Hi!

At the time I'm writing this, I'm just over halfway between St. Thomas and Bermuda. Conditions out here are what I'd describe as somewhere between "champagne" and "martini" - ie, quite lovely, but definitely some shaking and stirring happening!

You might've heard the Dave Barry joke before:

"How to Sail:

1 - Figure out where you want to go.
2 - Whichever way it is, do NOT aim the sailboat in that direction.
3 - Aim the sailboat in some other direction.
4 - Trust me, this is the way sailors do it.
5 - They are heavy drinkers."

Minus the drinking part (which I definitely don't recommend while underway, or underage), this joke applies quite relevantly to preparing for college admissions. One of my favorite articles about college planning strategy comes straight out of the MIT admissions office - Applying Sideways - and touches upon this exact notion.

The main takeaway here is that the best way to get to where you want to go isn't necessarily to brute force yourself in that direction. We totally could point our boat straight at Bermuda right now, but we would have to furl our sails and burn a lot of fuel motoring directly into 15-20kt winds and 6-8ft waves. Not only would this be wasteful of our limited diesel supply, but it would be incredibly uncomfortable. Instead, we are working with we have, adjusting our sail plan for a balance of speed, heel, and direction, and just enjoying the ride.

I see a lot of kids try to brute force their high school plans exactly the same way. They take courses that are so challenging that they are up late every night; they sign up for committees and competitions they don't really have the time or passion for; they neglect their friendships and hobbies in favor of chasing one more thing for their resume. Then they finally get to college, even to their dream schools, and they burn out fast. I've unfortunately had more than one parent tell me years later that their kid had to drop out to seek treatment for burn out and depression. And parents come to me after that happened to work on their kids transfer application to a less competitive school. I really don't want your kid to end up in that position, and I know neither do you.

I don't blame the kids. They see their peers doing the same thing, they understand admissions is competitive, and they rightfully worry that they aren't doing enough to stand out. But what actually helps them stand out isn't just doing what everyone else is doing but more. It's doing what genuinely excites them - what brings out their curiosity, their kindness, and their courage. You'll know this when you see it - it's what they ask to do more of, what they spend hours researching, what they talk endlessly about at dinner.

What if they're still figuring that out, though? A lot of what I do with my younger students is exactly this: figure out what those things are, find ways to explore them, and make sure life stays balanced in the process. Most students need to try on a variety of plans before finding what fits. Maybe it's by browsing citizen science projects to participate in, or taking a niche certification course, or hunting down antiques on Facebook Marketplace to refurbish.

The earlier they find their direction, the more fetch they have to build on it. That's why I've designed my Chart Your Course package - for the younger student in middle school or early high school who is still plotting out where to go and how to get there. If this resonates with you, I'd love to work with you.

Until next time...

Nikki