A recent University of California Los Angeles study focused on the dependency of freshman on their parents when making college-related decisions found that, more often than not, the largest decision parents help make is whether or not to go to college.
Other decisions, like choosing a college and dealing with administrative business, involve less parental influence on average.
UT fits well with the results of the study; apparently, meddlesome “helicopter parents” are not hovering around campus.
Darcy Abramson, a freshman Marine Biology student at UT, discussed the role her parents played in the decisions affecting school.
“My parents let me choose where I wanted to apply, and supported my decisions. My mom just wanted me to stay in the same time zone,” she said with a smile, “but as long as I am happy and comfortable in the environment I chose, that’s what matters most to my parents.”
Junior business student Doug Cipollina feels independent because his parents let him have most of the reign on his choices, the validity of this is clearly shown through the three college transfers he’s made so far.
“My parents supported and encouraged all the decisions I have made,” said Cipollina.
Jennifer Pomponio, a soon-to-be alumni Sports Management major, had similar feelings to Cipollina. She summed up the situation for most UT students succinctly.
“I only think that if I hadn’t gone to college at all, things would have been much different,” she said. “My parents just influenced me to go to school, not to control my personal decisions.”