Parents and guardians can have an important role to play when it comes to University choice and selection. Nowadays they frequently provide financial support at the application stage, act as a taxi service to visit universities on open days and, perhaps later on, act as guarantors for rented accommodation, supplement the student loan, or provide a much-needed boost to an unexciting diet of value-line products by sending through some shopping vouchers. Perhaps more significantly, but less obviously, parents provide an important element of stability at a time when many things are in a state of change – new friends, new responsibilities and new places can be overwhelming, but the emotional back-up and support of family members can greatly assist the transition from home to university life. Applying to university, surviving the exams necessary to get there, and settling into a new and unfamiliar environment can be a difficult time and young people often need all the support they can get.
This section focuses on areas specifically of interest to you, but see also other sections for detailed information on the application process, choosing a university or a course, and the all important subject of money: the financial support available and advice on managing a budget. Universities generally welcome parents on open days and other events before enrolment and often run events and sessions for parents as well as dedicated websites and guides.
Five things to remember
- Do be positive about higher education.
- Do get to know the UCAS procedures.
- Do stay calm in anxious times.
- Do be there when they need you.
- Do expect them to have changed when they come back home.
