New Student Conference 2025
Let’s talk about…
“That whole high school thing”
NOW…
IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO FOLLOW…
HIGH SCHOOL IS OVER!!
“Mount Mays”
What does their new playing field look like?
Tough academic demands
More “flexible” schedules
Many opportunities for organizational membership
Roommates “Friends”
Potential challenges
Loss of the familiar
“Professors…”
Larger classes
“There are a whole bunch of really smart people here!”
Remember this slide?
Early failure
Unfamiliar logistical challenges
What does your new playing field look like?
Your role…
Blackout
How can you best support your college student?
Are there touch-points of effective support?
Listen patiently and carefully
You are going to hear about “problems”
Avoid responding with immediate advice
Avoid solving their problem for them
Help them think about their problems.
“Their problems”
Assessment of the Situation
What’s happening here?
What’s not happening here?
What did I intend to happen here?
Why is there a gap…?
How might the gap be closed?
“War stories”
Don’t interrogate!
Talk about home
Talk about friends they mentioned
Talk about what they are learning
Talk about their emerging insights
The power of questions
Support their development by asking really good questions
Your questions will help because…
You know…
“The edge”
Understand the resources available to them
The
power of questions… more “specificity”
A great place to start a conversation…
Question:
“ Which courses and experiences seem to be helping you think about important topics?”
Question:
“Run across a really tough situation lately?”
“How did you find you were thinking about it?”
Question:
“Met anyone who has a really interesting view of how the world works?”
Question:
“What insights have you gained about handling conflict?”
Question:
“How do you see others going about their ethical decision-making?”
“In what ways do you think your perspective might be changing?”
Question:
“Had a chance to work on a team yet?”
How did that go?”
Do you see anyone who seems to be just watering rocks?
Great follow-ons to any response to any question…
“Tell me more…”
“What else is on your mind”
Helping the kid think about a major!
Majors!
Is there another way to look at this?
“Purpose” Or “Point of Greatest Contribution”
Take a deep breath
Communicate your confidence in them to successfully navigate issues
“Summer Questions”
“Now that you have your schedule…”
“How do you see your courses relating?”
“How do you think each course might help you get where you want to go?”
