Reply to freshman class scheduling; helicopter parent or legit concern?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Mine is just finishing her freshman year and I definitely advised her on balancing her classes to avoid this.  She agreed when I pointed that out and adjusted. [b] I think as long as you explain it to him and step away that is fine.  [/b]The issue could be that now some classes on Tues/Thur are full but he can most likely just show up and try to get in.  Either way, his schedule sounds like it needs balance but since he's been in high school where he's likely gone class to class it didn't seem odd to him.[/quote]

+1 especially to the bold.

I knew your post would get a ton of "say nothing, you're a horrible helicopter" attitude here on DCUM, where many posters seem to think that turning 18 or entering college magically makes a person into a completely reasonable adult with a good ability to think through consequences of things like a class schedule.

I agree with the post above. Voice your concerns but not in a "you can't handle this!" way. Be aware that you are already apprehensive about your student being in a very high-level math you're not sure he should be taking in the first place, and that your apprehension (which should have been talked over with him earlier; maybe it was) is coloring your view, possibly your view of the whole schedule.

Does he go to some gigantic state college where he will have only a randomly assigned academic adviser in name only who never gets to know him or remember his academic goals? Or is he at a place where an assigned adviser will actually know who he is and can look at his schedule and really advise him on workload, stress, which professors are better for him, etc.? I'm guessing this freshman course selection was done with staffers who are there for just that purpose and who are not and will not be your son's specific academic adviser. If he's at a gigantic "State U" he may really have to get used to advocating for himself and questioning it when he's told a certain course load is OK and he feels it isn't. He's a consumer now -- and has a right to question things and ensure he's getting the right advice. But that's so hard for a new freshman to do.

You should step back for now but strongly advise him to be assertive with the school himself about his own schedule now and the rest of the time he's in college. He should seek out someone who can do more than just glance at a schedule and say it's fine, and who understands his major and the content of the courses he'll be taking as he moves toward the major. Easier said than done, though.
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