Engaging with parents has become a major challenge for many colleges. It’s not just “helicopter” parents—known to be affluent and demanding—who complain these days about their children’s grades, job prospects, housing, roommates, and much more. Parents increasingly see themselves as consumers, and question the value of a college education. Colleges also worry that students aren’t becoming independent enough. At the same time, many institutions are seeking more engagement with families of low-income and first-generation students, who often may not understand college culture.This issue brief will examine how colleges navigate the crucial parental / family relationship. Many college leaders cite the goal of making parents partners. “We’re no longer accepting just a student,” says the director of family relations at one college. “We’re accepting an entire support group.”Purchase the issue brief and learn: