A Calm Launch to College

Navigating the First Year of College

After speaking with several students and families about their transition to college, I realized something was missing. Students felt ready for college, meaning they were academically strong and had outgrown their high school. However, they did not seem to understand how different college is from high school. Many felt under-prepared and overwhelmed in the first semester. It got me thinking. What do students really need to be successful in their first year of college? What changes do they go through? What challenges do they face?

Book your free consultation with Jenny here.

Jenny Dumas

Through my research and experiences, I determined that students may struggle in any of the following areas:

  • Building meaningful relationships from the start
  • Adapting to dorm living and acclimating to a new environment
  • Managing time and staying organized
  • Meeting the pace and expectations of their classes
  • Building connections to lay the foundation for their future career

Most of the resources students need are on campus, but they are not accessing them.

Check out this new video “From Acceptance to Arrival” a discussion with our College Launch Specialist Jenny Dumas and Kristin Stent, a psychologist focused on life transitions.

I developed a Calm Launch to College to support first-year students in planning and navigating their transition to college. The first year can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be if you have a trusted advisor to help you develop a plan and make thoughtful decisions based on your goals. My personalized coaching helps students will adjust to the new college culture both socially & academically. Student will learn how to advocate for themselves, be confident in their decisions & take advantage of opportunities.

Here is how we support the transition to college through 1-on-1 coaching:

  • Create an academic plan based on student’s academic interests
  • Identify 2-3 activities on campus to integrate into their first year
  • Help students understand the hidden curriculum of college life
  • Create time management systems to build on strong academic habits
  • Build meaningful connections with peers and professors

Mid-Year Support

We also understand students may think they have it all together until there is a problem. One of our goals is to meet students where they are, even if that occurs in the middle of their first quarter or semester.

We also help with:

  • The college transfer process
  • Creating an academic success plan & building executive functioning skills
  • Identifying the best supports & resources for students on campus

Most of the resources students need are on campus, but they are not accessing them.

Calm Launch
One thing none of us expected was how homesick she would be during those first few weeks of school. Having already talked through what to expect with Jenny made a huge difference. Instead of feeling like something was wrong, she understood that what she was experiencing was normal and temporary. She also knew she had someone she could reach out to who understood, and who could always provide compassionate advice. Because of that support, she was able to move through the homesickness much more quickly, put herself out there, get involved on campus, and really embrace her new college community.” Parent of a UCSB rising sophomore.
Calm Launch

Want to learn more? Book your free 30-minute consultation here.

A Calm Launch to College includes:

  • Initial family meeting
  • 3 summer meetings to discuss the transition to college life and set expectations
  • 30-60 minute Zoom check-ins with student bi-monthly, with optional drop-in hours
  • Mid-semester parent check-in
  • Monthly newsletter with resources & checklists