College Ready parent Rocky Dendo shares what his family learned about starting the college planning process early, staying organized, and navigating applications with less overwhelm. Hear his perspective on what helped his daughter build a stronger application, and what he wishes more parents knew before senior year.
College admissions have changed dramatically, and for many parents, figuring out where to begin can be one of the hardest parts.
In this episode of Parents: Is Your Teen College Ready?, Shellee Howard talks with College Ready parent Rocky Dendo about his family’s experience navigating the college application process.
Rocky’s family began working with College Ready in January 2023. He shares how having a structured plan helped his daughter stay organized, work ahead of deadlines, strengthen her essays and activities list, and identify meaningful opportunities that supported her interests.
They also discuss how the process helped his daughter develop skills that extend beyond college admissions—including time management, prioritization, responsibility, and independence.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
• Why the modern college application process can feel so overwhelming
• The value of beginning college planning before senior year
• How meaningful extracurriculars, service, and leadership can strengthen a student’s story
• Why identifying a genuine interest can help students make more intentional choices
• How organization and accountability can reduce application-season stress
• The importance of starting essays and applications well before the deadline
• How thoughtful feedback can strengthen essays and activities lists
• Why high school counselors may not have the capacity to provide individualized college-planning support
• How the college planning process can help students become more independent and college-ready
• Rocky’s advice to parents who are just beginning the process
Rocky also shares some of the results his daughter had received at the time of the conversation, including college acceptances and partial scholarship offers, and why his family felt confident about the applications they submitted.
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