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
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
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,
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
Episode 40 | SAT vs ACT: How to Actually Pick the Right Test for Your Kid
July 22, 2026
Last week, six moms hit reply on my newsletter and asked me the same exact thing: which test should my kid even take, the SAT
Episode 39 | The July Draft That Saves Your September
July 15, 2026
Picture two versions of the same mom. July mom is on the porch with an iced coffee. The college essay is not written, but there
Episode 38 | Welcome to Your New Grade: What Your Kid Should Actually Focus On This Summer
July 1, 2026
Here is a little secret from my years as a school counselor. The new school year does not start in August. It starts right about
Episode 37 | How to Help My Teen With the College Essay (Without WWIII)
June 24, 2026
Let me take you to my kitchen table a couple of summers ago. My husband Jeff, bless him, decided dinner was the time to help
Episode 36 | 7 Things to Stop Stressing About in College Admissions
June 17, 2026
I’m going to start with a confession. Last week, I spiraled. A wave of schools just announced they’re dropping their supplemental essays this year. Tulane,
Episode 35 | Should Your Kid Write About the Hard Stuff? When a Difficult Experience Belongs in the College Essay (and When It Doesn’t)
June 10, 2026
If your child has been through something hard, you have probably had the thought, even if you would never say it out loud. That would
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.