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Parents' Frequently Asked Questions

How can my student get involved in campus programs?

“Go with what you know” is good advice when it comes to campus involvement.  Students should first seek out clubs and organizations attached to where they live or to their academic major or interests.  After they are established in one of these clubs they will undoubtedly meet new people with varied interests who will broaden their horizons and tell them about other clubs in which they are involved.

Typically, students already have certain interests before they arrive on campus and they should continue to engage in those familiar activities while they explore new interests.  A student who was always an active athlete in high school should join a club sport or an intramural team with his or her residence hall floor, fraternity or sorority.  Joining academic clubs or organizations is also a very good idea. 

Every college and major has some kind of student club. The meetings and activities of these organizations give students an opportunity to meet others in their major and faculty advisors. Additionally, there are clubs and organizations for just about any interest that a student may have. Encourage your student to visit campus link to browse a complete list of clubs and find a good fit. http://campuslink.okstate.edu

But my student is shy.

If you think that your student is not making enough connections on campus or is feeling lonely don’t fret.  Take the opportunity during a phone call to tell them that EVERYONE feels self-conscious once in a while especially when they are in a new situation.  Remind your student that for most college students, this is the first time in their lives that they have had to “make friends”.  Up to this point many of their friendships developed through family or school connections made when they were in kindergarten or before.

Even faculty and administrators at OSU get nervous at the beginning of the semester.  A new academic semester is exciting, scary and daunting for just about everyone. A student who is shy will benefit from seeking out familiar groups or events like a residence hall meeting or activity or maybe attending a church service similar to one at home. Bringing along a roommate, neighbor or classmate will help ease nerves as well.

Student Union Activities Board offers free or inexpensive events on campus that are ideal for 'bringing a friend.'  After all, who can say “No” to free food and bingo? http://suab.okstate.edu

What is the best academic advice I can give my student?

This is a loaded question but assuming that the question refers to academics the best advice is: “GO TO CLASS.” Followed closely by; take notes, complete your homework, ask questions, participate in discussions and find a good group of classmates to study with.  Interestingly, once a student is attending class he tends to be out and about doing other positive things like meeting new people, participating in intramural sports and joining student groups, all of which round out his education and connect him with others in the community.

As a parent, how can I help my child without being a helicopter parent?

By the way this question is phrased I would guess that you see being labeled a helicopter parent as a bad thing but there are varying degrees of helicopter parents; from the “Blackhawk” who swoops in, fully armed and does everything to keep the child from any harm to the “traffic ‘copter” who hopes to offer advice from afar and help the student avoid trouble.  In addition, there are some areas where parental involvement is absolutely essential (completing the FAFSA, locating immunization records etc.) so parents can never really be out of the picture.  Even parents who hover over their eighteen-year-old students slowly let go by the junior year.

So much of the answer to this question depends on the student and his or her ability and willingness to manage issues without the parent’s assistance.  You probably know your child better than he knows himself so the best advice I can give is to always ask yourself if the student can accomplish this task for himself.  If he can, a basic question, “What scholarships are you applying for this semester?” and then a follow-up a week or so later, “Have you searched on the website under ‘scholarships’?” will hopefully give him enough guidance to get started. 

This is not saying that he will accomplish the task, but you have given him the basic information on where to start and that is all you can do without doing it for him.  It also doesn’t hurt to express to your student the sacrifices that others are making for his education.  “I’ve been putting off having the transmission worked on because I had to pay your bursar bill.  Surely you can put in some time and effort to help me out.”

How can I know if my student is struggling in a class?

Students will know before any grades are posted whether or not they are doing well or poorly in a class so your best source of information is always your student.  You probably already know that asking “How are your classes?” will result in a short reply of “fine” so during a conversation you might ask your student “So, what is your hardest subject this semester?” depending on his or her answer you can usually determine if there will be a problem when grades are posted.  

Students who specify struggling in one or two classes can often be helped by tutoring or extra assistance from one of the resources listed below.  Students who are struggling with ALL their classes need to schedule a lengthy discussion with an academic advisor or counselor to help them identify their main challenges and plan a strategy to salvage the rest of the semester.

Where can a student get help in a particular class?

There are several services available on campus for students who need help in a particular subject. Many services are offered free of charge while some require an hourly fee.  Students are encouraged to try free tutoring and success centers first.

Many students also use these services by appointment:

If I know my child is struggling, what are things I can do or should do to help?

