A new magazine aimed at parents of future and current college students is now available for free nationally, though distribution has been centered in New York.
College Parent Magazine is the first national publication of its kind, according to magazine editor Ellen Neufeld.
"We are hoping to talk to parents from the parent perspective," Neufeld said. "Our goal is to inform parents about important issues such as admissions, technologies in college campuses, and how to pay for college."
Some of the stories featured in this edition of the magazine include alcohol abuse, computers on campus, crime on campus, college funding and other topics about admissions and college life.
Steve Peri, a three-time college parent, came up with the idea of the magazine.
"We felt there was a need for a periodical to provide college parents with the information they need at every step of the process," Peri said in a press release.
Peri, who is now the magazine's executive editor, said that there are currently very few resources for parents, which makes it "difficult to find reliable and timely information about such things as the admissions process, financial aid or the realities of campus life."
Those on the magazine believe that college education is a major investment parents make, yet college administrators often ignore the concerns of parents and rarely send out information geared to them.
"Even though parents are paying the bills, they are unaware of the college realities," Neufeld said. "They don't know what's going on in their children's educational institution. We figured they are paying, so they deserve to know."
Faith Leonard, AU's Dean of Students, said that the University makes several efforts to communicate with parents.
These include orientation for parents, a Parent Handbook, a Web site targeted at parents and "an e-newsletter for parents of first year students that has mini-lessons on many of the developmental issues their students will face," she said in an e-mail.
"In general, I think we do a good job of informing parents about what is going on and making them aware of the resources on campus," Leonard said. "I also think that AU considers parents to be part of the 'AU family' and appreciates their interest in their students' experience."
James L. Johnson, publisher, said that it is important to make information accessible to parents who want to be involved in the college admissions process.
"We have created College Parent Magazine to meet the need for a consistent and reliable information resource for these parents" wrote Johnson in a letter for the magazine's first issue.
The first issue of College Parent Magazine came out last month with 100,000 copies that were mainly distributed in the New York area.
The magazine is currently available for free. For more information or to subscribe visit www.collegeparentmagazine.com.
