Although the transition from high school to college is significant in scope, we also should be mindful of the realities behind how students develop. Today’s college students do not make the jump into adulthood quickly. Rather, they have been identified as “twixters” as within “emerging adulthood” from ages eighteen to twenty-five.

Aspects that students struggle with during these transitions include decision making, acceptance of responsibility, and thinking beyond both the short term and the big picture. Consequently, incoming students are likely to have some difficulty with certain skills and thoughts being encountered.

The Ten Transitional Stages of First-Year Students (taken from Zucker) as described below should orient you to what your student is likely to go through from the summer before college through the fall semester and beyond. By understanding these stages, you can understand what your student is encountering and how to respond accordingly.

 1)    Post-High School Satisfaction/Pre-College Elation. At this stage, students experience much excitement over the prospect of attending college. Expectations tend to be unrealistic and based on glimpses of college from campus visits or the movies.

2)    Early Separation Anxiety. As they begin to pack and prepare for college, students realize that they are actually leaving behind their support systems and family/friends.

3)    Acute Separation Anxiety. They experience emotional moments with loved ones. They realize they do not know the unwritten rules of this new campus culture. As this stage, it is especially critical to meet experienced older students, such as RAs, who can assist with the adjustment period.

4)  The Honeymoon. This is a time of euphoria as students anticipate intellectual excitement and a satisfying social life. Students feel ready to experience all that campus life has to offer.

5)    End of Honeymoon. Students realize that college life consists of hard work, frustration, and disappointment. Normal events such as class schedule changes may be unsettling. Initial grades may be lower than expected, which can come as a shock to the students who “coasted” through high school. Students may work much harder than ever before, only to receive lower grades. At this point, students often experience feelings of homesickness. Students should realize that this is normal and that they are not alone.

6)    The Grass is Always Greener. Midway through the first year, students often think that they can solve their problems by transferring. At this point, students should be encouraged to give the college they are attending at least a full year’s try. Students should be reminded that they might have had a worse experience at another school and situations that seem impossible in the first semester often disappear altogether later in the year.

7)    You Can’t Go Home Again. A first visit home is often traumatic due to a sense that things have changed. Reunited high school friends tend to exaggerate college success. At this time, students may realize that they themselves have changed and may long to return to campus.

8)    Learning to Cope. After about six weeks, students have learned their way around and are expanding their circle of friends. Their self-confidence increases and they participate in more activities.

9) Fear of Failure. Students often panic around the time of midterm or final exams. Students should be reminded that thorough course preparation is the best way to ensure a good grade. Warning signs with indicate trouble are panic attacks, procrastination, sleeping over 12 hours/day, and avoidance of academic responsibilities.

10) Putting it All Together. By the middle of the second semester, students notice that classes, residence life, and social activities have come together into a well-integrated lifestyle. Students are more confident, better able to make decisions, and are aware of opportunities for personal and intellectual growth.

 You can help your student through this transition by serving as a supporter and a listener, by knowing the resources available on campus to support your student, and by encouraging your student to seek out assistance on campus if they find they continue to struggle with the transition.

References

 Taylor, M. (2006, November). Helicopters, snowplows, and bulldozers: Managing students’ parents. Association of College Unions International, 13-21.

Zucker, F. Transitional trauma: Predictable stages in the transition from high school to college.

What is FERPA?

If you attended Family Orientation you probably heard about the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) but may be confused about its purpose.  The purpose of FERPA is to provide certain rights to students concerning their education records.  There are three primary rights associated with the Act.

Under FERPA, students who reach the age of 18 or who attend a college or university have the right to review their education records, the right to request an amendment to their records, and the right to have some control over the disclosure of information from the records. 

As you can see, the laws pertaining to access to information regarding students who attend college are different than those pertaining to high school students.  Although not all institutions interpret FERPA the same way, it is important to know how Ithaca College manages this important regulation.

We encourage parents and legal guardians to contact their son or daughter regarding questions about their education records before contacting a college staff member.  We want to be a resource to parents and family members within FERPA regulations, but it is also important for students to become responsible and self-sufficient.  Having them take initiative to address issues is beneficial for their development.

 For more information, Ithaca College’s FERPA brochure can be accessed online at http://www.ithaca.edu/sacl/services/ferpa/.