When your child is struggling it becomes very hard to not do things for him. This is where it helps to really listen for the underlying message and try to isolate an area of need.  If he is making contact with you to talk about his problems that is a good sign that he trusts your advice and knows you will listen.

It may be just one class or issue that is creating so much stress that it is keeping him from succeeding or it may be a number of problems that he is unable to prioritize and solve.  University Counseling Services http://www.okstate.edu/ucs/  offers 4 free sessions with a licensed counselor to help students work out problems and then sessions are only $10.00 each thereafter, up to 12 per year.

Some students are reluctant to see a counselor or may say “Well, it’s not that bad, I can get through it.”  If that is the response you get, try to isolate the most pressing issue that he is dealing with, ask him to tell you what he thinks can be done to resolve the situation and don’t take “I don’t know” as an answer.  Chances are he has thought about the issue and the solution and he just needs to talk out the solution with someone. 

If my child tells me they can’t understand their instructor, what can they do?

If the student can not understand the instructor due to a heavy accent (sometimes an international instructor, sometimes a heavy regional accent) there are a few things that he can do.  If it is within the add/drop period during the first couple of weeks of school then the student can try to switch into another section of the same class.  To do that the student can either try to switch to another section on SIS or speak to his academic advisor for assistance in finding a new section.  This is not always the easiest option however since sometimes switching into the other section of the class will create a scheduling conflict or the other section of the class may be taught by the same instructor. 

If switching sections is not an option the student can do some things to increase his ability to listen to the instructor like; moving to the front row, avoiding all distractions, recording the lecture and making an effort to listen closely until he is more familiar with the accent.  Speaking with the instructor outside of class is helpful too because he can garner some one on one attention and will become more familiar with the accent the more he listens.

* I had this experience in an undergraduate Chinese Culture class and I was frustrated but could not drop the class.  After a couple of weeks of intently listening to the instructor however, I could understand him without a problem and began to enjoy the sing-song cadence of his speech.

When should I tell my child to drop a class or continue on if they are not doing well in a class?

The student’s academic advisor is the best qualified person to answer this question because there are so many variables involved.  Some classes are general education classes in which the student can fulfill the requirement by earning a D and never look back.  Other classes within the major area of study require that the student earn at least a C and if he does not he will have to repeat the class anyway.

Furthermore, it is helpful for the student to review any scholarship information and investigate how a low GPA can affect any scholarships that he now has.  If earning a 2.0 GPA is good enough to fulfill the major requirements but the student needs a 2.5 to maintain a hefty scholarship that will keep him in college it might be wise to drop the GPA lowering class and repeat it.

How can a student change majors?

Students need to start the process with their current advisor or Student Academic Services Office or Student Success Center. The student’s current advisor will complete a change of major/college card and send it to the new college and the registrar.  The student then needs to go to the new college, if the new major is not within the same college, and meet with an advisor there. 

How do students know if a class will transfer from another college or university?

The Admissions Office Website posts Transfer Guides for many schools from which students commonly transfer credit at: http://admissions.okstate.edu/transferguides.html  Students must be aware however that just because a class transfers for credit, it does not mean that the class meets the student’s degree requirements.  It is essential that the student meet with an academic advisor to review the degree requirements before deciding to take a class at another institution.

My daughter is on academic probation, what should she do?

It is important for a student who is on academic probation to meet with an advisor for an honest and lengthy discussion about some of the following issues:

  • 1. What caused the student’s grades to fall below the minimum academic standards? Did the student perform poorly in all classes or just in some? Is the student academically under-prepared for the classes in which she is enrolled? Was there a personal crisis that has now ended or is it ongoing? Did the student’s work or social schedule prevent her from attending class or completing the required homework? Is the student in the wrong major?
  • 2. What can be done that this point to rectify the problem and raise the student’s GPA above probation? Should the student reduce the number of credit hours in which she is enrolled? Does the student need help managing time or priorities? Will repeating the classes raise the GPA faster? (this is sometimes the case)

 

Bursar:

How can I see an itemized Bursar bill?

All students can view an itemized Bursar bill by visiting this website: https://bursar.okstate.edu/BursarLogin/login.aspx and using their O-Key login.  Some students choose to copy the bill and paste it into an e-mail to the payer, others will print the bill and mail it to the payer or give you their O-Key login information.  It is strongly suggested that the student read and understand the bill even if they are not paying the bill themselves.  All students need to know the financial cost of their education.

