Dear Parents, About College Decisions... | Real College Talk Season 3, Ep. 3

Welcome to Real College Talk! RCT is your destination for honest and relevant college and postsecondary conversation. We bring the best of the best to our podcast to share both their personal and professional experiences and advice regarding all things school, college, career paths, and life in general.   

IT'S STILL COLLEGE DECISION SEASON!!! Not only is this a big time for students - this is a big decision for parents and families to weigh in on as well. In this episode, we're digging deep into the ways in which parents can best contribute to the decision-making process, as well as some important mistakes to avoid.   To start, Morgan and Nikhil emphasize the importance of establishing, as a family, clear goals and expectations surrounding a student's choice of college (0:40). This requires that the student AND all parents or family members included in the college decision (a) take the time to become fully aware of any pre-conceived notions they may have about college and (b) take direct action toward becoming factually-informed (2:47). Making a sound college decision also requires transparent communication (4:39). It's crucial that parents seek to understand their students' hopes, aspirations,  and vision for what their college experience will be like, presenting an opportunity for students to be receptive and respectful of their parents insight and advice as well (6:50). But proceed with caution! The college decision is NOT something that necessarily needs to be shared with everyone! Discuss as a family which people, if any, you will include in the decision-making process to ensure that your choice of college does not become overly impacted by outside opinions (7:42).   

Prioritizing this level of communication around the college decision process creates a solid foundation for a healthy parent-student relationship when that student DOES go to school (12:16). Listen through the end to hear our best tips for preparing your family for a student's transition to college, and be sure to tag @realcollegetalk when announcing your decision online!  

Real College Talk is a podcast that you won't want to miss. To catch every episode, make sure to hit the subscribe button and turn on our notifications! You can follow us on Instagram @realcollegetalk and follow our co-hosts @morgs__anne and @nikhil.vn. We are always working on new content, so be on the lookout for our latest episodes. In the meantime, Keep It Real!