Helping Your College Student Prepare To Study Abroad

June 1, 2022August 11, 2009 by Vicki Nelson

This is the second of a series of three posts about college students and studying abroad. In the first post we looked at some of the reasons why a study abroad program might make sense for your college student. In this post, we consider how to help your student prepare to go abroad, and in the final post we’ll look at what to do while he is away.

Now that your student has decided to study abroad and has chosen an appropriate program, the real preparation begins. There is much to do to get ready for this new and exciting experience. As the college parent, your role will be largely supportive, but your involvement will be crucial. Working with your student to ensure the best experience possible can be rewarding for both of you. Remember, though, that your student needs to be in charge of preparations. This is good practice for the independence that he will need while he is away.

Here are some suggestions of ways in which you might be helpful.

Understanding Why Your Son Or Daughter Wants to Study Abroad

June 15, 2021August 9, 2009 by Vicki Nelson

This is the first of a series of three posts about college students and studying abroad. In this post we’ll look at some of the reasons that a study abroad program might make sense for your college student. In the following two posts, we’ll consider how to help your student prepare to go abroad, and what to do while he is away.

We live today in a global society. Worldwide knowledge and experiences are becoming expected in the workplace. Many students consider studying abroad and look forward to the opportunity to spend some time in a foreign country during their college years. This experience may take the form of a summer program, an organized college trip, or a semester or year abroad. For many college parents, understanding their student’s desire to spend a year far away in another country seems obvious, while for others it make take some work.

As a parent, you may understand completely why your student wants to study abroad – in fact you may be envious of the experience. Your student may have talked about and planned for this experience even prior to attending college. On the other hand, perhaps you hadn’t considered this, and you may be wondering why your student, who worked so hard to transition to college and settle in, would want to uproot, even for a semester, to do it all again. The more that you work to understand your student’s motivation for studying abroad, the more you will be able to discuss his options with him.

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.

The Path To Graduation: What’s Your Student’s Timeline?

June 15, 2021August 4, 2009 by Vicki Nelson

Your student has graduated from high school and is headed off to college, and you are picturing that next commencement ceremony in another four years. Or perhaps your student has been in college for a year or two and you see that commencement just around the corner. When your student walks across that stage it will be a big moment, and you are anxious for the celebration – and the last tuition bill.

But there is a possibility that your student’s college commencement may not be exactly four years after high school graduation.

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 College Parents Can Help Their College Student Avoid Sophomore Slump

September 16, 2018July 28, 2009 by Vicki Nelson

This is the second of two posts on the phenomenon of sophomore slump, the difficulty that many students experience during their second year of college. In the first post we examined some of the reasons that students may encounter a slump. In this post, we look specifically at some things that parents can do to help their students during this time.

Once our college students complete that tumultuous first year of college, they face their sophomore year and the changes that it brings. As college parents, we can help our sophomore students by realizing that, for many students, the concept of sophomore slump really does exist. Our sophomore students may need just as much support from home, even though that need may be less obvious.

Will My College Student Experience A Sophomore Slump?

September 16, 2018July 26, 2009 by Vicki Nelson

This is the first of two posts on the phenomenon of sophomore slump, the difficulty that many students experience during their second year of college. In this post we will examine some of the reasons that students may encounter a slump. In our next post, we’ll look specifically at some things that parents can do to help their students during this time.

College administrators and faculty, and college parents, place a lot of emphasis on the transition to college and the first-year experience. We all know that these new college students, and their parents, will be undergoing a tremendous transition as they enter the world of college. Colleges run orientation programs, offer special classes and seminars for first-year students, communicate directly with these new students with encouragement and reminders, and often have a “let it go” attitude when new students make mistakes or miss deadlines.

Once our college students complete that tumultuous first year of college, they face their sophomore year and the changes that it brings. As college parents, we can help our sophomore students by realizing that the concept of sophomore slump really does exist. Our sophomore students may need just as much support from home, even though that need may be less obvious.

Why You Should Encourage Your College Student to Use Their College E-Mail

January 2, 2021July 23, 2009 by Vicki Nelson

Our college students are members of the internet generation. They live with social media, and they use the internet for their source of music and entertainment. However, many of today’s college students do not turn to e-mail as a source of communication. Most students do have an e-mail account, but many don’t check it often. If they want to reach their friends, they text, or tweet, or post on Facebook or some other social media site. In spite of this, most colleges assign students an official e-mail account, and use that account to communicate important information to the student. Encouraging your student to begin to check their college e-mail account frequently will ensure that they don’t miss important information.

Here are some important reminders about why it is important for your student to use their college e-mail account.

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.