Welcome to SUNY Oswego! While your student has, as they would likely say, “already been through all of this”, not every institution is the same. Specifically, there are differences between the community college and the four-year institution. College, in general, presents new opportunities for students to make their own decisions and become independent adults. SUNY Oswego encourages these growth opportunities and supports that transition.
As a parent, you have been heavily invested in your student’s academic, personal, and social development. You have been encouraged by school systems to be an active participant in your child’s education by participating in PTA, attending parent-teacher conferences, and checking grades on the website.
You may be tempted to continue this level of involvement during your student’s time at SUNY Oswego. Research has shown, however, that when parents continue to make decisions or manage students’ responsibilities for them, maturation may be delayed. It will be important for them to struggle with choices, knowing that you as a parent will always be there for consultation and support when they face difficult decisions and life’s inevitable disappointments. Students who are trusted by their parents have more self-confidence. They will always need their parents!