Is the Honeymoon Over?

By the middle of the fall semester some freshmen start to realize that college classes are harder that they expected, their roommate’s once innocuous habits are more annoying than they thought they would be, and the dining hall food is starting to get a little too predictable. In other words, the honeymoon is over. This is a typical setback that many students face at about this time of year. If you think that your child is feeling a little down about college in general, rest assured that he’s not alone, and there are things that can be done to revitalize his campus experience before the end of the semester.

• Recommit to classes. This includes attending every class, even when it’s cold outside in the morning! Also, remind him that just because many other students have started to slip behind in class assignments and readings doesn’t mean that he can. Suggest he make a pledge to catch up on class work and set aside a few evenings or an entire weekend to spend in the library doing just that. Remind him that having fun is just fine as long as he’s finished his work first!

• Find a “happy place” on campus. Sometimes students just need to take a mental vacation from the hustle and bustle of college life. Students who find a quiet, peaceful place, or a few, on campus can use their time there to mentally regroup each day. This habit makes it easier to handle the little ups and downs that life will throw at them. a quiet corner of the library, some headphones, and twenty minutes of time is often enough to relax and recharge.

• Get a full night’s sleep. College students almost never get enough sleep. A full eight hour rest is rare especially if they are constantly awakened throughout the night by texts and tweets. Suggest that your student get to bed an hour earlier than he now does and recommend that he either turn off his phone or leave it in a place where it will not disturb his sleep.

• Too far to come home. If your student attends college too far from home for a weekend visit, maybe you can meet somewhere in the middle. Students seem to love a weekend at a hotel where they leave their cares behind on campus and focus on studying, sleeping and enjoying a few hearty meals with family. 

College Students with Disabilities

This is the time in the semester when some students with learning disabilities start to struggle in classes. Sometimes, a student with a documented learning disability will refuse to self-identifying to the college’s student disability office and will try to “tough it out” through the semester without seeking  help or accommodations for his learning disability. This tactic almost always leads to the student struggling and being more stressed than necessary. If this sounds like your student remind him that it is never too late to meet with someone in the student disability office (sometimes accommodations are also managed through the counseling, student affairs, or academic affairs office.) 

Some things to consider as your student seeks help:

• If your child had a documented disability in high school and benefited from an Independent Education Plan, or IEP, in K-12 he may be eligible for accommodations through his college’s Disability Services office.

• Once a student starts college he has a much greater responsibility for his own education including self-identifying as having a disability and presenting the required documentation to the college’s disability services office.

• Even students who've had IEPs from age 6 and beyond will need to provide current documentation of the disability and the need for academic accommodations.

• The college environment and academics are quite different from K-12, for example, K-12 public school districts are required to provide a “free appropriate public education” to students with disabilities. Colleges however, are required to provide “appropriate academic adjustments as necessary to ensure that it does not discriminate on the basis of disability.” 

• An excellent site for basic information about disabled students’ rights and responsibilities is: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/transition.html

A College Financing Dilemma

Even though this is a question from the parent of a college junior, I thought it was relevant enough to share with freshman parents and definitely something to remember as your child goes through college.


Q: My daughter has run out of money in her junior year. Should she take out a loan for her senior year or try to work more hours to earn more money? She really wanted to graduate debt free.

A: This is a tough question and will require a lot of evaluation and planning on our daughter’s part. If she wants to graduate without debt she can, but she will probably have to take two or three years to finish her “senior year” while she works at least full time. Before she makes her final decision though, she needs to evaluate the following:

1.     How much can she earn working full time?  Minimum wage in most parts of the country is still $7.25 per hour, which may or may not be enough for her to live on and also pay for school part time.

2.     If she already has a part time job and can become a full time employee with the same employer, will she get a raise or benefits package that will make it worth her while to switch to full time?

3.     If she can’t work full time with one employer, will she be able to work two part time jobs? Will they both offer steady, year-round employment?

