Parents & Guardian

How Parents Can Help Their Children Succeed In College

• Encourage your child to use the resources on campus. Their student fees pay for these services and they are entitled to them.
• Let your child know that they are responsible for understanding and following the policies and procedures written in the catalog, OCC website and the Student Handbook. Encourage your student to seek advising if they are unclear or need additional help.
• This may be the first time that your child will have to balance work, school, and the social aspects of their lives. As parents, you can help them develop better time management skills.
• Help your child to understand that more independent work is expected of them. The rule of thumb is that for every hour in the classroom, expect two to three hours of homework.
• Encourage your child to connect with an advisor or faculty member on campus who may serve as a mentor.
• Approximately 85% of OCC graduates transfer to four-year colleges. Encourage your child to start exploring his or her transfer options early. Visit our Transfer Services page.
• OCC encourages all students to apply for financial aid. It is the only way to explore if funding is available to your family.

According to FERPA (The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), OCC cannot share information about a student’s progress with anyone other than the student without written consent from the student. Therefore, as a parent, communication is an important aspect of your relationship with your child.

Knowledge Center

Learn more about OCC’s student handbook, policies, and more. 


• Student Handbook
• Student Policies
• Academic Honesty Policy
• Inclement Weather Policy
• Emergency Response and Evacuation Procedures
• Enrollment & Degree Verification
• Safe Space Allies 
• Campus Civility
• Title IX
• Family Rooms
• Nondiscrimination
• Campus Safety and Security Report (PDF)