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Getting your child used to a new environment
Parents can play a vital role in helping their teenager child succeed in college, by being informed and lending the required support and guidance. Even though teens are seeking independence at this late adolescent age, parental involvement is an important ingredient for academic success of students.
Following are some ways to keep your child on track to succeed in college.
1. Participate in College Application, Selection and Admission
Children are encouraged when parents participate in their academic efforts. During the college application, selection and admission process, a child needs mental and emotional support of parents to accept the final admission in college based on seats availability, competitive merit based selection process and the college fee structure.
2. Visit the College and Its Website with your child
Visiting and knowing the physical layout of the college building, together can help you connect with your child to mentally prepare for college. The prior acquaintance with the location of the cafeteria, gym, athletic fields, auditorium etc. and about the college curriculum through the website gives a high level of familiarity and comfort to your child
3. Support your child with the study pressures
It takes time to adjust to a new course curriculum and new peers. There is a whole lot shuffling of merits as compared to the previous school level. A topper student in a school may be an average student at a premium institute. Amid all these changes, children need to learn how to balance academics with extracurricular activities, social lives, and emotional wellbeing. An important way to help is to make sure your child has a quiet, well-lit, distraction-free place to study that's stocked with the right educational materials.
4. Instill Organizational Skills
Learning and mastering the skills of getting organized, staying focused, and seeing work through to the end will help the child in just about everything they do in college. Teach your child planning while juggling assignments in multiple subjects, how to break down tasks into smaller chunks and stick to the studying calendar schedule so he or she isn't studying for multiple tests all in one night.
5. Know the Disciplinary Policies
All colleges have rules and consequences for student behaviors, dress codes, use of electronic devices, classroom etiquette and acceptable language. It's important for your teen to know what's expected at college and that you'll support the consequences when expectations aren't met.
6. Make them aware of Ragging and its laws
Newspapers have been rife with the news of ragging in campuses that have lead to chronic injuries and in some cases loss of life. Ragging is a vile aspect of college life. It has taken an ugly turn in recent years.
Even before the college year begins, make your child aware of what he or she is stepping into. Some parents may have the urge to talk about their own ragging period and in effect serve to idolize the practice. Instead, you may want to explain the difference between “getting to know” and ragging. Asking a fellow newcomer student to sing or dance or put up an act is not, in itself, harmful. It might also lead to talent exposure that may be used in college socials. But when the session moves towards any kind of bodily or psychological abuse, it should be reported to an authority. Anything which is uncomfortable to your child, he or she has full right to talk about it.
If your child is going to avail the hostel, it is important to inform him or her about the help-lines and websites they can use to get quick help. Many colleges make students and parents sign anti ragging affidavits that also gives a lot of information about the anti ragging rules in the college. Parents must find out beforehand, who their child should approach in case of lodging a complaint and make sure to meet the responsible person before joining the college.
Last but the most important part that a parent can play is to listen to the child, trust the child and understand them. A child needs to become independent and seeks guidance not preaching. Only if the child is comfortable in the new environment, they can grow and bloom to explore their full potential and become better citizens.