This is where you begin

College/city/state choice or implications

• Every university program in the US is not the same. From academics to industry relationships, and networking opportunities, different programs will offer students different opportunities. 

The Talk: the parents have to sit the child down and discuss

• Education and grade expectation

• Emergency contacts and plans

• Death and other big life events that the student may miss and how those will be communicated, including support structures

• Financial standing of the family and expectations of the child to contribute to their education

• Support families and level of interaction with them (holiday stays and level of support)

Important documents/items to bring

• Notarized copies of certificates and transcripts of prior education (email copies to self)

• Recommendation letters from prior contacts

• College admission documents

• Immigration documents, e.g, I-20 

• Medical summaries of chronic illness with relevant labs included

• Chronic medications to last 6months

• Vaccination and titer records as necessary: important vaccines are Hep B, Hep A, TdaP, MMR, Varicella, Meningitis A, C, Y, W and Men B​

Packing:

• Pack for warm climate as fall semester is warm

• Student can buy most winter clothing at destination as suited for the  climate

• Few favorite food items: be aware of the weight limits and immigration limitations- declare all foods

Documents to prepare

• FERPA: to give parents access to students’ bill and grades. Student can give access on school website

• HIPAA waiver: allows doctors to give parents updates on medical condition in an emergency

• MPOA: student designates an adult to make medical decisions on their behalf if incapacitated

• DPOA: student designates an adult to make financial decisions on their behalf

• Health insurance: usually provided by the university. Note it only covers the time the duration of school year.

• Optional: property insurance to cover students belongs like books, laptops and clothing