If you have read several of our posts here at College Parent Central, you’ve certainly seen by now that we feel that good communication is one of the important keys to many college students’ success. That good communication must take place between the student and the college, between the parents and the college, but most importantly between the parents and the student. Good communication is transactional and involves both talking and listening.
Because we feel that good communication is so important, we have several posts about improving or maximizing communication. There are some ways in which we can all improve our skills. We recommend that you take some time to read some of the following posts and think about both your own communication skills and those of your college student. Is there room for improvement?
. 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.
by Marie Pinak Carr and her daughters, Katharine Carr, Ann Carr, and Elizabeth Carr. This book, aptly named a manual, is full of practical information and helpful charts and forms for parents to use as they help their student get ready to head off to college.
