Is Early Decision Legally Binding? Here’s What You’re Actually Signing.
August 28, 2026
Somebody in your group chat has told you that early decision is not legally binding. They are not entirely wrong. And it is still the
Episode 45 | How to Know When Your College Essay Is Done
August 26, 2026
There is a mountain of advice about how to start a college essay. I have made some of it myself. There is almost nothing about
Do You Need a Leadership Position for College? The Common App Just Answered That.
August 21, 2026
Every fall I get some version of this question from a worried mom, usually in a lowered voice like she is confessing something: do you
Episode 44 | How to Build a College List: The Three Fits Rule
August 19, 2026
Somebody asked me recently how to build a college list the way I do it with my own families, and my first instinct was to
You Make Too Much for Aid? Merit Doesn’t Work That Way.
August 14, 2026
I hear a version of this line at least once a week, usually said with a resigned little shrug: “We make too much to get
Episode 43 | What Is Demonstrated Interest in College Admissions (and How Your Teen Shows It)
August 12, 2026
There is a quiet thing a lot of colleges track, and most parents have never heard the plain-English version of it. It is called demonstrated
Your Kid’s Activities List Is Worth More Than You Think
August 7, 2026
The Common App opened August 1, and if your senior has logged in, they have already met the part of the application almost nobody prepares
Episode 42 | Supplements Are the Game Now: How to Help Without Writing Them
August 5, 2026
The Common App opened August 1, and right behind the main essay comes the part almost nobody prepares for: the supplemental essays. The why us,
Is My Kid Even Competitive Enough for College?
July 31, 2026
Somewhere around now, usually late at night, a lot of us go down the same rabbit hole. You look at a school’s admit rate. You
Episode 41 | The Schedule Talk: Why Course Choice Matters Every Year of High School
July 29, 2026
There is a piece of paper that matters more than almost anything else in the college process, and most families sign it without really reading
hi! I'm Lindsay!
Former high school counselor, mom of two boys, and your guide from freshman year through the finish line. I help parents figure out what matters now, what can wait, and what to do next.
Got a question that won't wait?
Bring it to my free parent workshop. I teach a little, then we spend real time on your questions.