Information for parents
Higher education is about your child taking their education to the next level and fulfilling their potential. As well as opening up new career options, higher education means opportunities to meet new people and take part in a wide range of social and sporting activities.
It can also help develop a sense of independence - without the immediate pressures of full-time work.
We understand that helping your son or daughter as they make their choice and settle into university is much easier if you have access to all the information you need.
La Trobe holds parent information sessions each year between the enrolment and orientation periods. We strongly encourage you to consider attending one of these sessions where information will be available on fees and HECS, scholarships, and opportunities for your son or daughter to succeed at La Trobe.
Below you will find some helpful information on how to support your child throughout their university experience.
Supporting others through University life
La Trobe staff have invested considerable research and time into understanding the transition of students into university. For students to be engaged and successful they require a balance of academic and social resources.
Universities are different to secondary schools, as they are:
- adult learning environments, where students are expected to be independent, self-motivated and responsible for themselves
- Full of different people, ideas and systems.
Some of the challenges that new students face include:
- living away from home for the first time
- managing a personal budget
- feeling lost in a crowd
- different academic expectations.
What you can do
As a parent, carer or partner of a new student, there are some basic things you can do to help them adjust successfully to university life.
Understand that full-time study is like a full-time job.
Students will need to spend on average 15 hours per week on campus, attending lectures and tutorials, using the library, meeting other students for group work, as well as up to 15 hours per week or more at home studying and writing. This means their ability to work or participate in other activities can be limited, particularly during peak assessment time.
Get to know the academic calendar
La Trobe University’s academic calendar runs over two semesters in a year, during which there are key times to prepare for. In particular, students usually receive their first pieces of assessment around the fourth week of study, so they may be more anxious than usual as they deal with this. Examination period is usually a four week block at the end of each semester which can be particularly stressful for students dealing with competing deadlines for assignments and studying hard for exams. View important dates in the University for more information.
Be ready to listen
In a survey on first year students at La Trobe University in 20071, one third of first year students (31.1%) reported that they had seriously thought about deferring. Finances were an important reason for thinking about deferring, however the main reason given was emotional health, or because they thought they might fail.
Students who had considered deferring but ultimately decided to stay said that family and friends were by far the most important influences in their decision to stay. As a parent or partner, you can play an important role in helping new students stay positive and see past the difficulties that might face them from time to time.
1 Bexley, Emmaline, At La Trobe University in 2007, Centre for the Study of Higher Education, University of Melbourne, 2008.
Know when to take a step back
Universities are a place of new ideas and new friends, and for younger students it is often a chance to test the boundaries. For more mature students it can be about building confidence and expanding their social networks. For students to be successful in the adult learning environment of university, it is also important that they are given the responsibilities and respect that come with that independence. This includes letting them deal with the administrative aspects and making decisions about which subjects (units) to take. Universities will deal directly with the student, not the parent or partner, and in most situations privacy policies restrict universities from giving parents or partners information about the student. We recommend you maintain an active and positive dialogue with the student if there is information you feel you should be informed about. If the student is under the age of 18, you may be asked to give permission for them to participate in certain activities.
Recognise when things aren’t going well
New students can sometimes struggle to keep up with their classes, manage competing deadlines, and cope with their finances, amongst other things. Students who are not coping may exhibit a lack of interest and commitment to their studies, be unwilling to discuss their studies, have difficulty in making new friends or connecting with long term friends, fail to submit assignments or sit for exams, and show low self esteem. If this happens, try to encourage them to seek advice from our experienced support staff. La Trobe offers personal counselling, assistance with study skills, career advice, chaplaincy and other forms of support free to students. View the services available on the right-hand menu.
Help celebrate achievements and milestones
Handing in that first assignment, receiving the first lot of grades and getting through the semester are all big moments for a first year student. Acknowledging the hard work that goes into studying will help keep them motivated.
