Can a College Revoke My Student’s Admission?

March 11, 2021March 21, 2011 by Vicki Nelson

The long admission process is over. The SAT or ACT test is done, the college visits are over, the admission essay is written, the applications are sent. Even the long wait is over. Your student has his acceptance letter in hand and can finally breathe a sigh of relief and let senioritis set in. But wait! That might not be a very good idea. Although colleges never like to do it, and thankfully don’t have to do it very often, it is possible for a college to revoke or rescind its offer of admission after the letter of acceptance has been sent.

If your student reads her acceptance letter carefully, it probably says that admission is ”contingent on the successful completion of the final year of high school” or language to that effect. Your student has been accepted with the assumption that she will maintain something close to the level of accomplishment that got her into the college in the first place. The college will want to receive her diploma and her final senior grades to confirm acceptance. Unfortunately, some students stop reading their acceptance letter after the ”Congratulations” part, and fail to notice or remember the ”successful completion” part.

Book Review: The Gatekeepers

December 17, 2021March 18, 2011 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 created lists of recommended reading, and there is something for everyone. Please check out our Resources and Tools page for suggestions.

The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College is a must-read for any parent whose son or daughter is in the process of applying to college. It is not a how-to book with secrets to getting admitted, but it is a book which tells the real stories of students and admissions officers as they take the journey of putting together a college freshman class.

The Gatekeepers grew out of a newspaper series. Specifically, it tells the story of one admissions officer and the high school seniors whose cases he and his colleagues considered that year. The story begins in the homes and classrooms of the applicants as they work with their guidance counselors and parents in their junior year. The narrative then travels behind the closed doors of the admissions office, as well as the officers’ homes as the applications are debated. It continues to follow the story as the applicants receive their responses and make their decisions.

The Middlework of College

March 11, 2021March 14, 2011 by Vicki Nelson

There is a lot of work that happens, for both you and your college student, as they transition into college during the first year. Both you and your student have a lot to learn about the school, and you need to work on new ways of relating to each other as well. When your student is a senior, there is a lot of work that happens as your student gets ready for the transition out of college into the world of work or graduate school. There may be work for you as well, if your student may be moving back home again.

Sometimes lost in all of the transitional work as students enter or prepare to leave college may be the sophomore and junior years when so much of the middlework of college happens. The major transition to college is over and the stress of senior year has not yet begun. Although at times this period may seem somewhat awkward, these years represent half of your college student’s career, and they represent much of the foundation of your student’s education. It is during these years that your student continues their exploration of who they are, choose or confirm a major, and begin to solidify their experiences. As college parents, it is important that we remember that although these may sometimes feel like ”quiet” years compared to the turmoil of beginnings and endings, important things are happening during this time.

The Problem with College Placement Exams

May 12, 2020March 11, 2011 by Vicki Nelson

Many, if not most, students headed to college will be required to take one or more placement exams at their school. For many students, this may come as a surprise. As a college parent, you can help your student anticipate, understand, and cope with these important tests.

What are placement exams?

Placement exams or tests are given to students, usually after they have been accepted to the college, to determine how ready students are for college level work in basic core courses. They are most often given in subjects such as English and math. Students cannot ”pass” or ”fail” placement tests since they simply measure a level or readiness in a subject. They are used for placing the student in the appropriate level class.

What is a College Orientation Leader?

May 17, 2022March 7, 2011 by Vicki Nelson

College and university orientations for new students take many forms. Sometimes orientation may take place early in the summer and may be a day long or may involve an overnight. Orientation may take place just before the fall semester begins, with new students arriving on campus a few days before returning students. Orientation usually takes place on campus, but may involve an off-campus trip or outing. Orientation provides an important opportunity for new students to meet each other, make connections, and get to know the school and its expectations.

Whatever form Orientation may take, most schools use student Orientation Leaders to help conduct the program. If your student is a new student and will be attending Orientation, he may be wondering who this Orientation Leader is. If your student is a returning student, he may be considering becoming an Orientation Leader and you may wonder what that involves.

Does Your College Student Know How to Advocate for What They Need?

January 28, 2023February 28, 2011 by Vicki Nelson

There are a lot of skills that college students need to learn and practice. Perhaps one of the most essential of those skills is self-advocacy, knowing how to ask for and get the things that you need to be successful. The term self-advocacy is very often used in the context of students with learning disabilities or learning differences, but it is an important skill for any college student. In this article, we use the term generically, as a skill that is important for any student. The more that your student is able to recognize and ask for what they need, the better their chances of success.

