Center for Student Progress

Parent & Family Tips

TIPS ON HOW TO ASSIST YOUR COLLEGE STUDENT

Provide as much support as possible. College is quite different than high school for the traditional-age student and marks a major life transition for nontraditional students.
Offer encouragement on a consistent basis.
Do something special for your student (e.g., special treat, a night at the movies). For those students living on campus, write to them periodically and spice up their mail with a care package. Although college students may not write or call home very often, they love full mailboxes.
Do not be overly upset about lower-than-expected first semester grades. Grades often improve in subsequent semesters as students adjust to the new demands in their life. Let your student know that you believe in and love him/her. Encourage him/her to speak with an advisor, Peer Mentor or Resident Assistant, or visit the Center for Student Progress.
If you want your student to be the most important person for the day, bake him/her some cookies.
Impress upon him/her the importance of studying from the beginning of the semester.
Encourage your student to become involved on campus. Research indicates that those students who become involved on campus do better academically, experience a smoother adjustment, develop a sense of belonging on campus, and are more likely to graduate. In addition, potential employers are looking for students who were active on campus and developed leadership skills during their college experience.
If your student lives on campus, encourage him/her not to come home every weekend, particularly the first weeks of the semester. One can miss out on a lot the University has to offer, and his/her absence can inhibit the natural development of friendships.
Expect your student to change, and trust him/her.
If your student is experiencing problems, encourage him/her to seek help. The Office of Student Life, Center for Student Progress, and Office of Housing and Residence Life (for on-campus students) are good starting points for assisting students with their particular problems.

**Information from YSUs "Family & Friends 2004-2005 Orientation Handbook" page 35. original source unknown.

Center for Student Progress • Kilcawley West • Phone: 330.941.3538 • Fax: 330.941.1455

Admissions: 330.941.2000 • Graduate Admissions: 330.941.3091 • General Information: 330.941.3000

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