by Vicki Nelson

One of the wonderful things that can happen for a student during college is to have the opportunity to explore a field of study. Your college student may know exactly what they want to do, or they may still be undecided and want to explore options. Even if they know the field in which they would like to major, your student may want to explore possibilities within the field. One natural way to do some of this exploring is to talk to people. Encourage your student to talk to other students in the field, talk to family members who may work in the field or related fields, talk to people they admire, talk to a Career Office on campus, talk to their advisor and talk to faculty members in the area.

Talking to others is good advice, but many students worry about how to talk to someone – particularly a faculty member – about an area of study. Most people who enjoy their field are more than happy to talk about it, but they may need a bit of guidance about what is helpful. Below are some possible questions you might suggest to your college student that will help them get a conversation started. Your student probably won’t ask all of them, but they may open up some possibilities – and hopefully will help them think of more questions on their own.

What FERPA Means for You and Your College Student

December 15, 2017June 9, 2009 by Vicki Nelson

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (sometimes referred to as the Buckley Amendment) was designed to protect the privacy of educational records and to establish the rights of students to inspect and review their educational records. It also provided control over the release of educational record information. The original intent of this legislation was to keep elementary and high school records private and to give parents access to their child’s school records.

Once a student turns eighteen, or attends school beyond secondary school, the rights of access to the student’s records transfer to the student. This means that all academic information regarding your college student goes directly to the student unless the student has given specific, written permission to release that information to someone else. The exception to this law occurs if parents document in writing that the student is still claimed as a dependent for income tax purposes. The college may require you to submit your most recent tax forms in order to support this claim.

What does FERPA mean for you as a college parent?

Generally FERPA rules mean that student academic information such as grades or academic standing (GPA, academic transcript, academic warning, academic probation, or discipline records) will be given to the student and not to the parents. College students are considered responsible adults who may determine who will receive information about them. College representatives are prohibited from discussing information about the student’s academic record with parents. Most colleges have a waiver form which students can sign allowing records to be released to parents or college representatives, such as faculty members, to discuss records with parents. Your student may, or may not, wish to sign this release.

What Should My College Student Consider When Choosing a Schedule of Classes?

June 24, 2019May 14, 2009 by Vicki Nelson

One very important task that each college student faces each semester is choosing his classes for the next semester. It is exciting for students to consider the wide array of classes from which they may choose, but also intimidating to consider the implications of making the appropriate – or inappropriate choices.

As parents of college students, we may feel that we should have some input. Discussing your college student’s class choices is always a good thing. It will help you to understand your student’s interests and goals, and it may help your student to clarify his thinking as you talk about his decisions. However, it is important to remember that it is your college student who will be taking the classes, and that he has, hopefully, made informed decisions in consultation with an Academic Advisor who understands college expectations and requirements.