Show Notes

EPISODE SUMMARY

My guest today is Grace Yi, who recently completed her freshman year at Boston College. During high school, Grace had a lot of stress and anxiety when it came to assessing her social fit on campus and where she should apply. In this episode, she shares how she overcame her doubts and offers advice and encouragement for you and your teen. This episode is the second of a four-part series on building your teen’s best-fit college list.

EPISODE NOTES

When looking for a college that will be a good fit, there are certain things to keep in mind that will be non-negotiable. Is it a good fit academically? Financially? How does it fit your teen’s chosen career path? But what about social needs? As we work through this series on building your teen’s unique college list, we’re going to explore how to find a social fit both before and after college life begins.

I loved getting Grace’s perspective on what college social life can be like. So often, our high schoolers get overwhelmed with all the things they need to be doing in order to be the right fit for their school. Often, classes and extracurriculars are chosen based on how they will fit into what schools are looking for. But Grace reminds us that a school should fit you as well. Social life should be fun, and it’s okay to experiment with different clubs and activities. 

I’ve known Grace and her family since she was in high school, and her journey hasn’t always been an easy one. I’m so excited to be able to catch up with her now that she is on the other side, with a full year of college already behind her. We talk about some of the things she thought would be important to her that now are not such a big deal and some things she never expected.

So as you’re making your college list, don’t forget about social fit. We can get so caught up in academic and financial standards that it can be easy to overlook what a college can offer socially. Take some time to find out about the social opportunities that are available on campus, whether it be sports, clubs, Greek life (or lack of it), student groups, proximity to town or a city, etc.

I hope you enjoy this second installment in our series on creating your college list.

Highlights 

• How your teen can overcome a fixed, rigid mindset 
• Social considerations for your college list
• The benefits of a Gap Year
• What your teen can do once on campus to find their fit

Meet Our Guest

Grace Yi is a Cincinnati native and a graduate of Saint Ursula Academy. After embracing a gap year, she’s found her home away from home at Boston College and living her best life. 

Listen on…the Flourish Site, Spotify, Apple, Google, Amazon Music, Stitcher, or your favorite platform. 

“College & Career Clarity with Lisa is so helpful!”  ← Is that you? If so, please consider rating and reviewing my show so I can resource more families and eliminate overwhelm. Thank you!!

Links mentioned in this episode

Episode: The Many Advantages of a Gap Year

Boston College

Saint Ursula Academy Cincinnati 

Launch College & Career Clarity Course

Launch College and Career Clarity Facebook Community

Timeline

[4:07] Grace defines what social fit on a college campus means to her.

[6:07] What worked and didn’t work for Grace during her college bound journey.

[10:04] Because she was set to start college in 2020 during the pandemic, Grace decided to take a year off.

[11:56] How Grace found her way on campus and what she’s gotten involved with.

[12:56] Less is more when it comes to activities on campus. Don’t spread yourself too thin.

[15:59] Don’t get overwhelmed by all the options. Feel free to explore without committing. It’s supposed to be fun!

[17:09] Grace tells us how she got onto the rowing team.

[21:30] The process Grace took starting a mindfulness club on campus.

[24:26] Remember, it’s about what you want, not just what your school wants from you.

[26:26] College bound weekly challenge: what does social fit mean to your teen? Come up with two or three values to define this.

Access the episode transcript here.