So many mysterious terms and acronyms to understand when your student heads off to college! In this third College Lingo installment Vicki and Lynn define and discuss several of the insider terms that colleges use that may not be clear to parents. We cover topics from Disability Services and Priority Registration to Satisfactory Academic Progress, Minors, the College Catalog, and the Clery Act. We’re only scratching the surface of this new language, but it should get you started being able to understand and Talk the Talk. (Hear the first and second College Lingo in episodes #047 and #057.)

Thank you for listening!

• Much more information for college parents can be found on our website, College Parent Central
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It’s natural for students to struggle with college work. The problem we see isn’t the struggle or challenge, it is that students don’t always ask for the help they need. Colleges work hard to make sure students know about the resources available, so why don’t more students make use of them? In this episode, Lynn and Vicki explore some of the reasons students may be reluctant to get help and how parents can encourage their student to recognize and advocate for what they need.

Thank you for listening!

• Much more information for college parents can be found on our website, College Parent Central
• Find us on Twitter at @CollParCentral
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In this episode Lynn and Vicki took a tour through the college calendar. We focused on several of the touchpoints students experience throughout the year. We highlighted conversations to have with your student at the important milestones in each semester. Understanding what is happening for your student will help parents provide the support needed at just the right time.

Thank you for listening!

• Much more information for college parents can be found on our website, College Parent Central
• Find us on Twitter at @CollParCentral
• Find us on Bluesky at @CollParCentral.bsky.social
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Callisto is an organization whose mission is to provide resources and to empower survivors of sexual assault. Sarayfah Bolling, Callisto’s Director of Programs and Strategic Engagement joined us in this episode to help us learn more about sexual assault on campus and why parents need to know more about this topic. She also shared essential information about Callisto’s encrypted online services soon to be available to anyone with a .edu email address. Callisto is sponsoring a dialogue series to help educate parents and students about the transition to college, consent and healthy relationships, campus survivor rights, and navigating disclosure. If you can’t join the series live, recordings are available. We, as parents, need to educate ourselves and talk to our students about this often uncomfortable topic.

Thank you for listening!

• Much more information for college parents can be found on our website, College Parent Central
• Find us on Twitter at @CollParCentral
• Find us on Bluesky at @CollParCentral.bsky.social
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It isn’t inevitable that your college student will experience homesickness, but if they do, knowing why it happens and what to do will help you be prepared. In this episode, Lynn and Vicki discuss the factors that can cause college student homesickness, how to prevent it, and some strategies for how parents can help their student cope.  

Thank you for listening!

• Much more information for college parents can be found on our website, College Parent Central
• Find us on Twitter at @CollParCentral
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After a summer of ups and downs, tension and excitement, the time has arrived to deliver your student to school. In this episode Vicki and Lynn share some of their memories of Move-in Days with their sons and daughters. Along the way they share some of the lessons they learned and some suggestions for how to make this emotional day go more smoothly. Patience is the operative word. You and your student will get through this, and they will be off on their new adventure.

Thank you for listening!

• Much more information for college parents can be found on our website, College Parent Central
• Find us on Twitter at @CollParCentral
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Tracy Badua, lawyer by day and novelist by night, joined Lynn and Vicki to talk about her new novel This Is Not a Personal Statement. The story follows a graduating high school senior who goes to some great lengths to attend the college of her dreams. Both students and parents will find in the book messages about the pressure of trying to be perfect and about discovering internal motivation and authentic identity. Tracy writes from her Filipino American background and infuses her characters with this rich cultural heritage. This Is Not a Personal Statement is a page-turner and a fun read for both students and parents and may spark meaningful conversations.

Thank you for listening!

• Much more information for college parents can be found on our website, College Parent Central
• Find us on Twitter at @CollParCentral
• Find us on Bluesky at @CollParCentral.bsky.social
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We’ve spent a lot of time helping parents understand the college experience and talking about how to support their student’s transition to college. It’s time to turn the tables and focus on how parents can take care of themselves as they make their own transition as well. In this episode Lynn and Vicki discuss the Empty (or emptier) Nest Syndrome. Why does this happen? What is going on? And what can parents do as they experience the potential roller coaster of emotions? This can be a time of growth for parents as well as students.

Thank you for listening!

• Much more information for college parents can be found on our website, College Parent Central
• Find us on Twitter at @CollParCentral
• Find us on Bluesky at @CollParCentral.bsky.social
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Moira McCullough joined Lynn and Vicki in this episode to talk about how to reduce the time, money and stress that can go into planning college visits with your student. Moira’s advice about how to communicate with your student will help them discover what matters to them as they begin the college choice process. She shared ideas about how to help your student get beyond the official college message to find the information they need to help them with their admissions decisions. Moira established College Scoops to provide information through podcasts, blog posts and interactive guides for both families and students to get the “real” view of over 100 colleges. After listening to this conversation, you and your student will be able to make the most of your college visits.

Thank you for listening!

• Much more information for college parents can be found on our website, College Parent Central
• Find us on Twitter at @CollParCentral
• Find us on Bluesky at @CollParCentral.bsky.social
• Sign up for our newsletter for ongoing information

In our annual collection of book suggestions for parents, Vicki and Lynn share some of what we’ve been reading this year. This year’s books cover a wide variety of topics that will help parents broaden their understanding of students’ academic and emotional worlds, why they might struggle and how to help empower students to face their challenges.

Thank you for listening!

• Much more information for college parents can be found on our website, College Parent Central
• Find us on Twitter at @CollParCentral
• Find us on Bluesky at @CollParCentral.bsky.social
• Sign up for our newsletter for ongoing information