Blog

“I just don’t want my student to be a number.” I hear that sentence every year. For families in Brookfield and Waukesha, it usually comes up when we are talking about large public universities. UW–Madison. The University of Minnesota. Big campuses. Big lecture halls. Tens of thousands of students. The fear is understandable. But the […]

Spring and early summer are prime college visit season. Families start driving from Brookfield to Madison. A weekend trip to Minnesota. A tour at Marquette, Michigan. Maybe a few private schools within a few hours. The weather improves, schedules open slightly, and it feels like the right time to “go see what’s out there.” I […]

This time of year is always fascinating to watch. Seniors are posting acceptance photos. Families are comparing financial aid packages. Group texts are full of “Where are you going?” conversations. Some students feel relieved. Others are recalculating. A few are surprised by final costs in ways they did not anticipate a year ago. If you […]

When I worked in college admissions, I read thousands of activity lists. Some were long. Very long. Clubs. Sports. Volunteer hours. Honor societies. Camps. Competitions. Summer programs. The students were undeniably busy. But busy and strategic are not the same thing. There is a difference between filling time and building direction. I would often see […]

Over nearly two decades working in college admissions, I read thousands of applications and sat through more scholarship discussions than I can count. I watched families celebrate, and I watched families panic. The difference between those two experiences was rarely intelligence or work ethic. Most of the families who felt blindsided were thoughtful, engaged, and […]

Most families misunderstand how merit scholarships are awarded. They assume colleges “look at the whole student,” make a generous decision, and then send a financial package that somehow makes sense. They assume if their student is strong, the money will follow. That is not how it typically works. At many institutions, merit scholarships are built […]

Most families do not think sophomore year matters very much in the college process. There are no applications yet. No essays. No campus tours every weekend. It feels early, manageable, and calm. That is exactly why it matters. The sophomores I am working with right now are finishing the year in a very different position […]

We just wrapped up our Super Junior Program. That means a group of local juniors in Brookfield, Waukesha, and Milwaukee has already done the hard, strategic work that most families do not even realize needs to happen until senior fall. They are now ready to put together their college admissions strategy. In the next few […]

By the end of January, many families feel a mix of relief and pressure. Some deadlines are behind you. Decisions may be starting to arrive. And at the same time, it’s becoming clear that the college process isn’t wrapping up anytime soon. This is a good moment to reset expectations. One of the biggest misconceptions […]