As summer heats up and families squeeze in vacation time, many parents begin preparing for their child’s first year of college.

Attending freshman orientation, buying new laptop and communicating with roommates to decide who brings the TV -- theses are just a few things on a long to-do list. Paying the first semester’s tuition is probably foremost on parent’s minds, as well as wondering why their child needs so much stuff.

The freshman year is challenging for every student. Being away from home, challenging classes, new friends and experiences can have both a positive and negative effects. There’s much to do, and there are things parents can do to make this transition smoother and less stressful for everyone.

Begin by helping your child to understand that academics come first and that the study habits that got them through high school may not suffice for college. The fall semester brings many distractions with parties, football games and the like, but this is probably one of the most important semesters of  a student’s college career.

Therefore, encourage your child to work hard and set a goal of making the dean’s list their freshman year.

Parents should also talk to their children about money. Many students go off the college not understanding financial basics, such as how the banking system works, budgeting and spending. Take time to talk about checking account, debit and credit cards, bank fees and the potential pitfalls of making loaning and borrowing money from friends.

You may be surprised how much your child does not know about money. Take time to go into a bank and sit down with a financial advisor and have him explain the banking basics and the consequences of misuse of money, credit cards, etc.

It’s also important that you attend orientation with your child. This is a time when much information is shared, so make sure you are there to ask pertinent questions.

From safety, to medical care, to meal plans, it’s important for parents to stay informed and connected. One way is to join the university’s parent organization.

The schools my children attended constantly kept parents notified of any medical outbreaks, upcoming events and safety concerns on and around campus. One of my children’s school even provided webcasts with counselors discussing how to recognize and address issues students may be facing, such as depression, substance abuse or academic problems.

Also during orientation, take the time to talk with the financial aid office about the financial aid package you received. Share any unexpected circumstances that may have occurred since completing the FAFSA that may change your financial aid award.

Whether on campus during orientation or on the ride home, take time to have a frank discussion with your child about her transition to college. Allow your child to share her emotions about this major change. Most students enter college as a legal adult, so the school is not always required to contact you about issues that affect your child, such as grades and medical issues. However, the school wants to keep you involved.

Always keep the lines of communication open with your child and look for signs that things are not normal. Academic counseling, healthcare, tutoring, recreation center, peer mentoring and mental health counseling are just some of the programs that are available to students to help them stay healthy and to deal with personal issues. Encourage your child to take advantage of the services the school provides.

Do everything possible to make this new adventure a positive one, so that when you wave goodbye you can leave feeling good about the preparation you’ve made to help your child succeed as a college student.

Macie Caldwell is owner of Macie Caldwell Consulting Services (www.maciecaldwell.org), a Charlotte firm that provides information, tools and resources to parents, students and organizations to assist in preparing students early for college.

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