Home From a UC or CSU Campus for a Term: A Mentoring Plan

If your student is coming home from a University of California or California State University campus and not going back for winter or spring term, the plan made in the next few weeks matters more than the reason they came home. Settle the paperwork before winter break ends, keep a weekly structure from the first week home, and decide early what the term is for: rest, work, a class or a clear return plan. Blackburn Mentoring pairs the student with one mentor who meets every week, in person in Los Angeles or by video, and helps turn the months at home into a return plan.

Mentoring is not therapy, tutoring or academic advising. If something more than structure is going on, see the section on when to add clinical support below.

Quarter or semester: the clock is different

Seven UC undergraduate campuses run on quarters and two run on semesters, according to the University of California Office of the President. On a quarter campus, sitting out winter term means the next start is spring term, only a few months away, so a short reset can be enough. On a semester campus, missing spring often means the next realistic start is summer or fall, so the plan needs more shape. CSU campuses publish their own academic calendars; check the dates for your student’s campus before deciding anything.

Questions to settle before winter break ends

Every UC and CSU campus sets its own rules for leaves, withdrawals and readmission, so get answers from the campus itself, in writing where possible. A mentor helps the student make the list and the calls; the student owns the decisions.

• Leave or simply not enrolling? Ask the registrar whether the campus has a formal leave of absence and what happens if the student just does not register.
• Readmission deadline. When must the student file to return, and is anything required, such as a statement or clearance?
• Incompletes and grades. Are there incomplete grades from fall with a deadline to finish? Is academic standing affected?
• Financial aid and scholarships. Ask the financial aid office how a term away affects aid, scholarships and loan repayment grace periods.
• Housing and leases. Campus housing contracts and off campus leases have their own cancellation rules.
• Health insurance. If the student uses the campus health plan, ask what happens to coverage during a term away.
• Classes elsewhere. If the student wants to take a community college class, ask whether the campus allows it during a leave and how the units will count.

A term at home, week by week

1. Weeks 1 and 2: land. Sleep, eat and get outside. Pick a fixed wake up time and one daily commitment. Finish any paperwork from the list above.
2. Weeks 3 and 4: build the week. A written weekly schedule with work, a class, exercise or volunteering. The first mentor sessions focus on what went wrong last term, without blame, and what needs to be different.
3. Weeks 5 to 10: one real commitment. A part time job, an internship or one community college class. Something with a schedule and someone expecting the student to show up.
4. The last month: the return plan. Readmission filed, a course plan for the next term, housing sorted and a first week plan for being back on campus, including when to meet an adviser and how to keep the weekly routine going.

Taking a class in Los Angeles while home

The Los Angeles Community College District runs nine colleges, according to LACCD fast facts, and California has 116 community colleges statewide, according to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. One class can rebuild momentum and units. Before enrolling, check how the course transfers on ASSIST, the official source for how California community college courses count at UC and CSU campuses, and confirm with the home campus that units taken during a leave will count.

When it is more than structure

Some students come home because of anxiety, depression, substance use or a crisis. A mentor is not the right first step for those, and a licensed clinician is. If your family is in Los Angeles, Blackburn Clinical Services explains therapy for college students home for winter break. In an emergency, or if your student talks about wanting to die, call or text 988 or call 911.

For parents

Once a student is 18 or attending college, rights over education records transfer to the student under federal law, according to the U.S. Department of Education. That is one reason the plan works better when the student leads it. With the student’s permission, parents can get updates on how mentoring is going, and the student helps decide what is shared.

How to start

1. Take a short assessment. Tell us about the student and what is going on this term. It takes about five minutes.
2. Have a free 20 minute intro call. The student, a parent or both can join. We talk through fit, the academic calendar and how sessions would work.
3. Meet the mentor. New clients are matched with one mentor within two business days.
4. Start the plan. Sessions by video wherever the student lives, or in person in Los Angeles, with check ins between them.

Related

• Mentoring for University of California students
• Mentoring for California State University students
• Back home from college in Los Angeles
• Mentoring for a semester off
• Taking a leave of absence from college
• Returning to college after a leave
• School and college systems hub

Common questions

My student does not want to go back after winter break. What do we do first?

Get answers from the campus about leave, readmission, financial aid and housing before the next term starts, then set a simple weekly structure at home. Decide together what the term at home is for and when the return decision will be made.

Is a quarter or semester campus easier to take a term off from?

On a quarter campus the next start comes sooner, so a single term away can be a short reset. On a semester campus, missing spring often means waiting until summer or fall. Check your student’s campus calendar.

Can my student take a community college class while home?

Often, yes, but ask the home campus first whether classes taken during a leave will count, and check how the course transfers on ASSIST before enrolling.

Do you meet students in person?

Yes, in Los Angeles. Students outside LA meet by video, and sessions can continue by video when the student returns to campus.

Will I get updates?

With your student’s permission, parents can get updates on how mentoring is going. The student helps decide what is shared.

Get started

Is your student coming home from a UC or CSU campus for a term? Call (888) 305-5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free 20 minute intro call.