Jessie's Blog

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News Worth Sharing — Published in IECA Insights

ieca_coverIECA is 40! Forty years of dedication to helping students and families navigate educational paths. Ethically, soundly, and professionally. SNAP. I am grateful and honored to be a part of such a swell group of folks.  In this issue of INSIGHTS you'll find an article I recently wrote on our culture of extremes — and how educational consultants work tirelessly to help students find a way to move forward. Because that is what doing this work is all about.
At the IECA Spring Conference in Boston, Dr.…

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Modern Epidemic: The Comparison Flu, Is it Mucking With Your Teen?

 

Rushing here and there and clocking in over 5 hours daily of smartphone use. Is yours giving you Comparison Flue? Arstist: Jon Han SOURCE: NY TImes Rushing here and there and clocking in 5+hrs/daily on our smartphones. Have you succumbed to the Comparison Flu? Arstist: Jon Han SOURCE: NY Times

Do you post, like, comment, tweet, retweet, forward, share, reply, reply all, or stream? If so, you may, from time to time, or more than time to time, suffer from a near epidemic in our modern existence: the Comparison Flu.

There may not be a vaccine, but don't worry. There are ways to interact with your beloved social media platforms and build up you…

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DON'T CALL ME AVERAGE!— Accepting Your Best, Unique, and Totally Awesome Average Self in a Culture of Extremes

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At the Boston IECA convention, Dr. Ellen Braaten opened her keynote speech, “The Curse of the Average Child,” with this slide. "Walmart or Harvard." All other high schoolers should just go home, settle in with their iPads, hide under the T-shirt quilt Aunt Donna had custom-made, and binge watch Game of Thrones. If these are the only options, then it’s winner take all—because stocking shelves doesn’t play well on Instagram.

My yoga instructor had a similar thought nearly a decade ago. “We are a …

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TALKING TO YOURSELF, AGAIN? — Everyone does it, but is what you are telling yourself taking you where you want to go?

guitar_strummingWhat’s that tune you can’t stop singing to yourself? We’ve all got one; in fact, I feel pretty safe in saying we’ve all got more than one. We’ve got a whole chorus of tiny voices demanding our attention, but here’s the thing: Some of our internal voices empower us, reinforce our authentic selves, and feed the greater good. Too often, though, they are the roadblocks that spring from our deepest fears about ourselves. And, they are remarkably good at keeping us stuck, especially when we don’t even…

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Branding, Higher Ed, and the Right Fit

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Years ago, during a shopping excursion at the Tannersville Outlet Center in eastern Pennsylvania, I wandered into the Cole Haan store. I browsed the offerings a few times but found I kept returning to a pair of strappy dress sandals. Summer is nearly here, I told myself. And just look at the lovely box complete with scripted Cole Haan on the outside!

I gave in and tried them on. The straps were toward the front of the shoe, and while the heel was just the right height, those straps felt a litt…

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College Visit Follow-Up Dos & Don'ts

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The truth, straight up: Students that engage proactively land in better places. And, they feel better about things, too.

Visited a campus? Met an admissions officer at a college fair? Have a collection of college rep and tour guide business cards? If you’ve answered yes to any of the above, there is a next step, and it isn’t to let the cards migrate under the seat of the car, fall to the bottom of the backpack, or end up under your bed in the pile of college marketing glossies.

Is your goal to…

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Sometimes School Sucks, but Thanks Mom & Dad

“If you spend your life feeding people’s vanity, you get so you can’t distinguish what should be respected in them.” —F. Scott Fitzgerald

“Leave your pride, ego, and narcissism somewhere else. Reactions from those parts of you will reinforce your children’s most primitive fears.” —Henry Cloud

Martin Family Vacation, Spring 2009 Martin Family Vacation, Spring 2009

Bryn, our sophomore in college, called in February. “I just don’t get it, Mom.” One of his closest friends had just withdrawn in the second semester of his sophomore year. …

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