LETTER | Having put three kids into private tertiary education, including my youngest son last year, this is a testing time for parents whose children just completed their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia exam last month.

Now is the time to weigh options on where one can further his or her tertiary education.

As we know, private tertiary education is not cheap and can put parents back by up to hundreds of thousands per child. The costs will be higher if it involves overseas education.

It doesn't help that our ringgit has weakened considerably over the years, which affects parents whose kids are studying overseas. Even in neighbouring Singapore, the exchange rate is now hovering at RM3.50 for every S$1.

As parents, we would want our children to opt for tertiary education in line with our financial ability. But on the other hand, we also want our children to enjoy quality education and not study in some fly-by-night institutions with dubious credentials.

Based on my experience, some parents allow their demanding children to lead them by the nose on where they want to study but can be oblivious to their parents' financial abilities, or lack of.

Some of the students are subjected to peer pressure, or taken in by the "glamour" of studying in certain institutions, which charge an arm and a leg just for being "fanciful" or sport posh campuses.

This is why communication and research are key for both parents and students.

Meet halfway

Parents should communicate the kind of parameters they have in mind when their children select where they want to further their education. Students should also articulate their expectations to their parents. Ideally, both sides can meet halfway.

I also noticed that some parents and students quickly decide on their choice for colleges or universities without doing much research. In Malaysia, there are different tiers of tertiary institutions.

For example, the top tier comprises institutions like Taylor's, Sunway and Monash, to cite a few. Historically, they have a good track record and reputation but are also known to be costly.

Second-tier institutions like Inti, Segi and Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman also offer comparable quality education but are more affordable. It's just that they may not be as "glitzy" as the top-tier ones.

There's no need to always jump into the top tier institutions and besides, some of the programmes may not be suitable for students not just because of fees alone.

It is only understandable that in an industry as competitive as education, certain institutions have strengths in certain areas and weaknesses in others.

The key is communication and research. When enough is being done on both fronts, parents and students will be able to avoid common pitfalls when selecting where to further his or her education. In the long run, it'd also save both parties plenty of headaches and heartache.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.