ADVISING SERVICES PARENT AND FAMILY PROGRAM NEWSLETTER

NOVEMBER VOLUME II I 2014

The visit home: What to Expect (p. 2) Final Exams (p.3) The Second Semester at WTAMU (p. 4-5)

In this issue:

N ot only is the semester coming to a close, but the holiday season is upon us. Many students

are eager to go home and extend a visit to family and old friends to share their “new world.” Having your student back at home for the break (and maybe for the first time in months) is an exciting time, but re-member that so much has changed. What is different? The college experience helps students discover new intellectual passions, different cultures, develop new ides and entertain different thoughts; things begin to look different than they once did. The first semester is only the starting point of the journey to discover who they are and who they are becoming. Although students do not realize it, they have changed in the few months since they left home so there is no rea-son to be alarmed if they come home with a new hairstyle, different way of dressing, or with different major. For students, the freshmen year is about learning to cope in a strange environment and han-dling freedom and responsibility; for parents and family, it is about learning to build a new relationship with their student. What to Expect Students will want to reconnect and spend time with high school friends; however they may find that, now, they see their old friends in a different light and may even think they are immature or just different than them. This is normal. It is also normal if they want to

eat a lot of homemade meals, sleep a lot, ask for a new curfew, and to have space to do nothing. They may even expect the laundry to be done for them! How to Help? Coming home may represent one of the biggest struggles for some students as they are required to follow rules again. Parents and family must under-stand that the students are no longer the same high school kids who left home a few months earlier, and change the rules to reflect how things have changed in their lives. Refusing to acknowledge these changes may result on students who plan short and infre-quent visits home. As you discover that your student’s experiences are directly shaping their lifestyle choices or career plans don’t try to stop the process, but do be prepared to intervene if you believe that negative or harmful con-sequences will result from their changes in behavior. Although students change, they do not expect for things at home to change. They will expect for things to be just the way they were when they left, so it is important to give students time to get comfortable at home again. Most importantly, students might just want to have a break and too many expectations may overwhelm them.

ADVISING SERVICES

Connect with Advising Services

@ WT_Advising

WTAMU Advising Services

Advising Services Student Success Center, Room 110

Phone: 806.651.5300 Fax: 806.651.5274

Email: advisingservices@wtamu.edu Website: www.wtamu.edu/advising

Whether or not the students’ first semester has been successful, once they have moved passed the midterm point, they begin to reflect on the de-mands and challenges that are attached to the col-lege experience. College finals, however, are the most difficult time of the semester. Most students return to WTAMU after Thanksgiv-ing break to face a few weeks of intense work that will culminate with their first set of final exams. There will be long hours of studying, writing pa-pers, and completing final assignments. It is likely that they will express an increased level of stress and unfortunately, the only thing family and par-ents can do is be supportive and encourage them to find uninterrupted study time to focus on the material. Instructors could be a great resource dur-ing finals, encourage your students to visit with them and clarify content or pinpoint the topics on which the student needs to spend more time. Study groups could also be beneficial! When Final Grades Are Lower than Expected A student at West Texas A&M University must earn a 2.0 GPA (C average) at the end of the semester to remain in good academic standing; a student whose GPA is below a 2.0 is placed on academic probation.

A student’s first semester is not indicative of the rest of the college career. A lot of students strug-gle to adapt to the different academic expectations to which they grew accustomed in high school; sometimes they just have a bad semester that is reflected on their final grades. If your student struggles academically during the first semester and is placed on academic , do not assume that he or she is simply not doing the work but provide support to identify what needs to be changed and learn how to fix it. Once on probation, a student has a semester to improve his grades; encourage your student to seek help and utilize the support services at the University during the second se-mester. Struggling academically and learning to get back on top might be a great life lesson for the stu-dent. To view the Final Exam Schedule, click here. Final grades for 2014FA are due by 9 a.m. Monday, December 15

Final Exams

Send something in the mail. Care packages are a great way to show your student that you are

thinking of him or her. Consider snacks, baked desserts, energy drinks, chips or candy, a travel

mug, coffee or anything you know your student will love and help through the all-night study

sessions.

A care package doesn’t have to be big or expensive to be effective, even a supportive note and

a few snacks will suffice. There is nothing like a personal package from home to encourage

them during finals.

Receiving presents really brightens a student’s day!

EXAM SURVIVAL KIT

S tudents adapt differently to college; for some, the first semester was a great experience and

for others a difficult experience. No matter what your student’s experience was, the second semes-ter of their freshmen year is an opportunity to con-tinue improving and take advantage of the experi-ence. By the spring semester, students know their way around campus and have had enough time to reevaluate their college experience. The first se-mester is about transition while the second semes-ter is about building connections, joining more ac-tivities based on the newfound interests, and possi-bly changing degree goals. Preparing for the Second Semester Before students get excited for the second semes-ter they need to register for classes! Registration for currently enrolled freshmen opens on Monday, November 17. Students who have been advised and greenlighted by their academic adviser

will be able to register on that day if they do not have any restrictions in their account. Restrictions may include parking tickets, unpaid medical bills, unpaid tuition, or the need to turn in official tran-scripts. If a student has not been advised and greenlighted and /or has restrictions he or she will not be able to register for the Spring 2015 semes-ter. Encourage your student to visit with an academic adviser as soon as possible if he or she hasn’t al-ready done so. Courses are beginning to fill up and if students wait too long to register, they will not have many options when scheduling courses. Ad-vising and greenlighting is an important step to con-tinue enrolled at the University and identify aca-demic or personal issues that need to be resolved and academic habits that needs to be praised.

Please have your student call the Advising Services office at 806.651.5300 to schedule an advising

appointment before the break.

The Second Semester at WTAMU

Important Dates November 17 Priority registration for Spring 2015 opens for freshmen November 26 Classes dismiss at noon November 27-28 University closed for Thanksgiving break December 1 University Dining Hall opens ay 7:00 a.m. December 3 Last day of classes December 4 Dead Day– There are no classes but the University is still open December 5-11 Final exams December 11 Dining Hall closes at 7 p.m. December 12 Residence Halls close at noon December 15 Final grades for Fall 2014 due at noon December 16 At least 25% of the payment for Spring 2015 is due December 24– January 2, 2015 University closed for the holidays January 20, 2015 First day of classes for Spring 2015

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR STUDENT (and who to call if there any issues to solve before the spring)

Are you getting along with your roommate?

Will you stay in the same room or do you need to

request a change?

Have you turned in all of your transcripts? Do you have restriction for transcripts needed?

Have you registered for spring semester?

Are you satisfied with your grades?

Do you need to talk to someone about

your major? Are you on academic

probation? Do you need a job for the spring? Do you know how to do a resume?

Do you still have a balance on your

account? Have you signed up for

the payment plan? Is your financial aid in

place for spring? Are you homesick? Are you stressed? Are you having issues adapting to the college environment?

Residential Living 806.651.3000

Advising Services 806.651.5300

Business Office 806.651.2080

Financial Aid 806.651.2055

Admissions Office 806.651.2020

Career Services 806.651.5345

Counseling Services 806.651.2340

Do you need to request a tutor for

next semester?

Educational Services 806.651.2341