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Tips for Parents

Be understanding and supportive of your student the first several weeks or months of college. This can be a rough time as your student adjusts to the university environment.

Resist the urge to rescue your student. During college, students should learn how to solve their own problems. Encourage your student to use the campus resources so that they will know how to resolve a situation.

Think about your student’s new calendar – the beginning of school, midterms, and finals are very stressful times. Your support and encouragement during these times are extremely important.

Stay in touch with your student – letters, e-mails, phone calls, and care packages reminds your student that you support and love them, which can help ease their transition.

Be patient with your student if they change their major. UNLV offers more that 175 degree programs and your student will learn about different programs and career opportunities during their first year. It is very common for students to change their major a couple of times.

Plan to visit your student. Your student’s schedule will be filled with classes, homework, friends, work and other campus activities. Determining a good time to visit will help your student feel more relaxed and be able to spend more time with you while you are here.

Talk with your student about money and financial responsibilities before they leave for college. There are lots of spending opportunities while in school and it is important that it has been determined who is paying for what while your student is in college. Also talk about using credit cards and avoiding high amounts of debt that can hurt your student when they graduate.

Understand that your student will be going through a stage of exploration. Students should be finding out who they are and what they believe in, yet this may not always be in agreement with parents. Keep lines of communication open and be supportive of changes in your student.

Encourage your student to meet new people. A university environment offers students to meet other people from around the world and learn about different cultures and countries.

Encourage your student to get involved on campus with activities. This is a valuable experience for your student and can make a difference when applying for jobs during or after college. Research indicates that students who are involved on campus have a higher level of satisfaction with their institution, perform better academically, and persist to graduation. UNLV offers more than 120 student organizations as well as a variety of other programs and activities.

Be supportive if your student decides to spend breaks in Las Vegas or with friends in another town. This is a time in your student’s life to experience new things yet students often need to feel supported for trying new experiences.

Don’t be surprised if your student expects greater freedom when at home. While at school, your student may become accustomed to a certain amount of freedom. Talk with your student about what is appropriate while at home so your student feels they have freedom and you will be comfortable.

Respect and trust your student’s ability to make decisions. This builds self-esteem and self-confidence. Show your student that you believe he or she is capable, and your son or daughter will develop the confidence to handle himself or herself in challenging situations.

Keep an open mind to their ideas, experiences, and opinions. College is a young adult’s opportunity to grow and establish an identity through the exploration of ideas, values, interests, majors, professions, and the many faces of diversity. Have faith that you have raised your student well and try to be supportive of your student’s exploration by providing him or her with the freedom to discover different interests.

Allow your student to make mistakes. Of course, this is a difficult suggestion, but it is important. Some of your student’s most valuable learning experiences are a result of learning from his/her mistakes. Don’t be too hard on your son or daughter when he or she makes a mistake.

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Contact: Information
Phone: (702) 895-2970
Fax: (702) 895-2972
Email:parents@unlv.edu