Admission Welcomes You to Avila University

Admission » Parents & Families » Support Your First-Year Student

Typical Issues for First Year Students:
How You Can Help

Every student is different. Each student will experience a different range of emotions and issues as they pursue their education. The following list highlights some of the more common experiences of students and some suggestions for parents on how to support your student through these challenges.

» Academics » Financial Aid » Independence » Social » First Generation

HOW YOU CAN HELP! [ CLOSE ]

Listen, offer support and suggestions, encourage honest communication, encourage use of services of Resident Assistant (RA), Residence Director (RD), Learning Center, Counseling Center, etc.

Discuss making responsible choices, consequences, and taking responsibility.

Acknowledge that mistakes are a part of the growth process and every student will make a few mistakes along the way. Help them to take a critical look at their mistakes so they can make better choices next time.

Encourage your student to make choices for him/herself. Discuss setting boundaries in all aspects of life.

Don’t try to hide family situations from your student. Prepare the student and the family members for events that will be different. A student going away from home changes things.

Be open and honest in communications.

Expect changes in your student and your family dynamics.

INDEPENDENCE SIDE OF LIFE

Students may experience:

Homesickness. For many students this improves as they become more involved in the college environment. Even if they won’t mention it, they miss the comforts of home

They are struggling with “starting over”. They were big fish as seniors and have to return to being little fish as first-year students in college

Learning to manage their own time, money and health (staying up late, eating junk food, learning study skills, etc.)

Making life choices about issues such as alcohol, sex, drugs, etc. Many students state that they have had encounters with these issues in high school, but are forced to look at them in a different light in college

Feeling guilty/bad for not being home during a special family event or a family crisis

Feeling like they are “out of the loop” with family related decisions and routines

HOW YOU CAN HELP >>>

HOW YOU CAN HELP! [ CLOSE ]

During your regular conversations, ask your student what the class workload is like and what events (tests, papers, etc.) are approaching on class syllabi.

Remind them that Avila has a Learning Center to help students with their study skills.

Ask them what they think about what they are learning, not just what they have learned.

Help your student set realistic expectations for college level work.

Ask them how they feel about their classes, not just how they are doing in them.

If you have similar experiences to share, share them. Students always like to be reminded that their parents are “human” too.

ACADEMIC SIDE OF LIFE

Students may experience:

The semester pace often starts out slowly and speeds up quickly

Finding the right study system (notetaking strategies, study groups, study locations, etc.)

Improving critical thinking skills (it’s not all memorization and recall anymore)

First paper or test returned with a grade lower than they had originally expected or hoped for

Pressure of grades going into midterms; especially strong for students who are required to maintain a particular grade point average for sports or scholarships

HOW YOU CAN HELP >>>

HOW YOU CAN HELP! [ CLOSE ]

Remind your student that friendships take time and effort, but that being involved in hall activities and student organizations, forming study groups, etc. can help speed up the process.

Discuss the importance of seeking balance between finding a comfort zone and pushing to meet others.

Ask your student about long distance relationships and don’t be afraid to support change as your student grows.

Discuss self-exploration as a natural part of determining “who you want to be when you grow up,” and that everyone will approach this differently.

SOCIAL SIDE OF LIFE

Students may experience:

Finding a new group of friends

Changing dynamics of relationships with a significant other or close friends back home. These relationships will change and might even end. This can be a very unsettling situation for a student that hasn’t found a new circle of friends at school

Trying on a new “self” with new looks, foods, habits, friends, personas, etc.

Experiencing new cultures and diverse individuals

Struggling to identify who they are and what they want from life

HOW YOU CAN HELP >>>

HOW YOU CAN HELP! [ CLOSE ]

Discuss goals and professional aspirations with your student.

Help your student explore whether these goals are attainable without a college education. This is generally a good way to help students better appreciate the value of their education.

Discuss time management strategies. You might want to recommend that your student seek time management assistance on campus through the Learning Center, an academic advisor, or by attending a workshop on the topic.

Help your student develop a budget that is realistic for income and expenses. Encourage your students to become aware of realistic spending habits. The website www.finaid.org helps students look at their spending of today in light of their future anticipated earnings.

FINANCIAL AID SIDE OF LIFE

Students may experience:

Balancing the value of a college education with the cost

Working while going to school: eight out of 10 college students work while completing their degree; working part-time is positively associated with high academic performance and completion of education; and working full-time is positively associated with iscontinuation of educational pursuits

Budgeting their money and responsible use of credit. College students are bombarded with offers from credit card companies and often receive credit offers far in excess of their means $$$

HOW YOU CAN HELP >>>

HOW YOU CAN HELP! [ CLOSE ]

Know that a student’s respect for their family usually grows during college as they begin to more fully understand the sacrifices and challenges that you have experienced.

Ask your student to explain what it is like at college so you can gain a better appreciation of what the typical college student day is like.

Remember that most students usually do not stray far from their family’s value system.

FIRST GENERATION

Students may experience:

Fear they are becoming “different” than the rest of their family

Concern that the family doesn’t understand why they have chosen to attend college

Loneliness – fear that nobody at home understands what it's like

Financial guilt. Students may fear that they are “taking” money from other family endeavors. Or, if a student is financially responsible for their educational costs, they may be struggling to balance work and class commitments

HOW YOU CAN HELP >>>