SOURCE
Vol. 16
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No. 1
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December 2018
13
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A Framework for Helping Families Understand the College Transition Bryant University, a private, independent institution in Rhode Island, has included families in its orientation programming for more than two decades, but it recently improved its approach based on the evolving needs of parents and students. Determining the most impactful strategies to partner with parents and educate them about the complexities of college transition required research and reflection. Realizing that parental involvement positively impacts student success and completion rates (Savage & Petree, 2015), Bryant was challenged to determine how extensively to involve parents in the college experience and how to help establish clear boundaries for families. The university recognized that parents struggle with conflicting messages about their role. While they are inundated with advice on how to protect their investment and motivate their students, they are simultaneously criticized for hyper-involvement. And most Bryant parents understand that sending students to college involves “letting go,” but this runs counter to previous advice about advocating for their children’s education during the K-12 years. To manage these conflicting messages and create clearer boundaries, Bryant designed an approach with the idea that (a) the emerging-adulthood developmental stage is complex and (b) parents must be educated to know when to step in and when to allow the institution to lead.
A Framework to Combat Transition Issues In general, parents are open to advice, and with college costs rising, they expect institutions to help them and their students navigate the higher education experience. Bryant has responded by creating programming for orientation and beyond to educate families on the challenges that first-year students face as they transition from adolescence to emerging adulthood. Similarly, Bryant works to help parents adopt new parenting practices appropriate for emerging adults. Bryant’s approach considers the positive impact of parental involvement, encouraging parents to partner in their students’ success while also accounting for the pitfalls of “helicopter parenting.” Consistent messaging on the critical areas of first-year adjustment enables families to discuss the transition, allowing them to set realistic expectations and giving them a shared vocabulary. To facilitate ongoing dialogue, Bryant’s assistant dean for student success developed a framework for understanding six facets of college adjustment, based on the work of Hazard and Nadeau (2013): intellectual, social, emotional, cultural, financial, and academic adjustment (Figure 1). This framework allows Bryant to educate parents about transition issues during the first year, engaging them to support their students’ success from a healthy distance.
Laurie L. Hazard
Assistant Dean of Student Success
Bryant University
Stephanie Carter
Director, Academic Center for Excellence
Bryant University
“To facilitate ongoing dialogue, Bryant’s assistant dean for student success developed a framework for understanding six facets of college adjustment.
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