I’ve seen it firsthand.

Another admissions cycle has wrapped.
More frustration.
More confusion.
More heartbreak.

If you're a parent of a high school student, I want to tell you the truth.

This process?
It’s not fair.
It’s not always logical.
And it’s definitely not built with your child’s best interest in mind.

Let’s break it down.

#1: Remember that rejection isn’t about your teen’s worth

Your child might get rejected from a dream school—even with great grades, test scores, and extracurriculars.

That doesn’t mean they failed.
It means the system is flawed.

One of my students had:

• A 1570 SAT
  

• Straight A’s
  

• Dual enrollment courses
  

• Stellar extracurriculars
  
  

Still rejected from multip...

Let me be clear about something right away—your teen doesn’t need to win a national award or cure a disease for their extracurricular activities to matter on a college application.

What do they need? To show up, follow through, and reflect on what they’ve learned along the way. That’s where YOU come in.

I’ve worked with thousands of high school students over the years, and I can confidently say this: the most overlooked part of the college application is the activity list—and it’s where families miss a huge opportunity to stand out.

Here’s why extracurriculars matter more than you think.

When colleges review applications, they aren’t just looking at grades and test scores. They want to know what k...

I talk to parents every day who want what’s best for their kids. You want security. Stability. A solid career.

So what do we tell them?

Go pre-med. Get into business. Study engineering. Learn computer science.

But here's the truth:

Those majors aren't the right fit for every student. And pushing them into one “just to be safe” can backfire.

I've seen it happen.

A student applies to a top college for computer science. Strong GPA. Good extracurriculars. Rejected.

Another student applies for psychology or environmental studies at the same school. Accepted.

Same GPA. Similar background. But the choice of major made a huge difference.

Why? Because some majors are way more competitive.

The 4 Majors ...