College Bound Students – Remaining True to the Challenge

When your child leaves for college, it can be one of the saddest moments you as a parent ever experience.  For your child, it can be traumatic to anticipate an entirely different lifestyle change.  And while you may be sad after your child departs for school, your student will begin their college education as they cross over the threshold into adulthood. This is a very big step for them.

Sadly, many young adults forget much of what they are taught at home when they enter college.  They view themselves as grown and in charge of their lives.  Some teens head to college with partying on their minds which seriously interferes with their studies. In the process, they often influence others to follow suit and often with much success.

The first six weeks of college are considered a challenge for young people who’ve never attended school away from home.  They will be enticed to drink, party, and stay out late, and while none of this may sound like activities your child would participate in, it is sometimes a temptation that can be difficult to resist.

One statistic that sticks out above all the others is the number of students who make it to the second year of college.  Only two-thirds of the kids who start college get that far.  As you might guess, more drop offs occur each year after, but the first year is the most crucial and takes the largest toll on the college population.

What can you do to keep your child from becoming one of those drops outs?
If you do your homework, you should know something of the eyes and ears of the college your child is attending.  You want to have support from the organizations and people who can make a difference.
Keeping a quality line of communication open with your student is also helpful. It is essential to keep in mind that you simply cannot treat them the same way you did when they were in high school. By respecting their age and maturity, they will be much more open to communication than if you continue to treat them like a child.

Parents have a responsibility to their children even if that path is a difficult one.  Parental support is very important in the early years of college. The motivation you provide might be just what they need to remain focused and complete their educational goals.