The glow from the laptop screen cast long shadows across the small apartment. For Maya, 28, it was the end...

My journey toward a master’s degree almost ended before it began, all because of a number: four. I remember the...

Introduction: Deconstructing the Labels In the lexicon of American higher education, few terms are as conflated and misunderstood as "junior...

Introduction: Reframing the Question from "Easier" to "Different" For years, parents, students, and counselors have grappled with a seemingly straightforward...

The Failure of the 'One Right Path' For the first decade of my career as a higher education consultant, I...

I remember the exact moment the paralysis set in. I had a dozen browser tabs open, each a portal to...

Introduction: The Failure I Was Supposed to Avoid The acceptance letter wasn’t just a piece of paper; it was a...

Lost in the "MCC" Labyrinth—A Story You Might Recognize I’ll never forget the day Maria came into my office. She...

I still remember the knot in my stomach. I was on the phone with Maria, the mother of a bright,...

Introduction: The Journey Begins The journey to affording college can feel like standing at the base of an insurmountable mountain,...