For the Family Flock

Attend Eagle View Orientation with your student

Orientation provides a comprehensive introduction to Florida Gulf Coast University.  Through a series of informational presentations and discussions led by university faculty, staff, and students, you will learn all about the offices, services, opportunities, and resources that are here to help our students achieve their goals. Attending EVO will empower you to become an excellent source of support for your student; the knowledge you gain by attending orientation can help you to help your student work through the typical ups and downs in the freshman year.  

Explore major and career resources

It is very common for new college students to realize after a semester or two that the major that they selected when they applied to college isn't the best fit with their academic interests and abilities, but they may not know how to explore the options available to them at the university.  Visit our Career Development Services website for information to assist your student with their Major/Career Choice.

Learn more about what the transition to college will be like...for your student, and for YOU

Sending a child to college can be just as stressful for the families of new college students as it is for the students themselves!  You have been a very important part of their lives and have provided the love, support, and encouragement they needed to get to this point, and it can be a real challenge to take a step back and give them the space they need to learn how to manage the freedom and independence that comes with starting college.  Take some time to visit our Parent and Family Programs website, where you can learn more about how to manage this important transition in your own lives, and stay informed about what's happening on campus so you can continue to provide support from afar.  

Getting to know the Exploratory Advising team

Requirements for the first semester:

 

Initial Pre-Registration Meeting

Student will meet with their advisor during the first few weeks of the term to discuss how their semester has started and to reinforce the role of the academic counselor, address any issues of concern, and to look ahead to the pre-registration process for the next semester. This pre-registration meeting takes place once every semester. Students will be able to talk to their academic advisor about their academic progress, discuss possible course options for their second semester at the university, and review the online course registration process. 

 

Requirements for the second semester:

 

Secondary Pre-Registration Meeting

This pre-registration meeting typically takes place during a student's second term.  During this second pre-registration meeting academic advisors will focus on reinforcing academic milestones for degree progression (and the consequences for not meeting these requirements), sharing information about the resources and opportunities that the academic college has to offer, while looking ahead to the preregistration process for the next semester. Students will be required to meet with their academic advisor to talk about their academic progress, discuss possible course options for their third semester at the university, and to review the advising transition process.

While you didn't need the permission of your student to view their educational records while they were in high school, this changes when they begin college.  According to federal law, college students (regardless of their age) have the right to access their own records, and control the release of these records to anyone who does not have legitimate educational interest...which includes parents, guardians, and family members. Parents and guardians are recommended to learn about the federal The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) and to discuss this with their students, who often assume that their families can get the information they want to know, just like they did when they were in high school!      

Click here for more information on FERPA