EdPath Coach

08/21/2026

I was at a networking event last week, chatting with a therapist, and she said something about college admissions that caught me off guard. She said also of the families she works with treat the whole process like a chore. Something to grit your teeth through and check off the list, the same way you’d handle taxes or a dentist appointment.

And she’s not wrong. That’s how it feels for a lot of families I meet. Dread it, do it, move on.

But here’s what I’ve watched happen, over and over, with families who go through this differently. When you slow down and actually start with values, what matters to your child and your family, what kind of environment helps them thrive, what they’re even excited about, the whole process shifts. It stops being a chore and starts being one of the first real conversations a parent and teenager have about who that kid is becoming.

I’ve had parents tell me the process brought them closer to their kid. I’ve had students tell me it’s the first time an adult asked what they wanted instead of what they should want.

That’s not because I have some secret trick. It’s because when there’s a calm, structured guide holding the process, the family gets to actually be present in it instead of just surviving it.

If this season feels like a chore in your house right now, it doesn’t have to stay that way. Comment GUIDE and I’ll send you the link to talk it through.

08/20/2026

I had a meeting with a senior last week, and she said, ‘Everyone in my grade is either in camp one or camp two. Camp one has already submitted two applications. Camp two hasn’t opened a single one.’

And I laughed, because she’s right. But here’s what I told her. Neither camp means what you think it means.

The teen who’s already submitted two apps isn’t necessarily more disciplined, they might just be more anxious, and finishing things fast is how they cope with uncertainty. The kid who hasn’t started yet isn’t lazy, they might be completely overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin, so they freeze.

Neither one is behind. Neither one is ahead. They’re both just responding to stress in the way their nervous system knows how.

My job isn’t to shame the procrastinators into moving faster or to praise the early finishers as though they’ve won something. My job is to meet each kid exactly where they are, and build a process that fits how their brain actually works, not how a checklist says it should work.

If your student is in camp two right now, that’s not a character flaw. That’s information. And it’s fixable, with the right structure and the right support.

Comment GUIDE and I’ll send you the link to set up a free consult, no matter which camp your kid is in.

08/18/2026

If you’ve got a kid with ADHD, anxiety, or a learning difference: the question isn’t “how impressive is this school’s name.” The question is “does this school have the structure, the support, and the culture where my kid will actually be seen.”

A school with strong learning support, approachable professors, and a manageable size can do more for a neurodiverse student’s next four years than a name that looks good on a sweatshirt ever will.

And for any college freshmen scrolling past this — this is your PSA too. The dorm room is not where the good stuff happens. Go to your professor’s office hours. Join the club that sounded a little embarrassing to admit you were interested in. Introduce yourself to your RA. Success after eighteen doesn’t come from where you got in. It comes from what you do once you’re there.

This is a season of parenting were we get so fixated on the acceptance letter, we forget the letter isn’t the finish line. It’s the start.

If you’re navigating this with a neurodiverse student and want help finding schools with real support in place, comment GUIDE and I’ll send you the link to book a call.

08/14/2026

I met with a new senior client last sat night and the first thing out of her mouth wasn’t a question about colleges. It was an apology. She felt behind. Her friends had done so much more than her, she said, and she wasn’t sure how she was going to catch up.

I hear a version of this from almost every senior I meet in August. And almost every time, it isn’t true.

So I did what I always do. I pulled up where she actually stood — not where she assumed she stood next to a friend group she’d been quietly comparing herself to for weeks. She had a rough sense of the schools she wanted to look at. She had a start on her essay, even if she didn’t love it yet. That’s genuinely where most seniors are right now, whether or not their Instagram story says otherwise.

Here’s the mindset shift I wish more students got to hear sooner: this process isn’t a race with a shared start line. Nobody is behind. There’s no single right pace, and there’s no single right answer for what your file is supposed to look like in August of senior year. What matters is knowing what you actually have, what you actually still need, and having someone who can look at it clearly instead of through the fog of comparison.

That calm steady presence is a big part of what I offer you. Not more pressure. Less of it.

If your senior has been quietly spiraling about being “behind,” comment SUPPORT and I’ll send you the link to get on my calendar — let’s find out what’s actually true.

08/13/2026

My brain is still floating somewhere around the deep end. But my calendar knows better — and if you’ve got a freshman or sophomore, your’s probably does too.

Here’s the thing about ninth and tenth grade that nobody tells you at the pool party: it feels early. It feels like there’s time. And there is — that’s actually the whole point. Starting early doesn’t cost your family much more, but it gains you a lot more room to breathe later.

The problem isn’t that you aren’t paying attention. It’s that without a plan, everyone defaults to autopilot the second school starts — schedules fill up, the current picks up speed, and goal-setting quietly falls off the list until junior year panic sets in.

This is exactly what I help you do differently. Before the school year gets moving, I sit down with your teen and start with values — not test scores, not a college list, just what actually matters to your kid and what a good year looks like to them. From there we set two or three real goals, the kind that hold up in October, not just in the glow of a poolside afternoon. And then I check back in with them about their goals throughout the year so you don’t have to!

