When my son was in sixth grade, he looked at me one afternoon in our garage while I was unloading groceries and said something I never expected to hear. He said, “Mom, you’re not going to make me go to college, are you?” I paused, unsure of the answer. He was 12 years old. College
I sent four kids (my son and three stepchildren) to college, so I thought I’d experienced almost everything in this process: campus visits, moves, loans, roommate problems, and family weekends. As my youngest son prepares for college, I thought there wouldn’t be many new experiences for me, but I was wrong. My last child (who
I am a mother of four children, one of whom is dual enrolled in high school and college courses. I have also taught over 1,000 college students over the past decade. Of course, I have seen students thrive and fail over the years. Everyone who is successful seems to have some similarities. My experience has
In August, I left my steady job as a public high school teacher in New York City to start a full-time graduate program in Manhattan. I was concerned about the choice not only because I loved my work with children, but also because I had traded a steady paycheck and affordable health insurance for tens
When I helped my daughter move into her UCLA dorm last fall, I thought I had prepared myself for everything. From planned tuition payments to dorm “needs” to a well-stocked first aid kit, I had spreadsheets, checklists, dorm shopping lists, and enough blue moving bags to organize a small apartment. Nine months later, and as
When I was 14, I overheard my parents say they would not be paying for their kids to attend a four-year university. If any of us wanted the traditional college experience, we’d have to figure out how to pay for it ourselves. Community college was always an option, and they’d let us live at home
