General Education Advice

Parents sometimes look at their teenager—often a boy—who appears far more interested in video games or TikTok than in schoolwork and wonder: “Is college really worth it for this kid?” The hesitation is understandable. Spending a mortage on college for a teenager who currently seems disengaged can feel like a risky investment. But after working […]

In our SAT-ACT Mastery Seminar, I pause at a certain moment and ask a somewhat rhetorical question: “Why are you here?” Students shift in their seats.  They used to answer. Now most are hopeful they can look at their phones for the answer. For most 18-year-olds, it is the biggest shift of their lives so far. […]

The College Years and the Retirement Years: I recently spoke with a set of parents from Lyme-Old Lyme who were approaching retirement. They had worked hard. Saved consistently. Lived responsibly. But they were worried. Not about the stock market. Not about Social Security. They were worried about their children. They had two high school students […]

Guidance Reduces Anxiety Chole was tearful.  I had known since she was a motivated sophomore at East Lyme High School.   Generally confident and having an overall great high school experience, she was now entering her senior year and having a meltdown. We had worked together for SAT prep.  She thought she had college under control […]

College and Career Planning Advice from The Learning Consultants I was working with Dylan, a young man from Lyme-Old Lyme. He was really anxious: what if I choose the wrong career?  Will I doomed for misery? “What have you discussed with your parents?” “Nothing.  They just say to do whatever I want.” Parents often wonder […]

I have been a member of the World Future Society for nearly 20 years. Anyone can join.  So it means nothing more than a long-standing interest in the future.  For me, this has been an interest in helping young adults gain admission to colleges of their choice and pursue careers of their interest. My first […]

The Learning Consultants“The Learning Consultants has become a public health service for Connecticut students and their parents.” So wrote a well-known public health physician from Yale as she described our college counseling, tutoring, and SAT preparation services in an email to friends. I loved reading that line. It made me laugh at first, but more […]

College-to-Career Counseling in Old Lyme, Connecticut: Finding Direction in a Rapidly Changing World The world of work is changing faster than most families expected. I have an oddly optimistic view for my clients in Shoreline, CT. Chaos creates opportunity.  Really. I’ll explain my own path to give even a touch of possibility. I was an […]

Why Connecticut Students Should Finish SAT Preparation Before Senior Year Every year at The Learning Consultants, I meet seniors who are scrambling — either during the summer before senior year or in the fall — to raise their SAT scores. By that point, they finally know where they want to apply. They understand the level […]

“Life doesn’t stop.” Alana, a mom from East Lyme noted. Her son had indicated a desire to pause between high school and college. To be clear, I am all for gap years.  But similar to Alana – who was not theoretically against gap years – the pause would have to be affirmative and not just […]