Something that often strikes me when I realize I have gained a valuable piece of information or a new insight is that I don't know what I don't know. Realizing that I was "today years old" when I learned something can often feel quite humbling. I try to embrace the added knowledge, however, and put it to use productively.
In my decades of work in college and MBA admissions, I have learned a great deal, and I gain the most fulfillment from sharing this hard-earned knowledge with families and applicants. I am excited to launch this newsletter on behalf of my fantastic team of experts at my college consulting firm, Laura George Consulting, to regularly provide information and advice on a wide range of topics related to maximizing the high school years, HSPT/SSAT/PSAT/ACT/SAT test prep, college applications, and college admissions.
When parents embark on the journey to college with their teens, it can often feel overwhelming to realize that things have changed quite drastically since the time when they applied to college. The process is more involved, the choices may be much broader for their children, and so much of the process can seem so maddeningly opaque that it can be difficult to determine where to start or how to confidently navigate this journey. In short, it can be disconcerting to acknowledge that you don't know what you don't know.
One of the first steps in charting a clear path forward and gaining more peace of mind is to acknowledge that it's OK not to know everything. If you recognize that many aspects of college admissions have evolved over the past several decades and remain receptive to gaining new insights and understandings about how your child's journey to college may differ significantly from the one you pursued, you will set yourself up for a more joyful and successful process with your child.
Another step is to seek out a trusted source of information and guidance. Just like you do with a medical professional, financial manager, attorney, or other professional advisor, partnering with a knowledgeable, ethical source of college guidance can significantly augment your ability to confidently support your child in working toward admission to their best-fit college. Questions to ask as you assess the best fit for you family are:
What is the firm or consultant's background/experience in this field?
What type of services are offered and what level of support and customer service is provided to your family and your child throughout the partnership?
Is the firm/consultant a member of a governing body in the college admissions field, such as IECA, HECA, and/or NACAC?
Have past clients expressed confidence and satisfaction with the services and their interaction with the firm/consultant?
In this weekly newsletter, I will address topics, FAQs, and any current events that are relevant to the high school years and college application and admissions process. I look forward to sharing this information with you, and I welcome feedback, questions, and requests for topics at any time via comments, LinkedIn messaging to my profile at Laura (Bishop) George, or email at laura@laurageorgeconsulting.com.
Should you wish to learn more about our comprehensive high school planning, HSPT/SSAT/PSAT/ACT/SAT tutoring, college consulting, and/or college essay and application guidance and how we can partner with you family to help you chart a clear path forward, please reach out any time at 847-363-6780, info@laurageorgeconsulting.com, or via a request for a free phone consult on our website at www.laurageorgeconsulting.com.
