Families
Family participation is very helpful to students, and we encourage you to attend FTCAP. Please be aware that some activities during the day are planned just for students. College is an opportunity for students to begin making decisions on their own. It is critical for them to take responsibility for their choices of classes, schedules, and majors. They are the ones who must take the courses, do the work and get the grades. Penn State University advisors are expert resources for them to use as they make these important decisions. Encourage your student to establish a good relationship with his or her advisor. That advisor will be a reliable source of information, someone your student can go to with any question or problem.
We hope that parents/guardians will review the FTCAP website with their first-year student and encourage him or her to take responsibility for getting answers to their questions. While the same general academic information will be given to you and your student at FTCAP, the students will develop their class schedule in consultation with academic advisors while families are attending other sessions. Although it may be tempting for you to intervene on their behalf, we urge you to resist the temptation. We will be there to help them make good decisions. We have had years of experience working with academic decision-making. Please trust us to support your sons and daughters through this process. We have their best interests and their success at the core of our philosophy.
If you have questions after the FTCAP day, you are welcome to call the Academic Advising Center, and one of our professional advisors will be happy to answer questions and help resolve the problem. The telephone number for the Advising Center is 814-949-5084.
Important websites for parents/families:
