What to expect: Pre-arrival (May-August)

Your student is most likely finishing up their last months of high school. Enjoy this time with them! The summer will be exciting as they prepare to start at the University of Waterloo in September.

When your student says, "I got in!" you might remember back to their first day of school or daycare. You've been with them on this journey.

• You’ve been part of your student’s education for a long time. You met their teachers, attended parent-teacher interviews and stayed involved in their school life. You knew how they did on tests and projects, and maybe even helped with homework.
• You’ve taught your student healthy habits. You made sure they ate well, took them to the doctor and cared for them when they were sick. You were always aware of their well-being.
• You helped your student navigate sports, academics competitions or other activities. You likely organized schedules, carpools and dinners. You cheered them on and got to know other kids and parents.

These are just a few ways you supported your student as they grew up. You’ve always been there to give advice, support and celebrate their achievements. Now that they are ready to start at the University of Waterloo, your support will start to look different and that's okay! 

It has been quite the journey for both of you.

Every student and parent has a special relationship, and you might feel nervous this summer for your student. Think back to when they first started school—you might have felt anxious about being apart. This new beginning might bring up those same feelings. You want your student to do well, make good decisions and come to you with their problems.

For some students, thinking about university can cause stress along with excitement. They might wonder if university is right for them. They might say things like, "What if the University made a mistake accepting me?" (We didn’t!). They might also question if they chose the right program. If your student is moving away to attend Waterloo, they might worry about leaving their friends and community behind.

• Is your student considering taking out a loan? June is usually the recommended timeline for applying to OSAP.
• Will your student be living on their own for the first time in September? Talk to them about daily life skills such as cooking, cleaning and doing laundry.
• We know that students are more likely to succeed in university when they know what to expect. Does your student understand the differences between high school and university?
• Future planning tip! Encourage your student to find a job or to volunteer throughout the summer to start building their résumé. Students in a co-op program will find this especially useful when they begin preparing their applications later.

At this point, your student will be receiving weekly communications from Waterloo about how to prepare for their first year. Waterloo Ready provides resources to incoming students throughout the summer and there are welcome sessions at Orientation for students.

Your student can register and look forward to both in-person and virtual events like:

• Faculty Ready Days
• International Peer Community
• Connection Collective
• Webinars and speed friending

And you can register for the Parent and Supporter webinars! Don't worry if you cannot attend live. Webinars will be recorded and the link will be sent around to webinar registrants and Parent and Supporter Newsletter subscribers.

This summer, your student will start taking on more responsibilities. They are now responsible for decisions and getting ready for university life. They'll need to prepare over the summer and decide which classes to take. Soon, they’ll be in charge of their grades, lifestyle choices, career path and personal goals.

There are many ways you can help with this change. We suggest taking on a coaching role in your relationship. Check in with your student to see how prepared they feel for September.

• Ask about the emails they received from the University and how they feel about the information. What questions do they still have? Do they have an idea of what courses they want to enroll in and which ones are mandatory? Help them brainstorm how to find answers and encourage them to reach out to their academic advisor.
• If your student applied to live in residence, they might get their room assignment soon. This can be exciting and a little scary. If you’re helping them move in and coming from outside Ontario, you can’t stay in residence with them. Book your own accommodations early as local hotels fill up fast. Check out the Waterloo Residence's Parent and Family Guide to learn more about supporting your student in residence.
• Will your student live off-campus? Encourage them to confirm their move-in date and process with their landlord. They can also connect with the Off Campus Community for support and resources.

When it comes to finances, try to have an open conversation with your student. Help them feel comfortable coming to you with questions as they develop their financial skills.

•  Talk with your student about financial literacy.
  • Work together to assess monthly financial needs or savings goals.
  • Discuss how to use a credit card responsibly.
• How will your student finance their education?
  • If they plan to apply or already applied for student loans, discuss how they feel about taking on debt. You can help them review the pros and cons of provincial loans, grants and student credit lines. How do they plan to manage their loans?
  • If you’re providing financial support to your student, what does that look like? How will you provide it (i.e. paying bills directly, transferring money to your student)? Does this financial support come with any expectations for your student? Who will manage tuition fee due dates? How much notice do you need to be able to provide financial support? These are important conversations to have ahead of time.

If you plan to pay for some, or all, of your student’s tuition, reflect on what that means for you. Sometimes, students feel pressured to stay in a program they don’t like because their parents pay for their tuition. Students do better in a program they find interesting. However, many students don’t want to disappoint their parents. Talk with your student about your expectations. Discuss what they can do if they feel their program isn’t a good fit. If this happens, a good start is usually for them to connect with their academic advisor or a campus career advisor.

Tuition payment highlights:

• Your student will be able to see their fall tuition bill in Quest approximately a month before the term begins.
• To avoid late fees, their account needs to become “Fees Arranged” by the deadline. 
• They can opt out of some of the fees by the due date and view an updated bill.
• If your student makes any changes to their class schedule at any time, they should review their tuition bill in Quest to see if it has changed.
• To receive RESP funding, your student canobtain a free Proof of Enrolment letter in Quest and you can submit it directly to the RESP company in lieu of any forms requiring the University's signature or seal.

Learn more about student accounts.

As August begins, you and your student might start talking about what to pack for university. Helping your student plan for their move can feel like an easy way to contribute and get things done on time, but keep in mind that it might be a stressful topic for your student. If your student doesn’t feel a sense of control over their upcoming move, it could intensify the nerve-racking feelings that come with such a significant change.

Some students thrive on creating to-do lists and getting organized, while others may not have thought that far ahead. We encourage you to try to step back and let your student lead. If they’re interested in your help, work on a packing list together. Consult with them before you purchase anything for their residence room. Encourage your student not to pack everything they own for campus. If your student will be coming home over reading week, they can pick up their winter wear then instead of bringing it all now.

Even if you live locally and your student is not moving out of the house, there’s a good chance that they have friends who are moving away in September. August is the “last time” they’ll all be together: the last time they go to their favourite places, the last movie night, the last road trip, etc. Your student may also want to spend more time with you or you may want to get more one-on-one time with them.

Thinking about the upcoming move may bring up a lot of mixed emotions for your student. They may express feelings of excitement, pride, or uncertainty. They may feel concern over whether they’re making “good” decisions. On the other hand, they may seem overly confident about the upcoming changes. They could be shocked when it turns out to be harder than they expected.

All of these feelings are typical. It’s helpful to know they might be coming and that they can range greatly from person to person. Instead of trying to protect your student from these feelings, be a resource for them. Let them share their thoughts and feelings if they need to

• Communication plan: Make a plan with your student for checking in. How often will you communicate? Who will initiate conversations? Many students prefer to communicate by text or email so that they can reply between classes or after a campus event.
• Getting prepared: Your student can prep several essentials online. Such as registering for Waterloo Orientation, applying for their student card from the WatCard office, connecting with AccessAbility Services to arrange academic accommodations or watching a video tour to feel comfortable navigating campus. Students will also need to get fees arranged in August.
• Staying motivated: Motivation is key to success in university. It depends on how much your student likes their program and if they're worried about grades. In the first year, they'll take introductory level classes, but they'll also start to see what they enjoy studying. Talk to your student about their courses and what they're excited about. How do they feel about their first year of university? What are their favourite courses of first term? How are they feeling about life as a university student?