We are living in a rapidly changing world, hoping that eventually, fall will bring move-ins, classes, college sports, and normalcy. Campus tours to help students make their college decision have been put on hold. Orientation will likely be virtual at many universities. These are unusual and unprecedented times and circumstances continue to evolve daily.

It looks like these unprecedented times mean that just about everything these days is online. That would include Orientation for freshmen and their parents. However, there is a lot of we can help you learn and hopefully answer some questions that Virtual Orientation for your university may not.

Never have any of us imagined, as a country and world, that we would be going through a financial and health crisis such as Coronavirus. For most of us, the impact it has had, not only on our own personal finances but the entire change in our students' lives, are far-reaching. We all want the best for them and so many questions have arisen that HaveuHeard is going to address the most asked questions.

I wanted to reach out to all of you seniors about how COVID-19 is specifically affecting you, the Class of 2020. I hate to use a colloquialism as an English major and teacher, but there’s no way around saying that this sucks beyond belief for you all more than most. In my many sleepless nights this past week, I have been reflecting on my own senior year at Penn State – where I was and what I was doing and who I was with. It seems insurmountable to conceive of missing out on all those moments and memories that I carry with me to this day.

The world is full of changes in our patterns of life. These are certainly uneasy times that will certainly be part of our world history. Each day brings more uncertainty and changes for all of us. We’ve seen the posts from family members, friends, and other parents of college students about their student losing their internship or job. Having graduation ceremonies canceled or postponed was a difficult pill to swallow but now some of our students have lost internships that were required for their degree and jobs they had lined up after graduation.

Now that the State University System of Florida has asked all universities to switch to remote virtual instruction as soon as possible, many parents have questions about how certain classes will be able to instruct. As much as we all wish everything would go back to normal, we at HaveUHeard feel strongly that in the context of infectious disease, the use of quarantine and isolation to reduce the transmission of disease and protect the health of the public requires that we all be socially responsible.

It’s true that Birthright is a fabulous (and free) program for Jewish individuals from 18 to 28 to visit Israel. Israel, however, is not just for Jews though. So, we did a little digging and found The David Project, a pro- Israel campus advocacy group. The program promotes building diverse pro-Israel support on campuses and is for students of all religions, having reached 10,000 Jewish and non-Jewish students this past academic year on 45 campuses, cultivating student leaders and organizations as allies for Hillel and the pro-Israel community.

They have been away for a year, maybe two or three, but this summer they are planning to come home. Many of you may be thinking how nice it will be to have them home; perhaps it will be even better than before they left for college because now they are more mature having lived on their own for so long. Do you sense the cynicism coming? Relax; I too got excited when each of mine came home for those ten weeks.

Moving back in with your parents after college is not new. I moved back home after graduating from UF for many reasons, the main being financial. My parents even charged me rent (scroll down to see how much that was and how they handled it) So, when our daughter graduated from college without a job, she moved back home with us. We were nervous and she was nervous. Our concerns mainly centered around how her new independent self would take to living back home with rules. Should we have rules? Should we charge her? Will she go back to helping around the house?

Assignments on Breaks are Breaking Me! Why do their professors do this the one time I get to see them all year? By Priscilla Beth Baker Here’s a common [...]

Almost as soon as the first acceptance to college came in, so did the idea of actually having to pay for their tuition and room and board. When they were small it was something we always envisioned we would do and planned accordingly. With so many scholarships available today, the trick is finding the ones that suit your student’s needs and that they will qualify for. Some scholarships are quite competitive, some last for four years, and some are downright silly, but pay for something. All make those bills for the next four (or more) years more bearable.

With Thanksgiving and the holidays approaching, many of us will be celebrating the holidays over a festive meal with our college kids and family. But not everyone is so fortunate. This season, HaveUHeard is sharing the story of Destination Dorm, a scholarship program for graduating high school seniors who have demonstrated academic excellence in the midst of financial hardship.

Combined, our mom bloggers have put, and are still putting, well over ten kids through college. They’ve lived in dorms, apartments, and houses. We’ve gone through the “There’s a waiting list to get in so we have to sign today” to “It’s the only place my friends want to live.” And we indulged them because we wanted them to live in an apartment that was safe and felt like home (that was probably more for us than them).

