Who Should Plan for a ‘13th Year’ or Other Alternative to College?

As a college admissions advisor, my job is to help high school students find their best fit colleges. But sometimes the best fit college might not be college. That ’13th Year’ might be something else, where other experts need to help. Dr. Teri Solochek, PhD, partner in the SC Group in the Los Angeles area, is one. Teri and I had a very nice conversation. We invite you to listen in.

Teri will tell you that there are many reasons that high school students, and sometimes college students, seek a break from conventional schooling. I visit colleges in my work. But Teri also visits private day schools, boarding schools and therapeutic programs. She has presented at specialized webinars on topics such as testing, anxiety, navigating transitions from therapeutic programs, and preparing teens to launch. As I work to find best fit colleges, Teri tries to find the best situations to fit uniqueness and talents

Over a period of more than 35 years Teri has worked with thousands of children, adolescents and young adults. Please listen to this conversation. Teri will cover answers to several questions, such as:

• Who might benefit from a 13th Year versus a traditional journey from high school to college?
• Aside from ‘gap years’ which have gained popularity, what other options are available to someone who is not ready for college?
• Have students opted not to go to college after the ‘13th Year’?

This is a conversation that you are not likely to hear on other college sites. But it is a necessary one to put out there. It comes at a time when rising high school seniors incoming college freshmen, sophomores and juniors are uncertain about their upcoming educational experience. Decisions to bring students into unprecedented on-campus living situations or asking them to learn online relate closely to Teri’s work as well as mine. Our jobs, while different, exist to help young people and their parents to navigate uncertainty. 

Need help on the journey to college? Contact me at stuart@educatedquest.com or call me at 609-406-0062.

Want to know more about me? Check out these podcasts!

Listen to my talk, College Is A Learning AND Living Community, hosted by Dr. Cynthia Colon from Destination YOUniversity on Voice of America Radio!

Listen to my talk, What Exactly Is a Good College? hosted by test-prep experts Amy Seeley and Mike Bergin on Tests And The Rest!

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