As a parent or family member of an incoming first year student, you are invited and encouraged to attend the Summer Orientation program. In fact, there is a special program for family members that runs concurrently with the student program. During the program, parents will find out information about Ithaca College resources such as housing, financial aid, health services, counseling services, and specific school related information.  Family members will also have an opportunity to ask current students questions regarding student life at Ithaca College.

During the afternoon part of Day 2, your student will meet with a faculty member to discuss courses for the fall.  During this time, separate activities are scheduled for parents. Why are there separate programs during advisement and registration? Orientation marks the beginning of your student’s college career and is a new stage in his/her life. With this new beginning, comes an increased need for independence and self-sufficiency on the part of students. Since course selection and academic planning are vital components of your student’s college career, it is important that s/he becomes familiar with the process from the beginning. We prefer to help develop self-sufficiency in this process at orientation when one-to-one assistance and instruction are readily available. As a result of this personalized service, our hope is that students will have the ability to initiate and complete the advisement and registration process.

 The schedule also allows for time to interact with and have meaningful conversations with other parents.  In addition to informal breakfasts and lunch, we have set up an opportunity for you to dine in local restaurants and to have a great meal and to talk about the day’s information.   You pay for your own meal, but the conversation is free!

 So, enjoy orientation and be sure to leave having all of your questions answered. 

Allow me to be one of many people who will welcome you to Ithaca College.  Whether your IC student is your first to go off to college or the one that will leave your nest empty, the transition will no doubt mark a time of change in your life as well.

Now that the anticipation and stress related to selecting and being admitted to the “right” college is over, what next?   The transition to the next part of their uncertain lives should be surrounded by positive ceremony.   For most, the end of high school is filled with proms, class trips, parties, family vacations or other celebrations.  These ceremonious activities, which can be joyous and emotional, allow for a sense of closure.  For some, it can be the symbolic end of childhood.

This is a time when parents begin asking, “What can I do to prepare my student for college?”  You can do so by encouraging your student to follow through on the things that will ensure a smooth arrival in the fall.  The first thing you should encourage your student to do is to activate their HOMERConnect user ID and pin number. HomerConnect is the online web-based student and faculty information system at Ithaca College. HomerConnect is used to create a housing profile and find a roommate(s), view class schedules and the course catalog, register for classes, and access financial aid and student account information throughout their time at Ithaca College.

Once that is activated, students should sign up for an orientation session.  They should also take their placement exams and can begin making connections with their peers through IC Peers on their MyIthaca web portal.  This site clearly outlines all the information your incoming student will need and provides a venue for them to ask questions.

You can also begin to prepare yourself for some pretty important conversations.  Does your student know how to balance a checkbook, the advantages and pitfalls of credit cards, or how to sort the laundry?  There are numerous resource books for parents of students leaving for college.    I recommend the following three:

·      Don't Tell Me What to Do, Just Send Money by Helen E. Johnson and Christine Schelhas-Miller

·        You're On Your Own (But I'm Here if You Need Me): Mentoring Your Child During the College Years by Marjorie Savage

·       Almost Grown: Launching Your Child from High School by Patricia Pasick

And when you’re not reading up on these conversations, be sure to charge your camera batteries.  I’m sure there will be lots of photo ops in the coming weeks.  Enjoy!  

 I’ll see you at Orientation!

Terry Martinez

Director of Student Engagement

and Multicultural Affairs

You play a vital role in your student's adjustment to college.  Family support can be a significant factor in student success.  We want you to be aware of the programs, resources and activities available to students here at Ithaca College, so you can encourage your student to take advantage of the numerous educational, cultural and social opportunities. 

Your student will receive information about how to sign up for an orientation session through their myIthaca account.  Running concurrently with the student orientation, Family Orientation is designed with your unique questions and concerns in mind.  Students may register guests for Family Orientation through their myIthaca account when they sign up for orientation.

Summer orientation dates for 2009 have been determined and are listed below.  During the end of March/beginning of April, students can sign up for an Orientation Session that is open to them. 

Orientation, Session I (Transfer Students): June 19, 2009
Orientation, Session II: June 22-24, 2009
Orientation, Session III: June 24-26, 2009
Orientation, Session IV: June 29-July 1, 2009
Orientation, Session V: July 6-8, 2009
Orientation, Session VI: July 8-10, 2009
Orientation, Session VII: July 13-15, 2009

Together we can help your student make the transition to higher education.  We welcome you to the Ithaca College Community.

- The Orientation Staff