General Education Advice

Good News/Bad News/Good News About Paying for College You likely earn more money than most households in the US. You likely will not get financial aid or at least that much financial aid. Your child could earn merit aid. Why Most Shoreline Families Do Not Qualify for Need-Based Aid In my work with families in […]

Kaylie and Samantha: To SAT or not…. Kaylie and Samantha were two of my students (none of the names I use are ever students’ real names) from the 2022 cycle.  They had nearly identical PSAT scores (1100 and 1120)and attended the same Shoreline High School in Connecticut.   They both were delighted to hear about SAT […]

“I’m still a test-taking robot,”  so said Gabriella, one of my all-time favorite students.  I met her when she was a sophomore in Old Lyme.  Her parents noted she was a diligent student but bombed tests.  They knew the SAT was coming soon but so were her sophomore year finals. Anxiety was the issue.  We […]

By The Learning Consultants | Serving Connecticut Students from Old Saybrook to East Lyme, Westbrook, Madison, Guilford, and Beyond The Question Every Connecticut Parent Should Ask Before Hiring a Tutor “You are the first adult I talk to outside of my parents….” Jason said. I’m not sure if we ever had a “village” or at […]

“It’s not just his grades that improved.  His whole attitude since working with you has shifted upward.”  Rachel, a mom from Old Saybrook, noted. Her son Max, a bright but distracted 1oth grader, had become obstinate lately about the need to do anything more than the bare minimum at school. Max didn’t really need a […]

I laughed recently when someone called me a sage.  Isn’t that for old people? Oh…ha! But the parent noted that her son would come home noticeably more peaceful after meeting with me.  I have heard similar remarks when clients meet with other team members, notably Jean Card, Dr. Matthew Simpson and Dr. Kristina Knobelsdorff. We […]

I knew Jake in high school when he attended Lyme-Old Lyme. Solid GPA in a rigorous academic environment Challenging courses, including honors and AP classes Participation in extracurricular activities Responsible, well-liked, and capable Like many students from Lyme-Old Lyme, he was well-prepared academically and earned admission to a strong college.  His parents were sensible, well-educated, […]

College admissions decisions are back. One more year of top SAT scorers gaining college admission to schools of their choice and big scholarships. One more year of our college counseling students who chose test-optional to be surprised that their “top GPAs and great extracurricular activities” did not lead to either. Let me start with disheartening […]

I was recently giving a presentation at a local Shoreline, CT high school. I asked – would it matter that much if you didn’t close 4th grade strong? Rhetorical question.  I kept going  5th grade, 6th grade.  And then I asked about 11th grade.  They all understood.  It matters a lot. For high school students, […]

There was a time—not long ago—when raising a young adult followed a relatively stable script. My work in running The Learning Consultants was a luxury for most parents because the general path was known. Work hard in school.Get into a good college.Graduate.Find a job.Build a life. Parents did not need to be experts in navigating […]