FOR PARENTS OF COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENTS
Most parents do not realize how much changes the day their student starts college.
College systems, FERPA, Title IX, academic integrity, and disability accommodations work very differently from high school. Most families learn how, only after something has already gone wrong.
Before Your Student Starts College is a practical guide written by an education attorney for parents who want to understand college rules, discipline procedures, and accommodation systems before their student needs them. It is not a checklist of what to pack. It is a clear explanation of how university systems actually work, what parents can and cannot see, and what to do if a notice arrives.
Two ways to get the guide
The Guide
$39
Full designed PDF guide
Approximately 25 to 35 pages
Ten numbered sections covering conduct, Title IX, accommodations, and the offices behind them
Instant download
The Bundle
$89
Everything in the standalone guide
Plus the recorded webinar
Plus the designed parent workbook
Instant download
Recommended for families who want to think through the material in advance, or who are already navigating a situation.
Who this guide is for
This guide is for the parent of a college-bound student or a student in their first or second year of college. It is written for parents who want to be informed before they need to be, and for parents who have just received a notice and need to understand the system their student is now inside.
It is most useful for parents who have not previously had a child in college, or whose previous experience predates current Title IX and academic integrity practice.
What this guide covers
The guide explains, in plain language, how the major university systems work and how families typically encounter them
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Section 1
Why college systems work differently from high school
College rules are governed by written policy and procedure rather than informal communication. Decisions follow process. Parents who understand this from the start avoid the most common early mistakes.
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Section 2
Will the college talk to parents if something happens?
FERPA limits what colleges can share with parents about an adult student. The guide explains what this means in practice, what is and is not within parents' direct access, and how families typically handle this.
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Sections 3-8
Conduct, Title IX, academic integrity, accommodations, and the offices behind them
Each university has multiple offices that handle different kinds of student issues. The guide explains the difference between Student Conduct, the Title IX Office, the Academic Integrity Office, Disability Services, and Academic Advising, and what to expect from each.
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Sections 9-10
Records and what parents can do when something arises
College disciplinary records are not the same as criminal records, but they can affect graduate school, transfer, and licensing. The closing sections explain what these records are, how they are kept, and what a parent can usefully do if a student is contacted by an office.
What this guide is not
This guide is not legal advice. It does not address the facts of any specific student's situation, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship with Potter Law or Nancy Potter.
It is also not a substitute for the written policies of any specific college or university. Each institution has its own procedures, and those procedures govern. The guide is intended to help parents read those procedures with comprehension.
About Nancy Potter
Nancy Potter is an education attorney whose practice focuses on student conduct, Title IX, disability accommodations, academic integrity, and related student rights issues in higher education.
Before private practice, she served as a Supervisory Attorney and Team Leader at the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, where approximately half of her work involved disability discrimination and civil rights issues in educational settings.
She works with students and families navigating university disciplinary processes, Title IX matters, academic integrity cases, and accommodation issues. She is also available to schools and universities as an independent hearing officer and appointed advisor.
Nancy Potter is licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania.
Common Questions
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Yes. The guide is written for parents in this position. The point is to understand how college systems work before a question arises, so that families are reading from a position of preparation rather than reacting in real time.
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If your student has received a notice, the next step is to read it carefully and identify the deadline. The guide will help you understand which office sent the notice and what kind of process it begins. If you have questions about how the process applies to a specific situation, more information about consultations is available at nancypotterlaw.com.
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It includes a chapter that explains what Title IX is, what kinds of conduct universities address through Title IX procedures, and the basic structure of the process. It is not a deep guide to a Title IX investigation. If your student is facing or anticipating a Title IX investigation interview, the Title IX Investigation Interview Prep guide is available at nancypotterlaw.com.
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It includes a chapter that explains why academic integrity cases happen and what universities typically focus on. It is not a deep guide to AI use in coursework. If academic integrity questions are part of your student's situation, the Academic Integrity and AI guide is available at nancypotterlaw.com.
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No. The webinar is pre-recorded. Buyers of the bundle receive access immediately and can watch at any time.
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Because the guide and bundle are delivered immediately as a digital download, refunds are not generally available. Questions about a specific download issue can be sent through the contact page on nancypotterlaw.com.
You may also find useful
If your student is also navigating a Title IX matter, the Title IX Investigation Interview Prep guide is available at nancypotterlaw.com.
If academic integrity questions are part of the situation, the Academic Integrity and AI guide is available at nancypotterlaw.com.
If consent is at issue in a Title IX case, How Universities Evaluate Consent in Title IX Cases is available at nancypotterlaw.com.
This page describes an educational resource that provides general information about how college conduct, Title IX, academic integrity, and accommodation processes typically work. The guide is not legal advice, does not address the facts of any specific situation, and does not create an attorney-client relationship between any reader and Potter Law or Nancy Potter.
If you have a specific legal matter, please consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction. Published by Potter Law. Nancy Potter, Attorney at Law. Licensed in Pennsylvania.
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