Subline: From veto privileges to college visits and financial planning, Dr. Kent Ingle has some valuable advice for parents.
As we come to the end of the year, the deadline for students applying to go to university in 2023/24 is fast approaching. And with some institutions issuing early decisions as soon as the end of October, the pressure is really on in some cases. Southeastern University (SEU) President Dr. Kent Ingle, the author of The Modern Guide to College, understands better than most.
In his book, he offers advice, tips and information on how to make the transition to college and how to find success over the next four years that will shape their futures.
As for the parents, while nurturing the potential of their senior students, this has been a busy time, sifting through campuses and courses to find the right university for your children and starting the application process.
For families whose kids have just entered high school, the seemingly far-off application period is closer than you might think, advises Dr. Ingle. Now is the perfect time to start weighing up the options for your children’s future.
Dr. Ingle is a man of great experience, with many feathers in his cap. His natural charm, silver tongue, and pragmatic nature made him a perfect fit for broadcast sports, and at just age 18, he picked up an internship at a major TV network.
From there, his gift-of-the-gab, quick wit, and attractive personality allowed him to write his own story. He moved swiftly from the internship to being in front of the camera, where he excelled as a sports news anchor and pundit, interviewing luminaries, such as Carl Lewis, Kareem Abdul Jabar, and Michael Jordan along the way.
Moving from the media and into education, Dr. Ingle found his true calling. And as President of faith-based institution Southeastern University, he is head of one of the country’s fastest-growing education centers, with global reach and an enviable reputation. A success that’s attributed to the charisma, intellect, and dynamism of its President.
Here, Dr. Ingle offers his five most useful pieces of advice for families with kids about to embark on their journey into higher education.
Set Your Budget
Setting the parameters of how much you can afford to pay for your offspring’s education is the most important factor when selecting a university. A study by Sallie Mae and Ipsos revealed that more than half (54%) of students’ parents pay for their child’s tuition and lifestyle during their studies.
By deciding on a firm budget, including textbooks, study materials, living costs, and tuition fees, you can predict the full extent of your spending and make sure it aligns with your savings.
Be sure you speak to your children and find out what commitment (if any) they can make towards the budget too, and make sure they stick to it. Finally, do not forget to factor in unexpected costs, such as a rise in college fees or changes in circumstances that require an immediate response.
The Big Picture
This might seem obvious, but building a picture of your students’ priorities and outside interests will help ensure they enjoy a happy and healthy learning experience enhanced by extracurricular activities they have chosen.
Whether participating in arts, sports, science clubs, cultural groups, or societies, make sure that they balance studies and social outlets. Research each school’s social media and website to see the full extent of what is offered, and you might even discover a brand new interest that could change the young college-goer’s life.
Research Together
Make sure you start researching universities right now. When you are investigating the vast number of schools available, there are several questions you need to ask and keep at the top of your mind when sorting through potential locations.
Questions that should be asked include inquiries about the curriculum offered, the price of tuition, and the availability of scholarships. Are you looking for private or public education? And, is your target university recognized for your student’s chosen area of study?
Finally, think about a college’s social, cultural, and political leanings. It is no use selecting a college that matches your child’s intellectual ambitions if, on arrival, the establishment’s culture does not reflect the student’s outlook.
Visit the College as a Family
Once you have decided on your budget and built an idea of your student’s full curriculum and activities, it is time to visit all the different options in person, as a family.
Websites and social media give you some idea of college life, but there is no substitute for checking the institution out in real life. Walking around the campus and soaking up the student body’s culture, their relationship with each other, and the teaching staff will give a truer representation of your child’s experience than Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok.
Dr. Ingle suggests talking to current students when you are onsite to get a real feel for daily university life and what they do and don’t like about studying there.
“At Southeastern University, we run events where future students can take part in some of the activities we have on campus, attend lectures and seminars and even eat at the college restaurant to help introduce university life,” said Dr. Ingle.
The Final Decision is Not Up to You
Make no mistake, one of the best things you can do for your child, when choosing where they will continue their academic career, is to allow them full veto privileges after discussing the pluses and minuses of all the options.
Trusting your child with one of the most important decisions of their life is essential. It not only builds your relationship as they grow into adults but will also add to their sense of responsibility and ensure they consider the full weight of their final choice and how it will impact the rest of their lives.
With advice like this from a mind like Dr. Kent Ingle, parents of older students should have no trouble starting down the road to higher education.
About Dr. Kent Ingle
Dr. Kent Ingle is the President of Southeastern University, public speaker and recognized thought leader. Ingle is passionate about creating lasting change in higher education and setting up organizations for success. He is the author of The Modern Guide to College and host of the popular Framework Leadership podcast. For more information about Dr. Kent Ingle, please visit www.kentingle.com.
