Students are taking their finals this week. At the end of each finals session, students pour out of their classrooms with a mix of relief and fear. They check with their classmates, "What did you get on that last question?" or "Did this exam seem a lot harder than the mid-term?" Those who are finishing their last final can relax, while those who still have more exams to go plod back to their residence hall or apartment for even more studying. Watch the action on the Walter Library Webcam.

—Parents of Graduates
Students who have recently graduated or soon will (graduation dates of December 2008 to August 2009) are invited to take part in the workshop, "You Graduated: What Now?" from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday, May 27, in the Cherrywood Room on the St. Paul Campus. There is a $10 workshop fee, which includes the cost of lunch.

Participants will receive information on such topics as: how to figure out where you want to work; how to research organizations and job openings, how to write a resume that attracts attention; how to impress interviewers; and how to find alternative job options. The program will review the realities of today's job market, teach grads how to network with professionals, and consider the stress of the job search.

The deadline for registering is May 25. Students can register and pay the $10 fee at the GoldPASS Web site. After signing in, they can go to the Career Events section, check on the "What now?" event title, and follow registration instructions. For more information, students can contact their college career office (www.career.umn.edu/).

—Note on Off-Campus Housing for Fall
We've heard from parents who are expressing concern that their students have not yet started looking for off-campus housing for fall. It's not too late. In many cases, landlords don't know yet whether current tenants will be renewing their leases. The next month or two are fine for apartment hunting. If you have not yet viewed the Parents Workshop on Off-Campus Housing, check it out: www.parent.umn.edu/housing.php.

Before they sign a lease, students can take the contract to University Student Legal Services (USLS). The attorneys and paralegals in that office will look over the lease for irregularities and provide any information they might have on problem properties. Having said all that, most of the landlords near campus are actually very good. It's just that we don't want students to end up with trouble they could have avoided.

—Financial Education for Students
The University provides a one-credit class, "Cash or Credit: You Need to Know," for first- and second-year students and for post-secondary students (PSEO). This is an interactive course, taught online, and topics include money management, why people use credit cards, the multiple costs of having a credit card, what happens when credit goes bad, and credit laws and individuals' rights. The course number is FSoS 1301.

Juniors and seniors are not eligible for the class, but upperclassmen can take a three-credit course, Personal and Family Finance, FSoS 3101, as a traditional lecture course or online. The three-credit course covers budgeting and personal finance in addition to credit card and money management. Students can find details about both classes on the OneStop Web site's Course Guide under the heading of Family Social Science.

Course registration information can be found on the OneStop Web site. Students can check with their academic adviser for answers to registration questions.

—Parents Weekend Orders for Parents of Juniors and Seniors
Stadium seating tickets for Parents Weekend are going quickly. Parents of next year's juniors and seniors have priority for ordering (two tickets per family) and may place their orders now. Any remaining tickets will be opened up to parents of next year's sophomores in early June. Information and instructions for ordering is online at www.parent.umn.edu/email/05-11-09.html.

—Learning Abroad for Parents
We frequently hear wistful parents asking why their students are the ones who get to have all the fun. Parents often think that they, themselves, should have at least some of the opportunities college offers—especially study abroad. Consequently, we are again planning a "mini-study abroad" for parents for next year. We are working with the University's Learning Abroad Center to provide a one-week to 10-day international trip that recreates, in short form, a learning abroad tour for parents, giving you a taste of what students experience when they study abroad. The program will feature lectures on the culture, history, arts, economy, and environment of the area, a cooking class, and visits to museums, shops, recreational sites, and more.

The Learning Abroad Center has asked for feedback from parents on where you would most want to travel, given the following options: Ecuador, Venezuela, Paris/Montpelier, Morocco, United Kingdom, or Florence/Rome.

If you have an interest in a mini-study abroad opportunity, please send an e-mail to parent@umn.edu with your choice among the sites listed. Thank you.

—Unsubscribing from the Listserv
The e-mail addresses on this listserv are not identified with your student. Consequently, we do not know when your student graduates, transfers, or leaves the university. In order to take you off the listserv, we need to hear from you. If you would like to be taken off this e-mail list, please send a message to parent@umn.edu saying "remove" and your e-mail address.

Parents of seniors: you may want to wait until after your student's graduation ceremony to be removed from the list, just in case there should be any last-minute messages related to commencement.

—Miscellaneous
Sometimes students don't want to talk with their family about new medications or treatments that they began during the school year, but it is possible they may have had a recent medical appointment or need follow up. If your student is home for the summer, you can simply let your son or daughter know how to access any needed health care through your home clinic this summer.

Each month we post a Question of the Month on the University Parent Web site. Last month we asked parents how they believe the current economic downturn will affect their ability to pay for college next year. Although 40 percent of parents indicated their ability to afford college is likely to be unchanged, most parents indicated that either they or their student will need to take out more loans, or parents will need to pay more or provide less to their student's education than they did this year. Three percent said their student will have to transfer or drop out of college because of financial issues. I am sharing the results of this survey with campus administrators. You can find the results at www.parent.umn.edu/previous.html.

Please check out our Parent Question of the Month for May.

Our e-mail messages to parents typically drop off a bit in the summer. We will send messages periodically, though, and we encourage you to keep checking the Parent Web site. Have a wonderful summer!