Parents and families have an important role to play in helping their students successfully transition to college and then transition from college into the professional world of work.  The following are ways in which you can help.

Prepare Yourself:  Become familiar with the types of activities your student will be participating in over the next four years.  Check out Guidelines for Success in College and Beyond to see a list of possible activities. 

Encourage Major and Career Exploration:  Your student will find greater personal and career satisfaction from finding a career field that matches his/her interests, values, skills, and talents.  Keep an open mind if he/she considers majors and careers that might be different from your expectations.

Listen:  Listen carefully and respectfully to your student’s ideas about majors and careers.  Notice what fields he/she seems particularly passionate about pursuing and then encourage further exploration.  

Be Patient:  Nearly three out of four students change their majors at least twice before they graduate.  When your student considers changing majors or when they are undecided about their future goals, be patient.

Step Back & Watch:  Trust your student and support his/her choices as he/she tries out new careers through volunteering, part-time jobs, or internships.  When possible, provide networking contacts or job shadowing opportunities with your friends, family and/or colleagues.

Suggested Readings for Parents
The Parent's Crash Course in Career Planning:  Helping Your College Student Succeed. (Marcia B. Harris and Sharon L. Jones, Career Dimensions, 2007).

Letting Go: A Parent's Guide to Understanding the College Years. ( Karen Levin Coburn and Madge Lawrence Treegar, HarperPerennial, 1997).

Empty Nest, Full Heart: The Journey From Home to College. (Andrea Van Steenhouse, Simpler Life Press, 1998).

Career Coaching Your Kids: Guiding Your Child Through the Process of Career Discovery. (David H. Montross, Robert J. Ginn, Jr., Consulting Psychologists Press, 1997).