#044 – Summer Conversations to Help Your Student Prepare for College — Part 2

November 27, 2021July 7, 2021 by Vicki Nelson

Summer is a perfect time to begin conversations that will help both you and your student prepare for the transition to college. From roommates to money to autonomy and independence, these conversations will help your student articulate both their concerns and expectations and help you get to know your student in a new way. Because Lynn and Vicki are both college professors we also leave parents with a homework checklist of tasks to complete before the summer ends.

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This podcast episode is Part 2 of our 3-part series on using the summer to help your student prepare for college. In case you missed it, be sure to listen to Part 1 in episode #043 – Using Summer to Help Your Student Prepare for College.

Our next episode – Part 3 in the series – will cover more about Move-In Day, the transition for everyone, and the first few weeks of the semester.

We talked in this episode about some of the important conversations to have with your student during this important summer. Some of them were conversations we had with our own kids as they headed to college, and some were conversations we missed and wish we had talked about. Topics include communication with your student, important money conversations, FERPA, roommates, cars on campus, and more. Pick and choose the ones most appropriate for your family.

We also referred to some earlier podcast episodes that can help you follow up on some of these topics.

#005 – Communicating with Your College Student

#021 – College Roommates: Navigating This Complex Relationship

#027 – Student Anxiety: Helping Your Student Cope

Because we all need some summer reading, we suggested that you listen to a couple of our episodes that suggest some great books for parents and students.

#020 – Our Favorite Summer Reads for College Parents

#041 – More Summer Reads for Parents – Two Authors, Four Books

#040 – Our Favorite Books to Share with College Students

#038 – The Addiction Inoculation – An Interview with Author Jessica Lahey

Finally, at the end of the episode we gave you a homework checklist of things for parents to do over the summer. Be sure to listen to why these seven items can make a difference.

Look at the college website with new eyes.
Get familiar with the college catalog.
Check on all insurance needs and requirements.
Get some summer reading done – and stock up for your student as well.
Make any needed hotel reservations for Family/Parents’ Weekend.
Make a plan for your own transition to your new role.
Find the friends who will be your support system this fall.

Don’t forget that you can listen to all of our previous podcast episodes here or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also go to followthepodcast.com/collegeparentcentral to add our podcast so that you’ll receive each new episode as we release it.

Let us know what you’d like to hear about on future podcasts! Leave a comment here or email us at podcast@collegeparentcentral.com.

And finally, a request for your help. Podcast ratings and reviews are important to help our podcast become visible to more people who might want or need the information we share. We’ve made it even easier for you to leave us a review! Simply go to lovethepodcast.com/collegeparentcentral and leave us rating or review.

College Parent News and Views

June 30, 2021 by Vicki Nelson

The more that college parents know and understand about the college experience, the less we worry and the better we will be able to help our students to succeed and thrive throughout their college career. However, there is an overwhelming amount of information out there on the web. We’d like to help you find some of the information that might be most interesting and useful to you as a college parent.

In News and Views we share recent college related news and sources we’ve found as we do our research. We hope that this feature will help to introduce you to new ideas and to help you keep up with some of the current issues that may affect your college student — and you.

We invite you to read some of the articles suggested below — and to let us know what you think of some of the ideas included here.

#043 – Using Summer to Help Your Student Prepare for College – Part 1

November 27, 2021June 16, 2021 by Vicki Nelson

So many decisions! The summer before college is filled with a flood of information, decisions to be made, and a roller coaster of emotions. In this episode, Lynn and Vicki share advice about what to expect during this crossroads summer. They suggest ways you can help your student organize their tasks and make important decisions about the fall.

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Book Review — Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions by Jeffrey Selingo

January 3, 2023June 14, 2021 by Vicki Nelson

From time to time, we like to review some of the books available for parents of college students. There is a wealth of literature available to help parents cope with the transition to college and the changes that occur throughout the college years. We’ve offered some lists of recommended reading, and there is something for everyone. Visit our Resources page for suggestions of important books for college parents and their students.

Jeffrey Selingo’s book, Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions is an important book for both students and parents. It is a perspective altering book that will help families understand how the admissions process works — especially at more selective schools. If you have a high school student who is thinking of applying to college, there is no excuse not to read this book.

Jeffrey Selingo spent a year inside the admissions process. He interviewed students who were applying to college, he interviewed high school counselors who were preparing students to apply, he interviewed college admissions personnel, and then he sat in the room while decisions were being made and watched how to process played out. When you read Who Gets In and Why, you are there — with someone alongside you who can explain what is happening and how we got to this place.

#042 – The Ins and Outs of College Scholarships: An Interview with Scholarship Coach Janet MacDonald

January 1, 2022June 2, 2021 by Vicki Nelson

The scholarship application process can feel overwhelming and complicated to many students and their parents. In this episode, scholarship coach Janet MacDonald shares some of the secrets to making this process more approachable and productive. She helps us understand when to start, what to do, how to get organized and how parents can best support their student. According to Janet, there are more scholarships available now for more types of students than ever before. If you have a student heading to college, this is information you need.

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College Parent News and Views

May 31, 2021 by Vicki Nelson

We invite you to read some of the articles suggested below — and to let us know what you think of some of the ideas included here.

#041 — More Summer Reads for Parents . . . Two Authors, Four Books

December 3, 2021May 19, 2021 by Vicki Nelson

In this episode, Vicki and Lynn again share some of their favorite books for college parents. This time, we focus on Jessica Lahey and Julie Lythcott-Haims who have each written two books that are essential reading for parents. Whether your child is younger, or you have someone heading to college, you’ll find information, inspiration and support. After you listen to this episode, you’ll want to find a copy of The Gift of Failure, The Addiction Inoculation, How to Raise an Adult, and Your Turn: How to Be an Adult. Happy reading!

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How a Walk Down Memory Lane Can Help Your College Student Move Forward

May 10, 2021 by Vicki Nelson

We all want to move forward — especially this year. We have our eyes on the future and we’re anxious to leave this very difficult year behind us.

Sometimes, when children are young, they thrust themselves headlong in one direction while busily watching all that is going on around them. The result? They trip and fall. We admonish them, ”Point your nose with your toes! Look where you are going!”

Why then, might we want to help our students look backwards — maybe quite far backwards — in order to move forward?

Because reflection is a clarifying exercise. It helps us think about where we’ve been. It helps us gain perspective. It helps us gather wisdom from the past. It helps us move forward with greater purpose and understanding.

Help your student take a walk down their own memory lane

As your student prepares to head off to college, they are, appropriately, looking to their new life and the fresh start that it brings. This is an ideal time to help them slow down a little and remember how they have come to this place.

#040 — Our Favorite Books to Share with College Students

December 3, 2021May 5, 2021 by Vicki Nelson

The college journey actually begins in high school, so don’t wait until your student is in college to give them food for thought about the college experience. In this episode, Vicki and Lynn discuss some of their favorite books for you to share with your student. Reading these books will inspire students to take charge of the next step in their lives. Topics include making the most of your college experiences, understanding how your brain works, coping with health concerns on your own, and listening to advice from students who’ve gone before you. Several of these books will make ideal gifts for your high school or early college student (and don’t forget to sneak a read before you pass it along!).

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