All Parent Tips
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| Tip #1: Don’t ignore the small scholarships. Urge your student to apply to as many scholarships as possible. Don’t overlook any simply because they’re worth $300 or $500 – they all add up! | |
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| Tip #2: Make several copies of your students completed FAFSA form and keep them in a convenient place. Many other college forms require the same information, calculations, research, etc. This way there will be no need to do it all over again. | |
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| Tip #3: Start building a resume for your student during freshman year of high school. Note leadership positions, community service, academic/honors awards and involvement, AP courses, memberships, hobbies and work experiences. Also include dates, hours involved and grades at the time of involvement. This will help you fill out applications later! | |
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| Tip #4: Start the scholarship search during the summer before your student’s senior year. It is a long process visiting individual Web sites, determining if your child meets the qualifications, applying, writing essays and gathering referrals. This is hard to cram in during the last hour. | |
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| Tip #5: Know your student’s guidance counselor! They have a wealth of information and your student may be hesitant to seek their advice. | |
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| Tip #6: Make a spreadsheet to keep track of all actions regarding colleges and scholarships. Categories include: Names (of colleges and scholarships); Deadlines; Dates Applied For; Transcripts Sent; SAT Scores Sent; Admission Fee Amount; Contact Info; Responses; etc. This lets you track your next steps and avoid missing important deadlines. | |
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| Tip #7: Have your student choose 3 or 4 people to write recommendation letters. Supply each with a resume including Activities, Honors/Awards, GPA, etc. well in advance. Also give them each a disk and ask them to save the letter so your student can simply update the date and name of the scholarship for the future and merely ask for signatures. | |
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| Tip #8: Put yourself in their shoes! Imagine your life is going to change and your world is going to turn upside down. YOU must leave your friends and family. Remember the excitement along with the panic you felt. Be understanding and patient with your student’s mood swings and nervousness. You would feel the same way if you were in their position. | |
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| Tip #9: Do your homework! Start the college search ahead of your student and learn what college applications entail. Check out vocabulary, publications, Web sites, counselors, testing, deadlines, etc. This way you can be prepared and answer any questions your student may have when they go through the process. | |
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| Tip #10: Don’t judge a book by its cover: your student may be more apprehensive than they look. Touchiness may mask anxiety about “getting in” or leaving friends and family. | |
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| Tip #11: Let your student take more charge of their future. Be a gentle coach and keep a calendar of due dates just in case. | |
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| Tip #12: Your student will benefit more from compliments than from criticism, particularly during transitions. Resist controlling them or judging. Give them the same respect you would give your best friend. | |
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| Tip #13: Your student is not leaving home forever, and your job as an active parent is not over. Mothers and fathers are critical anchors as students go off to college. | |
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| Tip #14: The best cure for students’ homesickness is not to come home, but to get involved in college life, and use the phone and e-mail to stay connected. Encourage your student to be active in campus activities. | |
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| Tip #15: Don’t ask if your student is homesick. The power of suggestion can be a dangerous thing! Unless they are reminded of being away they will most likely be too caught up with activities, meeting new people and adjusting to college life to realize what they are missing back home. | |
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| Tip #16: Write, even if they don’t write back! Even though 99 percent won’t ever admit it, most students love news about home and family. A simple card or care-package with their favorite home-baked cookies will brighten their day. There’s nothing more depressing than a week of empty mailboxes. | |
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| Tip #17: Ask questions, but not too many! Your student will like the security of knowing that someone is interested in them, but will resent “I-have-a-right-to-know” questions with ulterior motives. “Between friends” communication is best to strengthen the parent-student relationship. | |
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| Tip #18: Expect change. It’s natural and inevitable that your student will change though their college career. You can’t stop it and you may not ever understand it, but you can accept it. Be patient. | |
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| Tip #19: Don’t panic when you receive depressing phone calls or letters. When troubles like a flunked test or ended relationship become too much for your student to handle, they will turn to the people they know they can count on, YOU! | |
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| Tip #20: Visit, but not too much. Although they might not admit it, student’s look forward to a visit from their parents - especially if it involves dinner or a shopping trip. However, don’t just drop in. Make it a planned event, so you both have something to look forward to. | |
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| Tip #21: Trust them. Your student is trying to find themselves while away at college and the best thing you can do to help is believe in them to make the right decisions and learn from their mistakes. | |
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| Tip #22: Stay informed. Knowing what is happening on campus can help parents just as much as students. You can become a valuable resource for your student to turn to when they are looking for something to do or are cramming for their midterms. Research campus activities on the Web. | |
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| Tip #23: Encourage your student to become involved in campus activities and organizations – it will help improve their academic performance and provide them with skills valued by future employers! | |
