Now is the time for you, as parents, to become involved in college planning. You should assume a responsibility for helping your son or daughter to make the best possible college choice. They need and desire your guidance in this important decision. Together, discuss what is expected from college. Establish some specific goals and then gather information on a number of colleges, evaluating each one as to whether it fits the goals you have carefully listed. With so many colleges in the country, there will be many which can answer your needs.
Make it clear that you, as parents, do not intend to make all the decisions. Selecting a college should not turn into a tug-of war between what you want and what your son or daughter wants. Look closely at the various programs and services each school has to offer. Pay particular attention to those factors in which you are concerned, but your son or daughter is less likely to investigate. For example, your student?s welfare will depend in part on the kinds of support services the institution has to offer. These include the student counseling offices, the health service, and the career placement office. At each of these places, find out how a student makes an appointment and what kind of services are available. For example, does the counseling center offer walk-in appointments for students who need advice or counseling right away? In case of illness, how extensive are the health services and what does student insurance cover? Are there seminars offered on resume writing, job hunting, and interviewing skills? When the time comes to think about employment after graduation, will there be opportunities for interviews by recruiters at the career placement office? An evaluation of these kinds of services will give you, the parent, an idea of whether or not an institution contributes to the total development of its students.
If you have any questions about the college that you would prefer to talk about privately, make an appointment to see the dean of academic services. This is the person who can answer questions about academic requirements, about how students change majors, and what happens if various rules are broken. Also, the dean will be able to share advice about what your student will need to do to succeed at the college, and how you can be supportive as he or she faces academic and emotional challenges.
Another good resource is the students themselves. Do not think you are imposing by asking what they think of college and what advice they have for a new student. Most are happy to share their experiences. Faculty members can be counted on for candid opinions too. A key question which gets right to the heart of the matter is this: Would you send your son or daughter here?
If you have not done so already, pick up a student newspaper and look for current issues on campus. It is expecting to much to think you are going to read that nothing exists except sweetness and light between the administration and the students. After all, higher education teaches students to think critically and analyze issues. A student newspaper filled with unresolved complaints about apathy and antagonism is a warning sign.
By now, it is time you and your student compared notes. Although your student?s impressions are very important (after all he or she must do the adjusting to the institution), your parental concerns deserve critical attention. Try not to convey pessimism, even if that is your attitude, but point out any problems you may have come across which the student may have to ultimately consider.
Considering the emotional and financial investment you and your family will make, roughly investigating colleges through your parental eyes is a critical part of successful transition from high school to higher education. Do not assume you are interfering. Your insights are vital and should be (and even if it isn?t made obvious by your student, will be) treated with utmost care.