College Crunch Time

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College Crunch Time

Mar 2, 2022

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by Caroline Moassessi, FAACT Vice President of Community Relations

The next few weeks, when your student sits down to decide which college they will call home for the next four years, might be a mix of magical and painful times. The joy of watching acceptances arrive can turn to stress quickly if you don’t have a game plan in place. But don’t worry! FAACT has you covered.

Below are suggested next steps for you and your family. Grab a cup of coffee – and your student – and roll up your sleeves. Exciting times await you.

Let’s get started!

First, take a few moments to acknowledge your student’s successes. They have worked hard to get to this point, and you have worked equally as hard managing, guiding, and supporting their journey with food allergies.

Second, use FAACT’s College Resource Center to support your student as they kick off conversations with their top college choices and explore accommodation and academic options.

Head over to FAACT’s College Resource Center to visit resources specifically designed For Parents and For Students. We know parents might benefit from extra tips about guiding their student, while students need short and direct guidance about navigating important conversations.

For easy use, download the checklists, which provide space for note taking while making calls and visually guide users through the process. These checklists feature information and questions to ask about:

Accommodations, including how to secure a medical single dorm room
Dining, including how to establish a plan for safe eating and who to contact on campus
Legal considerations and student rights
Managing labs and classroom settings
Emergency and medical services, including managing food allergy treatments while at college
Stress management and wellness
And much more

Don’t miss the Legal Considerations section in the College Resource Center. You will learn about your student’s legal rights, dining and housing accommodations, and legal documents such as Health Care Power of Attorney or Health Care Proxy, Durable Power of Attorney, and Access to Student Records (FERPA). You will want to discuss these with your student to decide what is appropriate for your family.

FAACT offers several other resources for college-bound students.

Podcasts. Pick up tips from parents and students about college challenge and successes:

Discover FAACT’s Roundtable Podcast on Pandora, Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, Podcast Chaser, Deezer, and Listen Notes.

Facebook Group. Join FAACT’s Parents of High School and College Students with Food Allergies private Facebook group to connect with fellow parents/caregivers. Discover news friends and find support.

Enjoy this unique time and never forget, FAACT is here to support you and your family on this new adventure!