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Life is decidedly unfair. Five years ago, your child (and you!) faced the social and educational upheavals of the pandemic. Now those college-bound students confront a higher education landscape thrown into uncertainty by actions of a new federal administration.
Funding for medical and scientific research has been drastically cut; some universities have been threatened with the loss of millions of dollars unless they revise certain policies; and increasing numbers of schools are instituting hiring freezes, along with other budget cuts.
As I’m sure you also know, the president has directed that the Department of Education (DOE) be closed, with some functions (e.g., student grants and loans, civil rights investigations, etc.) to be transferred to other departments and the states. Nearly half of DOE staff members already have been laid off. Though some have been hired back, those who remain are struggling to preserve essential programs.
How might recent changes affect your student?
These comments are factual – not political. Politics comes in when deciding whether these actions are good or bad for higher education, and for our nation overall. I’ll not take a position on that question in this article.
But regardless of how one views these developments, it is reasonable to wonder how they might affect your college-bound student. Things are changing so rapidly that no one can confidently predict what we will see even a few weeks, let alone a few months, out. Nevertheless, fall inevitably will arrive, and students will head off to college or university.
Let me offer eight suggestions that I hope will be helpful for parents whose children are in college now or are planning to attend in the near term.
8 suggestions that will be helpful for parents whose teens are or will be in college
1. Your child survived the pandemic disruptions
The fact that your child survived the pandemic disruptions – and now is looking ahead to college – suggests that they gained a measure of resilience that will be enormously useful to them, not just in their undergraduate years but in their life beyond. You might talk with them about what they learned through that experience. Celebrating their progress can help increase their sense of confidence and awareness of the personal resources they will bring to this next stage of their life.
2. The challenges to higher education I cited above are most likely to directly affect graduate students, post-grads, and faculty research programs, especially in medicine and the sciences – not undergraduates.
Some research opportunities for them may be reduced or eliminated, but other programs should survive – at least in the short-term. Even so, schools will no doubt be working to minimize disruptions for their students, especially for new ones. Staff and faculty members should be prepared to serve as resources, and schools may also develop special programming. Please encourage your student to take advantage of these opportunities, if they have questions or concerns, once they are on campus.
3. This new and more complicated reality will place a premium on your student’s ability to take charge of their own education
This new and more complicated reality will place a premium on your student’s ability to take charge of their own education – to be thoughtful about establishing their personal academic goals and determining how to achieve them through their college or university’s curriculum. They certainly don’t need to have all their plans in place in their first or even their second year, so please don’t pressure them about it. And do expect them to change their mind (maybe more than once) along the way.
But it will be wise for them to begin thinking about these matters from the start of their college career. You can encourage them to work with their academic advisor to start looking ahead toward charting a course through the curriculum that leads to their desired outcome. Your job is to listen to what they are willing to share about their plans and support them in their decision-making.
Feel free to ask questions (e.g., “What have other students who’ve majored in x at your school gone on to do?”). And it’s never too soon for students to visit the career development center (or whatever that office is called on their campus), to start developing a resume and begin thinking about potential internship opportunities. But please make sure to support them in making their own decisions in these matters.
4. Given the questions surrounding the fate of the Department of Education, it will be prudent to apply for any federal assistance (e.g., Pell Grants, student loans) as early as possible
Likewise, if you and your child will be filling out the FAFSA (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid), get started as soon as you can, and anticipate possible disruptions in the process. Reportedly, the FAFSA website has already “experienced nationwide services outages,” so plan accordingly and allow yourself extra time.
If your student’s immigration status is potentially an issue, they (and you) should talk with their college counselor and identify the appropriate office at their new school to understand their best options. Once your child has decided on a college or university, that school’s admissions or financial aid office will become a source of timely information as well. Another resource you might investigate is the student section of the National Association for College Admission Counseling’s (NACAC) website.
5. Encourage your student to turn our present state of affairs into an educational benefit
The high bid would be for them to use it as a catalyst to think about what it means to become an informed, responsible, adult citizen. This would mean staying up-do-date on current events – preferably by consulting some sources other than social media (e.g., a national newspaper, the local NPR station, even television news programs). Regardless of their major, they can seek out courses and extra-curricular opportunities (e.g., student clubs, visiting lecturers, etc.) to help them understand better how our government works, the historical context, and so on.
If this inquiry leads them to explore new and unfamiliar ideas and actions (perhaps joining a peaceful protest), please don’t take this as yet a new way for them to rebel against you. Rather, see it as a healthy sign of growth. Consider making your student’s new political awareness a topic of conversation, when you next get to spend some time together. Lastly, encourage them to see their college journey as a golden opportunity to talk with people whose social and political perspectives might be different from their own.
College represents a great chance to make new friends who might see the world in unfamiliar ways, and to learn how to listen and understand before rejecting a new idea. In short, to talk with civility across difference – something in short supply these days.
6. Seek out ways to interact with staff and administrators at the college or university
Expect them to create opportunities – through formal or informal parent groups, Q&A sessions, etc. – for you to hear what’s on their minds, to ask questions of them, and share your own perspective. There’s certainly a lot to talk about, and it will be informative to hear first-hand what these administrators are doing to assist their students succeed in this environment.
Understanding that many institutions will be facing additional and probably unexpected financial burdens in the coming months and years, you might even consider including the school in your philanthropic plans, if you are able.
7. Contact your elected state and federal representatives
As you consider how political decisions are influencing your student’s college experience – for better or for worse – you might want to contact your elected state and federal representatives, by writing, calling their offices, attending a town-hall meeting, and so on.
Ask them what they think about the current challenges to colleges and universities, and what they see, going forward. It would be valuable for your representative to hear your perspective, especially if you have gained new insights through your student’s personal experience. So, feel free to share your own opinions.
8. The vast majority of professors are focused on helping students master their course material and teaching them how to think for themselves
Finally, let me acknowledge that higher education has come in for a good deal of criticism in recent years – much of which, in my opinion, is undeserved but some, to be sure, is on the mark. The upshot is that public confidence in the sector has measurably declined.
Perceptions that colleges and universities “push political agendas” have increased. Academic leaders are challenged to foster an intellectually free and open campus in an age of social media, political hyper-polarization, and grievance. And even with substantial investments in financial aid at almost every school across the country, high tuition “sticker prices” still present both perceived and real barriers to many poor and middle-class students.
It’s no wonder that the average tenure of a college or university president has dropped below six years! But presidents and chancellors across the country are working hard to address these issues, along with others, on their own campuses. And from my personal experience, I can assure you that the vast majority of professors are focused on helping students master their course material and teaching them how to think for themselves, as opposed to indoctrinating them in a political viewpoint.
As a parent, you can be confident that U.S. colleges and universities remain the envy of the world. Students can still achieve a transformative educational experience, provided they approach their college years with intentionality and determination. If you seize this moment to help your child embrace a new level of self-determination, they truly can create an inspiring, life-changing educational journey – and perhaps even one for you too!
More Great Reading:
Former College President: What To Do If Things Go Wrong for Your College Student
Former College President On Choosing a Major: Avoid This Big Mistake
