This monograph is divided into three main sections: theoretical grounding, student identity, and implications. The first section, theoretical grounding of parental involvement, looks at the reasons parents today are more likely to be involved in their students' lives and then reviews the literature of K-12 education and compares that information with what exists on the transition to college and higher education. It considers the current student development and higher education literature and the tension that exists between them with regard to separation-individuation and attachment theory. This section goes on to look at the institution's role in the relationship between college students and parents and how it has shifted over time. It also specifically considers the question of whether college students are children or adults, as this perspective affects the definition of the parent-student relationship. The second section takes into account the individual variables of student identity that may affect the relationship between parents and students. It reviews the literature on parent-student relationships in terms of the effects of gender, race, and socioeconomic class, paying particular attention to parents' educational level and focusing on first-generation students. It also examines the literature, particularly from K-12 education, that shows that parents' participation in schooling varies by social class. This section looks at research showing that support and encouragement are key factors in the literature on college access, which indicates that the level of support for attending college seems to be inextricably linked with social class. In considering the parent-student relationship and college access, this section also looks at upper-middle-class students and their approach to the college admissions process, especially at highly selective institutions. These students have involved parents who want their child to attend the "best college" and often serve as the source of pressure for students in the admissions process because of their desire for a return on their investment, both the future investment from tuition dollars and the past financial cost of raising a child. The final section comprises implications for both policy and practice. It includes the history of and current frameworks for parent relations programs. Increasingly, colleges and universities are debating the value and the cost of providing services and programming for the parents of their students. Data from studies conducted in 2005 and 2007 show that schools that provide parent services are expanding their efforts beyond one or two annual events to include regular communications, dispersal of student development information, inclusion of parents as members of advisory groups and as volunteers or mentors, and solicitation of funds. This section looks at ways that parents have been included in the discussion as schools address significant campus issues such as student drinking, physical and mental health, finances, career development, campus safety, and preparation for off-campus living. This section also provides information on how institutions provide information to parents as a way to deliver or reinforce important messages to students. This publication concludes with recommendations for administrators in higher education as well as student development faculty. It also suggests areas for further research. The appendix includes literature and Web-based resources for those looking for more information on the topic of parental involvement in higher education. (Contains 1 table and 1 exhibit.)