From College Tours to Purdue, Our Real College Story

 If you are a parent navigating college admissions right now, I have been exactly where you are.

In 2015, my son came to me and said, “Okay Mom, it’s time to think about college.” We did not really understand the process. I remember thinking, this is his future, and I do not want to get this wrong. So I hired a college planning company to guide us.  I watched the process and worked for the company for a short period of time.

We reviewed his GPA, 3.8 unweighted and 4.2 weighted. We talked about majors and location. He was deciding between psychology and theater, and he did not want to stay in California.

We toured everywhere. Boulder, Syracuse, Hamilton, Purdue, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, University of Arizona and so many more. We would do three schools in a long weekend, Thursday through Saturday, then travel to another part of the country a few weeks later. Touring was honestly the best part. It was real one on one time, and it helped him figure out what felt right.

When we toured, I asked very specific questions. How does this program operate? Do you help students find internships? What research opportunities are available? Do you host career fairs? Do you teach students how to build resumes and prepare for interviews?

At Purdue, they were clear. They talked about career fairs. They explained how students had to dress professionally on certain days. They showed us how departments prepared students for internships and jobs after graduation. That structure mattered to us.

At the last minute, he applied to a UC that offered him a full ride. That changed the conversation. At the same time, he realized that theater would require constant self promotion and uncertainty, and he wanted a path with more structure.

He ultimately chose Purdue University. Purdue had the size, the energy, the Division One athletics, and the departments still offered individual attention. He chose psychology and added a minor in human resources.

He graduated during COVID, which meant he missed some of those final career fair opportunities. He came home, found a job, and today he works in human resources using that psychology degree.

I share this because I have lived this process. The touring, the financial decisions, the emotional conversations, the questions you do not even know to ask yet. I understand what families are navigating because I have navigated it myself.

If you are walking through this right now and want guidance from someone who has both lived it and helped other families do it, reach out.

Let College Help Squad be part of your journey.