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Parent’s Weekend: What to Expect

Submitted by grace on Mon, 09/08/2008 - 13:57
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Parents and Family weekends are an integral part of the college experience. The focus of these events is to welcome the parents, family members, and family friends of undergraduate students to campus so that they have the opportunity to experience a portion of their student's life at the school. Parents are generally encouraged to participate in a variety of academic, athletic, and social events especially designed to give family members a taste of the school. Read more to learn what to expect over parent’s weekend.

While some parents love the thought of their son or daughter gaining new independence and interests, others feel overwhelmed with trying to decide when or how to help. So, the best advice for all parents may be to relax and become as familiar with University resources as your student will be. Parent’s weekend may be the best opportunity to do just that.

A visit to campus during Parent’s Weekend will show your student that you support them and it will also allow them to introduce their new friends and their college to you. However, don’t expect to spend every second with them, ask them to help plan the weekend with you so they have some say in this too. They will be happier to see you if they feel you are being supportive by being there.

Each university parent’s weekend is different and the events and activities will vary based on the school. As a parent, this will be your opportunity to learn more about the school, become involved in parent’s associations and maybe even attend a football game or other athletic event.

A few tips if you’re planning to attend parent’s weekend:

  • Register early! Pay attention to deadlines, especially if you plan on attending sporting events. A limited number of tickets are generally made available for families. Some schools will be more difficult to obtain tickets to sporting events than others!!
  • Take time to explore the city or town where the college resides. It will help you understand your student’s experiences while they are living at school.
  • Attend the programs offered during the weekend to learn more about the professors and the school.
     Also, take a tour the campus and learn about available academic resources, if you haven’t already.

Most importantly, if you attend parent’s weekend…have fun. This is your child’s opportunity to show you their new home, but it’s also a chance for you to learn as much about their school so that you can be more of assistance down the road.