Parenting & College Admissions
A different way to think about high school
In middle school, close involvement is usually exactly what is needed. Parents are still managing a lot behind the scenes—keeping track of assignments, monitoring organization, helping interpret social dynamics, stepping in quickly, and providing a fairly active scaffolding for daily life. That’s not overparenting. For many kids, it’s simply appropriate parenting for the stage. But…
Read MoreThree College Application Mistakes Students Make and How Parents Can Avoid Making Them Worse
Is your student with ADHD or executive function challenges getting overwhelmed by the college application process and pushing you into “take over” mode? In this post, college counselor and licensed clinical psychotherapist, Dot Kowal, shares the three common application mistakes students make and four practical ways to support your teen without becoming the default editor.…
Read MoreBeyond the Score: What the Data — and Experts — Reveal About Supporting Teens in College Admissions
The latest NACAC findings and leading voices like Jennifer Wallace and Lisa Damour show why rethinking achievement pressure helps teens thrive. Parenting a teenager applying to college in a high-achievement culture can feel like walking a tightrope. You want to nurture their ambitions, but you worry about fueling burnout or crowding out their own voice.…
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