College Commencement’s Coming: Is Your Student Ready?

April 11, 2021April 8, 2010 by Vicki Nelson

Congratulations! Your college student has worked hard, you’ve stood by and supported him, and he’s almost made it to the finish line. Commencement is around the corner. But what if he’s almost there, but not quite? Does that mean that participating in graduation ceremonies is out of the question? Or that he’ll need to wait another year? The answer is — that depends. It depends on what your student still has left to do, and it depends on the college or university policy.

Each college establishes its own policy regarding who may participate in commencement ceremonies. Some institutions will allow students to participate if they are within a very few credits of completion, and other schools will not allow students to participate until they have completed all requirements. In some cases, it may depend on how soon the next ceremony may be. Schools that have only one graduation ceremony a year, rather than an additional summer or winter ceremony, may be more willing to allow a student to participate if he is close to finishing. Most likely, a student would need to be within three to six credits of completing his degree.

There’s an Honor Society for Your First Year College Student

March 18, 2017March 28, 2010 by Vicki Nelson

There are many opportunities for college students to be honored and recognized for their outstanding academic work as they approach senior year and graduation. There are individual college honor societies as well as national honor societies for most majors. However, if you have a first year college student, those recognition opportunities may seem a long way off. There is at least one national honor society specifically for first year students — Alpha Lambda Delta.

Not every college or university has a chapter of Alpha Lambda Delta, but there are chapters at over 260 schools around the country. If the school has a chapter, students are invited to join the honor society if they have achieved a GPA (grade point average) of at least 3.5 (on a 4 point scale) and are in the top 20% of their class during their first term or year of higher education. The honor society inducts approximately 25,000-29,000 students nationally each year. Some chapters may do little beyond an initiation ceremony, and some chapters may be very active, holding meetings and conducting service projects. This choice is up to the individual school.

Eight Benefits of Taking Difficult Courses in College

November 29, 2019March 21, 2010 by Vicki Nelson

As parents, we want the best for our children. We want them to succeed. When our children become college students, the definition of success is sometimes more elusive. We want our students to receive good grades. We want our students to feel good about themselves. We want our students to make friends and have a fulfilling social life. We want our students to be able to get a job after graduation.

It may seem as though taking difficult or hard courses might not be the best choice for your student. Hard courses take a lot of time. Hard courses can be frustrating. Hard courses may not boost your student’s GPA. But there are some compelling reasons why taking some of those more difficult courses may benefit your student in many important ways.

Of course, your student needs to keep their schedule in balance and needs to keep everything in perspective. Taking all difficult courses, or all easy courses, does not make a balanced schedule. And one student’s definition of difficult is another student’s easy course. Knowing their own strengths and learning style is helpful. But with all of this in mind, here are eight reasons why a few difficult courses can benefit your student.

Should My College Student Consider a ”Learning Community”?

May 13, 2022March 17, 2010 by Vicki Nelson

Does your student have the opportunity to sign up for a Learning Community at college? Perhaps you’re confused. Isn’t college just one big learning community? The answer is yes — and no. Of course, in one sense when you go to college you join one big learning community. College is about learning, after all. But a ”Learning Community” as your student’s college is using the term, is more specialized.

What is a Learning Community?

Not all colleges or universities have Learning Communities. And Learning Communities may look very different at different institutions. Essentially, a Learning Community often refers to a situation in which the same students are registered for two or more courses that are, in some way, linked. This linkage may be very loose, with little or no coordination between instructors, or it may be quite extended, with instructors teaching parallel units or even occasionally changing or swapping classes. Sometimes, linked courses may deliberately be scheduled back-to-back to facilitate extended assignments.

Should My College Student Live Off Campus?

June 19, 2022March 14, 2010 by Vicki Nelson

For many college parents, the moment when your college student comes to you and says that he wants to move off campus is a nervous moment. For other college parents, the moment comes as a natural next step. For still others, the move off campus may actually be a relief. The decision of whether or not to live off campus rather than in a campus residence hall is a big decision, and a very individual one.

