Freshman Parent Tips

Students that have made the journey from high school to college quickly learn academic achievement is not as easy as they have believed and requires major adjustment. Regardless of how successful your student was in high school, he or she will have to develop new academic strategies as well as become acclimated to the independence fostered in college life. The Office of Freshman Studies is available to assist your student, and we offer guidance and support through a number of structured activities throughout the year.

Recognizing that having a college student is a period of transition for parents, as well, we would like to offer you the following suggestions:

• Encourage your student to embrace Hampton University’s traditions, reinforced by your own personal values as they relate to peer pressure, need for independence, and personal responsibility.
• Please remind your student to read each syllabus thoroughly for assignments and deadlines. Doing so promotes student accountability for his or her learning.
• Encourage your student to visit the course professor to ask questions or recap any concerns relating to course work during posted office hours.
• Encourage your student to be independent while attending Hampton University. Assure your son or daughter that there will be road blocks in life and one must learn to maneuver around the situation. If there are any problems or concerns, encourage your student to refer to the Student Handbook for proper protocol. While you may be tempted to intervene on your student’s behalf, allow the student to resolve issues. This practice fosters independence.
• Help your student take responsibility for planning. Reiterate the need for time management skills and encourage your son or daughter to use the planner that accompanied the University 101 textbook or any other tool that can identify important dates. This effort assists the student in becoming accustomed to managing his or her time on a daily basis. This also helps the student in breaking larger tasks into smaller, achievable tasks.
• Advise your students to explore the website for the Office of Freshman Studies for listing of academic support services or to visit our office which is located in the Student Center, Room 206.
• Keep the lines of communication open and continue communicating as often as possible with encouraging thoughts.