As young people apply to colleges and universities, many point to their parents as the main influence on their decision, says an admissions officer who works with international students.

"Even when the students are appearing like they don't want to listen to their parents, they clearly are," says Ffiona Rees, a senior associate director of international admissions at the University of California-Los Angeles.

"And so, it's important for the parents to be supportive of the students."

Students look to their parents for all kinds of advice, she says, including where to apply and what to study. But while helping, Rees notes that parents should heed a few guidelines.

First, although parents may have attended a university in the United States, they should understand that schools and admissions policies have changed in the past 20 years. Working with the future college student can strengthen the student-parent relationship in researching the requirements.

Parents should be fully invested: Rees says she observed a parent repeatedly leave an admissions informational meeting to take phone calls. The parent may have missed important information, she said, and more importantly, have given the impression of not caring about the student's interest in that school.

"It's really important that the parents take the time to tell their child how proud they are of them," Rees says. "And to tell them that you love them no matter what.

"Because the students need to hear that. We forget that, while they're young adults, they're still only usually 17, 18 years old and they need to hear that from their parents."

Parents also need to be honest, she says. While encouraging their children to strive for the best schools, they need to know that limits exist in the college search.

For example, will finances restrict their choices? Rees says parents must tell their children exactly how much money will be provided for their undergraduate education.

What about distance? Rees says she once received a phone call from parents who were unhappy that a school a long distance away had accepted their child. They had never discussed location with the student, thinking the application would not be successful. Rees says it is important for parents to voice their concerns — without being demanding — before the student files an application.

Making these decisions is an important part of becoming an adult, Rees says.

Having the independence to present themselves accurately and honestly is also important. While parents may feel the urge to help their children write an essay or fill out a form, they should resist, Rees advises. She says meeting deadlines and taking responsibility for admissions are invaluable lessons. Schools demand an applicant author his or her essays.

Finally, Rees says, most students will likely be rejected by at least one college or university. Parents, she says, can greatly help their children move beyond rejection in a healthy way.

"It's much like when you have a toddler and they fall down," she says. "If you rush to them and say, 'Oh, you must be hurt. Are you OK?' the child is going to react accordingly. If … you say, 'You're fine! Get up, off we go,' then your child is also going to react accordingly. ... They will get some letters of denial. They are not personal rejections, and it is important that you help to remind your child that they are still a good person."

Ruth Chane, a computer science major from Ethiopia, writes about her experiences settling into student life at Whitman College in the U.S. state of Washington.

"The community at Whitman College made sure I felt welcomed even before I stepped foot on campus," she says.

Read her essay here.

In The Student Life, the student newspaper for the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of five liberal art colleges and two graduate schools in Claremont, California, student Rochelle Lu writes about readjusting to her Shanghai home after spending a semester in the United States.

Read the full story here.

Cedarville University in the U.S. state of Ohio says it’s got more than 140 international students representing 44 countries.

Here, the school interviews Jonathan Sutton, director of international student services. He talks about his job and the opportunities for international students on campus.

Read the full article here.

Morehouse College, a private, historically Black liberal arts college in the U.S. state of Georgia, offers a guide for international students interested in attending the school.

Among the tips to apply and thrive at Morehouse:

• Take advantage of the school’s orientation program
• Turn to the school’s Center for Academic Success for tutoring, support and more
• Immerse yourself in campus life via clubs and societies

Read the full article here.

WASHINGTON — 

The administration of President Donald Trump said on Monday it will review Columbia University's federal contracts and grants over allegations of antisemitism, which it says the educational institution has shown inaction in tackling.

Rights advocates note rising antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias since U.S. ally Israel's devastating military assault on Gaza began after Palestinian Hamas militants' deadly October 2023 attack.

The Justice Department said a month ago it formed a task force to fight antisemitism. The U.S. Departments of Health and Education and the General Services Administration jointly made the review announcement on Monday.

"The Federal Government's Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is considering Stop Work Orders for $51.4 million in contracts between Columbia University and the Federal Government," the joint statement said.

The agencies said no contracting actions had been taken yet.

"The task force will also conduct a comprehensive review of the more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments to Columbia University."

The agencies did not respond to requests for comment on whether there were similar reviews over allegations of Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias.

Columbia had no immediate comment. It previously said it made efforts to tackle antisemitism.

College protests

Trump has signed an executive order to combat antisemitism and pledged to deport non-citizen college students and others who took part in pro-Palestinian protests.

Columbia was at the center of college protests in which demonstrators demanded an end to U.S. support for Israel due to the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel's assault on Gaza. There were allegations of antisemitism and Islamophobia in protests and counter-protests.

During last summer's demonstrations around the country, classes were canceled, some university administrators resigned and student protesters were suspended and arrested.

While the intensity of protests has decreased in recent months, there were some demonstrations last week in New York after the expulsion of two students at Columbia University-affiliated Barnard College and after New York Governor Kathy Hochul ordered the removal of a Palestinian studies job listing at Hunter College.

A third student at Barnard College has since been expelled, this one related to the occupation of the Hamilton Hall building at Columbia last year.