The federal student loan system in the United States is designed to help students finance their college education, making it more affordable. But even with the opportunities student loans provide, few of us understand how they really work. Note: the information in this post is accurate as of late February, 2025. Changes may occur afterwards. […]
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Parents of new college students often worry that their students will receive the support they need to succeed in college. Fair enough. But the way that college students grow isn’t solely from the support they receive. It starts with them taking on the challenges of a very different way of learning. Challenge and support is
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Faculty are the single most important group offering learning experiences for students at colleges. Working effectively with them should be your student’s top priority. Connecting with faculty not only enhances a student’s college experience but can open doors to mentorship, research opportunities, and career guidance. Academic Success Through Connecting With Faculty Positive relationships with faculty
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There is little that warms the hearts of college students more than receiving a CARE package from home. These bundles of food, cards and other goodies helps students feel more at home while at school, and I highly encourage you to send them. The First CARE Packages Shortly after World War II, the Cooperative for
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As your student makes their final preparations for college and new student orientation, don’t think for a minute that your work is done. In fact, this new phase of parenting is equally challenging. One way to ease into your new role is to be sure to connect with other parents during new student orientation. Why
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When students go off to college, we worry about many things. These include: how will they do academically? Will they make friends? and, will they be homesick? But another consideration is will they run out of money, or will they manage their money correctly? As a parent, you can play a vital role in helping
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This is the second in my “making the most of summer” series. We often look at summer school as a way for students to make up after failing a course, or if they’re otherwise behind. But there are other good reasons to take summer classes, such as a way to graduate early! Graduating on Time
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It’s important to start the semester off right, whether a student is just starting, or almost completed college. Hitting the ground running and in a productive way can make all the difference in the world. Accentuate the Positive “Accentuate the Positive” was a popular song in the 1940s. The point of the song was to
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Your student is coming home from college. Yay! Many parents talk about students returning home from college, and the challenges that presents. And at times that—yay—devolves into a “why doesn’t he just go back already?” But you can survive and even thrive when your student returns home. Why It’s Stressful Think about it. When your
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For years, I’ve encouraged students to visit the career center of their college or university as soon as they arrive on campus. There are several reasons why, but for other college graduates “of a certain age,” I’d add that this “is not your father’s career center.” Career Center Defined College career centers provides an array
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