ɐkˈoːɹdɪŋ tə hˈɪŋkɪnz əfˈɪʃəl wˈɛb sˈaɪt, hiː fˈɜːst ɐtˈɛndᵻd ðə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ʌv jˈuːtɔ, ɹᵻsˈiːvɪŋ ɐ bˈætʃəlɚɹ ʌv sˈaɪəns dᵻɡɹˈiː ɪn saɪkˈɑːlədʒi ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti ˈeɪt ænd ɐ sˈɛkəndɚɹi tˈiːtʃɪŋ kɹᵻdˈɛnʃəl ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti; hiː lˈeɪɾɚ pɚfˈɔːɹmd pˈoʊstɡɹˈædʒuːət wˈɜːk æt ðə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ʌv kˌælɪfˈoːɹniə, lˌɑːs ˈændʒəlɪs, ðə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ʌv sˈʌðɚn kˌælɪfˈoːɹniə ænd kˌælɪfˈoːɹniə stˈeɪt jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi, lˌɑːs ˈændʒəlɪs.
According to Hinkins' official web site, he first attended the University of Utah, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology in 1958 and a Secondary Teaching Credential in 1960; he later performed post-graduate work at the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of Southern California and California State University, Los Angeles.