What an Academic Advisor Wants You to Know About the Unknown by Priscilla Beth Baker Many people have asked me recently what we as parents can do to bet [...]

Congratulations! Your baby is becoming an adult. Did that sentence make you a little queasy? Sending your student off to college is bittersweet. For tha [...]

College Ave - Loans Made Easy! Whether you’re a parent or a student looking for a loan, College Avenue and HaveUHeard are here for you. We know getting [...]

Advice to Parents from an Academic Advisor by Priscilla Beth Baker Having had no less than 12 students (male and female) sob in my office in the past 3 [...]

One of the many decisions you and your student will make is about the meal plan. With college right around the corner, I see you fearfully envisioning your student’s diet as one of just burgers, pizza, and fries, oh my! Yes, we have been making meals for our kids for as long as we can remember. (So, quite frankly, we might welcome a break.)  And yes, some of our kids have learned how to cook and even to enjoy doing so. But most have come to rely on their meals being ready the minute you yell “Dinnertime!”  NOW what will happen?

Three times the charm. Well, I suppose that isn’t fair; all three of my kids are charming and adorable. The difference is that not all three are very good with money and frankly I blame myself a little for that. I am not one to preach, but since you asked, the best advice I would give to a parent of a new college student is to give them a budget and make them stick to it.

The Department of Education loans money for school and it is imperative for your student to understand that student loans should not be used for frivolous spending. Trust me, I learned the hard way. The loans and interest (depending on the type of loan you have) add up very quickly. Repayment of said loans can be a huge monthly cost; therefore, understanding all the terms of student loans is, in my opinion, essential.

If you are completing entrance counseling to borrow a loan as an undergraduate student, then the entrance counseling will fulfill counseling requirements for Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans. If you are completing entrance counseling to borrow a loan as a graduate or professional student, the entrance counseling will fulfill counseling requirements for Direct Unsubsidized Loans and Direct PLUS loans.

This is not high school where a student can often coast by; succeeding at University level requires taking classes seriously. At the same time, there are many other opportunities to get involved and enjoy these four years including football games, Greek life, and outdoor activities. A student needs to be able to balance all of this which can prove daunting to many. But since they have such a selective admissions process, the understanding is that many of these students have already been faced with balancing academics and social and civic activities. If your student mentions they are having difficulty, there are many places to turn including speaking with their professor or teacher assistant. There are also peer academic study groups. For many classes, students are turning to outside assistance. Read more...

Almost as soon as the first acceptance to college came in, so did the idea of actually having to pay for their tuition and room and board. When they were small it was something we always envisioned we would do and planned accordingly.

To apply to graduate school, students must fill out the online application for the university and submit an application fee. Once accepted, there is an orientation For many programs, this is required and you will hear from faculty, staff, and former students about graduate life.  There will be specific orientations for different colleges as well. As for the exams required for admittance to graduate school, the Graduate Studies office can also provide information on test prep, tutoring, and any programs offered to help obtain required scores.  Most universities offer graduate exam test-prep services.

What Every Student Should Know Recently, I told my daughter to go pay something with a check. She responded by asking me if she had those somewhere. She [...]

I remember my daughter’s freshman year. I drove up to get her and when we finished packing the car with barely enough room for our bodies and the car feeling as though it was skimming the pavement, I wondered if her belongings seemed to multiply over the past 10 months. Then when we began unloading everything into the garage, sorting out what could stay in our hot garage for the summer and what needed to find space in the house, I became a bit flustered. Well, not panicky, but I did begin to dream of those people that come to your home and teach you to purge.

A Very Dangerous Place for a Child Is College by Dr. Louis M. Profeta  “Colleges should do this and colleges should do that, everyone says?” I walked ac [...]

Generally, our kids get to come home for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but for those who celebrate the upcoming Jewish High Holidays, it may be your first one without your students at your holiday table. While it may feel strange having that empty seat, it can feel better to know that they are celebrating the high holidays with a new community of their peers. You may want to let them know they exist and then hope that they will choose to participate.

