Supporting Your Teen’s Success in College: 5 Keys to Thriving on Campus

Sending your teen off to college is thrilling but stressful. How can you ensure they thrive on campus? Research reveals 5 factors that predict student success: engaged learning, determination, positivity, connections, and openness to diversity. Discussing these pillars of thriving with your incoming freshman will set them up to flourish in college and beyond. College is about more than academics - it's nurturing lifelong skills to help students achieve their full potential.

Dr. Laura Schreiner has studied what helps college students succeed for over a decade. She found 5 main areas that predict whether students will thrive:

  1. Engaged Learning - Students actively participate in the learning process.
  2. Academic Determination - Students take ownership of learning and persist despite challenges.
  3. Positive Perspective - Students have hope, see purpose, and believe they can succeed.
  4. Social Connectedness - Students feel belonging and have close relationships.
  5. Diverse Citizenship - Students are open to diversity and civic participation.


Students who show these 5 qualities are ready to achieve their potential in college and beyond. Schreiner found campus involvement, faculty mentoring, spirituality, and a sense of community all help build thriving. Her research shows these factors even sustained students through immense crises like COVID-19.


As a parent, you can help set your teen up to thrive by discussing these 5 components. Emphasize taking advantage of campus supports, determining their own path, staying hopeful under stress, making connections, and engaging with diversity.


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