Center for
Academic Resources
and Student Support Services



Welcome to All Parents of UNH Students!


 HOW TO MAKE FOR A SUCCESSFUL FIRST SEMESTER FOR YOU AND YOUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS

Plan Family Communications

The family is a critical support resource for students, especially incoming freshmen. Determine how you and your sons/daughters will stay connected that first semester they are away from home. Phone calls (perhaps at a predetermined time), visits (announced may be better than surprise), email, and "care packages" containing food and news about home are greatly welcomed.

Note: Most incoming students need to retain a strong sense of family identity and wish to be apprised about/included in family activities and decision-making even though they may be away from home.

Learn About UNH and Your Son's/Daughter's College Lives

Become knowledgeable about UNH: attend parents orientation, read the Resource Guide for UNH Parents, participate in UNH Family Weekend (Sept. 25-27, 2009), and know the academic calendar. Keep abreast of current happenings through the UNH web site and by reading publications for parents. Connect with the UNH Parents Association. For a sense of the student culture, check out The New Hampshire student newspaper. You can access these resources online (see links below.)

Note: Learn your son's/daughter's class schedules, courses they are taking (if you wish detailed information, ask for a copy of each course syllabus), names of their professors, residence hall staff, advisors, and roommates. This information will make it easier to ask them specific questions and support their academic progress.

Expect Changes in Your Relationship with Your Sons/Daughters

College will be a time of developmental change for your sons/daughters. They will be exposed to new ideas, experiences, and people; subsequently, they may redefine their interests and values over time. These changes will have an effect on your relationship with them and how they relate to you and siblings (generally for the better.) Expect that family members (including you) will go through periods of adjustment: welcome change as an opportunity to strengthen your relationships.

Note: In this sea of change, try to keep some constants in the home-life they left, e.g. resist the urge to turn their bedrooms into something else once they have left for college. Going home to something familiar can enhance a sense of security.

Coach Your Sons/Daughters To Address Challenges

Expect that they will encounter challenges in their new academic and living environments and that UNH will expect them to be active agents in their education. Encourage them to take responsibility for meeting these new challenges and expectations by seeking out assistance through their faculty (e.g., faculty generally have designated office hours to meet with students individually), advisors, and residence hall staff. Some faculty encourage students to communicate by email or through Blackboard, which is a web-based program that provides course content and resources in most courses.

Moreover, there are many other institutional resources such as the Counseling Center (for personal support), the Writing Center, the Math Center (MaC), and The Center for Academic Resources (CFAR - for study & time management skills and general academic support.)

In particular, the first several weeks of school are critical to a student's adjustment at college. Encourage them to stay on campus for the first month (including weekends) - you may visit rather than their going home during this time. In this way, they will be more likely to make friends early on and view their school as their home away from home.

Note: To the extent possible, refrain from "fixing" their problems for them. By guiding them to be self-advocates and problem-solvers, you can empower them to take control of their college lives.

Encourage Your Sons/Daughters to Stress Academics as Priority #1

Even students who were successful in high school generally are not fully prepared for the amount of study time required to be successful at the college level. Also, entering students will find they have significant unstructured time on their hands: if they live in the residence halls, they will be in class less than 10% of the total time they will be on campus. Time management and maintaining a balanced life schedule are paramount. This is equally true of commuting students who must balance their "new school life" with their "continuing home life."

Appreciate that having a successful first semester will require their full effort and attention. Encourage them to set realistic academic goals for themselves (e.g., meet with all instructors during office hours, attend all classes and help sessions, keep up with work as assigned, ask for help before falling behind in a course, develop a study schedule, etc.)

Encourage them to be prepared to study (at least) two hours for every in-class hour (e.g., twelve hours of class time equals 24 hours of outside study time), to limit work to less than ten hours/wk (working on campus vs. off campus helps with adjusting to the new environment), to exercise and eat regularly (including breakfast), and to participate in social activities. Because some extracurricular activities may require substantial time commitments, encourage them to assess what time demands a given activity may entail and its impact on study time and their capacity to meet their academic goals.

Note: Support them early on to establish academics as their top priority. Doing so will help students develop the appropriate expectations and habits of mind, setting the stage for future success at college and beyond. In this regard CFAR staff can help students mak a successful transition from high school to UNH.


Some Useful UNH Resources for Incoming Students and their Parents

Associate Dean of Student's School or College
Catalog of UNH Courses
Center for Academic Resources (862-3698)
Counseling Center (862-2090)
Disability Services for Students (862-2607)
Financial Aid Office (862-3600)
First Year Programs & Orientation (862-3488)
Health Services (862-1530)
Math Center (862-3577)
Multicultural Student Affairs Office (OMSA) (862-2050)
Parents Association (862-3585)
Registrar's Office & Academic Calendar (862-1500)
Residence Hall Directors (862-2268 - Office of Residential Life)
Student-Athlete Support Services (862-0283)
Student's Advisor
Student's Course Instructor (link to UNH faculty/staff directory)
The New Hampshire
UNH Home Page
University Advising & Career Center (862-2064)
Writing Center (862-3272)

Best wishes for an outstanding first year!