Parents of college students face major changes emotionally, financially and with other family members. Whether students live on campus or at home, they are moving into a new phase of life that requires adjustment; however, everyone in the home has to adjust, as well. Often, parents play it by ear and hope for the best. Colleges are way ahead though, because they have lots of experience with parents who need help surviving their son's college experience or adjusting to their daughter being away from home for the first time.
Parent Orientation and Support
Most colleges offer services to help parents adjust and understand the college experience. Parent orientation programs provide campus tours, mini-seminars from department representatives and reviews of safety and security. Parent associations provide information, activities and emotional support. Parent web pages provide all of the information parents need in one place and help them feel connected. Family week is a time when many parents can finally visit the campus and allay their worries.
Money Management
If your child lives on campus, that may affect your health and auto insurance policies. Your homeowner's insurance might cover your child's dorm room, and his auto insurance premium may decrease if the car remains at home. There is no need to learn the hard way about the campus card, a debit card that allows students to spend money in an amazing range of places beyond the cafeteria and the campus. An agreement with your college student to control spending could result in fewer reloads of the campus card.
How College Works
Parents often have difficulty understanding that while the college student is still their child, the college considers him to be an adult and so does the federal government when it concerns grades and health information. You need your child's permission to access his grades or personal information. Schools allow students to sign waivers or provide parents with access codes to view students' accounts and records online.
The Freshman Experience
The freshmen year is the most difficult time for students and parents. Your college student is having an experience similar to that of freshmen college students everywhere, and you will worry less if you understand what that experience is like. Your daughter is free, busy and meeting new people for a few weeks--and then tests and homework hit, followed by the stress of finals, the infamous freshman weight gain and the realization that college is hard work if she plans to do well. Parent survival guides recommend that parents refrain from hovering, call students but not too often, ask questions but not too many, listen and send care packages.
The Latter Years
You have survived the freshman year, and it starts all over again with year two. Now that you know you and your college student can survive college, the focus is on keeping track of all the important dates, academic schedules, payment deadlines, spring break and holidays and continuing to enforce money management agreements. A few file folders with all school information helps with organization and being prepared. As you keep an eye on your college student without hovering and reflect on his successful transition to college, you can begin to plan to help him make the transition to the real world after college.
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