In this episode, I am welcoming back Joanna Lilley to the podcast. If you are a loyal listener, you might remember Joanna from episode 33 and episode 69. If you missed those episodes, be sure to check them out because Joanna always provides valuable advice for parents of teens and young adults. During our conversation, Joanna and I discuss something called “early alert”. It might have a different name based on the college or university, but basically, it’s the point during the first semester of college, about mid-way through, when students are identified as at-risk for failing a class. For parents who have close communication with their kids, this might not be a surprise. But in many cases, parents have no idea their young adult is struggling, and by the time they find out, it’s too late to take action. Joanna shares her experience inside higher ed and how schools identify struggling students, the difference between student retention and student success, and why declaring a major can help keep students engaged. Be sure to listen to the end when Joanna provides helpful advice for parents about how to help their young adults when they are struggling.
About Joanna Lilley
Joanna Lilley holds a Master’s degree in Counseling from West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV, and is a Nationally Certified Counselor. Since 2016, Lilley Consulting has been helping families and young adults find treatment options during a time of transition or crisis. Joanna dedicates herself to working solely with emerging adults who unravel before going to college, when they land on a college campus, or right after college graduation. Young Adulthood can be messy, but it doesn’t have to be if you find the best treatment resources at the time that you need them.
Prior to launching her consulting practice, she worked with adolescents and young adults for 13 years in multiple therapeutic capacities. Joanna is the host of the Success is Subjective Podcast, and a co-founder of the College Parent Survival Network; a private community for parents of college-bound, current, and former college students who are seeking advice under the guise of discretion, and looking for answers to better help their young adults navigate college-related and transition hurdles.
When not working, Joanna can be found paddleboarding or cross country skiing in Northern Michigan with her partner and dogs.
Episode Highlights
- What is Early Alert and why is it important?
- Parents arent usually aware of an early alert
- The financial investment of a college semester
- The importance of checking the FERPA box
- Students need to be aware of withdrawal deadlines
- Predictive data behind student success
- The job of the Institutional Research department
- There are outreach plans for at-risk students
- “A generation of American men give up on college” – Wall Street Journal
- The difference between student retention and student success
- How and when to help your struggling college student
- The benefits of declaring a college major
- The Campus Cure by Dr. Marcia Morris
- Joanna’s College Parent Survival Network
- Using “I feel” statements when communicating with your kids
Resources
College Parent Survival Network
Episode 33: Transitioning From Parent to Partner with Joanna Lilley
Episode 69: When Your College Student is Struggling with Joanna Lilley
The Campus Cure: A Parent’s Guide to Mental Health and Wellness for College Students by Marcia Morris, MD