Tips for Parents

We like to think of it as College 101 - but really we do more to support college parents then just share articles. We are here to monitor the topics and themes of greatest interest to college students and their families and to help make sure that the investment your family is making in a higher education generates a great return for the life and career choice of your child. Keep these tips in mind and most of all keep a good sense of humor when dealing with your child. It often helps to share the warmth of a smile or laugh that only a supportive parent can give.

College is a time where young adults go off into the “real world” and begin to become adults. There are many skills that we assume these young adults have, but they may not know how to apply them in their own environment. These skills may seem obvious to us, but in order to set our […]

Moving your student to college is often filled with stress, sweat and emotion.  So being prepared is vital to making the most of this moment and leaving your student on campus both confident and secure.

Alcohol isn’t the number-one cause of death for college students — car accidents are the single biggest killer — but drinking can still be deadly.

Many times — maybe too many — high school seniors are just so happy to be accepted to their dream school that they don’t give a second thought to the financial implications of their college choice. Then reality sinks in when they start digging into the details of college award letters. At College Parents of America, […]

Nearly twice as many state insurance commissioners recommend renters insurance to college students in 2016 as did in 2013. In fact, the latest trend builds on an earlier report by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) that recommended college students consider the benefits of purchasing renters insurance. NAIC recommends that “college students renting an off-campus apartment or house while away at school should consider purchasing renters insurance to protect their personal property, such as a computer, electronics, bicycle or furniture, in the event that it is damaged, destroyed or stolen.”

College students are heading back to school, many with the help of their parents who have invested thousands of dollars in laptops, smartphones, bicycles and textbooks on students’ packing lists. Consider this - how will your student and family replace these items if they were affected by theft, fire, water damage, and other risks?

Fall 2013 student move-in has already begun at some colleges (and is rapidly approaching elsewhere). Many more students are moving into apartments or homes near campuses nationwide.

Despite the requirement to disclose accurate crime statistics and potential fines of $35,000 per report violation, it appears that 30 years after the death of Jeanne Clery colleges and universities continue to struggle to comply with providing accurate crime reports. In fact, this past November the American Association of University Women (AAUW) published an alarming report that concludes that ninety-one percent of the nation’s colleges have told the federal government there were no rapes reported on their campuses in 2014. In contrast to other reports that indicate sexual assault rates of women may reach as high as 21%, AAUW correctly concludes that this analysis of campus reported data “defies reality.”

 photo from flickr user Michael Theis Over the next few weeks, College Parents of America will be evaluating data on college safety and releasing some helpful lists. However, given that this topic is oft-covered in the media, it is important to sort through and contextualize this information. This post, originally written by College Parents of America in May 2013, serves as a primer to understanding college safety articles. Please read on and follow along in the coming weeks as we release data-driven lists on issues, incident rates and arrests concerning college safety.