A veteran college dean gives parents of college students all the practical guidance they’ll need to navigate the labyrinth of bureaucracies and policies in order to support their student’s academic career and extracurricular life.

Most books for college parents dwell on the emotional and psychological challenges when their son or daughter “cuts loose” into the quasi-dependent, quasi-adult limbo of college. Here at last is an expert nuts-and-bolts guide showing parents how to work collaboratively with their children to navigate the college bureaucracy—a labyrinth that at times seems perversely designed to frustrate parents at every turn, even on such basic matters as tuition and fees, grades, and disciplinary, legal, and medical problems.

Drawing on her 20 years of experience as a student affairs dean at a top-ranked national university, Helen Akinc teaches college parents everything they need to know about policies and practices today in college administration, instruction, and student services. The practical advice gathered in this handbook will empower college parents to extract enough information from the system to support, guide, and monitor the academic career and general well-being of their college student—both on campus and off, in both routine and special situations.

• A bibliography of suggested websites, readings, and additional resources at the end of most chapters
• A comprehensive index