Spring-Semester Transitions
Your student will face a new set of transitions and challenges during the spring semester. The tips outlined below will help you respond to these transitions in a supportive way.
As your student continues to mature and evolve into an adult, keep listening, encouraging, and coaching. If your student struggled with academics first semester, encourage him or her to access campus resources. House Fellows, in-hall tutors, study groups, and tutoring services such as the Greater University Tutorial Services (GUTS) are all excellent resources that are easy to access. Also, encourage your student to get to know his or her teaching assistants and professors and to take advantage of office hours. If your student had trouble finding his or her social niche last fall, encourage him or her to continue reaching out and making friends in classes or in the residence hall, join a student organization, or participate in recreational sports.
Many students begin to consider a major at this point. Keep in mind that only a few academic areas require a student to declare a major during freshman year in order to finish in four years. Many students change their minds and their majors at least once. Don’t feel discouraged if your student is undecided or changes direction. Cross-College Advising Service offers a wealth of useful information for students who are undecided or considering changing majors. Parents play an important role in helping students self-explore. Wren Singer, director of the Center for the First Year Experience, advises that the best questions you can ask your student are: “What classes do you like? What are you good at? What out-of-class learning experiences might give you clues about an interesting major?”
In March, students will receive an e-mail that includes earliest summer and fall enrollment appointment times. Encourage your student to plan ahead and make an appointment with an academic advisor to discuss course selection well before his or her assigned enrollment time. Even though some students are not required to see an advisor to register, it is always helpful to consult with advisors, either through group advising sessions or by meeting one-on-one, when making course decisions. Parents are discouraged from contacting advisors and actively selecting courses for their students.
It’s not too early to start asking your student about plans for the summer: will he or she return home, get a job or internship, or stay in Madison to take classes? These questions will help your student plan ahead and consider different options, and can influence your own summer planning.