What are the different charges on the student’s Bursar bill?

Charges listed on the student’s Bursar bill can be too numerous to list here but the bursar’s office has a very helpful guide at the link below: http://bursar.okstate.edu/forms/BursarCatalog.pdf

Can I put a hold on the student’s ability to charge to the Bursar account?

Since the Bursar account is the student’s own account holds can only be placed by the university for excessive charges or non-payment of the bill.

Why is there still a balance on the bill after it has been paid?

Students can continue to charge to their bursar account throughout the semester therefore if a charge is made after the bill has been paid at the beginning of the semester there will be a balance due on the next bill.  Some common charges that students might make after the first semester are additional food or meal plan charges, additional class supplies at the book store or charges stemming from a visit to University Health Services.

Can the bill be paid in installments?

Yes, the Bursar Office offers a Payment Option Plan, commonly referred to as the OSUPOP. With this plan, your anticipated charges are divided into equal installments. A worksheet on the application can help you estimate expenses for the year or for one semester. Involvement in the OSUPOP requires an application fee but no finance charges will be assessed to your account as long as you make the required monthly payment by the 10th of each month. To enroll in the Payment Option Plan, complete an application at: http://bursar.okstate.edu/forms/osupop.pdf

Scholarships and Financial Aid:

Where can students find information about Financial Aid?

Financial Aid comes in many forms such as grants, scholarships, loans and work-study opportunities.  To apply for these students must complete the Free Application For Student Aid or the FAFSA as soon as possible each year after January 1st or after their and/or your tax return is completed.  Once the FAFSA is processed the student will receive an award via The Student Information System SIS.  Students can accept or reject awards by logging into SIS, reviewing their award and choosing to accept or reject the award.

Complete information is available online at: http://www.okstate.edu/finaid/ or by making an appointment to speak with a financial aid counselor in 119 Student Union.

The student completed the scholarship application now what?

Scholarships will begin to be awarded to new students after February 1st a complete list of the scholarships for which all students apply, by completing the admissions application, can be found at: http://www.okstate.edu/finaid/scholarships/guide_to_schol.html

What other scholarships are available?

Non-OSU awarded scholarships are too numerous to mention here and may come from any number of sources.  Some areas to consider that are often overlooked are: your employer, the student’s employer, churches, tribes, civic and community groups such as; Lions Club, Rotary and Lodges, youth leadership groups such as; 4-H, FFA, Boy and Girl Scouts, YMCA, sports teams or programs.  An excellent free scholarship resource online is FastWeb at: http://www.fastweb.com/

I’ve lost my job and can’t contribute, how can my student make ends meet?

The current economy makes this a common issue and OSU is equipped to help students. In this situation it is important for the student speak to counselors in both the Financial Aid office and the Bursar’s office to explain the situation and work out options for making payments and adjusting financial aid.  Counselors in these offices have a variety of tools at their disposal to help keep students enrolled during hardships but the student must inform these offices as soon as possible to receive the most help.

How can students find part time jobs on campus?

The first step for students looking for on-campus employment is to login to the HIRE system at http://www.hireosugrads.com/default.aspx  From there they can view open positions and post their resume and application for on-campus jobs.  In addition to online searching and posting nothing beats a little pavement pounding.  Students can start by letting friends, classmates, faculty and staff know that they are looking for a job on-campus and take the initiative to ask someone they know to help them find a job through networking.

How can students learn to manage their money?

This can be a very big challenge for some students especially if they have never had to live within a budget or purchase basic necessities for themselves. Sometimes an unexpected expense whether it is supplies for a class, prescriptions for an illness or paying a speeding ticket can wipe out a student’s budget for an entire month.  The Scholarship and Financial Aid Office offers a very helpful program called Cash Course at: http://www.cashcourse.org/okstate/Default.aspx that takes students through the basics of budgeting and gets them on the right track to maintain their own finances.  Parents can help by going over the budget with the student and by being clear about what they are willing to pay for and what is expected of the student. 

Community Resources

Where can students find information about community resources?

There are several resources available to help student become more familiar with Stillwater.  The best place for students to start of course is online at some of the following links.

In addition, there’s nothing like the good old phone book to help students locate off campus resources from A to Z.  Most offices on campus have a Stillwater phone book and students just need to ask to borrow it. Residence hall front desks and the library are good sources for the phone book during night-time hours.