Encourage and Support the Transition to College

Parents, "letting go" is not easy. Encourage, trust, support, and embrace your student.
Help your student to enjoy and make the most of their college experience. Celebrate your student's independence----you play a major role in helping them to achieve this independence.

Parents, to assist you in the process of sending your student off to college, the following useful/workable tips are presented. (Source: "Letting Go" by Mitchell P. Purdy, retired counselor, Jackson State University)

• Attend orientation sessions.
• Become familiar with the student handbook, calendar of activities, and other pertinent publications. Much of this information can be found on the JSU Office of Student Life website, at www.jsums.edu/studentlife.
• Participate in activities designed for parents and utilize the parent/family newsletter often.
• Understand what student information may or may not be available to you as a parents. (Student educational records are considered confidential and may not be released without the written consent of the student.)
• Become acquainted with administrators, faculty, staff, current students and student leaders who will be coming in contact with your student.
• Become acquainted with your student's roommate and maybe the roommate's parents.
• Acquaint yourself with your student's community - the church he or she plans to attend, where he or she will be shopping, eating, banking, etc.
  Maintain an open line of communication with your son or daughter. (Do not allow it to shut down.)
• Get to know someone on campus or in the university community that you can feel comfortable calling at anytime.
• Attend campus events when permissible, as your schedule permits.

Remember that the years go swiftly. (Also, remember that it may take a little longer than four years to complete graduation requirements. That's okay too...as long as the student is making progress.)