How Parents Can Help First Generation College Students Succeed

What Can Parents Do To Support Children During The First Year Of College?

• Parents should prepare their children for the increased academic demands they will face in college. Parents can do so by sharing their own experiences with their children or introducing them to others who have recently attended college.
• Parents can discuss the importance of attending class regularly, reading before class, taking thorough notes, completing all class assignments, and participating in study groups. 
• Parents should also talk about how academic strategies might have to change from class to class and semester to semester. For example, students might visit the writing assistance center when they are required to write papers and might participate in study groups when grades are based on exams.
• Parents can encourage their children to meet with their professors or teaching assistants outside of class in order to follow up on questions about course material.
• Parents can encourage their children to use free services available on campus such as tutoring, writing centers, the counseling center, mentoring, and academic advising.
• Parents can stress the importance of effective time management. For example, parents can provide their child with a calendar and encourage them to keep track of due dates and tasks that need to be accomplished.
• Finally, parents can discuss the dangers of spending too much time online. Although the Internet can serve as a way of maintaining social connections, too much time online can prevent students from meeting their academic responsibilities.

*The findings from this study are based on research previously published in Yazedjian, A., Toews, M. L., Sevin, T., & Purswell, K. E. (2008). “It’s a whole new world:” A qualitative exploration of college students’ definitions of and strategies for college success. Journal of College Student Development, 49(2), 141-154.

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