In this episode, we unpack the chaos that is college prep today — the pressure on kids, the anxiety on parents, and all the outside noise that makes everyone feel like they’re already behind. We talk honestly about college counselors, application trends, AI tools, and whether any of us actually knew what we were doing at 17 (spoiler: we didn’t).

We get into the constant balancing act between achievement and actually letting kids enjoy high school and why “doing all the things” isn’t always the same as finding your thing. We also debate real-world experience vs. traditional academics, the value of undergrad vs. grad school, and why co-op programs and hands-on learning might matter more than another résumé bullet.

Mostly, this is a reality check — for parents trying not to panic and kids trying to find their own story in an insanely competitive system. Our takeaway? There’s no one right path, and confidence, curiosity, and self-awareness still matter more than checking every box.