Prospective Students
September 1, 2007
Welcome new DU students and families:
It’s September. You and your student have been buying all the necessities for college, packing clothes for the Colorado climate, and thinking of banking and other financial issues. You have been actively involved in helping your student collect all the items needed for a successful college experience: desk lamps, sheets, calendars, and organizational tools. For some parents, this is reenactment of what an older child experienced. For others, this is a brand new experience. As with any transition, there are many questions and it is sometimes confusing to know where to get the answers. We hope this Guide is a resource that the staff of the LEP has developed to guide you during the coming weeks and all through your student’s LEP experience.
You and your student are probably experiencing the excitement and anticipation of your student beginning his or her first year of college. There are a few items that the Learning Effectiveness Program staff would like you and your student to consider. Talking about the college transition process is an important part of a student’s preparation for college. We suggest that students and parents discuss transitional issues, including:
- How often will you be communicating with each other? Are you going to arrange a specific time each week to call? Who is going to call? What type of information about school are parents interested in knowing about?
- Will there be ground rules? What if you have a concern about your student’s academic progress at DU? What agreement have you reached with your student so you get the information you want, yet respect your student’s feelings about being an independent adult?
Since our primary relationship is with your student, are you comfortable with conference calls between you, your student, and the LEP counselor? Has your student signed a release so the LEP counselor can talk to you? How does your student feel about LEP counselor/parent communication? - What are your expectations of the Learning Effectiveness Program? What are your student’s expectations? Do you know LEP policies?
Have you made affirmative statements to your student, who is now an adult, about the ongoing and upcoming transitions he or she may face through college? Transitional times in people’s lives are the periods most often remembered. A positive way to make
this period even more memorable is to let your student know your feelings. Share how the transition is impacting you and how you look forward to seeing your child achieve success in the days, months, and years ahead. - The above discussion points are just suggestions, but from the LEP staff’s collective experience, these areas can be good starting points for transition discussions with your soon-to-be college student. We have also created a virtual guide available at www.du.edu/disability/lep/presentation.html that may assist you in working through some of these issues. Change is difficult but is made easier when the lines of communication are open. The beginning of college can be an emotionally charged time for students and parents. We hope that the LEP Guide for Parents and Families and our suggestions make this transition slightly easier and that you find the Guide helpful and the journey rewarding.
Welcome to DU and to the LEP!
Sincerely,
Ted F. May, Director
University Disability Services
