Parents of first time college students ?

Question : Parents of first time college students ?
My oldest, of four, starts college this Fall. Were/are you as surprised as I was about all the work involved in getting you child in. From that ACT, Fafsa, searching for grants, applying for scholarships, staying on top of financial aid in general, applying for loans, attending orientation seminar, dorm/housing application, meal plan, buying all the stuff for the dorm, ordering books, picking up books, work study program and your student getting their own job for it, parking permit, . . .
I have had a stack of paperwork on my computer printer for months that gets done and added to constantly for this. I just did not know there was so much to do, not that I/we wouldn’t have done it.
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Best answer:

Answer by misscarinne
I’m not a parent, but I know my parents were always doing paperwork. It seemed I incessantly was signing things and filling things out. In addition, I did a lot of my own paperwork too. A lot of it wasn’t unexpected, medical, room mate survey, etc, but some of it was just repetetive. I almost wished they just had a person I could sit with and give all my information to for 45 minutes and be done with it.

This entry was posted by admin on October 26, 2010 at 4:12 pm, and is filed under Planning & Management. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0.You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.

Comments (4)
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#1 written by mistressmoon9 1 year ago

You sound like my mom, in a good way My mom had a million papers from my applications to my letters of recommendation to everything under the sun (my parents are very organized… if only i could be like that) But it is a lot of work but once your son/daughter gets in it’s like a huge weight lifted off your shoulder. Just go through each thing step by step until you could cross it off your list of things you need to do or need to understand better. Try not to get too overwhelmed and just try to breathe

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#2 written by ProfessorC 1 year ago

Sheila I know this from experience – YOUR CHILD should have been the one majorly involved in doing these things- its their education.

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#3 written by Britt 1 year ago

I just finished my first year of college and my sister just graduated from college. Because my parents had gone through it once, it was pretty easy when it came time for me to get things ready.
Yes there is a lot to do, but I helped out my parents by filling out some of the forms myself and not completely relying on them. And with the scholarship and financial aid I have, its helping my parents financially. Also for the loans, I will be paying 50% of my college costs starting when I finish school. At first I wasn’t happy that I have to pay so much of my college tuition, but then I realized that it is that– MY college career. Being able to pay back my student loans after college will signify how I’ve made it and am a success and going to college was worth it.

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#4 written by Enlightenedsista 1 year ago

Man oh man, isn’t it ridiculous. But unfortunately it has always been this way. I’m in graduate school now and I can remember when I went to undergrad it was such a tedious process, for both my parents and I, and Ive been out of undergrad since 1997.

That’s why its a great idea for parents to educate themselves about the whole college process way ahead of time, so when the time does role around, it won’t feel so overwhelming.

Best wishes on your children and college and good luck:)

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