Academic Enrichment and Support Center

Academic Enrichment & Support Center 651.638.6416 | bethel.edu/undergrad/academics/support

THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF PARENTS AND FAMILIES The Academic Enrichment & Support Center (AESC) team believes every student admitted to Bethel has the potential to be successful at Bethel and in a future career. That’s why we provide free tutoring and other resources that empower students to achieve academic success. However, your support is critical in helping your student navigate college academic demands and complete a four-year degree.

WHAT DOES FAMILY SUPPORT LOOK LIKE? These formative years teach students to be fully responsible for themselves and their actions as they navigate challenging coursework and discover their passions, interests, and abilities. This process isn’t easy. Students often comment on the increased need for critical thinking and analysis in college. Most have to learn new study strategies or better time management skills. As a parent or family member, one of the most critical ways you can prepare your student for collegiate success is by helping him or her process major differences between high school and college. Begin by reviewing the following chart, and consider dialoguing with your student about specific differences that you think will present a challenge.

Time/schedule

Freedom

Study skills and time management High School Structured and sequential. Typically a daily routine that is stable and predictable.

Student freedom is usually dictated by scheduled activities and parental guidelines.

Students do not learn to apply study and time management skills extensively in most high school experiences. College Unstructured. Students are responsible for getting up, going to class, managing priorities, and getting to bed at a reasonable hour. School is a full time job—40–45 hours/week with attending class and studying 2-3 hours for every hour they are in class.

Students make their own choices about how to use their time. There are no curfews at Bethel.

All students need some type of time management skills at the college level, and most will need to learn effective study skills to prepare for challenging exams and to handle increased amounts of reading and homework.

Living with roommates

Counseling/ advising

Academics

Advocacy High School Students live at home with family. They develop established routines and know how to resolve conflict within their family structure.

Guidance counselors plot out the four-year curriculum with students. Parents or guardians may also be involved.

Students may be able to earn good grades with minimal effort. Classwork is evenly distributed throughout the semester. Students are given detailed instructions and support for major papers and projects.

Parents/guardians, teachers, and counselors advocate for individual students. Parents/ guardians frequently intercede in problematic situations and are able to bring about resolution. College Close contact with a roommate(s) encourages students to develop new relationships. Students must learn to negotiate routines and manage conflict with their peers.

Students make appointments with academic advisors every semester and should be prepared prior to each meeting. It is up to the student to correctly map out their course of study, but advisors and offices are available to help.

Students may find that college is more rigorous and expectations are higher. Course work tends to be backloaded, meaning there may be more work in the second half of the semester. If they don’t understand the material or what they are expected to do for a particular assignment, students must seek assistance and clarification.

Students must learn to advocate for themselves by asking for help when they need it and taking advantage of university support services and resources. Parents/ guardians are not able to make appointments on behalf of a student.

WAYS TO PARTNER WITH YOUR STUDENT • Ask questions about your student’s experience to learn about the unique challenges and opportunities facing your child and college students today. • Learn about the support services available to students and encourage your student to identify their need(s) and seek out assistance. • Understand your role as a mentor and promote self-advocacy by empowering your student to make decisions independently. • Allow your student to accept responsibility for personal errors, to examine his or her motivations, determine a solution, and establish a different action plan for the future. • Encourage your student to put aside additional time as he or she adjusts to the college learning curve—juggling academic, social, and work demands. We encourage students to limit work hours to 15 hours per week, or fewer if possible.

Studies at Bethel have shown that students’ grades tend to drop by a letter grade if working 20+ hours per week. • Encourage students to seek out faculty and ask questions, talking to them before or after class or during office hours. Faculty desire to get to know students and want your student to succeed. • Know and understand your limitations to access student records, as delineated in

Bethel’s FERPA policy (Family Education Rights Privacy Act, 1974).

TIER 3 Individual Tutoring

TIER 2 Academic Counselor Appointments (time mgt. study skills, test anxiety, test analysis)

TIER 1 9 to 12 hours a week of Drop-In Tutor Help Sessions

Layers of Academic Support at Bethel