4.     What will her full time job prospects be upon graduation? She will need to honestly evaluate how much she can expect to earn upon graduating by researching the recent starting salaries of other students with similar GPAs and experience, from her same college and degree program. From this information she can calculate if it will be worth it for her to take two or three years to graduate while missing out on those same years of full time earnings and benefits in her chosen field.

5.     If she’s a strong student in a proven lucrative major field of study, it may be better for her to take out a federal student loan for her final year and pay it off early upon finding her first job.

6.     She also needs to make sure that switching to part time status will not force her to take required course work out of sequence, or make her ineligible for any scholarships, grants, work-study, or insurance policies (health or auto) she now has.

Mid-term Grades

Not all colleges and universities post mid-term grades, but if your student’s does, now is a good time to ask them to review their mid-term grades with you. If grades are good, keep up the good work! If not, there are a few things to consider before you panic.

1. Most mid-term grades only reflect one or two grades on quizzes or papers and are typically lower than final grades. Some faculty will even list a grade of “I” or “Incomplete” because there have not been enough opportunities for students to earn a valid grade. The student should always check the syllabus or login to an online classroom site for the class to understand how their mid-term grade is actually being calculated. If this information is not posted in the syllabus or online, the student can always meet with the professor to find out how the grade was calculated. 
2. If the grade is low (a D or C) but not failing, now is an ideal time to start working with a tutor or increasing study hours to boost grades in the second half of the semester. Most freshmen employ the same study strategies they used in high school and these approaches are simply insufficient for college classes. Sometimes, students just need to spend some time with a tutor or academic counselor to learn more effective study techniques.
3. If your student feels like the grade is too low to raise, even with extra help or outside work, they need to set up an appointment with the professor or an adviser immediately to discuss ways to either salvage the grade in the class or drop the class to save their overall GPA. *NOTE- Some scholarships or grants require a specific GPA to maintain the award, so staying informed of those requirements will help students decide on the best course of action. 

Now is a Great Time to Reevaluate Spending

October is a good time for you to help your student reevaluate his or her budget. By this time in the semester, most students have a somewhat set spending pattern, so this is a good time to look at the following expenditures to make sure they fit into your student's original budget.

Meal Plans - Is your child using more of the meal plan that you expected? If it looks like he may run out before the end of the semester, it may be time to add some funds to the meal plan or discuss ways for him to economize what funds he has left. Students can save money by scrutinizing how they spend their meal plan and cutting out extras such as snacks, high cost soft drinks or coffees, or maybe he can switch to eating a quick breakfast in his room or apartment three days per week instead of buying breakfast on the way to class.

Fun Money - Everyone needs a little extra money for going out to movies, or for meals, but if it looks like your student will run out of fun money by November 1st, that's NOT fun. Students should explore the numerous free or low cost activities on campus by reading the campus paper or watching campus advertising and social media. Programs sponsored by residence halls and the activities boards are always popular as well. Students can still go out with their friends, but attending free events or going out for an ice cream or a coffee instead of an entire meal can save a lot of fun money over time - more fun for less money!

Money Leaks - This is a great time to look for money leaks and fix them before the end of the semester. Depending on your student, money leaks can take the form of just about anything. Maybe he's downloading too many $1.99 apps or games (those add up!), maybe she's buying too many t-shirts, or maybe he's spending too much on gasoline by driving instead of walking, riding a bike, or taking the bus. This is where parents can help their child understand budgeting and work on a plan to control spending.

Student Health and Property Insurance

Does my student need personal property insurance on campus?

This is another one of those “grown-up” issues that students will need to be aware of before they head to campus. It is estimated that students bring between $5,000.00 to $10,000.00 worth of personal property with them to campus and when you combine all those easily carried valuables with the laid-back, open atmosphere on most college campuses, you have a recipe for property loss. In fact, larceny is the most reported crime on most college campuses. With this in mind, insurance is a must, but what kind?

