Save money on college just by opening your email
Moms of high school juniors, this is your warning. You are currently in the calm before the storm. Right now, you may still have a kid who sleeps in their own bed, eats snacks from your pantry, and pretends they don’t know what the SAT stands for.
Enjoy it. Because change is coming.
Soon, you will enter The College Admissions Zone. This is a special place where time speeds up, emails multiply like rabbits, and you suddenly find yourself googling terms like “holistic review” and “early decision vs. early action” at 2 a.m.
And just when you think you have a grip on it all, your junior will utter these fateful words:
“I’ve got plenty of time.”
And that’s when the real fun begins.
Step 1: The Application Awakening
Right now, your junior is blissfully unaware that college applications open in August. And why should they be? Summer still feels like a lifetime away, and they are currently more focused on who is going to prom than where they’ll be in 18 months.
But you? You see the future. You know that once senior year hits, the deadlines will come at you like a rabid pack of squirrels.
So, like a good mom, you bring it up casually at dinner:
You: “Hey, have you thought about where you want to apply?”
Your Junior: Shrugs. “Yeah, kinda.”
You: “Great! Where?”
Your Junior: Looks off into the distance like they’re starring in a coming-of-age movie. “I dunno. Somewhere cool.”
And thus, it begins.
Step 2: Campus Tours and The Great Migration
This summer, you’ll embark on a time-honored tradition: The College Road Trip.
This involves:
✔️ Walking 10,000 steps a day in 100-degree heat while your child decides they don’t like the vibe of a campus.
✔️ Attending info sessions where an overly enthusiastic admissions rep uses phrases like “transformational experience” and “holistic approach.”
✔️ Trying to gauge if they’ll actually be happy there while also calculating how much this will cost you over four years.
Pro Tip: If your junior gets excited about dining hall Chick-fil-A, just let them have their moment.
Step 3: The Essay Saga
In theory, writing a college essay shouldn’t be hard. After all, your child has spent years writing essays on The Great Gatsby and Shakespearean themes.
But when you ask them to write one essay about themselves? Suddenly, it’s impossible.
Expect to hear:
📝 “I don’t have a story.”
📝 “I’ve literally never done anything interesting.”
📝 “Can’t I just say I’m a hard worker and leave it at that?”
This is when you will go into full “Mom Research Mode” and start suggesting ideas based on every achievement, challenge, or mildly interesting moment of their lives.
Them: “I don’t know what to write about.”
You: “Remember when you helped your neighbor carry groceries in third grade? That showed character.”
Stay strong. Eventually, an essay will be written. And it will be shockingly good considering it took six weeks, 20 drafts, and one minor meltdown to get there.
Step 4: The FAFSA (a.k.a. Where Dreams and Bank Accounts Collide)
At some point, you’ll hear whispers of a magical document that determines how much money your child will get for college.
This is the FAFSA.
You will fill it out, hit submit, and then gasp dramatically when you see what the government thinks you can afford.
According to FAFSA math, you are a billionaire.
According to your actual bank account, you are not.
Welcome to the world of scholarships, financial aid, and the realization that in-state tuition isn’t looking so bad after all. This is where Imagine Scholarships can help !
Step 5: The Waiting Game
After all the applications are in, you wait.
Somewhere, in a dimly lit admissions office, a team of strangers is deciding your child’s fate.
You’ll check the mailbox like it’s 1998, refresh portals like a stock trader, and then, one day, an email will arrive.
And whether it’s an acceptance, a rejection, or a “we need more information” letter, you’ll realize that this is it.
Your child is about to launch into the next phase of their life. And you? You’ll be right there with them, cheering, crying, and possibly drinking wine straight from the bottle.
Because this isn’t just their transition—it’s yours too.
So buckle up, moms. The ride is about to begin.
Survival Kit for Moms of Rising Seniors
📝 The Ultimate Planner – Keep track of deadlines, essays, and not losing your mind.
🚗 Comfy Walking Shoes for Campus Tours – Because your junior will act like walking five miles is totally normal.
☕ My favorite Cinnamon tea – For those early morning drives to SAT test centers.
📖 Cash for College Course – So you can save money and use creative ways to pay for college.
🍷 Chocolate – Because self-care matters.
Moms, you’ve got this. The next year will be a whirlwind, but when your kid walks across that graduation stage, you’ll realize every stress-filled moment was worth it.
And then? We start all over again with dorm shopping.
Cheers to the journey! 🍷