If you have a college-bound child, the month of August will feel like time is slipping away. Embarking on this new frontier can be an exciting time for both you and your student, but it can also be a bit intimidating. In my own home, we are preparing to send our fourth kid off to school. Even though each child and their experiences are unique, I would like to think that I have learned a few things along the way. Hopefully, some of these tips will help your road to college feel a little less bumpy.
If you qualified for a Parent Plus Loan, you will need to complete the loan requirements, including signing a Master Promissory Note (MPN) as well as reading through and accepting the entrance counselling through the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) website. Your child will need to do this using their own username and password if they are getting a student loan. This can all be done online, but until these steps are taken, the funds will not show up on your school’s financial statement. Your school’s financial aid department can help walk you through this process.
Though nothing compares to your home-cooked meals, your student will need to sign up for a meal plan if they are rooming in a school dormitory. Read each meal plan thoroughly. When we sent our first child to school, I opted for the middle-of-the-road meal plan. Little did I understand that this only allowed students to get one “swipe” per meal. A very hungry son called to let me know that he had eaten lunch late that day. This late lunch overlapped into the early dinner schedule, and he wasn’t able to use his meal card for dinner that night. I called the next day and changed his plan. Often schools will include some bonus “bucks” that allow them to use one of their swipes for approved restaurants near the school. Upperclassmen living off-campus might want to cook their own meals. At this point you may want to reduce the meal plan or drop it altogether. After her freshman year, my daughter had an apartment with a full kitchen and preferred to make her own meals, which saved us a bit of money.
Before you pay the first bill, carefully look over the statement and don’t forget about the option to waive health insurance. This costly step can be easy to miss. Our family has health insurance through our employer, so we have elected not to take the insurance that the school offers. But you must upload your existing health insurance and waive the school’s insurance, or you will be charged. At my son’s current school, this would have been an additional $3,100.
Once your child chooses a roommate, they may want to share the costs of extras for the room so that you are not buying two of everything. However, you might work out who’s buying what instead of splitting the total cost of all the items. While it would be great to make a forever friend, roommates often change and it can get awkward asking for their share of the mini fridge if things don’t work out. Also, check the rules for the dorm. My friend’s daughter thought that candles looked cute in her room until she was fined $75, even though they had never been lit.
New students should take a walk around campus and find their classrooms before school starts. They might even want to time how long it takes to walk from the dorm to class. Keep in mind that class won’t be cancelled for rain, so pack a raincoat with a hood. Chances are, they aren’t going to want to hold an umbrella while weighed down with a laptop and an armful of books. Speaking of books, you can save money on textbooks by renting them or buying them used. Just make sure they have the same edition that the professor suggests.
Make sure your student knows that they can go to the wellness center if they are sick, but a small first aid kit can help them with minor issues. Pack some Motrin/Tylenol, band-aids, and a thermometer. While you are at it, buy some tissues for yourself. You might need them the first few days. Sending your child off to school can be scary, but before you know it, they will be home on break with a pile of laundry – a welcome sight that means they are home once again.
What are your favorite tips for college students? Send your comments and questions to: shorelocalgardener@gmail.com.
Tammy Thornton lives with her husband, children, and crazy pets while enjoying a life of gardening, cooking, and going to the beach.