What that gets you: a student who has some ownership over their own year, and a parent who isn’t the one dragging them toward it.

Are you ready for less nagging and more clarity. I will make this season of parenting feel a little lighter.

I promise this is easier than getting my own kids out of the pool at closing time.

If you’ve got a ninth or tenth grader and want help mapping out the year ahead, comment SUPPORT and I’ll send you the link to grab time with me.

08/12/2026

You’re not sure what matters most in the college admissions process. You hear one thing from your cousin and then your neighbor says something else. As we are getting back into the swing of things here in Indiana, I want you to know that grades are the most important piece of the college admissions process.

There are of course other pieces to the college application process but grades are the #1 most important especially in their college prep classes - English, Math, Science, Social Studies, and World Language.

Interested in a having an expert guide through the college admissions process who takes a mental health friendly approach. That’s me 🙋‍♀️!

I’m a mom too and I know how many things you already have on your plate - I’m here to take one thing off of it!

Ready to have only one voice to listen to through all the college noise?

Comment SUPPORT below and I’ll send you my mental health friendly college roadmap and the link to book a free 30 minute discovery call!

I’ll be over here trying to take more things off my plate too!

08/06/2026

This client’s Mom reached out to me in January. Worried her son didn’t have a direction after high school.

We started with a career assessment. In the first meeting, her son barely spoke. He was clearly overwhelmed by this whole process.

I asked him questions about what he was interested in and I took time to really listen to him and focus the meeting on him.

His parents were grateful to have so much information to guide him in looking at possible paths after high school.

Then his mom reached out again and said he was looking for assistance with his common application essay.

In these meetings he was almost a completely different child. He was chatty and excited in our meetings and so grateful for my guidance with crafting his common application essay for his college applications.

Seeing this transformation with students that I work with is my favorite part of the job.

They start out, unsure of me, quiet, not sure if they can trust me.

By the end of our work together, they are chatting, smiling, and thanking me for my help.

It’s the reason I do this work.

Want to lower the stress for your teenager around the college admissions process?

Click the link to book a free 30 minute discovery call with me ➡️ https://calendly.com/edpathconsult/30-minute-free-introductory-phone-call

08/01/2026

Class 2027 – your inboxes and your phone are probably flooded with colleges reminding you that today is in fact August 1 and that the Common App is now open for you to submit.

You do not need to submit your applications today. You will be fine waiting while you write a thoughtful answer to the supplemental questions that the college is released today. You will be fine waiting to ask your teacher for a letter of recommendation when school is open again.

Remember colleges are salespeople and their marketing is designed to increase the number of students that apply and not for your mental well-being.

So this is your public service announcement to take a deep breath, close your computer for a little bit, and remind yourself that you’ve got this.

There’s plenty of time. And there are lots of people who want to support and help you through this process. 🙋‍♀️ I’m here if you need me! Dm me any questions you’ve got!

07/30/2026

You’re worried that your teen isn’t getting involved in clubs or other school activities. You’re tired of them not listening to you when you tell them how important this is.

You know that they are more likely to listen to someone else and take action if they hear it from someone else and you know this is a part of the college admissions process and you want to set them up for success.

Parents if you’re looking for a college admissions coach to have these conversations with your teen and guide them in making a plan to get involved - I can help!

This is a foundational step in my work with my clients throughout high school. Together, we look at which activities they’re already engaged in and which ones they might add to the list to deepen involvement or impact.

We also talk about which ones they might want to change or drop and that’s OK too. We all change our interests, but the most important part is that teens keep trying to figure out who they are.

That’s what colleges are looking for when they are reviewing applications senior year.

If you’re done with being the only person talking to your kids about how to build an extracurricular plan for high school – let’s talk. Click here ➡️ https://calendly.com/edpathconsult/30-minute-free-introductory-phone-call?month=2026-07 to book a free 30 minute discovery call.

07/20/2026

So excited to be the Indy Maven member spotlight last week! Thank you! Indy Maven https://indymaven.com/articles/maven-member-spotlight-anne-johnson/

A highlight: At the heart of EdPath Coaching & Consulting is Anne Johnson, a professional who understands that the journey to higher education isn’t one-size-fits-all—especially for students navigating mental health concerns or learning differences. With fifteen years of high school experience and a deep background as a “thought work” practitioner, Anne pairs expert college placement strategy with a mindful, supportive approach to student success. Outside of her consulting practice, she manages a beautifully historic Irvington home filled with her two children, a supportive spouse, and a menagerie of pets, including two senior cats and a high-energy Goldendoodle. A self-help devotee and lover of the outdoors, Anne brings a unique blend of professional grit and empathetic “mom energy” to every family she guides, ensuring that every student finds a path that is as sustainable as it is successful.

Meet Anne Johnson! A professional who understands that the journey to higher education isn’t one-size-fits-all.