Whoa! Slow Down on Applying for Scholarships!
I recently read an article by a well-meaning man pushing kids to apply for more college scholarships. "Give up all your free time!" he said. "Come home every day and put in an hour or two applying for scholarships!" This sounds good in theory, but in reality--no kid...
Life-Changing, Entertaining Book For Students Ages 18–29
The 20s are a critically important time of life. Young men and women who maximize their 20s tend to have far better lives than those who don't. I know this, because I've read the book The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter—And How to Make the Most of Them...
Why Your Kid Shouldn’t Take a Car to College
One of the best money-saving ideas I suggest for college students is, "Don't take a car to college." Most college campuses provide easy access to safe public transportation—and when a student really needs a car she can always call Uber. (Anyone, anywhere, can use this...
What Should Students Eat Before Testing?
If you're about to take the SAT or the ACT—or a big test for a class—or the LSAT, MCAT, GMAT, or GRE exam—and you just want fast advice on what to eat before testing, zoom to the numbered points below. It was my happiest phone call of the day. "Guess what!?!" said the...
“Push Your Kid into Electrical Engineering!” (Really?)
Recently, I was contacted by a freelance writer hoping to guest post on my blog. Her article was essentially a long list of reasons why electrical engineering is a great career for students to consider. The writer provided several great reasons for students to...
In Just 5 Minutes — Change Your Future Grandchildren’s Lives
This article on changing your future grandchildren's lives was updated on November 20th, 2025. Recently, I climbed a mountain in Zion National Park. My husband, the avid hiker, gave me a set of hiking poles and these instructions: "When you start to feel exhausted,"...
5 Reasons “T-Shaped” is Better Than Well-Rounded
From the time students are in middle school, they're told the big lie. That colleges and grad schools are looking for students who are "well-rounded." "Don't commit too deeply to any one thing," well-meaning parents and college counselors tell students. "Instead, do a...
What to Do and What to ASK On a College Visit
Read on, and you'll get instant access to my free, printable list of all the best questions to ask on a college visit. A college visit can occur at any time during middle school or high school. The most common time for students and parents to do a college visit,...
My Best, Funniest Parenting Tip
In this short post, I'm going to share my best, funniest parenting tip. This one makes me laugh just thinking about it. What do you do when your normally good kid turns sassy or disrespectful, or makes a deliberate choice that's against family rules? My mom used to...
Two Extra Years in College Could Cost Your Kid $300,000
When you imagine your daughter's future, you probably don't envision her spending extra years in college. Yet, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, only 40% of college students earn their bachelor's degrees in four years. And only 60% of college...
17 College Majors That Put Kids On the Path to Underemployment
Forbes has published a list of 17 college majors that carry high underemployment rates. Grads in these degree fields find it hard to get the jobs they went to school for. They tend to make less money than they should be making, and a lot of them live with this...
“Can I Take a Full Load of College Classes in High School and Still Have a Full ‘High School Experience’?”
A 10th grader writes to tell me that his parents are worried that if he takes dual enrollment college classes in high school, he might be prevented from having "the full high school experience." Here's his email to me: "Jeannie, I know you strongly recommend dual...
Must-Listen 9-Minute Dave Ramsey Rant Against Student Loan Debt
I love Dave Ramsey's video rant about student loan debt, which you can watch at the link I've provided below. (Listen for my favorite Dave line in this rant: "I missed where the lady got helped.") If you've got 9 minutes to listen to this while getting ready for work...
Can’t Save For College? It’s OK, Mommy. Try This
I'm excited to be guest posting on the blog of Mommy blogger Julie Hoag this week. Julie blogs about motherhood, family, and faith with a focus on moms raising kids ages birth–13. When Julie asked me what her moms need to know about setting kids up to graduate college...
5 Strategies For Getting Hired Right Out of College
Parents love the idea of their 20-something kids getting hired right out of college. Preferably into well-paying jobs that use all the knowledge these kids have amassed during college. Many parents are dismayed, though, when they find out that colleges don't actually...
7 Criteria To Decide: Should Your Healthy 20-Something Kids Live With You?
So, your 20-something daughter wants to live at home in her childhood bedroom. Should you happily say yes and make a plate of warm cookies to welcome her back? Or could this put you (and your child) in a bad spot? I’ve written before about loving mothers and...
Teen Constantly Angry? It Could be “Launch Anxiety.”
15-year-old Luke had been in a dark, angry mood all day long, starting from the moment his mother wished him a cheerful, "Good morning!" and set hot scrambled eggs and a fresh hot caramel roll in front of him at the breakfast table. Luke ate in broody silence, and his...
Ordinary Students—Extraordinary Financial Aid
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 filling out financial aid forms is even worth your...
Could Your Kid’s College Texting Habit Cost You $28,000?
Quick. Picture your son sitting in a college class. Got that picture in your mind? Let me guess what you just imagined. You pictured him absorbed in his college lecture. You pictured him paying close attention to every word the professor is saying. You pictured him...
Social Security Checks Garnished to Pay for College
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. Could you one day have your Social Security checks garnished to pay for your...
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.