<p>Our University handed this out to parents when we moved our kids in…thought i would share with you all.</p>
<li><p>Are you going to class? skipping class is the #1 reason students fail.</p></li>
<li><p>Are you studying 25 hours per week? College is a fulltime job. You should be in class, studying and doing homework 40 hours per week.</p></li>
<li><p>Are you reviewing the material weekly in each class? If you review all material each week then preparing for an exam is easy.</p></li>
<li><p>Are you scheduling your “goof off” time? Everyone needs down time but students need to learn to manage their “goof off” time.</p></li>
<li><p>Do you knowwhen the last day to register for classes is? After this date you cannot register a new class (some places you can get department permission).</p></li>
<li><p>Are you starting your assignments early? The UNEXPECTED happens: you get sick, the computer dies, can’t print. Start assignments early with plenty of time for the UNEXPECTED.</p></li>
<li><p>Have you seen your advisor? Advisors are a great resource to plan your academic career.</p></li>
<li><p>Have you gone to your professors office hours? Professors like to help students. Don’t hesitate to visit the professor during office hours.</p></li>
<li><p>Are you taking advantage of academic success resources? Peer tutoring, help sessions, major specific help…writing labs and reading labs, etc.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>10 Have you formed a study group? Studying complex material is more efficient with a study group.</p>
<p>Wow.. I have never asked my student any of these questions and he is going
into his junior year. </p>
<p>He went into college with a merit scholarship and the clear, explicit understanding that his grades needed to be above the 3.4 needed to keep the scholarship if he wanted to remain at his school. He has managed to keep it over and above that minimum. </p>
<p>I may be in the minority but I really don't feel I should have to keep track that carefully of his schoolwork.</p>
<p>The style of academic life in college is different from that in high school. Ideas that may not have been applicable in high school -- such as going to office hours, forming study groups, and knowing when the last day to add a class is -- are important in college, and even the best students may not be aware of them.</p>
<p>I would add to the list that students need to know</p>
<p>1) the last day to DROP a class, and</p>
<p>2) how many credits or courses they need to be taking to be considered full-time students.</p>
<p>Sometimes, a student will get in trouble in a course. It's important to know whether or not it is possible to drop the course, both in terms of the drop deadline and in terms of full-time status (being full-time is extremely important not just for academic standing but also for being included in the parents' health and auto insurance policies, in some instances).</p>
<p>"I may be in the minority but I really don't feel I should have to keep track that carefully of his schoolwork."</p>
<p>I agree. I believe college is a time to finally let go.</p>
<p>If a college student isn't interested in learning, nothing a parent asks will inspire them to do so.</p>
<p>If a college student is interested in learning, they'll do what it takes, and their parent won't need to ask those questions.</p>
<p>Probably every college now gives students the advice that the questions reflects, and also has a counseling center, tutoring center and other places where students can get help and advice.</p>
<p>If a student isn't willing to take advantage of such resources, the student isn't mature enough or motivated enough to be at college.</p>
<p>Saying this as a former college professor who's also married to a college prof, and had one S who flunked out of college despite H and my best efforts to advise him, and one S who has done well in college with no helicoptering from H and me. He reversed his previously mediocre academic performance. One kid was motivated, one was not.</p>
<p>^ too harsh - every kid is different and some no doubt do need parental involvement in college. All are on their own schedule and they arrive at MATURITY at different moments. (Thinking of my own undergrad days here)</p>
<p>Woah, helicopter alert!
