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With Financial aid making it possible for families to put more than one member through College, having a relative -- even your mom or dad -- in class with you is a very real possibility. But before you start bailing on the college idea for fear your parents will be peeking over your shoulder, check out these academic family affairs.

Mother Knows Best
For 22-year-old University of California at Berkeley student, Doug Cornelius, having mom attend school with him was a definite plus. On May 21, 1999, his 42-year-old mom, Cheryl, followed him onto the University's Greek Theater stage to receive her diploma.

Like many parents of college-age students, Mom Cornelius decided to continue her college pursuits through local Vista community college's Program for Adult Continuing Education (PACE). And, after a stellar performance at VCC, she earned acceptance to UC, her son's school. Fate then cast Mom and son together in one of her first classes.

Rather than viewing the situation as awkward, Doug found inspiration in his mother's academic pursuits. They even studied together.

"Some guys might feel funny having their mom hanging around school," says Doug, "but she's a lot of fun and she inspires me and my friends when things get tough."

Doug enjoyed the togetherness so much that he prolonged his studies one semester so he could graduate with his mom.

And Mom gets a steady re-charge from palling around with Doug and his friends.

"Being around my son's friends helps keep me energized."

Like Mother, Like Daughter
Southampton College of Long Island University student, Joey Wintermeyer, finds being on campus with mom to be a real drag -- race, that is. Joey and her Southampton adjunct professor mom, Helen, share a gut-wrenching passion for the National Hot Rod Association's (NHRA) Heavy Class Championship drag racing... as drivers! Both rank among the top 10 at the NHRA-sanctioned Long Island Motorsports Park, Westhampton, NY.

The two also share a love of photography, which landed Joey in a class taught by the same instructor who taught her mom nearly 20 years earlier.

Sibling Studies
Brothers and sisters also find that attending college together can fuel their academic race.

Dan and Ethan Finger-man, Yale University, New Haven, CT, inspired each other to excel academically. They even help each other through the rough times.

"My brother Ethan is my best friend," says economics major Dan, who will graduate in 2000.

"He was there for me when I landed in the hospital a few months into my freshman year. He looked out for me more than my roommates would have."

Having a best friend on campus can be a big boost to your college athletic pursuits. So much the better when that friend just happens to be your twin!

Niagara University, NY, currently has two sets of twins participating in its Division I athletic program. Becky and Jessie O'Donohue recently finished their freshman year as teammates on the women's basketball team. Likewise, Sheryl and Suzanne Klick just completed their junior years at NU, where Sheryl plays basketball and Suzanne plays soccer.

The O'Donohues find taking classes together has many benefits. "Studying together makes the work easier," says Becky. "We can compare notes and test each other." The two also find that having a home-grown best friend around makes the transition to the campus environment easier.

"Being a twin is a good icebreaker when meeting someone," says Becky. "People will notice that we are twins and start asking us questions about it. It gets us talking right away."

The O'Donohues share another plus when it comes to sports. "Having a twin sister on the basketball court is a definite bonus," says Becky. "We have been playing so long together that we know what the other one is going to do almost before she does it."

Sheryl Click sees no disadvantages to attending college with her sister, Suzanne. "You can kind of go through everything together instead of on your own," says Sheryl. "We don't room together, but are only a couple of floors away if we need each other."
Family Ties
Although they don't attend the same schools, the Havemann clan of Dayton, OH, did attend college at the same time! The eldest Havemann sibling, Justin, just received his bachelor's and master's degrees in philosophy from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, and his J.D. from Columbia University Law School, New York, NY. His sister, Margaret, earned her B.S. in education from Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, and her M.A. in Special Education from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA. His other sister, Elizabeth, currently attends the University of Arizona, Tempe, AZ, with a 4.0 GPA. And Catherine, 19, the youngest Havemann sis', spent her high school senior year at local Sinclair Community College, Dayton, OH, and is heading off to Smith College, Northampton, MA, this month.

Unfortunately, with few financial remedies to ease the tuition burden of being an academic 'Brady Bunch' of sorts, the money crunch is in effect, big-time. But proud mom Kathryn Havemann shares this secret: "Private schools have higher endowments and often meet 100 percent of need, whereas public schools lack the financial resources to do so." She comments that she started her kids' college quest early, encouraging them to develop skills that colleges later rewarded them for -- sports, debate, theater, and volunteer work. "Students should do as well as possible academically and pursue challenging courses to attract better colleges with larger endowments," she advises.

So next semester, don't be surprised if the person who's scrounging for a pen beside you looks really familiar. It might be mom, dad, or one of your pain-in-the-butt brothers or sisters.

You just might find, however, that you're glad they're there.

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