Congratulations to the parents and families of the Class of 2029 and Transfer students!
Welcome to the Duke family!
As the parent or family member of a new-to-Duke student, you are likely experiencing many moments of both joy and anxiety. Having your student leave home, often for the first time, brings on an era of both great transition and separation. Yet, although your role may be about to change, your work as a parent is far from done. While ultimately your student must be left to make their own decisions and learn from their consequences, your services are still needed. Your ability to provide guidance and support during this period of great change is vital for your student's success.
These transitions often require a large adjustment by all members of the family. In order to be as prepared as possible, we recommend having discussions prior to the start of the school year about values, goals, and behavioral expectations and also keeping the lines of communication open throughout the undergraduate years. Being as explicit and open as possible during these talks should help alleviate misunderstandings and allow for positive growth and change.
During the summer, we provide parent and family newsletters specifically for those of incoming students. You can find them under our communications tab or at the bottom of this page.
Parent & Family Orientation
The Parent & Family Orientation experience will allow you to learn more about Duke’s academic philosophy and student experience, connect with Duke community members, and help your student settle into their new home.
Parent & Family Orientation Schedule
Parent & Family Orientation will consist of a series of webinars throughout July and August to engage families early in their transition process and provide accessible programming to reach families, regardless of whether they can travel to campus for move-in day.
2025 SCHEDULE
Session topics, dates, and times are TBA. Check back in early May for updates.
The Blue Book
One of the most important resources for your student is the Blue Book. The Blue Book outlines critical resources, introduces campus offices that will support your students during their Duke career, and includes specific details about the tasks they must complete before arriving on campus. For your student, the Blue Book is locked, and they progress through it sequentially. All incoming students will receive access to the Blue Book in early May after all content has been updated. Accessing the Blue Book is easy! Here are step-by-step instructions to create a guest login account as a family member: |
Please note: the Blue Book is updated yearly, and it will be most beneficial to you to wait until May to review. We encourage you to use the information you glean to empower and support your students during their onboarding while allowing them to take the lead. |
Common Student Transition Challenges
Our experience has shown that many students experience similar challenges as they make the transition to their new lives on campus. First-year students, in particular, may encounter the following, but these themes can also persist for transfer students.
Homesickness
Homesickness is a common struggle for many students. It is important to remember that what often hurts about being homesick is not simply that your student is away from home, but rather that they haven't made Duke another place to call home. Returning home often (or focusing on wanting to be back home) can keep the homesick student from creating familiarity. Encourage your student to find places on campus to create routines, take study breaks, exercise, and enjoy a snack. Also, advocate that they take steps to make living spaces comfortable, with reminders of home and also pointers of the future. You can also suggest that your student joins a new club or organization. Finally, ask about who your student has met and learn about their new relationships.
Returning Home
When your student returns home after having been at Duke, you may notice some changes. Most students experience a new level of independence while away at college. Structure and rules at home may seem foreign now. Be sure to have a conversation before the first visit, or shortly after the visit begins. Communication is essential so that your expectations are understood and any assumptions your student may have made (curfew, chores, coming and going, and expenses) are clarified before conflict emerges. New habits may have developed that work when navigating campus, but which do not fit in at home. Often the shift from “child” to “visitor” can occur without anyone actually realizing it. This can affect siblings too, so strong communication throughout the family is key.
Facing Challenges
Your student is likely to experience the ups and downs of emotional and practical challenges associated with college life. Among the most common experiences are:
- Feeling disconnected
- Struggling to develop habits such as time management, prioritization, and staying healthy
- Acclimating to academic expectations that may be more challenging than anticipated
- Managing a level of social and cultural diversity that may be different from the communities with which they are most familiar
- Comparing oneself to others and becoming discouraged
- Having difficulty managing relationships, both at home and at school
There are ways as a parent to support your student while still allowing them the opportunity to grow through their college experiences. Reminding them of their values, interests, and goals while also providing family support is important in helping them navigate their first year.
Communication
During the summer, the Office of New Student and Family Programs provides newsletters specifically for the families of incoming students. Starting in June, look out for this monthly email with important information about supporting your student through the transition to Duke.
While email will be the primary way Duke and New Student and Family Programs communicates with families, we also welcome you to join the Class of 2029 Parent and Family Facebook page. This page is a great place to meet each other, celebrate your student's achievements, and learn more about the Duke Community. Please note that because this Facebook group is restricted to only Duke parents, guardians, and primary caretakers, you will have to press the "Join Group" button at the top of the page and then respond to a few security questions before an administrator adds you to the group.
The link to access this Facebook group will be emailed directly to admitted families in early spring, and administrators will begin reviewing all requests to join on a rolling basis then.
**Note that for the privacy of our students and to abide by national regulations, your student must give consent before families are added to University communication, which includes receiving official correspondence from Duke University through email and being admitted to official University Family Facebook groups. Your student has access to the consent form through their admissions portal.