High School College Counseling

A few years ago, I wrote a post called “Leave Your Passion Project at the Door” about why I believe “passion projects” are not worthwhile for most students. The reactions I received surprised me. Several parents called after reading it and asked, essentially, “Great, so what should my child do… Read more Read More

After looking at Passenger, Achiever, and Resister modes, we arrive at the final part of my four-part series examining the learning modes identified in “The Disengaged Teen” by Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop, and how these affect college admission – featuring the Explorer Mode. Explorers are students “driven by internal… Read more Read More

“My grades were terrible during my freshman and sophomore years. I’ve ruined my chances at any good college, haven’t I?” I hear this question frequently, usually from students who’ve been labeled as “difficult,” “unmotivated,” or “not working up to their potential.” These are students in what Jenny Anderson and Rebecca… Read more Read More

In the second part of this series—examining the learning modes identified in “The Disengaged Teen” by Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop: Passenger, Achiever, Resister, and Explorer—we’ll look at the Achiever and how this mode affects college admission. The Dangerous Misconception of an Achiever The student sitting across from me had… Read more Read More

I recently read a book on teens that I found very compelling, and I knew right away that I wanted to use it to explore how I work with students. It’s called “The Disengaged Teen: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better” by award-winning journalist Jenny Anderson and… Read more Read More

After two decades of college counseling, I’ve had countless conversations with students about building balanced college lists. Most understand the importance of applying to a mix of high-, medium-, and low-chance schools. They’re clear-headed about what “reach schools” really means—that admission is more likely than not to result in denial—yet… Read more Read More

In my years as a college admission counselor, I’ve witnessed countless high school students approach my office with the same worried expression. They present meticulously crafted lists of extracurricular activities—often an impressive but exhausting array of clubs, volunteer positions, and leadership roles. And then comes the inevitable question: “Is this… Read more Read More

Many families approach college counseling with the misconception that an advisor’s role is to simply tell the student what to do to gain admission to a “better” college than they could if they were to apply on their own: Which extracurriculars will give them an edge? Which colleges should they… Read more Read More

Many families approach me with a singular focus when their children enter high school: “What does my child need to do to get into a prestigious college?” This mindset views high school exclusively as a stepping stone—a means to an end rather than a meaningful chapter in their child’s development.… Read more Read More

When families sit down in my office to discuss college planning, I often notice subtle but important differences in how they view the purpose of higher education. Many arrive with firmly held beliefs that college is primarily job training, that it’s an investment with a measurable ROI, or that attending… Read more Read More