There are two stages in being a UMF parent: before and after.

Before
This is when you and your son or daughter are involved in the overwhelming college selection process.

Your daughter or son is probably feeling incredible pressure to complete a "to do" list that includes: researching a list of potential colleges, completing heaps of paperwork, taking (or re-taking) the SATs, visiting schools, narrowing the field to a short list of potential colleges, sending out applications, anxiously awaiting the letters of acceptance, selecting the final school, picking their first college courses, etc., all while still trying to finish high school.

Even if they haven't told you, they're probably terribly unsettled. This is an incredibly stressful time for them -- and for you, too.

Some truths you may not hear from any other college
For college-bound students and parents alike, this emotional rite of passage can navigated with some relative calm if you can just relax, take a deep breath, and understand some basic facts. What follows are some truths you may not hear from any other college or university:

• The U.S. has more than 3,000 colleges and universities, many of which provide a first-rate education at an affordable price -- though we think Farmington is one of the best.
  
  
• Forty percent of kids in college do not graduate from the school to which they first enroll. Many more transfer to a different school than you'd ever imagine.
  
  
• It's a myth there is just one right-fit college for each 18-year old high school senior. The fact is, there can be many right fits.

So stay calm. Try to get your son or daughter to relax. You will all get through this and move on to the second stage — after.

Please know that I, too, welcome your questions and the expression of concerns. I am always willing to talk with parents about their sons and daughters, but my primary focus, of course, will be happily upon our students. I hope you will come to love the university as much as I have in such a short period.

After
This is the time when your daughter or son is out of the house and away at college.

Your fridge is now full, your car actually has gas, your phone line is strangely free, and you're eyeing that now-empty bedroom for a home improvement project. (Some of the joys of being the proud parent of a college student.)

Now comes a new set of issues about your child:

• How do I help her to adjust to her new environment?
• What can I do to help him while he's away?
• When will she be back home and when does she need to go back to school?
• Who do I contact at UMF in case of an emergency or if I have a question or concern?
• What if he doesn't call or e-mail regularly?
• What if she doesn't like her roommate?
• What if he needs tutoring?
• What if she ...

(More joys of being the proud parent of a college student.)

We're here to help
We don't presume to have the answers to every possible question or to have solved every potential problem, but we think we've covered many of the questions and concerns we've received over the years from UMF parents.

So, please feel free to contact us, ask questions, and share anything you believe would be helpful to us as we embark on this exciting journey together.

Celeste Branham
Vice President for Student and Community Services
University of Maine at Farmington
111 South Street
Farmington, Maine 04938
cbranham@maine.edu
207-778-7087 (my personal office phone)