Most homeowner’s policies will cover students’ valuables if they are living on campus and still list the family’s home address as their permanent address.  Even so, it is always a good idea to confirm your coverage and its limitations with your insurance agent before your child leaves for college. Also keep in mind that if your child makes claims against your homeowner’s policy, it could negatively affect your rate and ability to maintain coverage.

Another option is renter’s or student insurance. Renter’s or student insurance can cover a specific amount or just specific items and is usually very affordable. It will also not adversely affect your homeowner’s policy of your child makes a claim. Most major insurance companies offer renter’s insurance so speak to your current agent for the best rate.

What about health insurance?

If there was ever a hot-button issue in the United States today, this is it. The cost of healthcare and insurance is staggering and although healthcare and coverage is usually the last thing on your student’s mind it is essential that you discuss the ins and outs of your policy with your child.  Imagine your dismay and frustration when you discover that your child went to an out-of network emergency room or clinic for a broken wrist when an in-network hospital was just a few more miles down the road.  The difference in the bills could well be in the thousands so it is important to discuss your policy with your child and determine where the in-network facilities are located near campus. The last thing either of you want is to pay for out-of-network medical bills instead of tuition.

Most medium to large campuses have their own health service centers or walk-in clinics on campus, and many times campus clinics are cheaper for certain services due to grants and subsidies. But, it is still a good idea to compare costs for routine visits, physicals, and prescriptions before he starts college.

Scholarship Application Advice

Honestly, nothing bugs me more than sloppy scholarship or award applications. Considering that the organization or donor is willing to hand you hundreds or thousands of dollars in free money you need to have enough regard for yourself and the committee to put forth your best effort. So, here’s my super honest advice for students about submitting scholarship applications.

1.     Make sure your application is typed and in a legible font. Applications that are handwritten or in illegible fonts WILL stand out, and then they are usually shredded without any further consideration. If you are turning the application in on paper and not electronically, make sure that the application is neat and not creased or wrinkled. If the application must be submitted electronically, follow the submission instructions, or if there are no specific instructions, submit it as a PDF, with your name and the scholarship’s name included as part of the PDF’s name.

 2.     Make sure your application is complete, and follow the instructions to the letter. If the instructions specify that an official transcript be attached, then attach an official transcript. Not a copy, not an unofficial transcript, not a screen shot of one from your phone, but an official transcript.

 3.     Submit the application on time. I’m sure that everyone has legitimate excuses for why they miss deadlines, but as a scholarship administrator I’m more concerned with scoring the already huge stack of applications that were submitted on time.

 4.     Proofread your application, then have a professor, tutor, or a trusted friend proofread it, then proofread it again. Remember, we want to give you free money; the least you can do is proof your work.

 5.     Tell your story. Usually, the selection committee only has about 3-10 application pages to figure out who you are and why we should give you the award. Tell your story honestly and as thoroughly as possible. Don’t dismiss activities as unimportant because you think they’re not grand enough to impress us. We are just as impressed by students who volunteer to read to preschoolers as we are by those who write research grants.

I have scored numerous scholarships over the past two decades and I can tell you that the students who get scholarships are the ones who submit clean, completed applications, before the deadline, and who take the time to have their applications reviewed for errors. Students who put forth the extra 10% of effort to submit well-prepared applications are usually the ones who win the awards, and the best thing is, once you’ve completed a few scholarship applications, they get easier and easier to submit.

Students need to look at scholarship applications from the selection committee’s perspective. The committee is usually comprised of volunteers who are already extremely busy and each person on it only has a few sheets of paper in your application to decide whether or not to give you a $1,000.00 or more, so make a good impression!

After you receive the scholarship send at brief thank you note or letter thanking the committee and giving us an update on how the scholarship will help you attain your educational goals. We do remember these letters and we may even score another one of your applications or remember you when we serve on another committee.