Students who may have relied on others to advocate for them in the past now have to learn to communicate their own needs to others. They need to learn to speak up for themselves and to be assertive. Taking responsibility and control is not always an easy thing to accomplish. As a college parent, you may need to help your student learn this important skill. Although it may seem easier to do things yourself, and you may feel that you are better able to get the results that you feel are necessary, helping your student to learn how to advocate may be one of the best things that you can do for your college student.

Is Your College Student Preparing for the World of Work?

March 14, 2019February 25, 2011 by Vicki Nelson

For many students, college life is a wonderful time living an ideal existence. It is, in some ways, an escape from the real world. In spite of the stress that many students experience over various issues, real financial worries, occasional social drama, and worries about career decisions once they graduate, college life has some benefits. For many students, meals are prepared for them in a dining hall, someone cleans up after them in residence halls, someone else is responsible for shoveling, raking and mowing, their commute may consist of walking across the quad, friends live just down the hall and are available 24/7, and much entertainment is free on campus. College life for some students is an idyllic bubble that lasts for a few years.

However, most college students do graduate, and then they face the reality of the world of work. Is there anything in that idyllic life of college that prepares them for the expectations that will exist once they graduate? For students who give some thought to a work ethic and to their college experiences, there are many lessons they can take away. As a college parent, you may be able to help your student equate some of his college experiences to his future work life. Students who recognize these college experiences as preparation and practice for later work expectations will not only experience more success in college, but will be better prepared later.

Should My Student Choose a Double Major in College?

March 30, 2021February 21, 2011 by Vicki Nelson

Many students have difficulty choosing a major in college. Some of those students who have difficulty cannot decide on a single major in which they are interested. Others may have difficulty narrowing their choices down to one major. Those students with multiple interests may consider opting for a double major or dual major. You may be wondering whether this is a good choice for your student. The answer is, it depends. As with so many other decisions surrounding college, there is no clear answer. It is important that your student consider carefully her reasons for the double major option, and the implications of choosing this path.

Why is your student making the double major choice?

Students may opt for a double major for a number of reasons. Not being able to make up your mind between two majors may not be a very good reason — but it might be. Your student should ask himself why he can’t make up his mind. Is he truly, equally interested in both? Does he feel an obligation to major in one area, but a passion to major in another? Do the two majors fit together or complement each other? Would a major in one area and a minor in the other serve the same purpose or satisfy the same needs? (A minor often involves half of the number of courses of a major.) Is your student considering a double major because one major satisfies his head (intellect) and one satisfies his heart (passion)? Is he making this choice because he is considering graduate school and wants multiple options? Will the double major give your student a broader perspective and added flexibility?

Book Review: Launching: Parenting to College & Beyond

April 18, 2021February 17, 2011 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 created lists of recommended reading, and there is something for everyone. Check out our Resources and Tools page for suggestions.

Launching: Parenting Your Child to College and Beyond is a brief, 50+ page handbook that should prove helpful for parents of teens and for those about to send a student off to college. The book is divided into two sections. The first section deals with the transition into adulthood and should be helpful to parents as they try to understand their child. The second section of the book deals with the parents’ transition to a new role as they deal with their changing child.

When Should My College Student Choose a Major?

May 24, 2021February 14, 2011 by Vicki Nelson

The short answer to when your college student should choose a major is when they are ready. However, as we all realize, it may not be as simple as that. Some students may be ready to choose a major early in their college career, or even well before they get to college. Other students may have great difficulty settling on a single major. And still other students may be ready to choose a major, but may not realize it.

Perhaps one of the first and most important conversations you should have with your college student about choosing a major is that choosing a major is not the same thing as choosing a career. Many students are reluctant, or even fearful, of choosing a major because they worry that this choice will lock them into a career. Students think career first, and then major. You may need to help your student understand that a specific major may lead to many careers, and that several majors may lead to the same career. Students should also be reminded that most people today may change careers several times during their working life, and may finally settle on a career quite far removed from their college major. If your student does not yet have a specific career path in mind, that should not inhibit them from choosing a field of study in which they are interested. The more your student studies and learns about their area, the more career direction they will have.