The quote, “it’s all in the preparations” is true when it comes to Florida storms. It is so easy to become complacent when you’ve been through so many storms, preparing for the worst, and then having a storm turn the other way at the last minute. You’ll hear, “it won’t hit here” a lot. 24-hour broadcasts and weather forecasters getting excited can create a sense of panic and second-guessing. And if your student is from another state, panic can become elevated, especially for the parents at home.

Here's why... Over the course of the four years, our kids were at college, we had so many “I wish I would have known,” or as we commonly refer to as “hu [...]

Many of your kids are understandably worried about not being able to get jobs after graduation or internships related to their majors this summer due to COVID-19. Some companies are holding off on hiring decisions, switching to “virtual” jobs or internships, outright canceling internships due to budget cuts, or sometimes just sending money out to students whose internships were canceled. Some summer and fall co-ops will hopefully start late if things are more or less back to normal in time for the Fall semester.

Remember how when our kids were little we couldn’t envision them leaving us and going off to college? Now, if you are like me, you can’t believe how quickly the time went. It continues to rush by and before you know it, college graduation will be here. The very first tip is for students to check that they meet all of the requirements for graduation. Each school has a checklist and students have deadlines to apply for graduation. They know that so this should not be left until the last minute.

I am a big believer in this adage. Apparently many students agree as Study Abroad programs have become increasingly popular. When researching this topic I was amused to read not only a plethora of information about the various things to look for in a program but also some amusing blogs written by students about how to convince one’s parents to allow them to study abroad. Well, this parent is sold.

Did they get an out-of-state internship? Both of my daughters had internships during the summer between their junior and senior years. And both ended up interning in New York City. Since they did not get their internship until early Spring, some of their housing options were quite limited. And, not being familiar with interning out of state, we grabbed what was available.

Ok, I am a little partial. I am a born and bred New Yorker, living in S. Florida for 25 plus years, and I still love it. And so do many of our students, which is why New York is so popular for summer internships. They will need a place to live. Where to look for housing? There are many options. Most interning students live in dorms in various colleges throughout the city. Space is limited, and demand is high.

For some, the process of moving in is easier than moving out.  When your student moves in, they neatly pack their items in a suitcase. Their towels, sheets, comforters, and décor are new, clean and many times still in its original packaging.  Moving out? Not the case. Items are shoved in garbage bags, clothing is piled into a suitcase and the suitcase is sat on so that it can be zippered. Towels and sheets haven’t been washed all semester and can practically walk home!  Needless to say, it can be just as stressful as moving in.

HaveUHeard that when a student moves into an off-campus apartment they generally sign a lease for twelve months? Most leases run early August (usually a few days up to a week after August 1st) through July 31st. Unlike most dorms, students are responsible for the entire year, even if they do not intend to stay for the summer. However, most apartment complexes will allow students to sublet their apartments. You will, nevertheless, have to jump through a few hoops to make a sublease happen.

The IRS has advised college students and families that, when filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, they can use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to obtain tax information necessary to fill out the form. Other options are also available to obtain tax information (IRS Tax Tip 2019-82). The federal government offers various forms of financial aid for college students, including loans and scholarships. To be eligible for such aid, students must fill out a FAFSA form each year, which contains financial and other relevant information on the student and the student's family.

Many of us who have lived in Florida, planned for our students’ education by taking advantage of the Florida Prepaid program. The program allows families to prepay for their child's education at a guaranteed fixed rate. Many of us, also, were practically in shock when our last payment came due, possibly because that meant that college was right around the bend.

I remember when I first heard about the rideshare company, Uber and thought it was a brilliant concept for so many reasons; one of which was that it should cut down on people driving after drinking and provide a way that my college kids didn’t walk home late at night or alone. I still think the idea is great and encourage my kids to continue to use Uber, Lyft, Wahi Ride or whatever their choice may be; however, before more scary stories show up in the news, we have had to create some new rules to be sure that they remain safe. Of course, the first rules are that whenever possible ride with a friend, and when you feel the slightest bit uneasy, do not hesitate to call for a campus police escort.