Robin RaskinFounder and CEO

A Parent’s Guide to College Life

What’s Changed Most About College?

• Debt• Technology integral • Alternatives to tradition• New majors

– Videogames, sustainability officer, social media expert

• Safety on Campus– Old problem new twists

Helicopters Meet Drones

• Most educated generation of parents• Most expensive schools• Schools listened to parents requests for

involvement• World is a scarier/more global place• Skills learned don’t last• Parenting doesn’t stop once they head to

college; it just changes

Powerful Communication Tools

• You can be in contact 24/7 but why? • Believe in the first 18• Failure=learning vs. good grades =job• Urgency is usually NOT• A bit of humor• Unconditional love but clear expectations

Finetuning Your Coll-dar

• When should you worry?• The first 15 minutes rule• Room mate issues surface quickly• Schools do more to eliminate bad combos

than ever

Mindset for Your Changing Home

• Home or shrine?• Nearly four months of vacations

– Constantly changing routines from semester to vacation to semester

Ruling from a Distance

• It didn’t work for the British• Transition from ruler to cohort• Roots to wings• Student right to privacy FERPA

The 21st Century Student

• Projected debt for American student is $1.3 trillion over next ten years

• Skills they learn will become obsolete • Skills worth having in today’s job market

even if you major in Fine Arts– Web– Statistics– Business– Foreign language

Not Every College Needs a Quad and a Tree

• Community Colleges• Western Governors University• Service Schools like Warren Wilson and

Evergreen• Minerva Project• MOOCs • Academix Direct• Travel semesters• Experiential learning

Setting Expectations

• Finances: who’s responsible for what• $ Contributions: Pros and cons or working

– Work study on campus is most forgiving• Don’t compare • Prepare to adjust to a new person• (maybe more than one)

Parents Gear Up

• Enter pertinent dates on your calendar• Resolve misc. items: banking, health, meal

plan, computer services• Prepare a what to bring (they wouldn’t think

of) list • Pour over the website• Resolve technology

Academics

Academics

• Why parents abdicate on this one• Even if you’ve never been you can help

make good academic decisions• Is 4 years your limit? Then plan

requirements/majors/credits carefully

Set Academic Expectations

• Challenge themselves vs. grades• Mix heavy ready with other classes to

manage load• Maintain good grades vs. consequences• “I didn’t like the teacher is not an excuse”

A Game Plan

• The course catalog is required reading• Know the graduation requirements NOW • Core requirements vs. major requirements• Do you want to know/review schedule?• Look ahead to the big picture--- endgame• Make multiple copies of the schedule and

try a couple of variations

The Reasonable Load

• Human Condition: You want the most your money can buy, so why not max credits?

• Drop class without penalty? – Decide early or pay drop feee– Withdrawal goes on your record

• Dismissal• Transfer and AP credits • Adequate courses taught each semester?

College 2.0

• 24/7 access to materials via web lectures• Online access to class notes• Collaboration tools• Social networking (for school, too)• IM for mass communications• “MommyCams” • E-books vs. textbooks• Tablets/notebooks/phone• No substitute for being there

Grades

• Should I expect to see them?– Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act:

need students consent to share records if over 18; enforced differently by every school

The Proper Balance

• Survey, lab, lecture, workshop• Get the skinny on the prof; but don’t let it

stop you, just prepare you• Quantitative vs. qualitative • Take one affirming class, especially as

freshman• Take a challenge class

Enrichment Programs

• Study Abroad• Summer Sessions• Vacation Break Sessions• Watch the bulletin board

Special Services

• Tutoring? • Academic • Resource center? • Learning specialist? • Testing adjustments?

The Four Year Formula

• Number of credits required• Number of incoming credits• Divide over four years• Be Aware

– Knowing your major earlier in the game– Penalty for study abroad

Some Rules

• Don’t call the profs on your kid’s behalf – it’s tempting

• Don’t decide their schedules• Don’t edit their papers or decide topics• Feel free to discuss

Misc.• Sports: Often must keep up grades• Extra-curriculars: How many is too many• Majors: Part of what you pay for is

professional help• 4 years? 50% of kids don’t do it• Transferring: Difficult (may lose credits)

but popular• The Senior Thesis: A good idea

Work and Study

• Working on campus vs.off• How many hours?• Freshman year: try to avoid• Internships

Finances

• The rise of the cashless campus• Target of credit card prowlers• Kids are more savvy about money than

ever• Watch credit card offers to students but

start working on a credit rating• Most campuses have ATMs now wich can

be dangerous

The College Budget

• Incidentals:

text book, laundry, entertainment, incidentals telephone, travel, etc.

• Create estimated budget and adjust • Set expectations but watch the financial

pressures you apply

Health and Safety

School Health Services

• Will I get information from them?• Counseling services• After hours services• Fee for services• When to leave the university and find help

elsewhere

Safety

• Dorm Rooms: Key Cards• Bicycles and iPods: sitting target• Closed Windows• Locked Doors• Understanding Campus Security• Personal Inventory/Engaving• Sexual Harrassment

Long Distance Parenting

Communications

• Cell phone? Email? Skype?• How often based on your gut…• Remember they never call when they’re

having a good time

Fraternity or Sorrority

• They are all different• At their worst: hazing, drinking, damage• At their best: community service and friends forever• Mostly in larger schools• Belong to Interfraternity or National PanHel

www.npc.com or PaHellenic Assoc. (sorr.)

For Parents Whose Kids are Considering Frats

• Check expenses of joining • Look at student’s time management skills• Look at frat’s aggregate GPA• Think about how “self determined” your

student is

Eating• Freshman fifteen/food has improved• Choosing a meal plan can require its own

PhD• Know child’s eating style• Can change plan as needed

The School Record

• What goes on it? Will I see it?• The new three strikes rule. • Research about when parents are

informed of infractions.• Most campuses have parent associations

Sneaky Hints

• Visiting a college? Look at garbage pails and websites

• Storing things for the summer? Plan in advance

• January time to be thinking about summer plans

• Read Facebook, CampusLife

students talk