There is a lot of focus on the new college student and both the student’s and parents’ transition to the world of college. Entering college is a major life experience for both the first-year student and for his parents. Underestimating the enormity of that shift may cause difficulties, so colleges run orientation sessions for both students and parents, authors write books for both students and parents, and colleges run special programming for first year students.
However, once students get past that first year of college they are often on their own. Students are expected to have settled in and ”know how to play the game”, and parents are often more comfortable with the idea of their student being away and navigating the world of college. Unfortunately, some students do experience a sophomore slump in spite of a good first year experience and in spite of parental and college efforts to prepare them for the differences and changing expectations.
We’d like to offer a list of seven things that your returning student (sophomore, junior or senior) might want to consider to give a new focus for his year and to raise the level of his college experience.
. The book’s subtitle is Advice for Anxious Parents from a Professor Who’s Seen It All. One basic premise of the book, as Professor Coplin states in the preface is, ”. . . students don’t seem to know how to get the most out of their college educations. Parents paying the freight need to provide guidance to their children on how to make the college years pay off.” This premise is an important one, and this book gives parents much information and support for helping their students. Parents reading the book should be especially pleased to see the ”What Parents Can Do” section at the end of each chapter. Professor Coplin gives specific strategies for how parents can implement many of the suggestions that he makes in each chapter. Another wonderful feature of the book is the list of specific, relevant resources at the end of each chapter. For parents who are interested in helping their college student, this book may prove to be just a jumping off point.