The time when your college student decides to live off campus, whether that moment comes in the first year of college or in senior year, is another moment when you, as a parent, are confronted with, and reminded of, your student’s growing independence. You may feel that the decision is the right one for your student, or you may feel that your student is not yet ready for the increased responsibility. Your job as a parent is to help your student think through the realities and consequences of this decision, and to ask the right questions. Help your student explore the advantages and disadvantages of this move.

Your Role as a College Parent: Information to Get You Started

March 23, 2017February 18, 2010 by Vicki Nelson

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!

Is Your College Student Investing Enough Time Studying?

August 18, 2019February 4, 2010 by Vicki Nelson

As a college parent, you probably have very little influence over the amount of time your college student spends studying. That is appropriate, as you begin to allow your student to gain independence and control over his choices and decisions. However, you might help your student understand the importance of investing enough time in his work in order to do well. As a parent, you may be able to help your student think through the realities of how he spends his time. Then, of course, it will be your job to step back and let him find his way.

The college experience is about more than just coursework. College is a time to meet new people, experience new things, and work at gaining independence. But college is also about classes, exams, studying, working with professors, and, hopefully, gaining a wealth of useful knowledge and new ways of thinking. In order for students to succeed, they need to put in the time. Unfortunately, many students either do not understand the amount of time necessary to do well in college, or they do not prioritize the amount of time they need to spend studying.

What is expected?

The general rule of thumb regarding college studying is, and has been for a long time, that for each class, students should spend approximately 2-3 hours of study time for each hour that they spend in class. Many students carry a course load of 15 credits, or approximately 15 hours of class time each week. Doing some simple math indicates that your student should be spending roughly 30 hours of study time and 15 hours in class. This 45 hours is the equivalent of a full time job — the reason that your student is called a full time student. For many students, this number is a surprise.

Parents May Be Surprised at College Student Housing Options

March 15, 2017January 28, 2010 by Vicki Nelson

As a college parent, one of your concerns may be where your college student will be living while away at college. Yes, you are certainly anxious that his classroom experiences are strong, but you want to be sure that your student is comfortable, safe, and happy in his living arrangements. Some of this concern may have to do with a compatible roommate, but you are also concerned about the physical facilities in which your student will live.

College residences are not what many of us remember from our college days. If you’ve spent much time visiting campuses, you’ve seen the changes. Students today, and their parents, expect a different living environment. Services which were yesterday’s luxuries are today’s required amenities. Today’s students may expect private rooms and bathrooms, suites or apartment style housing, internet, cable, kitchen facilities, parking and easy access to laundry facilities. They are sophisticated consumers, and colleges and universities are using housing options as tools to recruit and retain students. Housing that offers fitness facilities, spas, pools, movie theaters, convenience stores, and cafes are more and more common. As college tuition rises, colleges feel that they need to offer students more for their money. Campus housing is one area in which they are offering more.

What Does My Student Mean By Alternative Spring Break?

January 5, 2018January 21, 2010 by Vicki Nelson

College spring break activities are legendary. Many students travel — often to warmer climates — and party, drink, and generally carry on. Many parents take these activities in stride, and many parents worry about their students during this time. However, in recent years, many students are talking about, and engaging in, an ”alternative spring break”. This is the phenomenon of spending the week of spring break participating in some type of organized volunteer effort.

The idea of spending spring break in a volunteer effort has been around for a while, but it gained popularity and publicity following hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Many college students spent their spring break traveling to hurricane torn areas of the country to help clean up and rebuild. One estimate is that by 2006, more than 30,000 students participated in some sort of alternative spring break experience.

Helping Your College Student ”Supersize” Their College Experiences

January 12, 2024December 13, 2009 by Vicki Nelson

Is your college student taking full advantage of their opportunities in college? As with so many things during the college years, students struggle to find balance in many areas of their lives. They face many challenges, opportunities, and growing responsibilities. College experiences come in many forms, and your student needs to determine how to negotiate these experiences. In several areas, students may need help in discovering how to find the ”extra value”.

Academics

The Norm:

Students come to college expecting a new level of schoolwork. Most rise to the challenge of different types of classes and increased homework. They know that they are required to spend more time outside of class doing schoolwork. They know that their thinking may be challenged on a new level. Many students do the work required and gain tremendous knowledge from their classes.