What to Expect
The transition from high school to college is a challenging transition for both parents and your son/daughter. In order to have success, your son/daughter must accept full responsibility for their personal and academic growth. Parents and advisors can serve as role models to support and encourage your son/daughter. With this support, the college years prove to be a safe environment for them to grow and develop to making their own decisions and plans, helping them emerge from college as capable adults.
Advising: Students, Parents and Advisors Working Together
FERPA/Privacy of Student Records
Advising: Students, Parents and Advisors Working Together
It is helpful to understand that parents, advisors and your son/daughter each play a unique and vital role in your son/daughter's success. Because FERPA guidelines limit what advisors can reveal about their advisees, it is critical for your son/daughter to have an open line of communication with both their parents and advisor.
College students begin to develop their independence and chart their life direction as they transition from high school to college. It is an exciting time filled with change and opportunity. Good communication between you and your son/daughter provides an opportunity for parents to become partners with advisors to strengthen the college experience for the student. Each party relies on each other to uphold their special role
Student Roles:
- Responsible for learning and academic success
- Monitor their own academic progress
- Understand the degree requirements and University policies
- Attend classes
- Manage and balance study, work and social time
- Use University resources to help them succeed
- Practice good communication with parents
- Work with their advisor to explore educational options and address concerns
Parents Roles:
- Be available to support and encourage your student
- Offer advice when appropriate
- Encourage independence
- Allow students to make their own decisions
- Encourage student to ask for help if needed, BUT let them do it for themselves and in their own way.
- Understand that the transition from high school to college is a difficult transition for you and your son/daughter.
Advisor Roles:
- Monitor student progress and guide toward academic success
- Teach your son/daughter how to make good academic decisions
- Help your son/daughter to understand their responsibilities
- Provide assistance and refer to campus resources as needed
- Advocate for your son/daughter
- Help clarify and develop an educational plan to meet personal and career goals.
As parents, we understand that you have a strong interest in your son/daughter's experiences at Auburn. We believe that parents play an important role in your son/daughter's success in college.
Your son/daughter will confront many adjustments as they make the transition from high school to college. This may be one of the very first times that they have to assume responsibility for their own lives. This is an important time in their development. Your son/daughter will be making new friends, living in a new place and delving into academics that are by far the most challenging that they have ever experienced before. Freshman students often times find themselves navigating through uncharted territories, and having to adjust their routines and habits in order to accommodate their new lives as college students.
Parents have a unique opportunity to act as your son/daughter's primary supporter. You can encourage them to seek out an advisor and faculty members when you feel they may be struggling. You can familiarize yourself with the services that Auburn has to offer our students, or simply have your son/daughter contact his/her academic advisor. Although you may be tempted to make contact for them, it is important that they contact the appropriate office, or to have them contact us and we can steer them in the right direction. Knowing when and how to seek advice fosters maturity that your son/daughter needs to learn as a young adult. Developing maturity and responsibility is a major developmental goal for the college years.
FERPA/Privacy of Student Records
FERPA, or the Family and Educational Rights and Privacy Act, also referred to as the Buckley Amendment, mandates that all college academic records are the "property" of the student. What this means is that your son/daughter must give permission for grades and other information in regards to their academic performance and enrollment to be discussed---even with their parents.
For additional information regarding FERPA, you can consult the Auburn Registrar's Office by clicking here