I just get annoyed if my parents start asking me "Have you started this assignment?" or "Have you sent this e-mail?". It makes me stop telling them things that are happening in my life so they don't nag me about it later, and, occasionally, I lie to them about it just to get them off my back. (for what it's worth, I've been a straight A student with no pushing from them and that's continued at university, so they should know by now that there's no need to nag)
Kids have to take some responsibility at some point and parents need to let them!</p>
<p>Post #5- if too much parental involvement is needed the student isn't ready for college. You can't/shouldn't be keeping track of his homework et al. You do have a vested interest in the number/kind of credits insofar as being fulltime/able to graduate in a reasonable number of semesters may affect your pocket book- eg health insurance, tuition and other money spent. You, as a parent, do not determine your child's major, or the courses they take. With any luck they may tell you things. It is nice to have them email you their schedule so you know what they are taking and when- the latter helps so you know when to try/not try to reach them via cell phone. One thing I have repeated to son, his problem if he doesn't follow this advice- Keep it legal.</p>
<p>Those are 10 excellent questions to ask college students.<br>
It's probably not parents who should be doing the asking.<br>
Some kids really don't know this, some have heard it over and over but it never soaked in because they never had to work hard before.<br>
Perhaps instead of handing that sheet over to the parents, a college could put it in front of the students when they aren't overwhelmed at move-in.<br>
I'm envisioning 10 Rules on the back of bathroom stall doors.... nah, that's where the STD info goes.</p>
<p>Hi,
I also agreed that student life is very important for all of us. Because i think that this is the only period where we learn something to stand in our feet.I also liked your 10 question, which you have mentioned in your comment and all parent should be asked these question to their child.</p>
<p>I don't see a problem with some of these questions as long as they are just part of conversation and not part of a drill of questions. Especially for a new college student - they have so much to think about, so much different, nothing wrong with giving a "heads up" on some of the tricks to the trade. Of course, it is then their decision whether to follow the guidance or not. :)</p>
<p>Unless I'm misunderstanding, these were questions that were handed out by the OP's child's university, presumably at Orientation. These questions (which are great questions!) are prompts by the university to the students so that they will take control/responsibility for their education - they are not intended for the parents to be asking their students on a regular basis (although parents can use them as reminders if their student starts to experience problems.)</p>
<p>I agree with some of the posters above, unless a student is having a significant problem and is unable to solve it on his or her own, parents should not be involved on a regular basis with their child's class attendence, assignments, interactions with professors and advisors, etc. (That's not to say parents shouldn't have conversations with their students about what's going on academically . . . just not a barrage of questions - did you go to your Bio class today? Did you turn in your lab report? etc.)</p>
<p>I'm glad your son/daughter's college took the time to give a summary of important information to pass along to your new freshmen, and it was very nice of you to share this with cc. I'm sure many freshmen will find those tips to be very helpful.</p>
<p>I agree with inthebiz and dragonmom. It seems that these are questions for students to ask of themselves (could be called 'tips for college success'). Important for students to realize that as they head off to college and all the new freedom that entails, these are some of the pitfalls that students are most likely to run into. College is academically more challenging than high school was for many students and for them to be aware and prepared is just good sense. Additionally, some very smart and very motivated kids just take longer to adjust to new situations, so let's give them tools to do so. </p>
<p>Thanks for sharing Atlmom. This will be a good list to share when my S heads off to college in another year.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>rather than sleep-in or arise 5 minutes before class, sit down and get breakfast in the cafeteria. The crowd is typically smaller, allowing for more interaction with your schoolmates. Plus, the cafeteria staff might throw a freebie your way, like an extra yogurt or o.j.</p></li>
<li><p>find the most un-populated library on campus and study there. The School of Library Science library (no kidding) on the top floor always worked for me. Er, ah, Library Science wasn't a popular degree in the 1980s.</p></li>
<li><p>In class, find out who the best note-taker is and sit next to that person. If you skip class or are usually late, you'll know who to talk to.</p></li>
<li><p>Avoid sitting next to anyone who snores in class.</p></li>
<li><p>If you're male, take a foreign language class, as most of your seatmates will be female.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>That is a list of good questions but it seems like those are questions to be handed to students to help them to think these things through. I don't really see that as the parents' role once they are in college. They should be ready to handle this type of thing more independently if attending college.</p>
<p>ebee...I admit to laughing when I read your post because I have one child who just graduated college and one who is a rising college senior and I don't recall asking them these questions either. The college gives out various materials and holds orientation. I expect my kids to manage these things. I am interested in their lives and have very frequent contact but these are not the sorts of things I ask them about. Somehow, they have managed. They had to.</p>
<p>Not sure this fits under that list, but we have discussed classes they are thinking of registering for because they like to share that stuff with me.</p>