FAQs

What are my rights to my child's education information at Life University?
When your child is a student, he/she is protected by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. Under this act, if the student is at least 18 years old, the University cannot divulge information from the educational record to the parents unless parents can prove that the student is their legal dependent (by submission of federal income tax returns showing that the student has been claimed as an exemption), or the student gives written permission.

Will my child be safe living so close to such a big city?
Atlanta is a big city! Big cities offer many positive features for your child, such as diversity of culture, national sports events, various music venues, world-class museums and great dining! Within two hours you can also get to mountains, lakes and many other outdoor activities. The climate is great all year-round. You really don't even need a winter coat in Atlanta! Living so close to Atlanta, your child will, however, have to deal with traffic congestion, as well as be concerned about his/her safety. Life offers on campus apartment living for early applicants where safety is our number one concern. Living on campus in the Commons, your child will not even have to drive to classes! He/she can walk through the beautiful wooded campus and be assured of personal safety. If your child cannot get into the Commons or chooses to live elsewhere, our Student Life staff can help find close, safe apartments and homes in the Marietta area.

How can I make sure my child has enough money while at Life University?
First make sure the financial aid application has been submitted no later than the priority deadline of March 1 each year. Then, communicate with your child about the financial aid process. [See FAQ's for prospective students]. Your child will receive an eligibility notice. Ask to review it with him/her. Check the web site for information regarding tuition costs. Compare the amount of the financial aid and the estimated tuition and fees. If tuition and associated direct costs are less than the award, your child will receive a check at the beginning of each term for the difference. This money can be used to cover living expenses. If tuition and associated costs exceed the amount of the award, your child (you) will need to come up with the difference. This can be paid out of pocket, parents of dependent students can borrow through the Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students Loan (PLUS), or students can borrow from various private, non-federal lenders. If you don't want your child going into debt to pay for his/her education, make sure this is understood. Most students at Life are offered and accept student loans. These loans can be approved and disbursed without your (as parents) approval. The students must sign promissory notes, promising to repay the loans according to the specified terms. If your child defaults, it will adversely affect his/her credit rating. Loans are serious business and Life does all it can to advise students of their rights and responsibilities as borrowers.

How will I know how my child is doing academically at Life?
You will need to communicate directly with your child about their academic progress. Official term grades are not printed and mailed to students. Students access their grades on our web site using a secure PIN. They may request a printout of their grades if they present proper identification. Because of FERPA, Life cannot discuss your child's grades or academic progress with you without your child's written permission.

What if my child gets homesick or lonely there? What can I do?
Going away to college is always stressful. Moving to a new place, having to establish new relationships, not knowing exactly what to expect academically, all of these things can contribute to an initial sense of insecurity and longing for home. There are many clubs on campus that your child can join. This is an excellent way of meeting people with interests similar to those of your child's. He/she will also meet lots of people in the classroom and probably form study groups, etc. We all know that study groups usually do a lot of other things besides studying! Keep in mind, too, that our academic calendar is based on quarters, which are only 11 weeks long with breaks in between of up to three weeks. A visit home during break will help a lot. And feel free to come to Life to visit your child. There are many good hotels in the area with reasonable rates. If these feelings of homesickness and loneliness persist, however, we suggest your child seek out the services of our Student Success Center. We have credentialed counselors on duty to assist your child with any such problems he/she may be having, or just to lend a sympathetic ear. All services provided by the Student Success Center are kept strictly confidential so no one need know that your child is using the services.