It was a travel-filled week as the Amazon AWS EdStart Builders’ Workshop in Palo Alto kicked off just as the Super ACAC conference in Arizona wrapped up. After such a terrific few days with fellow counselors and college admissions teams, meeting such innovative members of the EdStart Program got me thinking about new creative solutions to help counselors and students through the college process. There is so much happening on the technical side that can support our planned Corsava features, I cannot wait! Discussing trends in admissions, meeting with potential partners, and learning about technical innovations to support our new applications combined to make the jump to summer and lead into fall all the more inspiring.
My Alaska flight just hit 10,000 feet, the throngs of people that constitute O’Hare on a late Friday afternoon are behind me, and I am excited to be heading for an 80-degree and sunny (surprise!) weekend back home in Seattle. The IECA conference was valuable, Chicago was at its best, and I am excited thinking about what’s ahead for Corsava after getting such great feedback from so many users. The cards made it into the College Essay Guy’s popular (and fast!) “60 College Application Tips in 60 Minutes” session, and it always makes my day to hear user stories about the impact the cards have had on so many students.
From devoted camp counselor to NACAC delegate, this truly creative and committed counselor knows that what worked to inspire campers can also be a great tool to motivate her students to think about their future…..scavenger hunts! We had the pleasure of talking with Emily Dobson last week and learning more about the games she develops to work in concert with Corsava, and what an inspiration it was! We always learn something new when connecting with our users, and this interview was no exception.
When Sydney was eight, she was determined to convince her parents to foster a child so that she could have an older sibling. Rather than just push, she did the math...if just one-quarter of the country could foster one child, no child would be left without the support they deserve. She researched the options, laid out a plan, and learned what it would take to make fostering a reality for her family, framing her determination to become a family lawyer. Nothing Sydney does is halfway.
It’s hard to believe nine months have passed since Walter and I first met in person (remember in-person meetings?!) at NACAC 2019 in Louisville. Leading up to NACAC, we had calls discussing how to best integrate Corsava into his existing counseling tools, so it was great to meet face-to-face and have a chance to catch up on a broader range of topics - like how things were going for both his school counseling and his work as an independent educational consultant. I always enjoy catching up with Walter as he is always thinking of new ways to make the college admissions process more impactful for his students.
It was a travel-filled week as the Amazon AWS EdStart Builders’ Workshop in Palo Alto kicked off just as the Super ACAC conference in Arizona wrapped up. After such a terrific few days with fellow counselors and college admissions teams, meeting such innovative members of the EdStart Program got me thinking about new creative solutions to help counselors and students through the college process. There is so much happening on the technical side that can support our planned Corsava features, I cannot wait! Discussing trends in admissions, meeting with potential partners, and learning about technical innovations to support our new applications combined to make the jump to summer and lead into fall all the more inspiring.
My Alaska flight just hit 10,000 feet, the throngs of people that constitute O’Hare on a late Friday afternoon are behind me, and I am excited to be heading for an 80-degree and sunny (surprise!) weekend back home in Seattle. The IECA conference was valuable, Chicago was at its best, and I am excited thinking about what’s ahead for Corsava after getting such great feedback from so many users. The cards made it into the College Essay Guy’s popular (and fast!) “60 College Application Tips in 60 Minutes” session, and it always makes my day to hear user stories about the impact the cards have had on so many students.
The checker took the last few items out of my cart and pushed them towards the bagger, who carefully placed them in my bags and asked me if I wanted him to take my groceries to my car. Our local grocery store is one of the few remaining that offers that personal touch, and I always enjoy the time walking out to the car chatting with the high school students they hire. I was getting ready to ask my usual “where do you go to high school and how do you like it” question when the young man preempted me and asked what I had on tap for the rest of the day.
Doesn’t this image of my new puppy Petra just say it all!? A friend was walking down the hall and couldn’t resist taking this shot and sharing it with me. I just love the college counseling looming over Petra. Her attitude is contagious, and I try to channel her laid-back attitude on a daily basis. Besides making me laugh, it got me thinking about the whole college journey.
The counselor stories below, following on the heels of my previous Stories blog, have a common theme running through them–the power of personal connection. As life continues to speed up, f2f (as our team of developers likes to say) communication still has a valuable and powerful role in all of our lives, particularly those entering adulthood who have never experienced life without a smartphone.
As we approach the end of 2018, reflection comes naturally as we think about all that the past year has brought. I'm sure everyone is looking forward to a break from the hectic life of college admissions and all the accompanying stress it brings to our families. While our students race towards the finish line, we can take a breather as we reflect on how we supported our students in their goals, how we can make it even better, or in many cases, how we can avoid the subject entirely!
During this particularly busy time of year, the inspiring stories nestled among the ongoing requests for feedback remind us what a difference all of us can make if we personally connect with our students for just a few minutes. Cathy’s encouraging story highlights how our engagement with overwhelmed, stressed, and sometimes discouraged students can change life paths in such an important, positive way.
Walking into the activity room filled with boisterous middle- and high-schoolers, I hear a greeting from across the room. “Hey, it’s Dr. B, and you’re here today!” More kids shout out their welcomes, and then I hear, “Did you bring snacks?” I love these kids; their priorities are in the right place. Give them food and they will be your friends for life!
I will admit it; I was ramped up and nervous, all wrapped up together. It was one thing to ask students I knew to test out the Corsava Cards and Reports, but it was another thing entirely standing up in front of 25 new students in a high school setting as they logged into Corsava Cards and took the inaugural group spin on our beta version.
