How Parents Can Support Students

FVCC’s welcome week brings new students together with current students, faculty and staff to familiarize themselves with everything we have to offer. Each student also is assigned an advisor who will assist them in developing class schedules, registering for classes, preparing for graduation or transfer and making the most of their FVCC experience.

Orientation

The FVCC Student Support Center (link) will be a valuable resource to your student. Professional advisors will meet with students to help them connect to the programs, opportunities and services available to them on campus so they may maximize their college experience.

Tips for Supporting Your Student

When your student attends FVCC, our staff and faculty provide extensive support to assist them in their college experience.
A major part of attending college for many students is having adequate understanding and support from parents and community.

Here are a few tips for understanding the role college will play in your student’s life and how you can best support them throughout their higher education experience.

Encourage your student to be prepared.

College is very different from high school or a professional job.

Study Time – College will require more out of classroom study time than high school. Unlike the working world, when your student leaves the classroom, their job is not done. Being a full time student is a full time commitment, though a student may only spend 15 hours a week in the classroom.
Finances – Students and families are making a considerable financial investment in their education.
Balance – Time management is the key to success. Balancing classes with work, family and other interests will require students to make some adjustments and carefully prioritize their commitments. Encourage your student to keep a calendar/planner and map out time for classes, studying, work, family and socializing/de-stressing.

Ask questions about their experience.

Ask your student about their assignments, tests, quizzes, lecture, but don’t simply ask about grades. We recommend being kind if your student admits to doing poorly or they may not tell you in the future. Our staff and advisors are here to help students who may be struggling in classes. Questions to ask your student might include:

How do you like the lectures?
Where do you sit?
What are your professors’ office hours?
Where do you study?
How is the reading?
What are you learning?
Do you need help with anything?

Understand that grades are the student's responsibility.

Only the student and the course instructor have access to grades throughout the semester. This includes grades on assignments, projects, quizzes and exams.

FVCC is required to follow FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) guidelines. FERPA is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. When your student begins college, all rights afforded to parents under FERPA transfer to the student. This means parents (and families) no longer have access to their student’s financial or academic records unless the student provides a Release of Information to the Admission and Registration Office, or the Financial Aid Office and the Business. This is likely a big change, as many parents have had the ability to monitor their high school student’s records closely. FVCC will provide Releases of Information to students upon request to share their school records with you.
Your student should know their approximate grade in every class by mid-October.
Each syllabus explains the grading for the course.
Parents and family CANNOT contact instructors. Only the student can advocate for him/herself.