Expectations: Set the Stage for Success

It is important to directly discuss expectations with your student each semester. Open and honest communication prevents confusion and lays the groundwork for positive outcomes. Setting expectations is most successful if it is a two-way conversation.

Grades

Discuss with your student their expectations for their grades, schedule, course load, and involvement. Listen and notice where your expectations align with those of your student and negotiate differences. When setting expectations, keep the following things in mind:

• Be realistic. If a student was a B student in high school, it’s unlikely they will earn a 4.0 each semester – especially their first semester.
• Be adventurous. Auburn has over 500 student organizations and extracurricular activities; encourage your student to try something new!
• Be consistent. Get into the routine of discussing and revising expectations each semester. This could become a valuable check-in process for you and your student.

Finances

It’s important to talk to your student openly about finances prior to them arriving on campus. Your student will make financial decisions every day. They need to know how these decisions will affect them.

Discuss if you will or will not contribute to their college education. If you do plan to contribute, be very clear about how much that contribution will be, and how often you will provide it (weekly, monthly, semesterly, etc.). If your student needs additional funds (grants, scholarships, or loans), go ahead and talk to your student about how it is their responsibility to obtain those funds, keep them, and pay them back if needed.

Extra-Curricular Activities

Even though the purpose of attending college is to gain academic knowledge, it’s the outside-the-classroom experiences that are so critical to your student’s success. Time spent in meaningful co-curricular activities is what helps your student feel at home on campus, which leads to a higher retention rate and an increased likelihood your student will graduate.

When talking to your student about activities, encourage them to participate in four different types of programs:

1. It’s important to do something that connects to their major or future career.
2. College students need to remain active so encourage activities like intramural sports or group fitness classes.
3. Students need to take care of their minds in addition to their bodies. Participation in group therapy, meditation classes, or a church group can be very beneficial.
4. It’s also important for students to have activities that are social. Joining a Greek organization, a gaming team, or anything else that is fun is important, too!