Your student will benefit more from compliments than from criticism, particularly during transitions. Encourage your student with kind words and compassion.

The best cure for students' homesickness is not to come home, but to get involved in college life, and use the phone and e-mail to stay connected. Encourage your student to be active on and off campus.

Don't ask your student if he or she is homesick. Most will likely be too busy with activities, meeting new people, and adjusting to college life to realize what they are missing back home.