The College Prep Parent provides wisdom for parents who want to help their kids arrive at a great college… and thrive once they’re there. The blog’s main author, Mark Hines, is a well-respected high school guidance counselor of 32 years. You’ll also hear from his son, Benson Hines, who has spent 20 years serving and researching in the field of college ministry. (Mark helped Benson arrive and thrive in college too!) We hope to have other guidance counselors and experts join us in writing articles, as well.
Our goal is to offer…
the best possible resource for Christian parents of college-bound kids.
At least once a week, we’ll post useful articles to help you become a “College Prep Parent,” coaching your kid to admission into a great college and success academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually on campus. Whether your child is a freshman in high school, a senior, or somewhere in between, you’ll find ways you can help prepare them NOW. (Read more about becoming a true College Prep Parent.)
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About the Authors
Mark Hines
Mark Hines started at First Baptist Academy in Dallas, Texas, as a teacher and coach in 1976, and he’ll forever be known as “Coach Hines.” But in 1985 he began serving as the school’s high school guidance counselor. Over the last 33 years, he’s helped hundreds of FBA graduates get into their first-choice colleges, partnering with parents to give wisdom, knowledge, and the occasional “push.”
Mark is also well-respected among his peers – guidance counselors from throughout North America. He’s a past board member of the North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals (NACCAP) and continues to help mentor the younger generation of guidance counselors. He has also built relationships with many college admissions folks in public and private schools, keeping in touch with the kinds of students they’re looking to admit!
Mark attended the University of Texas, followed by Dallas Theological Seminary and additional graduate studies at Texas A&M Commerce.
Benson Hines
Benson is serving as “editor” of The College Prep Parent, but you’ll be seeing his articles occasionally, too.
Benson Hines has a long and unique background in college ministry – serving “on the ground” with college students, researching the work of college ministers around the United States, and serving them through his blog, exploringcollegeministry.com. Having interviewed several hundred college ministers and visited over 350 campuses, he’s uniquely suited to talk about preparing for spiritual success in college.
Benson also experienced collegiate success himself (thanks in part to his guidance counselor and father, Mark). He entered Texas A&M University with enough Advanced Placement and CLEP credits to graduate in two and a half years, and did so with a 4.0 grade point average. (He received plenty of scholarship funds to substantially defray his parents’ costs, too.) He followed that with a degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Benson’s “day job” is Director of External Mobilization at Watermark Community Church in Dallas.
Additional Authors
We’re just getting started, but we look forward to having other guidance counselors and other experts jump on and write with us. Stay tuned!