College and Career Clarity Lisa Marker Robbins

In this episode, Lisa and Annie discuss:
The Disability Tax teens with physical disabilities and health conditions face as they begin their college journey. Differences in accommodations and support for your student college. How a college technically complying with federal law is different from being 100% accessible for all students and what your teen should consider. The adulting skills your student will need to learn regarding their health conditions.
Key Takeaways: 
The ADA provides for reasonable accommodations. However, those can look different at different universities and colleges and even between programs at the same university or college. There is no perfect college for all students with similar disabilities. The right fit is the one the student chooses after having done the necessary research. Of the schools surveyed by United Spinal, only 16 colleges and universities were 100% physically accessible. Understanding the level of accessibility can be very important for your student and their needs. Manage your expectations - surprises will pop up in college. 
“The ADA, the Americans with Disabilities Act, also applies to the workplace. So when your student is seeking accommodations in college, that's a good training ground for thinking about what their needs might be later on once they graduate college and go into the workplace.” – Annie Tulkin

About Annie Tulkin: Annie Tulkin is the Founder and Director of Accessible College, as well as an educator, author and public speaker. She is an expert in the area of college preparation and transition for students with physical disabilities and health conditions. Annie was the Associate Director of the Academic Resource Center at Georgetown University for nearly 6 years. Annie has worked in the disability field for her entire professional career including positions as a Regional Disability Coordinator for Humanitas, Inc. working on the Job Corps disability support contract for The Department of Labor, and as a Project Specialist with the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) where she worked with both the National Service Inclusion Project (NSIP) and University Centers of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) Technical Assistance projects. 

Episode References:
Accessible College partnership with the Reeve Foundation 
Navigating the Transition to College with Paralysis
United Spinal: Wheels on Campus-20 wheelchair-friendly campuses guide
Perkins School for the Blind-College Readiness Resource Center
How Can Students with Health Conditions Successfully Navigate the College Transition?
Job Accommodation Network

Get Lisa's Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career...(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret). 
https://flourishcoachingco.com/video

Connect with Annie:
Website: accessiblecollege.com/ 
Twitter: twitter.com/AcssCollege 
Facebook: facebook.com/accessiblecollege 
Instagram: instagram.com/accessiblecollege/ 
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annietulkin-3b66b719/ 
Connect with Lisa:
Website: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flourishcoachingco
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flourishcoachingco/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-coaching-co

In this episode, Lisa and Sylvia discuss:
Why Honors Colleges should not be an afterthought as your student is making their college list. What an Honors College is and how it differs from an Honors Program. Benefits of being in an Honors College. Differences in application processes for Honors Colleges. 

Key Takeaways:
Honors Colleges are intentional about building community, not just academically but also socially. Many Honors Colleges intend to simulate small, top-tier liberal arts private college curricula at a lower price. Honors Colleges are often a great fit for students interested in a challenge, in an interdisciplinary course of study, and have many different passions. There are additional requirements for students in an Honors College. There is no single, correct way to do college, and these additional requirements may not be for your student even if they academically qualify.

“There is no one way to do college. If you choose an Honors College, great! If you choose to do Robotics League and marching band, but not the Honors College, if you decide that you're going to graduate in three years, fantastic! Everything is perfectly fine on the table; you can consider whatever is best for you.” – Sylvia Borgo


About Sylvia Borgo: Sylvia is an independent educational consultant based in California who works with students and families who want to simplify the college prep and admissions journey by bringing structure to the process. Her student-centered approach guides students through research and conversations to help them make informed choices for their best-fit college.


