Laura Barr is a high-level college consultant and the Founder and CEO of Emerging Consulting, where she helps students and families navigate the college process with clarity, strategy, and purpose.

With a background in student-centered coaching, Laura brings a unique perspective to college planning. Her work is grounded in a simple yet powerful mission: to help raise and launch good humans through the power of education.

In this episode, Laura breaks down how the college application process is about much more than getting accepted. It is one of the first real-world opportunities students have to develop executive function skills like planning, time management, organization, and self-advocacy.

We cover:

🗓️Why the college process should be treated like a long-term project, not a last-minute task

👪How parents can support without overstepping, and when to step back

🎓What students with ADHD and executive function challenges need to succeed in college

🏫How to build independence before stepping onto campus

📃What actually matters when choosing the right college

If you are a parent of a high school student or a student preparing for college, this episode will give you a clearer framework for approaching the process in a way that builds real-life skills, not just outcomes. Learn more about Laura Barr and her work: emergingconsulting.com/

(https://www.emergingconsulting.com/) laurabarr@emergingconsulting.com

Resources From Emerging

Download the Free Getting Ready to Launch Guide — includes a College Application Timeline for every grade level
Explore Our College Consulting Services — learn how Emerging guides families through the full process
Academic Services — mentored research projects and internship matching to help students build the experiences that stand out
Work With Us — if this conversation sparked questions, we'd love to learn about your student

Keywords

college career readiness, AI and the job market, college career services, freshman year college prep, high school career planning, what employers want, CU Boulder, Leeds School of Business, college admissions advice, college consulting, Emerging Consulting