Episode 34 | The Room I Wish I Had With Jake (And Am So Thankful I Have With Josh)

I came home from the IECA conference in Baltimore this month with one observation I cannot stop thinking about: almost nobody in our industry is naming the MENTAL LOAD moms are carrying through their kid's college process — and nobody is building the toolkit to take any of it off her. In this episode, I take you back to my kitchen during Jake's senior year (the eighteen months of carrying it all alone), into my kitchen now with Josh (where I am finally building the room and the toolkit I needed), and into why the Collective exists for any mom who has been told she is just "involved." Plus a real read on the Class of 2027 application cycle and why it just added more weight to the load.Key Talking Points:The kitchen-counter moment in October of Jake's senior year I had never named out loudThe mental load every mom is carrying through college admissions — and why nobody in the industry is naming itWhy "involved" does not begin to describe what moms are actually doingWhat I noticed at the IECA conference that nobody is talking aboutA Tuesday in March with Josh, the Google Doc, and the moment I realized I was building both the room AND the toolkitThe Class of 2027 application cycle: testing requirements coming back at sixty-plus schools, USC and Michigan adding binding Early Decision, UGA and UVA cutting supplemental essays — and what that adds to your mental loadWhy the kid side of my work has options (Dream Team, Personal Statement Huddle, podcast-in-the-car) and none of them is a testThe brand thesis: the kid gets a counselor for the strategy. The mom gets a counselor who carries some of the load.Links + Resources:The Parent Collective: cart.thecollegecounselingmom.com/parent-collectivePersonal Statement Huddle (next cohort opens mid-June; watch the Tuesday newsletter for cart open)Free College Visitor's Guides: https://freebie.thecollegecounselingmom.com/college-visitors-guideCome into the Collective if you have been carrying it alone. The door is open. You are a mom carrying a load nobody else sees. You are in.If you’re a parent navigating high school, college admissions, or the many transitions that come with raising teens, you’re in the right place.I’m Lindsay, a college counselor and parent who believes thoughtful guidance matters—especially for the awesomely average kid. The student who isn’t chasing prestige, but still deserves smart planning, clear strategy, and a path that truly fits.You can explore ways to work with me, learn about upcoming programs, or find additional resources at www.thecollegecounselingmom.com and sign up for my weekly newsletter here. If this episode was helpful, I’d be so grateful if you’d follow the show, leave a review, or share it with another parent who could use steady, grounded support.Thanks for being here. I’m honored to walk this season with you.Lindsay | The College Counseling Mom