A Word from Pam Francisco
Dear Parents,
Welcome to High Point University! On behalf of the Student Success team, congratulations on your student’s acceptance to High Point University. We appreciate that going to college is a huge transition – not just for students – but for families as well. The Student Success Coaches and I are here to assist your student and you with meeting these dreams, goals, and challenges. High Point University provides a wide variety of supports and resources to assist with this transition. Your student’s Success Coach can assist him/her in identifying these supports and utilizing the resources. While we are here to assist, guide, and advise – this must be a partnership. We count on our students to let us know when assistance is needed.
We love partnering with families, and we would love to connect with you! Please contact your student’s Success Coach or me if you have any Student Success questions. We have provided the Frequently Asked Questions below to address some common parent concerns. We look forward to partnering with your student – and you!
Sincerely,
Pam Francisco,
Director of the Office of Student Success
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of academic support services are available for my student?
The Office of Academic Services offers many tutoring opportunities through individual tutoring, the Writing Center, Math Lab, and drop-in and group tutoring. The Office of Accessibility Resources and Services provides and coordinates appropriate accommodations for qualified students. Parents may also choose to enroll their student in the Learning Excellence program, a fee-based system of comprehensive, individualized support. The Learning Excellence program develops a learning action plan specific to each student, so they receive the personalized attention and encouragement needed. Success Coaches are happy to connect students with academic services based on their individual needs.
How do I keep up with my student’s grades?
We understand that your student’s grades are a top priority as a parent. As Success Coaches, they are for us, too! Success Coaches receive midterm and final grade reports, but we do not have access to daily grades. While we believe it is the responsibility of the student to keep up with their progress in their classes, we do reach out to parents when a student has received multiple alerts or “flags,” or when we have concerns about midterm grades. We cannot, however, contact parents unless the student has a signed FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) form on file. If your student has not signed a FERPA form, you may obtain one from your student’s Success Coach. The best way to stay up-to-date with your student’s progress is to encourage your student to openly share their grades as they are posted in Blackboard, a digital platform that instructors use to post grades and assignments. You can also ask that your student share their Blackboard login information with you as well.
Do parents or Success Coaches contact instructors directly about student grades?
The Student Success team believes college is a wonderful time for students to begin advocating for themselves. While it is certainly within your rights to contact professors directly (pending your student has waived their FERPA rights), we encourage students to be self-advocates and reach out to their professors regarding questions and concerns about grades and performance throughout the semester. Success Coaches do not typically contact faculty about grades. Success Coaches are provided with mid-term and final grade reports only.
What happens if my student becomes ill or hospitalized?
If your student is sick, encourage him or her to seek the attention of Health Services on campus. There are not excused or unexcused absences in college. An absence, for any reason, is still missed instruction time. The caring instructors here at HPU, however, are generally willing to work with a student who is sick or hospitalized, provided that the student is pro-active and communicative about their situation. Students should refer to their course syllabus for information regarding each instructor’s attendance and missed work policy.
What resources are available for helping students decide upon a major?
According to a 2015 study by Hart Research Associates “employers say that when hiring, they place the greatest value on demonstrated proficiency in skills and knowledge that cut across all majors…. Indeed, most employers say that these cross-cutting skills are more important to an individual’s success at their company than his or her undergraduate major” (1). This is good news for students who are still deciding upon a major, because it gives them freedom to select what they love. Not only can students talk to their Success Coaches about majors and minors offered at High Point University, they can also take a free, online assessment called the Focus 2 that will match their interests and skills with majors and careers. Once students take the assessment, they meet with a Career Counselor who assists with interpreting the results.
How can my student engage in “real-life” experiences pertaining to their major or career?
There are several experiential learning opportunities for students to take advantage of both on and off campus to support their major and future career. Opportunities do vary by major and career. Students can choose to study abroad to obtain a global cultural experience. Through service learning , students experience the ethical practice and hands-on experience of working with partner organizations. The department of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works allows students to enter a collaborative partnership with faculty through the application of knowledge learned in the classroom to real-life research questions. Internships and externships provide students with career-related experience and foster a smooth transition from the classroom to the workplace.
Where can my student inquire about campus and community-related information?
The Campus Concierge assists students, parents, and visitors by serving as a single source of knowledge for campus and community events and services. They are located downstairs in the Slane Center, inside the main entrance of the R. G. Wanek Center, and inside the main entrance of Cottrell Hall. Students can schedule academic tutoring; set up research appointments with the library; inquire about and sign up for campus events; check out complimentary GPS units, Kindles, iPads, and TI-89 calculators; drop off library books; obtain restaurant recommendation and reservations; and utilize the University’s dry cleaning service. For more information on Campus Concierge hours and contact information, visit https://highpoint.edu/concierge/ .
What if I have a question about my student’s tuition or account balance?
You can contact the Office of Student Accounts at 336-841-9259, or visit their website at https://highpoint.edu/studentaccounts/ .
What if I have a question about my student’s financial aid package?
You can find the name and contact information of your student’s Financial Planning Counselor by visiting https://highpoint.edu/financialplanning/ .
Is there a summer program in place to assist with my student’s transition to High Point University?
A student’s first independent journey into college can be both exciting and stressful for students and parents. At High Point University, the SummerAdvantage Program allows incoming first year students to experience life as a college student prior to their initial fall semester. While on campus for one month, students earn eight credits towards graduation, connect with other students, faculty, and support staff, including Success Coaches, and become familiar with the academic and social opportunities that are available on campus. For more information regarding the Summer Experience Program, please visit https://highpoint.edu/summeradvantage/ .