Episode References:
Complimentary College List Challenge: www.FlourishCoachingCo.com/challengeEpisode 052: Demonstrated Interest: How It Can Help Guide Your College Search

Get Lisa's Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career...(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret). https://flourishcoachingco.com/video


Connect with Sylvia:
Website: www.djeducationalconsulting.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dj_educationalconsulting  
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/djeducationalconsulting 
Connect with Lisa:
Website: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flourishcoachingco
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flourishcoachingco/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-coaching-co

In this episode, Lisa discusses:
How your student can demonstrate to colleges the reasons behind their choice of college major.Actions your student can take in high school to have confidence in their future major decision and share their story with colleges. Options outside your high school to take the right classes. Thinking more broadly about how your teen can gain valuable extracurricular experiences. Key Takeaways: 
Students spend most of their time in the classroom - they should take the right classes that align with their future major of interest and fit their academic level. Don’t let the options at your student’s high school limit your student’s narrative. There are ways for your student to create their own extracurricular activities if options at their school are limited. Many high schools offer internships in your community - your teen can also talk to local businesses regarding potential internship opportunities outside of their high school.  
“No matter when you're listening to this, it is not too late to dig in and start doing the work now. Once you've done the work, it's time to demonstrate it when you get to senior year, and you're ready to apply to college.” – Lisa Marker Robbins

Episode References:
College and Career Clarity Episodes: 
#57 - College Admission by Major with Andy Borst#69 - The Ins and Outs of AP Courses with Megan Rose#93 -  The Homeschoolers Guide to Standardized Testing: AP, PSAT, ACT, SAT, and CLT with Leia LeMaster Horton#5 - Advice for Students Considering Healthcare Careers with Luisa Rabe#28 - What extracurriculars should your teen pursue? with Lisa Marker Robbins#84 - How to Write the “Why this Major” College Essay with Lisa Marker RobbinsBYU Online High School - https://hs.byu.edu/ Drews Mitchell - https://www.linkedin.com/in/drews-mitchell-72b86551/ 

Get Lisa's Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career...(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret). 
https://flourishcoachingco.com/video
Connect with Lisa:
Website: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flourishcoachingco
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flourishcoachingco/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-coaching-co

In this episode, Lisa and Andrea discuss:
Struggles parents have in the transition between being a high school parent and a college parent. Start the transition by finding out where your college-bound student has room to grow. The areas of college readiness beyond academics. Supporting students as they transition and build resilience. 
Key Takeaways: 
Start parenting your college-bound student as a college student, even while they’re still in high school.Parents and teenage students will often have different worries - it is essential to compare those concerns and understand what work can be done while your student is still in high school. Your student should assess themselves in their study skills, reading skills, and other academic skills. Understanding where they are can help prepare them for more complex skills in college. Ask your student to come to you with not only their problem but also a possible solution (even if it is just a draft). You can brainstorm it together, but problem-solving is an essential adult skill. “Families need to take a step back, and students need to take a step up. This is a time for students to become their own fixers.” – Dr. Andrea Brenner

About Andrea Brenner: Dr. Andrea Malkin Brenner is the President of AMBrenner, LLC, and Founder of the Talking College™ card brand. She’s a speaker and college transition educator who brings 25 years as a “college insider” to her presentations for high school and college audiences. 

Andrea is co-author of How to College: What to Know Before You Go (and When You’re There) (Macmillan, St. Martin’s Press), a student-facing book that guides high school graduates through their transition to college. She is the creator of the Talking College™ card decks, which provide insider tips and discussion prompts for college-bound students and their parents/guardians. 

Dr. Brenner was a sociology professor at American University for 20 years, teaching classes to undergraduate students. Andrea also served as the Creator and first Director of the university’s first-year transition course, as Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Department of Sociology, and as the Faculty Director of the University College Program.

Episode References:
#020 Teaching Your Teen “How to College”: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/podcast/20-teaching-your-teen-how-to-college/ 

Get Lisa's Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career...(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret). 
https://flourishcoachingco.com/video

Connect with Andrea:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/andreambrenner 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreamalkinbrenner/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ambrennerllc/ 
Website: https://ambrenner.com/ 
Talking College™ Cards: https://www.ambrenner.com/shop 


Connect with Lisa:
Website: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flourishcoachingco
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flourishcoachingco/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-coaching-co

In this episode, Lisa and Wendy discuss:
Accommodation strategies for your student - both no-brainers and more unique options.Why documentation of accommodations (official and unofficial) is critical.How the new VP of Accommodations for ACT made it easier to get accommodations.What the accommodation application process looks like. 

