Every year around this time, families start feeling it—that mix of excitement and low-grade anxiety that comes with a child heading off to college. The question I hear most often isn't "Will they get good grades?" It's something more fundamental: Will they be okay? The good...
When families visit college campuses, the experience is carefully curated. Tours highlight residence halls, dining facilities, research labs, athletic complexes, and student life spaces. What families almost never see is the part of college that most directly shapes a student’s intellectual growth: the classroom. This omission...
In conversations about college planning, few misconceptions run deeper than the belief that students who aspire to medical school must major in biology. In my college consulting practice, I try to impart a different message: the path to becoming a doctor is not linear. Too...
Applying to college is a decision made under uncertainty. Students know which colleges they prefer, but they do not know where they will be admitted—and the stakes feel high. The challenge is not simply choosing where to apply, but deciding how to manage risk while...
Families often assume that a student’s college major will determine their future career. It’s an understandable belief—after all, choosing a major feels like choosing a direction—but the truth is more complicated. The connection between what students study in college and what they ultimately do in...
The college admissions process has become increasingly complex, and with that complexity comes a growing gap between what families believe matters and what admissions offices actually value. Even highly engaged parents and students—those who attend information sessions, follow campus tours closely, or track policy shifts—often...
Each winter, a familiar epidemic begins to sweep through high schools across the country. Its symptoms are subtle at first—missed assignments, waning motivation, muted participation—but by spring, it can be contagious. The name? Senioritis. After years of effort, testing, and college applications, many seniors feel they’ve...
Standardized testing continues to evolve, and for the class of 2026 and beyond, staying on top of changes is crucial. While many colleges remain test-optional, some of the nation’s most selective universities are once again requiring or strongly recommending test scores. At the same time,...
Researching colleges and planning campus visits can be both exciting and overwhelming. There are thousands of colleges in the U.S., each with unique programs, campus cultures, and application requirements. Add in the logistics of organizing campus tours, information sessions, and travel, and it’s easy for...
For many students, Greek life is an important part of the college conversation—whether it’s a deciding factor or something they’re still unsure about. With nearly 800 campuses hosting fraternities and sororities, it’s worth taking a closer look at what Greek life offers, how it varies,...