Parents often assume something that I wish were true: there's a magical checklist out there that, if followed to a T, will get your child into their dream school. In reality, college admission in the US includes a lot of "it depends&rdquo; scenarios. College admissions depend on the school, your child&rsquo;s major, your legacy status, their GPA and test scores, their interests and extracurriculars, and on where you attended high school. Getting into a dream school is messy, and messy work requires a human touch.
Passion Beats Polish Every Time
Students who treat college admission like a checklist, or who ask, "What should I do that will look good," often struggle the most. In contrast, high schoolers who do things out of genuine love, enthusiasm, and passion are always more successful.&nbsp;
If a student isn't interested in an activity, a class, a volunteer activity, or a project, we recommend having them move on to something that does engross them&nbsp;
Colleges don't care as much about the well-rounded student as they do about the well-rounded class. Allow your kids to go deep and geek out!
Get Involved Early and Then Let Them Do Their Own Thing
If you're going to get involved in your child's college search and application process, it should be more at the beginning, during junior year.&nbsp;
I have parents who wait until their kid is about to submit before they say they want to look over the essay or add a couple more schools to the list. This adds a ton of stress to an already overwhelmed student.&nbsp;
Help Them Narrow the Field
Help your child build parameters and guardrails to narrow their search. There are thousands of schools to choose from, and it's overwhelming.&nbsp;
It's cruel to allow your child to go through the hard work of applying to a $90K per year school only to tell them after they've been admitted that you can't afford it. Don't let them apply in the first place. The same goes for schools that are geographically impractical or don&rsquo;t offer their potential major.&nbsp;
Your child will be grateful that you've helped them narrow the field of options.
Remember, You Are Not Going to College With Them
Play dumb and show more curiosity than expertise. Ask questions; follow their lead. You're not just trying to get them admitted; you're trying to help them succeed as independent college students.&nbsp;
Be a resource, help them answer their questions, and be an advocate for them, but remember that you are not going to college with them. Your job is to get them ready for this first big leap into adulthood, not to plow the way for them.
Alex Ellison, Founder and Head Guide, Throughline Guidance
Alex Ellison launched her independent consulting practice in 2013 under the name Dunce, LLC, just to add some levity to what can be a stressful topic: college and career planning. She writes and lectures extensively on careers and college readiness and has been a featured speaker at SXSW and TEDx. She is the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Your-Own-Way-Student-Centered-Experience/dp/1945028254" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Go Your Own Way: 7 Student-Centered Paths to the Best College Experience </a>and the creator of the Go Your Own Way Student Archetype Quiz used in schools and by individuals to jump-start their college search. She is a co-author of <a href="https://www.yourhiddengenius.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Your Hidden Genius</a>. Alex holds a BA from Northwestern University, a Master's in Public Policy from the University of Nevada, Reno, and a certificate in college counseling from UCLA Extension School. She lives in Santa Cruz, California. Learn more about her work at <a href="https://throughlineguidance.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Throughline Guidance</a>.&nbsp;

Santa Cruz County

Bay Area

Santa Cruz

California

What College Counselors Wish Parents Knew About...

Parents often assume something that I wish were true: there's a magical checklist out there that, if followed to a T, will get your child into...

What College Counselors Wish Parents Knew About the Application Process

Capitola-Soquel

Scotts Valley

Santa Clara County

Los Gatos

Watsonville

Saratoga

Campbell

Cupertino

Gilroy

Los Altos

Mountain View

El Capulin Nursery

We offer a wide variety of plants/trees from fruit trees, flowers, palms, grasses and succulents, our property is over 3 acres full of plants ready to make your garden / backyard beautiful 595 green valley rd Watsonville ca Open Everyday 8am-5pm

We offer a wide variety of plants/trees from fruit trees, flowers, palms, grasses and succulents, our property is over 3 acres full of plants ready...

Illusive Comics & Games, LLC

All are welcome at Illusive Comics &amp; Games, located in Santa Clara. Woman owned and all spectrum friendly, we are a brightly lit, well organized, and welcoming shop. It's easy for anyone to come in and wander, and shop. Roll some gorgeous dice and play some boardgames if you have the time. We will you pick out the perfect item you're looking for! We have the largest selection of new comics in the Bay Area. You can also find Dungeons &amp; Dragons, Pokemon, Magic: the Gathering, and a huge selection of boardgames. We've got comic books for every age, starting with Superhero board books. We have a full weekend of events all of the time, which we update on our website each week. There's also space for free Boardgaming for you and your friends. Illusive has been a Santa Clara mainstay since 2007. We're on Stevens Creek at Lawrence Expy and 280, next to Harbor Freight, on the other end of the center from MicroCenter. Open every day of the year, our Holiday Hours for 2026/27 are Mon 11a-7p Tues 12p-7p Wed 11a-8p Thur 11a-7p Fri 11a-9p Sat 10a-7p Sun 11a-7p (Libraries, Teachers and Schools- contact us for bulk ordering discounts for your schools and fundraising options!)

All are welcome at Illusive Comics & Games, located in Santa Clara. Woman owned and all spectrum friendly, we are a brightly lit, well organized,...

Nearby Communities

State Edition

National Edition

More Classifieds

Santa Cruz, CA|Local Classified|Other|5d

What College Counselors Wish Parents Knew About the Application Process

El Capulin Nursery

Illusive Comics & Games, LLC