The 1st contact with parents
What suggestions do you have when meeting a student for the 1st time and the parents are directing the conversation? Are their specific rules under the Florida Statutes that govern communication with parents during the application and admissions processes?
Amanda,
Excellent advice! Communication techniques are key to keeping interest. If we diverge or they shield, it means that they are not paying attention.
Patty Aronoff
It helps to keep eye contact with the student and only periodically with the parents. Ask the student about their interests and why they want to come there. If the parent responds try to divert their attention to something else (tuition costs sheet usually does the trick). Always try to make it about the student and their needs/preferences.
David - When a student visits a campus with parents, there are several opportunities for the student to experience the college or university on their own. There is the student interview section of the admissions process. Students sit in on classes and meet with professors in a 1 on 1 situation. The parents are heavily involved in the process, but creating opportunities for the student to experience your school are very important.
Tatiana,
The reason the parent must get involved is when you're dealing with a minor they are not able to sign a legal binding contract. Parents can be a solid influence or a solid deterrent.
Patty Aronoff
During the admission process, the parents are heavily involved because they maybe the ones helping the students and encouraging them to purses their academics but based on my understand of FERPA. Once the student is enrolled, it would be an violation of the student's rights if we shared any information with the parents. Based on my previous experience as a hall director so I am new to admission and not fully aware of how FERPA would dictate those interactions. However, I always felt that having the parent so heavily involved in the admission process made my job harder later on. Parent would get very angry and frustrated when they would call campus and ask for information but I was not able to share with them. There were actually times that students would sign a release form during orientation but come back later and revoke the release form. I do understand the need of having the parent involved but I also see the downfall. Back to the question, I do not believe that there are Florida Statutes that govern the communication but I am also new to admission and still learning. I do believe that it is very important to ensure that the student has an say so in the conversation because you could end up with a student pursing a career that they are not interested in but something that the parents were interested in instead. I think at that time, you should use the effective opened question to get the student involved in the discussion.
David,
A minor must be accompanied by the parent or guardian. Most admissions reps direct the conversation directly to the student. After all, they are the person enrolling in school. However, you can never discount the power of a parent.
Patty Aronoff
