Podcasts on Sending Your Kid to College: Expert Advice and Tips

If you have a son or daughter graduating high school and heading off to college, I’m sure you are excited and a bit overwhelmed with this new big transition your kid will begin. As your child prepares for this new chapter in his or her life, filled with so many new changes and challenges, fun times, and opportunities, I want to support you through it all.

Below are six podcasts on sending your kid to college that I’ve done with some knowledgeable experts in the field. They will give you the best advice and guidance, insights, and tips to help you in this important stage of your parenting. I know it’s a lot to take in, and you have so many emotions about this new upcoming season. Take a deep breath, and know that I believe you’ve got this, and so does your college-bound kid!

What Our Kids Need To Know When They Are College Bound With Dr. Jill Grimes

When our kids leave for college, it can be an exciting time but also a scary time. When our kids are in our home, we may have an illusion of control or at least some influence on their decisions and keeping them safe and now we can’t make sure that they are okay.

Well Dr. Jill Grimes is here to help us. She is an award-winning author of the the humorous and evidence-based “The ULTIMATE College Student Health Handbook: Your Guide for Everything from Hangovers to Homesickness” She is passionate about prevention.

What You Will Learn:

What do teen parents need to know about today’s party culture (that is different from what we experienced)?
Is “weed” a big deal or not? Isn’t it less dangerous than alcohol?
What is “blackout drinking”? (Lots of risks here that both parents & kids don’t realize, including legal risks with consent)
Fentanyl use and Narcan availability in college students.
Weed’s effects on mental health and genetics.

LISTEN OR READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE.

Teens, Money, Saving, and School Debt: The Money Expert Weighs In

In this podcast, my special guest is Robert Farrington, and he is America’s Millennial Money Expert® and America’s Student Loan Debt Expert™. He is also the founder of The College Investor, which is an awesome website full of resources.

I learned so much talking to Robert about empowering and equipping our kids with money. He is full of creative ideas and resources that are fun and will not only motivate your kids but also, if you’re like me, you will feel inspired from listening to Robert too!

What You Will Learn:

Is there a difference between Gen Z and Millennials and how they view money?
How do you teach tweens and teens about money and starting to save?
How would you recommend parents encourage teens to save rather than burn through all the money?
What are some other tools to help parents teach their children about managing money?
What are a few top tips for parents, tweens, and teens when paying for college and financial aid?
What are some practical tips to get out of student loan debt?
What are a few of the most popular side hustles to make money for teenagers or those in their 20s trying to pay off student loan debt?

LISTEN OR READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE.

How To Support Your Teen to Get a Positive Vision For Their Future

Deepali Vyas is the founder and CEO of Fearless+. In her 22 years at Korn Ferry, Deepali reviewed over 100,000 resumes, completed over 40,000 executive job placements, and conducted C-Suite leadership assessments and coaching services for top teams.

Now, she is using her world-class knowledge as an executive recruiter, leadership consultant, and mom, to prepare the next generation for the future of work and career readiness by connecting them with opportunities, mentors, colleges, and employers with the Fearless+ platform.

What You Will Learn:

Which three character traits do kids need to develop in order to succeed?
What are the main challenges that students face today that make it difficult to succeed in school?
How does the Fearless+ platform help our kids?
How can parents help prepare their kids to help prepare for the reality of the real world?
How important is work experience?
What are some things parents can do to help their tweens and teens to be successful in school and in the real world?

LISTEN OR READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE.

Understanding the Costs of College

We all know how crazy expensive college can be these days. I had no idea but the research shows, the majority of college dropouts leave because of financial pressure.

Do you worry about how to pay or plan for college? How do you get started? Where do you even begin? Do you have a high schooler getting ready to go to college and you feel totally unprepared financially? Do you wonder how you can find creative ways to save money (that you’ve never thought about)?

Today I am talking with Brad Baldridge, and he is an experienced College Funding Specialist who has worked with thousands of families to plan and save for college and this is such an interesting interview because I wish I would have known Brad before my three kids went to college because so much of what he talks about I didn’t know and I wasn’t intentional like I could have been (my husband and I could have been) to really prepare for our kids going to college and to find creative ways to save money.

In this episode, Brad shares so much that you’re going to find helpful:

How to plan ahead and pay for college
Maximizing financial aid and scholarships (there are so many scholarships out there)
How you can be more intentional and save money

LISTEN OR READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE.

How To Prepare Your Teen For Life After High School

My special guest is Josefine Borrmann is the founder of Strive To Learn, a tutoring and college prep service that provides students with 1:1 support from experts who foster accountability and teach them the skills they need to prepare for life outside of high school.

In our interview today, Josefine shines a light on what our teens need from us when preparing to leave the nest, the importance of mentoring versus monitoring so our kids will learn the skills they need while still at home, and so much more!

What You Will Learn:

The difference between mentoring and monitoring and how parents can shift to mentoring their teens and tweens instead of monitoring them.
How having too many rules for your teen may actually backfire on you.
Letting go in stages so our kids can learn skills that will serve them well when they leave the house.
The benefits of rephrasing the word “mistake” into “growth opportunity.”
Why you should find another adult who isn’t your teen’s parent to be a mentor for them.
What does it sound like for our teens when we ask them, “What were you thinking?”
The benefits of an improved relationship with your teen when they have a tutor.
What to look for in a tutor.
What should you not say to a child with a learning difference?
How do you know if your kid is ready for college or not ready for college?
The benefits of a gap year.

LISTEN OR READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE.

What You Need To Know To Keep Your Kids Safe When They Leave the Nest

When kids leave the nest and go off to college or move out of the house, many parents are having sleepless nights thinking about their baby leaving home. On one hand, it’s exciting for your child to experience new things and discover their passions. But the news reports full of burglaries and scams sure aren’t making it easy for you to drop your teenager off at college.

Before you try convincing your teen to do college online and live at home forever, listen to this episode. I talk with Cathy, best known as TikTok’s “Mom Friend” to her 2.3 million followers, who shares how we can prepare our teens to be safe after they leave the nest.

What You Will Learn:

5 seemingly innocent questions that predators use to take advantage of you.
The top apps to ease worried parents’ minds.
What to know about protecting yourself in your dorm or apartment.
How to quickly take a look at your child’s apps to see what they are involved in.
What are the dangers of parking lots and how can we protect ourselves?
Advice on mace and tasers and which is recommended.
The small improvement you can make to your door to prevent it from being kicking in.

LISTEN OR READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE.

I hope you found these podcasts on sending your kid to college helpful! I know it’s a big transition, so take it one step at a time. I’m always here if you need more support and guidance!