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| Tip #24: Encourage your student to establish a good relationship with their academic adviser and visit them often. Advisers are there to help students stay on track and earn their degree! | |
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| Tip #25: Buy your student a grocery-store gift certificate. Even with a meal plan, it is nice to buy a few items from the grocery too. A gift certificate ensures that the money provided will be spent on food and snacks. | |
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| Tip #26: Apply for financial aid every year, even if you think you won’t get any! More than two-thirds of families qualify for financial aid. | |
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| Tip #27: Don’t be afraid to call or write the financial aid office. They are there to help with any questions or problems you may have! | |
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| Tip #28: If you’ve saved enough money for your student’s college education and have been offered subsidized or unsubsidized loans, use the loans to pay for tuition. Upon graduation, use the savings to pay off the loans; the savings will grow at a faster rate than the loans accumulate debt. | |
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| Tip #29: Establish a relationship with someone in the financial aid office who can answer questions and provide assistance. Ask older students whom they deal with. | |
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| Tip #30: Students should attend all college orientation activities. It helps them become acquainted with their future environment, offices and organizations that will help them through their college career. | |
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| Tip #31: Students need parental encouragement and support. Parent attitudes mold their values and your pride in their success will help them achieve their goals. | |
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| Tip #32: Encourage your student to visit the career center. Spring semester of freshman year is the best time to start using the career center services. They can help with internships, resume building, interview skills and more! | |
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| Tip #33: Ask your student to write a resume early in their college career. This will be a “reality test” and they will see early on what they can do to improve it in time for graduation. | |
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| Tip #34: Allow your student to make the decision. Students should follow their own interests and passions. It’s ok to make suggestions, but let your student be the ultimate judge. | |
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| Tip #35: It’s okay if your student changes majors – and careers! Even broad majors like English, history or art can be excellent choices if these subjects fit your student’s interests and skills. | |
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| Tip #36: Emphasize the importance of internships – they provide experience and skills directly related to their major and can lead to a job upon graduation. | |
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| Tip #37: Teach the value of networking – encourage your student to shadow someone in the workplace. | |
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| Tip #38: A resource other parents found helpful... College Parent Magazine – FREE!! Visit online. |
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| Tip #39: A resource other parents found helpful... Don't Tell Me What To Do, Just Send Money by Helen E. Johnson and Christine Schelhas-Miller |
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| Tip #40: A resource other parents found helpful... Empty Nest…Full Heart: the Journey from Home to College by Andrea VanSteenhouse, Ph.D. |
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| Tip #41: A resource other parents found helpful... Helping Your First Year College Student Succeed by Richard H. Mullendore and Cathie Hatch |
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| Tip #42: A resource other parents found helpful... Let the Journey Begin: A Parent's Monthly Guide to the College Experience by Jacqueline Kiernan MacKay |
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| Tip #43: A resource other parents found helpful... Letting Go: A Parents’ Guide to Understanding the College Years by Karen Levin Coburn and Madge Lawrence Treeger |
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| Tip #44: A resource other parents found helpful... Parents Guide to College Admissions by Marjorie Nieuwenhuls |
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| Tip #45: A resource other parents found helpful... Studying Smart: Time Management for College Students by Diana Schart-Hunt and Pam Hait |
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| Tip #46: A resource other parents found helpful... When Kids Go to College: A Parents Guide to Changing Relationships by Barbara M. Newman and Philip Newman |
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| Tip #47: A resource other parents found helpful... |
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| Tip #48: A resource other parents found helpful... |
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| Tip #49: A resource other parents found helpful... Visit National Resource Center for First-Year Experience and Students in Transition |
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| Tip #50: A resource other parents found helpful... Visit College Times |
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| Tip #51: When touring campus... Take some advice from FastWeb: on questions to ask while visiting campus |
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| Tip #52: When touring campus... Don’t plan to visit more than two colleges a day. |
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| Tip #53: When touring campus... Visit on good weather days. |
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| Tip #54: When touring campus... Visit around noon to get a better feel for the atmosphere. |
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| Tip #55: When touring campus... Do some additional exploring on your own after the tour. |
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| Tip #56: When touring campus... Check out bulletin boards for campus activities. |
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| Tip #57: When touring campus... Talk to current students about the college and activities. |
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| Tip #58: When touring campus... Eat a meal on campus. |
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| Tip #59: When touring campus... Get the name and title of all staff members you meet during the tour. |
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