5 Things Parents Must Know About “Senioritis”
You've nursed your child through bouts of the flu and strep throat, but "senioritis" is different. "Senioritis" symptoms include not doing homework, "forgetting" to study for tests, and getting oddly low grades on homework assignments, papers, and projects that your...
You’re 20? Here’s the Career Advice Nobody’s Telling You
Today I'm featuring a must-read article by Forbes contributor Jason Nazar on career advice for 20-year-olds. If you're parenting a child age 16–29, read this article and pick one or two topics to discuss with your child this week. And if your child is age 18–29? Share...
Half of Americans Regret Their Higher Ed Decisions?! Why?
This article contains a specific solution to the deeply concerning problem of regret over higher ed decisions. The last thing you want is for your child to make a series of expensive higher ed decisions and then regret them later. How can you help your kids avoid...
7 Reasons to Fill Out FAFSA — Even If You’re Rich
This FAFSA article is current as of April 2026. You’d love for your son to get loads of free money financial aid to help him pay for college, but you’re pretty sure he won’t qualify for much. Your family lives comfortably, after all. You aren’t poor. You wonder if...
Want More College Money? Avoid These Costly FAFSA Mistakes
This article has been updated. You’ll find my most current information about the FAFSA financial aid form here. (See you over there!) —Jeannie Burlowski It’s a reference book, so nobody reads the whole thing cover to cover. Pick out what you need to read in it using...
1-Minute Trick Helps Overcome Laziness
You've got a mountain of work in front of you, but no energy to tackle it. You've already slept well and eaten energy-producing food, so exhaustion's not the problem. You're just feeling lethargic, avoidant, and lazy. We've all been there. Some of our kids seem...
How College Loans Got So Evil (5-Minute Video)
URGENT—for early 2026. Do you have even one Parent PLUS loan? Might your parents have taken out a Parent PLUS loan for you? Skip this article and jump straight to the more urgent one here. Today I'm featuring a 5-minute video clip from the TV show Adam Ruins...
5 Questions to Ask Every Kid Every September
There's one thing parents long for far more than straight A report cards. Parents want kids to do their own homework in a quality manner without the parent needing to prod, nag, oversee, or push. Want to increase your chances of having academically independent...
How to Inspire Underperforming Students
Your middle schooler or high schooler tends to underperform in school—and it drives you crazy. What's a caring, involved parent to do? You know how high the stakes are. Is it your duty to strictly supervise and control homework so that your son or daughter gets higher...
What If This 12-Year-Old Ventriloquist Had Never Practiced?
A while back, I watched as 12-year-old singing ventriloquist Darci Lynne Farmer wowed the audience and the judges on America's Got Talent. Before the 7-minute video was over I laughed, and I cried. Real tears. I am not kidding. And then I thought . . . What if Darci...
Key Difference Between Teens Who Succeed in School and Teens Who Don’t
You desperately want your teens to succeed in school, but cajoling and hovering and pushing them is just so exhausting. Here's fantastic help that will take you under two minutes to implement. The difference, according to world-renowned Stanford University...
How to Care for Extroverts / How to Care for Introverts
Do you know whether your son or daughter is an extrovert (who gets energy from being with people), or an introvert (who gets energy from quiet time spent alone)? In my book, I make a strong case that figuring out the delicate nuances of personality type is critically...
Is “Advanced Placement” the Best Way to Earn College Credit in High School?
Every year, millions of high school students are fed this line: "Hey, you should take Advanced Placement (AP) classes! They're way harder, but if you do well on the test at the end, you'll get free college credit!" It sounds like a great deal. But is it actually true?...
Why You Should Never Cosign a Student Loan
URGENT—for early 2026. Do you have even one Parent PLUS loan? Might your parents have taken out a Parent PLUS loan for you? Skip this article and jump straight to the more urgent one here. Parent, I urge you: DO NOT cosign a student loan for your child. Today I'm...
LinkedIn.com Increases Its Minimum Age to 16
On June 7th, 2017, LinkedIn.com changed its user agreement, increasing the minimum age for opening a LinkedIn account from 14 to 16. "Existing members who happen to be under 16," LinkedIn says, "will be allowed to remain members and use our services." This minimum age...
7 Reasons Your MIDDLE SCHOOLER Needs a College Study Skills Class
You already understand why college students and grad students need a high-quality college study skills class. You can even see why it makes sense for high school students to take one. (Especially if they'll be taking dual enrollment college classes in 11th and 12th...
Your Job Change COULD Save Your Kid $40,000 on College Costs
Parent, might you be ready for a job change by the end of this summer? If you make this job change decision strategically, you could save your kid $40,000 on college costs. "Really? How could my job change save my kids money on college costs?" Many colleges and...
9 Reasons to Talk your Kid OUT of Applying to the Ivy League
Parents, you feel a lot of pressure to get your kids into a "good" college after high school. An "Ivy League" university would be ideal! But is all the work and stress really worth it? Probably not, honestly. William Deresiewicz, former Yale professor and author of...
Which Colleges Are Still Taking Applications?
Ben and his parents sat up late at their dining room table, combing through all of Ben's college financial aid numbers one more time. Ben's dad ran his fingers nervously through his hair. The problem? It was already summer, and every college that had accepted Ben for...
Fewer Screens * More Cheerful Chores * Happier Summer
Carol kicked off her work shoes and put them away in the front hall closet. "Hi, kids! I'm home!" She called out. It'd been an extremely long workday for Carol, and the commute home had been long and sweaty due to heavy road construction and her car air conditioning...
About
Hi, I’m Jeannie Burlowski.
I am a full-time academic strategist, conference speaker, and author of the book “LAUNCH: How to Get Your Kids Through College Debt-Free and Into Jobs They Love Afterward.”
My writing and speaking provide parents a clear, step-by-step checklist so they can set their kids up to succeed brilliantly in college, graduate debt-free, and move directly into careers they excel at and love.
For more than 20 years, I’ve helped students apply to highly competitive law, medical, business, and grad schools. I still do that from my website GetIntoMedSchool.com.
I am married, and my husband and I have a son and a daughter. We live in Minneapolis.
Hi, I'm Jeannie Burlowski.
My background as an academic strategist provides ideal foundation for me to help parents of kids ages 12–26 set those kids up to graduate college debt-free, ready to jump directly into careers they excel at and love.
I do this primarily through my book LAUNCH: How to Get Your Kids Through College Debt-Free and Into Jobs They Love Afterward. LAUNCH provides parents clear, step-by-step instructions for this journey.
Regular readers of my free email newsletter get additional help from me. Gentle reminding about what to do when, and first access to my live and online sessions, strategy updates, and TRIBE Membership.
My team and I are leading a debt-free college revolution. We hope you'll join us!
Hi, I'm Jeannie Burlowski.
My background as an academic strategist provides ideal foundation for me to help parents of kids ages 12–26 set those kids up to graduate college debt-free, ready to jump directly into careers they excel at and love.
I do this primarily through my book LAUNCH: How to Get Your Kids Through College Debt-Free and Into Jobs They Love Afterward. LAUNCH provides parents clear, step-by-step instructions for this journey.
Regular readers of my free email newsletter get additional help from me. Gentle reminding about what to do when, and first access to my live and online sessions, strategy updates, and TRIBE membership.