Parent

Welcome Parents! How to Support Your Student.   Congratulations on having your student attend Santa Monica College - the top transfer college in California!   Sending your student off to college can be a big adjustment for not only parents, but for your student as well. Here are some "Tips for Parents" in how to support your student through the college transition.

1. Empower your college student to  succeed	As a parent, support can come through “guiding” your college student to the appropriate on-campus counselor or professor, tutoring, on-campus  club/organization, or administrative office in obtaining the answers to their questions.  As a parent, being there as a support through this process will reinforce a positive journey towards academic sucess. By hovering too close as a parent, you may be keeping your college student from seeing the opportunities for growth in their current environment.
2.  Initial “Nuts & Bolts” of being part of the SMC Community.	Familiarize yourself with the initial  new parent /student information.    The following links will take you to the information that you may find especially helpful in supporting your student. At any time feel free to contact us with your questions. You can contact the SMC Outreach Office of Outreach  & Recruitment at outreach@smc.edu contact an Outreach Counselor directly or call (310) 434-4189. Office of Admissions Cost of attendance Residency Requirements Financial Aid Completing a FAFSA Housing Commonly Asked Questions FERPA - Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Health Insurance
3.  Familiarizing yourself with the surrounding community.	We suggest that if you are new to the Santa Monica area, that you assist your student with becoming familiar with / and connecting with your surrounding community resources – such as…. (click on the links below to see the proximity of the following places to the college)   a.      Local bank/ATM’s b.      Health - Doctor / Hospital c.      Market & favorite eateries d.      Post Office e.      Parking – obtaining possible city permits f.       DMV Needs – for car registration / California Drivers License g.      Big Blue Bus Schedules / Locations – free for all SMC students h.      Bike registration – www.nationalbikeregistry.com
4.  Other Helpful Links…	a.       Student Life & Services  - Learn about Student Life and Activities going on campus. b.       Campus Resources - Find out about the different Counseling Programs and Services we provide on campus. c.        Programs of Study - Learn about the many different areas of study and degree programs that we offer, along with articulation and major requirements needed to graduate or transfer to 4-year institutions.
	Find out how you can get involved and help in your student's academic future by getting involved in our rapidly growing Alumni Association.      Learn More. >>