On October 3, 2011, the iPad will be a whopping 18 months old. Hard to believe, since it seems like the cute little device has been around forever, mainly because it quickly wormed its way into our collective consciousness faster than the pet rock.

When it first came out Apple claimed that the iPad would revolutionize higher education in that students would be able to keep all their textbooks, notebooks, lecture notes, research, and just about anything they normally haul around in their backpacks all on one small electronic devie. Plus, instructors could easily distribute assignments, notes, syllabi, tests, videos, and e-books all via the iPad, making it nearly impossible for any student to say he or she didn’t get the required reading materials.

Eager to hop onboard the e-train many colleges and universities made iPads required technology. Some of these schools gave the iPads out for free (which you KNOW weren’t really free, the schools just raised tuition to cover the cost) or they required students to pay an additional “technology fee”. For example, Seton Hall, Long Island University, Stanford Medical School, Illinois Institute of Technology, George Fox University, Oklahoma Christian University, Oklahoma State University, Duke University, University of Maryland, Northwest Kansas Technical College, and Chicago State University all supplied their students with iPads, which had been deemed as part of the schools’ curriculum, registration, and grading processes. The cost increase to students ranged anywhere from $250 to $700.

So after one year can we tell if implementing iPads into higher education has been worth the expense? It depends on the rubric by which you’re grading. By the end of the 2010-2011 school year 90 percent of the college students surveyed said they preferred using the iPads (over not having them at all), however, average overall student grades stayed about the same. Regardless, having the iPads did cut down on the use of textbooks and paper, made scheduling for both students and teachers more straightforward, made it easier for students to get the classes they wanted (by streamlining the registration process), and encouraged students to work together in groups, thus cutting down on instructor and teacher assistant office hours.

But the positive feedback for the iPad as a college campus staple did not stop there.

Pros

As you can imagine, the physical aspects of the iPad were the biggest pros for students. Because iPads are smaller and have a longer battery life than laptops students could literally take them everywhere they went and didn’t have to look for power outlets. Some even boasted less back problems from not having to carry around heavy, book-laden backpacks.

From an academic standpoint professors liked the iPads because they could distribute articles to students before or during class without having to make copies or arrange for copies at the school library or bookstore. Plus, they could confirm if their student received the documents or not.

Cons

That’s not to say the year didn’t come without iPad problems. The first and foremost being the keyless keyboard made it hard for students to take notes in class. (Although, on the plus side, the iPad keyboard is quiet compared to the click, click, click of students typing on laptops during class.) The touch of the flat screen iPad keyboard was hard for many to get used to given there’s no point of reference on the keyboard for finger memory. Therefore, without looking it’s hard to tell what you’re actually typing.

And secondly, students initially complained that there is no easy way to highlight text or make notes in the margin of iPad documents. Many students ended up converting the documents to PDF files and then annotating them with iAnnotate, or simply printing the documents out on paper and using a good, old-fashioned yellow highlighter.

However, now with Amazon’s new e-book rental option for college textbooks (which just came out July 2011) users can highlight and annotate their e-textbooks using the Kindle (downloadable from Amazon for the iPad). Or if you download e-books that are readable by iBooks (a product which comes with the iPad), then you can use the iBooks text annotation functions (which are also easy to use) to mark-up text. Regardless, the iPad still has a ways to go to make document annotation as straightforward as marking up a book with a pen.

So even though student grades did not increase overall given the presence of the iPad on-campus, it did make college life easier. And apparently that IS worth the expense, because most students and faculty claim the iPad pros far outweighed the cons, making college-required iPads a trend that will probably increase in the coming years. (Now if Apple could just figure out a way to make the iPad do laundry and cook healthy meals then it truly would revolutionize a college student’s life!)

Financial skills

When you head off to college there will be many financial decisions you need to make, beginning with how much student loan debt you are willing to incur. Use loan repayment calculators to determine the amount of your payments after graduation and use these figures to make wise decisions about loans. You will also need to know how to budget your money in regards to other college costs such as books, living expenses and entertainment. Add to that the knowledge of credit card rates and how easily it is to fall into debt using them for simple things such as pizza. Many students graduate from college with over $10,000 in credit card debt.

Social skills

If you’re headed off to college to hook up with the party scene, you are in for a rude awakening when your first semester grades are released. Many students forget that partying affects their study time and class attendance. If you’re exhausted from partying the night before, you’re less likely to get up for that early class. Recognize that while making friends and enjoying the social scene are necessary for your overall satisfaction of the college experience, you should not forget the reason you came to college: to get an education. Learn how to balance your social life with your academic life.

Academic skills

College is not like high school. Professors expect that you do your assignments and don’t check up on you if you don’t. Coming to college with refined study and organization skills will help you adjust to the rigorous course requirements of a college degree program. Managing your time is also important as it relates to class assignments, studying for tests and preparing term papers.

Mental skills

College life produces a whole new set of mental and emotional problems. Many students face homesickness early and should recognize that those feelings are normal. You should go to college with the skills needed to cope with stress and the feeling of loneliness that often occurs. Recognize that all these factors contribute to your overall mental health and know beforehand where you can find help if you need it.

Problem solving skills

College is no different than life—obstacles occur on a daily basis and you will need the skills to deal with those obstacles. You will be confronted with conflict and should know how to resolve that conflict, either by yourself or with a mediator (such as an RA or student advisor). You will face situations that require you to advocate for yourself and you should be comfortable doing this before you head off to college and become completely independent.

So much time is spent preparing for the actual college choice and application that very little time and effort goes into prepping for these valuable life skills. You may be prepared for the academic rigors of college, but neglecting to prepare for all the other aspects of college life might affect your success and ultimate degree completion.

What other skills do you feel you need to be prepared for college?

Student role

The student’s role is to accept the guidance and encouragement from their parents, while learning to make their own decisions, fight their own battles, and make wise financial choices. College gives them the opportunity to learn, have new life experiences, and grow as an individual. It’s their responsibility to accept that challenge and move toward independence and self-reliance, while preparing for a future and getting that education that will help them be successful as they pursue a career.

College role

Colleges work hard to build relationships with both the parents and the students. They provide freshman orientation to help students transition to college life. At the same time, colleges are also creating opportunities for parents to learn about college life and know what to expect, as their teens become college students. Once on campus, students are encouraged by the college to become involved, seek help if needed and establish relationships with faculty and other students. Colleges strive to help students move from depending solely on their parents to becoming adults capable of self-sufficiency.

Parent role

Once their teens are headed off to college parents should become less involved and allow them to make choices, sometimes make mistakes, and learn to deal with conflict. A parent who constantly swoops in to rescue their child creates an atmosphere that does not contribute to self-reliance and independence. Colleges encourage parents to allow their children to become responsible, independent adults. It is sometimes hard to find that balance between over-parenting and encouraging; but parents should learn to take a step back and allow their child to find solutions to problems without taking control or interfering.

The ideal student-college-parent relationship should allow all three parties to be active participants in the college process and benefit from a productive outcome.

Are you a parent of a college-bound teen and finding it difficult to maintain a balance between offering help and becoming overbearing? Are you a college-bound teen that needs help but wants to maintain your independence? Leave your comment here and let’s start a discussion!