Have College Freshmen Changed?

denise515
Tue, 12 Oct 2010 19:04:22 +0000

I think they’ve changed in that they are voicing their opinion on their school preferences and parents, in turn, are more accommodating then they were in the past when it was expected their child would do what the parents said because they were paying. Especially in ‘alumni’ families.

Thus, students have more power and parents have more risk. Not necessarily a good combination. I believe there is a definite expectation and pressure to send your child away if they want to go. Not much emphasis is placed on whether or not the parents believe they are actually ready to do so. Thus, we have more kids having adjustment issues.

This is not to blame the parents. Societal and peer pressure on students to go ‘away’ is huge. Thus, even if they might not feel they are ready, they are not going to admit it lest they lose their sense of independence, disappoint their parents or friends, or lose scholarship money.

I am all for letting my son fail and learn life lessons but with the expense of college and the subsequent ‘student loan culture’ it’s a lesson that could cost us, or him, for decades.