Before Your Teen Applies to College, Listen to This with Deb Schoeneshoefer
Guest name: Deborah Schoeneshoefer
Business name: Your Teen Is Headed to College!
The college process can feel overwhelming fast—especially when parents don't know what they should be doing, what their teen should be handling, or how much college is actually going to cost.
In this episode, I sit down with local author and education grant writer Deborah Schoeneshoefer, author of Your Teen Is Headed to College!, to break down what parents really need to know before their teen starts applying to college.
After navigating the college search and application process with her own two children, Deb realized there wasn’t one comprehensive resource that walked parents through the entire journey. So she took what she does best—researching, synthesizing information, and making complicated topics easier to understand—and created the parent playbook she wished she’d had.
Throughout this conversation, we talk about preparing for college before senior year, understanding the true cost of attendance, finding schools that are the right academic and financial fit, and helping your teen take ownership of one of the first major decisions of their adult life. We also talk about something that can easily get lost in applications, deadlines, and financial decisions—protecting your relationship with your teen and actually enjoying their senior year.
In this episode, we cover:
When families should start talking about college
How to build a realistic college target list
Why the sticker price of a college doesn't always tell the whole story
Understanding financial aid, merit scholarships, and the true cost of attendance
How choosing the right schools strategically could save families thousands of dollars
What parents should handle and what teens should do themselves
How to support your teen without taking over the process
College visits and what families should actually look for
Why finding the right fit matters more than trying to build the “perfect” college application
How to reduce stress and conflict during senior year
Why parents should slow down and enjoy this season, too
Whether you have a freshman who is just beginning to think about college, a junior preparing for application season, or a senior already in the middle of it, this episode is packed with practical advice to help your family feel more informed, prepared, and confident about the road ahead.
This episode is your reminder that this is your teen’s future and their college search. Your job as a parent is to help provide the foundation, guidance, and support that allows them to take ownership of what comes next.
Connect with Deborah Schoeneshoefer:
Amazon: Your Teen Is Headed to College!: The Senior Year Parent Playbook: Step-by-Step from College List to Acceptance