Key Takeaways: 
In notes from teachers, ask them to leave off the flattery and stick purely to the facts of what accommodations were given. If your school counselor is referencing their ten-plus years of experience, that’s great, but gently remind them the process changed for the positive in 2020.For the ACT, registering your student for the exam is going to kick off the accommodation application process. Lack of documentation is the biggest reason for denial of accommodation. There should also be an underlying story connecting those documents.  
“Start getting letters from the teachers or making sure that you're saving the notes from your teacher meetings because all of that documentation is showing a history of struggle, even if it's not officially notated on a 504, IEP, or learning plan.” – Wendy Raynor


About Wendy Raynor: Wendy has been tutoring college admissions exams for over 13 years. Her tutoring journey began unexpectedly but changed her life forever. She has helped hundreds (if not thousands) of neurodiverse students become successful on these exams. In 2016, she began WRH College Prep which focuses on preparing neurodiverse students for the ACT. In 2019, she became a founding member of the National Test Prep Association and quickly became recognized as the industry leader in standardized test accommodations. Wendy lives outside of Atlanta with her dog, She-Ra, and cat, Cringer.


Episode References:
ACT Test Dates: https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/registration.htmlAccommodations Simplified: A Guide to Understanding SAT® and ACT® Accommodations:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CLNJBT29?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_XVX2PYNJGNG4N5G5VZBB 

Get Lisa's Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career...(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret). 
https://flourishcoachingco.com/video


Connect with Wendy:
Website: https://wrhcollegeprep.com/ 
Website: https://accommodations-simplified.com/ 
Upcoming Book: Accommodations, Simplified!
Connect with Lisa:
Website: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flourishcoachingco
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flourishcoachingco/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-coaching-co

In this episode, Lisa and Keely discuss:
How coaching can help improve your life, your parenting skills, and your family.Systems and processes for navigating raising teens. Suggestions for committing to intentional family meetings with teenagers. Intentionality in small conversations and finding time to empower your teenagers.

Key Takeaways: 
Coaches can give you a third-party perspective on what you are doing right and where you might need to make some changes to improve. Carve out time toward the end of the week when you can have a family meeting or otherwise connect with your teenagers when they aren’t tired and bogged down by school and other obligations. Make family meetings fun, and you’ll get things done!Coaches can teach you and your teenagers to find agency and autonomy.  
“With teenagers, that consistency piece of just keep showing up even when there is resistance (because that's one of the hardest things to learn in parenting a teenager, and people want to give up because it gets hard). And if you stick with it, like everything else, they come to look forward to it as their quality time.” – Keely Ng


About Keely Ng: Keely Ng has been in marketing and sales for over 20 years. In 2019, Keely founded Idea Tree Marketing, a marketing agency that helps businesses grow and scale by defining a clear brand message and implementing proven marketing and sales strategies to win more business. 

Keely became a Certified Storybrand Guide in 2018 and utilizes the framework to drive growth for her clients. 

Prior to the inception of Idea Tree, Keely was an independent marketing consultant for 10 years serving financial services, consulting, real estate, and eCommerce clients. In her corporate career, Keely worked in marketing and sales for such renowned brands as Vivendi Universal, Groupe Danone, and Million Dollar Baby. 

Keely graduated from Union College in Schenectady NY with a BA in Economics. She is the proud mother of 2 children and is an avid runner, meditator, and cook. I give you, Keely Ng! 


Get Lisa's Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career...(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret).  https://flourishcoachingco.com/video

Connect with Keely:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ideatreemarketing 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IdeaTreeMarketing19/ 
Website: https://www.ideatreemarketing.com/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keely-carr-ng-8300172/ 
Connect with Lisa:
Website: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flourishcoachingco
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flourishcoachingco/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-coaching-co