College Path Advising

Happy Memorial Day. 🇺🇸
Taking a moment today to be grateful for everyone who served and sacrificed so we could have days like this one.
Now — can I talk to you about summer for a second? 👇
I just got back from my IEC conference. A week of talking to colleges, learning from colleagues, and investing in my own continued education.
And it reminded me exactly why I tell students not to waste their summer.
I didn't sit this week out. I showed up, learned something, and came back better at what I do.
That's exactly what Don't Waste the Summer is about.
Not a perfect schedule. Not an impressive program.
Just showing up for something that matters to you. Going deeper. Getting better.
Whether your student wants to be a doctor, an engineer, an artist, or has absolutely no idea yet — this summer is a runway.
Use it.
Don't Waste the Summer 🌞
2 spots left in Class of 2027 + Pathway open. Link in bio. 🔗

APs are almost done. School is almost out. And I want to flip how you're thinking about your student's summer. 👇
Most students think about careers from the top down.
I want to be a doctor. A lawyer. An engineer. Work in finance.
That's fine. But let's flip it.
What actually interests your student? What are they curious about? What problems do they want to solve?
It doesn't matter if they know exactly what they want to study.
It doesn't matter if they have multiple interests.
It doesn't even matter if they have NO idea yet.
This approach works for every single student.
This week on Don't Waste the Summer we're going deep on two areas — healthcare and business. But the framework works for everything.
Follow along all week. 🌞
2 spots left in my Class of 2027 + hybrid course open. Link in bio. 🔗

APs are almost done. Finals are coming. And we need to talk. 😏

You've got about 4 weeks of school left — and that's actually a runway, not a waiting room.

The students who feel the most confident going into senior year didn't start planning in June. They started now. Before school was even out.

Not because they had it all figured out. Just because they started asking the right questions.

What do I want to do this summer?
What do I want to explore?
What do I actually care about?
Whether you're in 9th grade, 10th grade, or a rising senior — this month matters.

Jobs are great. Volunteering is great.
Not 16 yet? Volunteer. You'll build real skills that way.

Don't Waste the Summer. 🌞

Follow along all month — I'm doing a whole series on what your student should actually be doing this summer.

2 spots left in my Class of 2027 + hybrid course open. Link in bio. 🔗

Unpopular opinion: I'm fully ready for my kid to leave for college. 😂

He took a gap year. Two of them actually. I've been ready for two years.

But even though I do this for a living — I followed his lead.

He wasn't ready.

So we waited.

And now I keep thinking about my own mom.

She came on every single college tour with me. Every campus. Every information session. Even though I slept through UCLA. 😂

She had no idea what she was doing.

But she showed up.
Every time.

That's what I see the moms in my world doing too.
Googling deadlines at midnight.
Driving to campuses on weekends.
Holding it together when your student is losing it.

You're not just supporting them.

You're shaping who they become. 💐

Happy Mother's Day, Mom. 🌸

Tag a mom who showed up even when she had no idea what she was doing. 👇

"Your bag. Your scarf. Your perfume. Tells the world who you are." 👜

Miranda and Emilyalready said everything I needed to say.

What your student does with their summer tells colleges exactly who they are.

Not the most impressive program on the list. Not the longest volunteer hours.

The things they actually lean into. The things they'd do anyway. The things that are genuinely theirs.

That's what makes an application stand out.

Don't Waste the Summer. 🌞

Follow along all month — we're talking jobs, volunteering, research and more.

2 spots left in my Class of 2027 + hybrid course open. Link in bio. 🔗

I just visited Lees-McRae College and I want more NC families to know about this place. 🏔️

Located in Banner Elk in the NC High Country — one of the most beautiful campuses you'll ever set foot on.

Small, close-knit, and genuinely invested in every student who walks through the door.

Strong programs in wildlife biology, nursing, education, and performing arts. Faculty who actually know your student's name. Class sizes where you are never invisible.

And here's what most families don't know — the merit aid is generous. For the right student, the net price can make this one of the most affordable private options in the state.

This is not the right school for every student. But for the student who wants to be known — really known — by their professors and their community, Lees-McRae deserves to be on your list.

The best school isn't the biggest or the most famous. It's the one where your student thrives.

Save this and share with a family looking for a smaller, more personal college experience. 👇

Summer is not a break from college planning.
Every summer of high school matters — and what your student does with this one depends entirely on where they are in the process.

Here's what I tell every family I work with:

9th grade — Explore. Try things. Figure out what you actually love. The activities that matter on a college application are the ones that are genuine.

10th grade — Start being intentional. What experiences can you build this summer that tell a story? Programs, jobs, volunteering — make it mean something.

11th grade — This is the summer. College list, essay brainstorming, rec letter conversations. Do not waste this window.

12th grade — If you haven't started, start now. The Common App opens August 1st. The families who are ready? They started in June.

Every grade has a job this summer. The students who show up to senior year with a story to tell are the ones who were intentional from the beginning.

Ready to make this summer count?
Link in bio —
2 spots left for Class of 2027 or join the Hybrid Pathway. 👇