A few years back, a young entrepreneur approached me to discuss his fledgling business. I was highly impressed by both him and his new company. I then thought about a recent comment from a 17-year-old boy from Madison, CT. He said, “School doesn’t matter.  It doesn’t teach you anything you need in the real world.” […]

Every spring, I hear from several college counseling students: I want to go to California! I understand.  And, if this is the desire and I have expressed my thoughts, then wonderful. I will help. I immediately confess bias.  As a father of three and as someone with a deep belief that family is the most […]

I wrote this article for Career Counseling Connecticut. “We are still paying for David’s apartment.” Jim and Cindy, two parents from Old Lyme, CT, noted.  “We are now seeing how this hurts our retirement planning.” David had a series of jobs in his twenties but no defined career.  Having not graduated college, he followed the […]

“Jimmy can do whatever he wants.  We’re not one of those parents who pushes their children.” So spoke a mother from a top public school in Shoreline, Connecticut about her 17 year old son who was meeting with me for college counseling.  Jimmy’s mediocre grades, test scores, and activities actually meant that he couldn’t do […]

Years ago, I started The Learning Consultants.  We were focused on tutoring and test prep. When we tutored, it became apparent that many parents also wanted “study skills” imparted. I also realized that motivation was even more important. Making boring school work engaging “School is so boring.”  I hear this all the time from our […]

During our first SAT class, I looked out the window.  I saw a new student, Jeff, pick up a Learning Consultants sign that had fallen on the ground outside our Old Saybrook office.  He put it back in place. He didn’t know anyone was watching. He simply did it because it was the right thing […]

When I started providing college counseling fifteen years ago, I would sometimes suggest “gap years.” Most of my Connecticut suburban clients in the land of steady habits nixed any further discussion. There was a middle uptick in interest in the late 2010s and then a significant increase in interest during the Covid years. Gap year […]

Most Connecticut teens are growing up in an environment of material abundance. They have little idea that your investments have been flat and that you are struggling to save enough for college. They remain rich in their world of videogames, I-phones, and social media. Much of your children’s “stuff” seemed to magically appear.  The best […]

Spring is approaching.  For most, this is great news. For parents of Connecticut juniors who have been urging their children to “start looking at colleges” and begin SAT (or ACT) prep, the time is NOW.  I am fully aware of the battles that parents have to make – and choose – with their teens. But […]