Preparing my heart, child for college: Advice from the experts

February is the month when middle and high school students enroll in courses for the upcoming school year and WRAL contributor Sloane Heffernan's 17-year-old is getting ready for college.

Posted 4:13 p.m. Feb 3, 2022 — Updated 10:20 p.m. Feb 3, 2022

Sloane Heffernan

, WRAL contributor

RALEIGH, N.C. — I left my heart in a room full of strangers. As I reluctantly waved goodbye, my eyes filled with tears. It would only be a few hours, but it felt like days as I waited to pick up my first born from his first day of pre-school.

Fast forward 13 years, my heart mostly resides in my throat these days, as I watch my now 17 year old get behind the wheel and drive to school and work.

It’s not lost on me that he will soon be driving away for good. College will be calling.

It’s not easy to let go and this next chapter promises to be both exciting, emotional and stressful.

There’s also the practical side of preparing for college that involves making sure that our children are making the right choices when it comes to classes.

Tips for preparing your children for college

February is the month when middle and high school students enroll in courses for the upcoming school year.

Triangle families struggle with questions like:

Will it look bad if I don’t take Advance Placement/International Baccalaureate/Honors classes?
How do I choose between honors, AP, IB, and dual enrollment?
Is it better to get a lower grade in an AP/IB/Honors class than an A in an easier class?
Do I have to take more than two years of foreign language?
Do I have to take the SAT, now that some colleges waiving the standardized test?

Considering that this is our first time preparing a child for college, I went to an expert for answers.

Lindsey Ringenbach is the Director of College Consulting at Advantage College Planning. She helps families navigate through the process of preparing for college. Ringenbach says learning about the college planning process early, results in more options for students and less stress for everyone.

In our interview, I asked Ringenbach all of the questions in hopes of making it easier for all of us with middle and high school students.

If you would like even more FREE professional guidance. The Advantage College Planning team of independent college consultants will be hosting one-hour webinars for the following Raleigh schools at no charge.

Ligon Middle School - Feb. 10
Durant Road Middle School - Feb. 22
Carrol Middle School - Feb. 23
The Magellan Charter School - Feb. 24

Ringenbach says the webinars will help parents feel secure in charting a ‘course plan’ with their children.

For me personally, the college countdown has begun. This month my oldest son will select classes for his senior year in high school, and before we all know it, he will be graduating.

I just hope this heart of mine can handle it! Now I just need to find an expert for that!

College Bound: Everything seems crazy, what's a junior to do?

Sloane Heffernan is a two-time Emmy award-winning journalist and former WRAL-TV anchor/reporter. In June 2021, Sloane transitioned from journalism to launch Storymore, a brand storytelling business. Sloane now uses her storytelling skills to help businesses clarify their message and create a deeper connection with their desired audience.

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