Welcome Gators!

Dear Parents and Family Members,

College years are exciting times filled with new experiences, expanded freedoms and unique challenges. These new experiences also bring with them necessary adjustment and change. You and your student will certainly anticipate the new academic pressures of college, but you may be surprised by the hurdles of significant developmental issues the new environment brings.

The first year in college is particularly challenging. During this first year, your student will experience new responsibilities, more demanding academic requirements, changing relationships with hometown friends, development of new friendships, challenges to beliefs and values, and perhaps most importantly, a changing relationship with you.

The staff in the Division of Student Affairs believes parents and families play an important and significant role in helping students adjust to the challenges of their first year at the University of Florida.

To better help parents and families learn how to handle the adjustments students go through and how to encourage and support them from home, we offer UF Family Chat online. The Family Chat program is a great way to stay connected and informed.

These live online chat sessions are bi-monthly and designed to answer your specific questions, promoting discussion about UF and common transition concerns you or your student may experience. To learn more, please visit New Student and Family Programs, to join us for our upcoming chats.

Adjustment challenges are an expected and common experience for most first-year students. Some experience very; others experience more than their share. The staff of the Division of Student Affairs believes parents and families play a significant role in helping students adjust to the challenges of their first year. You can also encourage them to take advantage of the opportunities at the University of Florida.

This Parent and Family Guide will serve as a resource to you and yours throughout your student’s time here. We encourage you and your student to read about and take advantage of the variety of services UF and the Division of Student Affairs have to offer. We hope this information will be useful to you and your student.

Welcome to the University of Florida and to the Gator Nation!

Best Regards,

Dave Kratzer
Interim Vice President for Student Affairs