Grounding the Helicopter Parents of Undecided Students

1
Grounding the Helicopter Parents of Undecided
Students

• Virginia Tech
• University Academic Advising Center
• Amber Fizzano, Helene Shine Goetz Emily Wylie

2
Who are Parents Today?

• Baby boomers
• Consumer mentality because of rising costs.
• Decrease in number of children
• Not just parents

3
Helicopter Parents

• Who do you think they are?
• Controlling
• Over-protective
• View their child as infallible
• Distrusting of the institution
• Always calling
• Dont let their student do anything for themselves

4
Quotes

• I am in touch with him daily. I purchased web
  cameras so he may see his family when ever
  needed. I made a poster of our dog, so he is
  always with him.
• I believe parents should have the right to ALL
  information on their child while they are
  enrolled in college.

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Changing Perceptions

• We will never be rid of the true helicopter
  parents
• In reality we WANT all parents to be helicopters
• The beach ball
• Our goal should be to ground them with real,
  tangible, valuable information.

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Parents of Undecided Students

• Particularly unique population
• Parent/student goal disagreement
• Financial implications
• Class availability
• Unsure of decision-making resources

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Why are Parents Important?

• ..It seems important to convey to the parents
  the notion that they should stay actively
  involved in their sons and daughters adjustment
  to campus .
• Mattanah, Hancock and Brand

8
Why are Parents Important?

• Found that parental social support was a
  significant predictor of college grade point
  average in two independent samples.
• Cutrona et. al.

9
The Model of Shared Responsibility

• I ? Is ? IS ? iS ? S
• I institution
• S student
• Brown, T. (2005, June 27). Creating Excellence in
  Academic Advising Advisor Training and
  Development presentation given at NACADA Academic
  Advising Summer Institute, Portsmouth VA.

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Modified Model

• P ? Ps ? PS ? pS ? S
• P parent
• S student

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We ? Helicopter Parents!

• Increasing support of the institution
• Less annoying parent interaction
• Additional positive voices in students lives
• Student accountability
• GREATER STUDENT SUCCESS!

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What do students say?

• Since I was young, my parents pushed me really
  hard.. Now I am able to get good grades without
  constantly being lectured to do so.
• I am very happy with it my parents
  involvement because I know that they are there
  for me if I need them but I also know that I
  don't have to tell them something if I don't deem
  it necessary.

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What do Parents Say?

• I only pay the bill - education and academic
  decisions are entirely up to him.
• I am in daily contact with him.
• I remind him of deadlines to keep him on
  target.

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Real Life Application

• What Virginia Tech does
• Varies across the university
• Parent Interaction in 3 phases
• New Student Orientation
• Family Day (formerly Parents Day)
• Graduation

15
Real Life Application

• What University Studies at VT does
• Focus is on parents of 1st year students
• Interaction divided into 4 phases
• During pre-Admission meetings
• Prior to New Student Orientation
• During New Student Orientation
• After New Student Orientation

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Real Life Application

• What University Studies at VT does
• FIRST INTERACTION
• Admission Meetings
• No appt needed
• Parent driven
• Individual Appointments

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Real Life Application

• What University Studies at VT does prior to
  Orientation
• Parent Website
• Mission Statement
• Tips on how Parents can help Students
• Link to VT Resources

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Real Life Application

• What University Studies at VT does during
  Orientation
• Separated from students
• Meeting with Director
• Parents Sign up for Listserv
• Given Survival Handout

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More Applications

• What University Studies at VT does after
  Orientation
• On-going communication via Listserv
• Monthly Newsletter
• Family Day
• Email address for Parents

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More Applications

• Working with parents is not necessarily an easy
  thing
• Legal issues
• Time consuming
• Importance of key figure in office or department
  to act as liaison
• It is worth it!

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Your Institutions

• What is going on at your institutions to address
  helicopter parents?
• What do you think needs to be done?

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Questions/Comments

• If youd like further information please feel
  free to contact us
• Helene- goetzh_at_vt.edu
• Amber- afizzano_at_vt.edu
• Emily- ewylie_at_vt.edu

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Resources

• Berggoetz, B. (2006). Attack of the Copter
  Parents. The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved
  September 8, 2006 from http//www.indystar.com.
• Brown, T. (2006, June 27). Creating Excellence in
  Academic Advising Advisor Training and
  Development presentation given at NACADA Academic
  Advising Summer Institute, Portsmouth VA.
• Coburn, K.L. Woodward, B. (2001). More Than
  Punch and Cookies A New Look at Parent
  Orientation Programs. New Directions for Student
  Services (94), 27-38.
• Cutrona, C., Cole, V., Colangelo, N., Assouline,
  S. Russell, D. (1994). Perceived Parental
  Support and Academic Achievement An Attachment
  Theory Perspective. Journal of Personality and
  Social Psychology, 66 (2), 369-378.
• Kantrowitz, B. Tyre, P. (2006). The Fine Art of
  Letting Go. MSNBC, Newsweek. Retrieved Sept 8,
  2006 from http//www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12778684/sit
  e/newsweek/page
• Mattanah, J., Hancock, G. Brand, B. (2004).
  Parental Attachment, Separation-Individuation,
  and College Student Adjustment A Structural
  Equation Analysis of Mediational Effects. Journal
  of Counseling Psychology, 51 (2), 213-225.
• Mullendore, R. Hatch, C. (2000). Helping Your
  First-Year College Student Succeed Guide to
  Parents. University of South Carolina, National
  Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and
  Students in Transitions.
• Working with Students Parents- Advising Issues
  and Resources. NACADA Clearinghouse. Retreived
  Sept 2006 from http//www.nacada.ksu.edu/clearingh
  ouse/advisingissues/parents.htm