Information for Parents & Families
For many young people, college offers a chance to try out new roles, to take more control over their lives and decisions, and to assert their independence. While some parents are excited by their child’s new-found sense of confidence, others find this stressful. As we know from countless career advising sessions, your opinion and approval matter tremendously. Our research has shown that parents, not faculty members or peers, have the primary influence on students’ career choices.
The fact is you really can help your child adjust to Penn. Express confidence in their abilities and affirm their ability to make decisions. This can make a significant difference in how your young adult makes the transition to college and then to life after Penn. Self-confidence is a fundamental asset in any field of endeavor and one way we all develop it is by knowing that there’s someone important who believes in us. Career Services is also here to support your student throughout the career development process – whether that be exploring careers to find a possible fit, developing a resume for an internship, or applying to graduate or professional school. Upon graduation, Penn students enter a wide array of industries and graduate programs. If you are curious, take a few minutes to explore our post-graduate outcomes from previous classes or our Four Year Undergraduate Timeline. Of course, please also encourage your student to take advantage of the many career development resources provided at Penn and to schedule an appointment with a Career Services advisor through our Handshake platform.
Please note that new Penn students will gain access to Career Services, including the ability to access Handshake and schedule appointments with career and pre-graduate school advisors, once their first semester has officially started.
Frequently Asked Questions
In choosing to attend the University of Pennsylvania, your student has made a very special choice. The opportunities available to your child, both here at Penn and after graduation, are dazzling, and occasionally overwhelming. We know parents have a lot of questions about how to best support their child’s career journey.
Recruit at Penn
Penn parents can also contribute by recruiting on campus or by posting positions for Penn students and alumni on our job board, Handshake! We would be delighted to receive job descriptions from you or your organization and help find qualified Penn students. There is no charge to post a job to Handshake, which is accessible by all Penn students and alumni/alumnae served by our office.
Click here to learn more about recruiting Penn students as an employer
Support Career Services
Career Services thanks you for your interest in supporting us through a donation! You may choose to give to our general fund, which supports all of our efforts, or give specifically to our Summer Funding program, which enables us to support students with low or non-paying summer opportunities.
