Making The Transition

    Welcome parents and families of first year students at Baruch College! You may not know it now, but you too are about to embark on a journey through College for the next four or more years. The coming year will be a challenging transition for you as well as for your student. Even if the student continues to live at home, your relationship with him or her will change. Your role as a facilitator and guide in your student's life will change. The transition, however, is not the one of letting go that parents often fear (or secretly desire?). Instead, the partnership between parent and student or family member and student is as important as ever; it's just a different partnership than the one you had when the student was in high school. Baruch College wants your student to succeed and we will do everything we can to transform your student into an educated, responsible, and productive citizen. We invite you to partner with us in this process.

    We know your concerns about getting started

    We know that parents have a number of concerns at the outset. Many of them are about the institution:

  • What courses and academic support will my student receive? Are they the right courses? Why does my student need to take these courses?

  • What resources are available to help pay for the cost of college?

  • · What career and job opportunities are out there for Baruch students and graduates? How will the College help my student with obtain these opportunities? How much time can a student manage to work at a job while school without jeopardizing academic success?

  • What if my student has problems in school? Who will help?

  • What kind of security is there for my student? How safe is it?

  • What kind of campus life is at the College? What kind of people will my student meet?

  • What about health services? Religious activities?

  • Who can I contact with my questions? How can I get through to the right people at the College?

  • As a parent, what rights do I have in the educational process? After all, I'm paying the tuition and supporting this child.

    Parents can find out more about the institution in several ways:

  • Read the Undergraduate Bulletin that each student receives at orientation

  • Get acquainted with the Baruch College website. It contains a plethora of information about the College while keeping you updated on College news.

  • Ask your student to share their copy of the Orientation CD-ROM that they receive prior to attending orientation. It provides a detailed and lively introduction to all of the concerns mentioned above.

  • Attend Parent and Family Orientation. Over the summer, you will receive an invitation to attend Baruch Beginnings for Parents and Families, an orientation for parents and families of new students scheduled as part of the Convocation/Baruch Beginnings day of activities that your student will attend earlier that day. Plan to attend and meet your student at the College for this special day.