One of the biggest college transitions is one parents and guardians experience – being a “third party.” While your student completed their schooling to this point, you likely were able to call their school counselor, teachers, and coaches and discussed the details of your student’s attendance, grades, and performance. You may have even had an online portal where you could review assignment completion, “tardies” and absences, and progress reports. When your student heads to any college or university, this access to information may not exist in the same way and that can be an adjustment. 

Here’s what to expect from some UO offices during the final phases of your student’s college search and selection:

Admissions

Once a student is admitted, the role of the Admissions Office diminishes for both the student and the parent. There may be questions regarding your student submitting final transcripts or other documents, but the vast majority of communications will shift to other university offices.

Admissions often becomes a referral resource to help guide students and parents to other offices. This is a natural role since we have been communicating with the student throughout the recruitment process.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

The financial aid process involves a partnership between students, their parents, and us (the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships). To this end, we encourage students and their supporters to attend financial aid and scholarships sessions together, when possible, to support mutual understanding of the financial aid process and eligibility requirements.

Once a student is officially registered at the University of Oregon, the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prevents university representatives from sharing student information, including details about their financial aid, with anyone but the student, unless the student waives these rights in writing.

We encourage students to take ownership of their financial futures by becoming educated borrowers, consumers, and investors during their time at the university. The UO offers a Financial Wellness Center, providing access to workshops and peer coaching about all aspects of financial health.

University Housing

Our connection to students and families begins when a student registers for housing and continues through room selection, move-in day, and throughout their time living in the residence halls. Living on campus supports students in their academic and social success at the UO, so knowing what to expect is just as important for many parents and families as it is for students.

Schedule a time to meet with us virtually—or connect via email, phone, or text—to learn more about the experience we provide for students, how parents and families can stay informed, and ways to prepare your Duck for the transition to the residence halls (like how to do laundry). We can also provide an overview of the registration process, but only students should be completing their registration so that their preferences reflect the best living options for them. 

Orientation Programs

From the point of registration for IntroDUCKtion, the university’s orientation and transition program, through Week of Welcome activities, parents and family members are one of our audiences. We believe that creating and cultivating strong partnerships with parents and families will lead to greater success for Ducks. In fact, we offer a comprehensive parent and family IntroDUCKtion program that’s current to our programs for new students. 

If you call our office to inquire about IntroDUCKtion, we can share general information about your student’s registration—session selection and attendance—but only students can make changes to their IntroDUCKtion preferences. During IntroDUCKtion, students will meet one-on-one with their advisor and register for classes with the help of UO students and staff.