If you taught your child to ride a bicycle, you know the feeling of running alongside and finally letting go of the bike. You felt each wobble of that bicycle as it left you behind, and you tried to harden yourself to the knowledge that sooner or later there would be a crash and Band-Aids – maybe even stitches.
Now that you’re the parent of a college-bound student, it’s time to let go in new ways. You can prepare them for a safe journey by giving your student a dose of responsibility now so they can have the confidence to thrive independently by freshman year.
Psychology Today notes that for most college freshmen, firsts are the heart of the college transition challenge. That’s because for most of them, as the article explains, freshman year will be their first time:
There are two excellent reasons to have your student take the lead in the final phase of college preparations. It will help prepare them for freshman year firsts, and it will lighten your load by shrinking your to-do list. It also will make both of you more confident that they will be able to handle college.
Here are some tips on making the run-up to college more productive and the looming challenges less foreboding.
Academically, is your high school graduate ready for college? Revisit their standardized test results. Are there warning signs that college-level courses could prove too challenging?
There are objective metrics for gauging the readiness of your student. Better yet, they know what subjects have been problematic and still could be. Get any concerns out in the open, talk them through, and act. Options include:
Pre-college programs aren’t the only way your student can get a taste of what’s coming while boosting confidence and readiness:
Has your student been part of the financial planning for college? If not, it’s time to get her involved. Helping them understand the finances will show them that there’s more invested in the process than time. Getting them vested in the process also will expose them to tools they must master for life in college and afterward.
If your student doesn’t have a bank account or credit card, consider getting both. They'll be their own money manager once school starts, and now is the time to learn how.
They also need to learn the value and process of budgeting. There are plenty of online tutorials on budgeting, but nothing will beat sitting down with you and the financial plan for their college education.
The life skills they'll need in college won’t be limited to finances. Make sure they know the basics of:
There is no way to prepare your student for every possible college scenario, but setting aside time to discuss potential issues is one way to give them an edge. Finding time every day for conversations would be ideal, and pointing them in the direction of good information can fill in the gaps.
Here are some articles that might help get discussions rolling and questions answered:
Colleges are designed to educate. They know that the best way to do that is to provide a safe and appealing learning environment, a home designed to meet the educational, social, safety, and health care needs of every person on campus.
For your student’s peace of mind and yours, find out how the college your child will call home can meet their needs, from libraries and recreation centers to medical clinics and study centers.
Resources found at USF are a good example of what a supportive school has to offer.
The support system college students rely on isn’t solely a product of services. It’s also about people. Connecting with people is a huge part of building a degree of immunity to the stress, loneliness, and homesickness that often plague freshmen.
The apprehension that puts a knot in the bellies of many soon-to-be college freshmen is typically equal parts fear of being unable to make the grade and not being able to fit in socially. Here are a couple of articles that might help:
We know it's hard to let go, but it might help to read these five things college students want their parents to know.
If you want to know more about the ways a good college tries to ensure the well-being of students, the USF Office of Admissions is ready to engage. Contact us online, or reach us by phone at 813-974-3350.