Guides
These guides are written for students, families, and parents who want to understand how specific university processes work. Each guide covers a topic that commonly causes confusion and provides practical information to help readers prepare.
Before Your Student Starts College: Parent Guide
A practical guide for parents of college-bound students who want to understand the rules before there is a problem.
The guide covers the areas families are often surprised by after a student starts college, including FERPA and privacy rules, student conduct systems, Title IX, disability accommodations, academic expectations, and when parents can and cannot step in.
Written by Nancy Potter, an education attorney and former Supervisory Attorney with the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights.
This is an educational resource. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Academic Integrity and AI for College Students
A practical guide for college students and families on how universities evaluate academic integrity cases involving AI. Written by an education attorney.
Before You Submit is a practical guide for college students and their families about how academic integrity cases actually work and how AI use is identified in practice. It explains assignment rules, what universities look at when AI use is suspected, the most common student mistakes, and how to document your work so you can defend it if questions come up later.
Title IX Investigation Interview Prep
A preparation guide for students and families facing a Title IX investigation interview. Plain-language explanation of the process, the interview, and how to prepare. Written by an education attorney.
Before Your Title IX Interview is a practical preparation guide for students and families. It explains the investigator's role, what an interview is for, the kinds of questions students can expect, the documents and timelines that matter, and how to think through the account before the interview begins.
Consent in Title IX Cases
How universities evaluate consent in Title IX cases. A plain-language guide for students and families. Written by an education attorney.
How Universities Evaluate Consent in Title IX Cases is a plain-language guide for students and families navigating a Title IX matter where consent is at issue. It explains what consent means in the context of a university policy, the kinds of evidence universities typically consider, the most common misconceptions, and how to think clearly about the account.
5 Things Parents Should Know Before College
Free guide for parents of college-bound students.
Covers the five things families are most often surprised by: FERPA and privacy rules, student conduct systems, Title IX, disability accommodations, and what parents can do when a problem comes up.
Written by Nancy Potter, education attorney and former Supervisory Attorney at the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights.
