Helpful resources for families during their student's transition year.
The first year of college is often an exciting time. However, it can be a difficult time for students and their families. The Concordia University Texas Counseling Center has resources to help families during this time.
Resources for Families
Understanding the Transition from High School to College
Preparing for Change
The following resources will help families prepare for the transition into college life.
- Understanding the Transition Year
- CTX Counseling Center as a Resource for Parents
- Confidentiality and Parents
- Other Helpful Resources
Understanding the Transition from High School to College
Your student is exploring fuller independence and the nature of your relationship is also changing. Parents often find themselves asking the following questions:
- How much support does my son or daughter need?
- How will I communicate once they are gone?
- When will I know it's time to step in and help?
Ways you might support your student:
- Maintaining a supportive relationship with them can be critical, particularly during their first year of college. If you and your student were not particularly close prior to their leaving home, it is still important for you to convey your support. You may be surprised to find that some space and distance from your student can help improve your relationship.
- Allow space for your student to approach you. Let your student know that you respect and support their right to make independent decisions and that you will serve as an advocate and an advisor when asked. Finally, recognize that it is normal for your student to seek your help one day and reject it the next. Such behavior can be confusing and exhausting for parents, so make sure to take care of yourself by talking about your feelings with your own support system.
- Be realistic and specific with your student about financial issues, including what you will and will not pay for, as well as your expectations for how they will spend money.
- Be realistic about your student's academic performance, recognizing that not every straight-A student in high school will be a straight-A student in college. Help your student set reasonable academic goals; and encourage them to seek academic assistance when needed. The Student Success Center offers academic support and tutoring to all CTX students.
- Refrain from burdening your student with problems from home that they have no control over. The fact that your student has left home does not necessarily prevent family problems from arising or continuing.Sharing these problems with your student may cause them to worry excessively and even feel guilty that they are away from home and unable to help.
CTX Counseling Center as a Resource for Parents and Families
Counseling Services provides consultations to parents concerned about their students. Consultations focus on:
- Providing general information on assisting a student experiencing a difficult situation
- Referring a student for counseling services
- Locating appropriate mental health treatment for a student
Counseling is more effective if your student takes the initiative in accessing services. For this reason, students must schedule their own appointments for counseling.
Student Confidentiality and Parents
Counseling records are protected health information. By law, counselors cannot provide identifying or specific feedback on any student without a student’s written consent.
Please contact Scott Davis if you have any questions. 512-313-5032 or scott.davis@concordia.edu
Please feel free to select the links below to familiarize yourself with the helpful services and activities that you and your students will be involved with or will utilize.
*Adapted with permission from Abilene Christian University's Counseling Center