Problems Start on Day One

The problems begin the day the new college student gets dropped off at college by their parents.

College bound high school students, look forward to going to college, especially after having that senior year in high school which is a big high for them.

Then... they end up in college and they find out that they really don't have the tools that they need to survive.

Why? Because our high school students are more coddled and more protected probably than generations in the past.

The parents return home after dropping the kids off at college. The kids find out that they have to think on their own, they have to make decisions, they have to advocate for themselves, and actually they have never done much this before. So, this is all a new experience. Some do it well. Some... flounder.

Dorm Life Confounds

Probably the first thing that a college student has difficulty with, is their dorm mates, living in dorms or the social aspect of going to college.

Adjusting to new friends and not-so-new-friends can be a big deal. Especially in the dorm, your choices can be limited. Kids need to learn to live in an environment that may not have the pre-college life protections.

Money, Money, Money

Next are the finances... Frequently the parents have not actually sat down and had a business meeting with their college age child. I recommend that the parents and student have regular business meetings prior to college, and then during the length of their college experience.

Financial expectations need to be discussed, the budget needs to be discussed, and actually high school is a place this ought to be practiced. The parents need to put the kids on a budget during their senior year... Maybe even in their junior year, and hold them responsible for their financial situation.

Simple but not easy...

There are some other skills that are needed... These can be as simple as doing their own laundry. My guess is that less than 50% of all students understand how to do this when they hit college. Many kids have never touched a wash machine. They do not know what a load of wash is, what is the separation of colors, how often should they wash their sheets. Add to this, when NOT to use bleach or hot water.

So don't be surprised if they go a semester, maybe even two semesters and they haven't even washed their sheets. It is just the simple day to day routine and daily hygiene that parents take care of when the kid is at home. Then they drop them off at college expecting them to know this information, and they don't.

For more tips and success strategies for parents, order Dr. Debi Yohn's book "Parenting College Students: 27 Winning Strategies for Success" to help you and your college student have the best chance a successful college experience.