Reply to Monitoring College Freshman Assignments/Grades

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]12 credits is full time. Don't have him take too many. Especially freshmen year. Especially 1st semester freshmen year.

Or maybe he starts with more credits, more than that, maybe even too many but also has the plan to drop. Drop the class, before the deadline, that's giving him problems or his least favorite.

At least be open to some unique ideas[/quote]

Careful here, though--full-time status does not always mean on track for 4-year graduation.  Make sure to check what a school needs the student to do in order to graduate when you want and need them to (5 years is not uncommon for various reasons, but the family needs to be ok with that).  At my institution students need to finish 5 courses per semester (15 cr) in order to graduate with a standard BA in 4 years of full-time enrollment, unless they have credit coming in from other sources.

Many good ideas already on here.  I would list and expand as follows:

1.  If DC does not have an up-to-date diagnosis of ADHD, but is eligible and the family can swing it (which is an entirely separate concern), I would recommend getting the neuropsych.  You can always choose not to invoke full-on disability services in college, but you cannot be eligible for them without the right diagnostic paperwork.

2.  Definitely investigate the college's academic support services that are open to the entire general student population.  Formal peer tutoring is often available, sometimes in organized groups, sometimes one-on-one.  Make sure DC signs up for everything, and does so early on so that there is space and the support kicks in before the problems surface.  Academic coaching is also sometimes available (draws together EF issues, goal-setting, bridges to campus services, etc.).  DC should sign up for that, again right away.

3.  The systems for managing classwork (homework, discussion boards, quizzes) and the systems for managing university business (finances, semester grades, course registration) are two different things, although they are often interlinked in various database ways.  You really don't belong in your student's Blackboard, Canvas, Moodle, or similar learning-management systems: that is where the other students are, and the only honest way in will be for you to register for the course.  Otherwise you will have to borrow your DC's login (!).

4.  If DC needs help managing planning, schedules, and deadlines, the PP who suggested some serious calendar programming at the start of the semester (their DC programmed his phone) has a great idea.  One easy way for you to collaborate together without massive interference in the school's own business would be a shared Google calendar.  You and DC can even parcel out the responsibilities of adding things from course syllabi and from the family's schedule, and since it takes attachments, DC can include assignment sheets or other information to help link a project to the time when it needs to be done.  You can also use that function to attach things like train tickets for travel home for breaks.  And then you can gradually disengage as you use the calendar to watch DC traverse the academic year.[/quote]

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