The study concludes that parents' conversations with their children about the negative effects of alcohol use while in college may be ineffective in reducing college drinking or drinking consequences. The study found that although students often experienced alcohol problems, they reported relatively little communication with their parents about alcohol risks after they entered college. With the exception of the risks of drinking and driving and the importance of commitment to a healthy lifestyle, less than half of the students reported talking with their parents about more specific alcohol risks. Those students who did report having had more conversations with their parents about alcohol use since they began college also reported more extensive college drinking. This link may be explained by the talks with parents coming after their awareness of the student's problematic drinking. Students who reported more favorable attitudes toward alcohol also engaged in more college drinking and experienced more problematic consequences from drinking. Study participants were recruited from a major public research university in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Students living on campus, ages 18-19 years, and enrolled in their first year of college were eligible for the survey. General college drinking was assessed with three items from the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test; and problematic drinking behavior was assessed with the 20 drinking consequence items from the Young Adult Alcohol Problems Screening Test. Alcohol-related parent-child communication was assessed with the Alcohol Based Parent-Teen Communication Scale. 3 tables, 3 figures, and 40 references