Smart College Choices
A Workshop for Students & Parents
Learn and Use the
Art of Strategic Thinking to
find the college you want and
persuade them to want you.
Think deeply about what you want in a college.
Then apply to a wide range of schools that would be a good fit for you.
Eric Tipler
Finding the Right College
Need not Be a Royal Pain
Or Break the Bank
Learn how to tell your mind to
- find the best fit for you,
- craft a good application, and
- make the finances work.
The College Search
Confusion, Stress, & Conflict
The Student Feels . . .
-
Overwhelmed by thousands of choices and conflicting advice.
-
Pressured by rankings, peer expectations, and parental hopes.
-
Unsure how to translate their dreams into a practical plan.
-
Frustrated trying to explain what they really want.
The Parent Feels . . .
-
Anxious about the huge financial investment and potential debt.
-
Worried their child might choose a college for the wrong reasons.
-
Confused by the complex world of applications and financial aid.
-
Struggling to connect with their child on this high-stakes decision.
A Smarter Way
In this workshop, your family will get a shared language and a proven strategy for navigating the entire college process as a collaborative team.
Turn chaos into clarity and conflict into connection.
What's In It For Students?
-
Discover what you really want in a college;
-
Begin learning the art of strategic thinking;
- Cut through the noise, hype, and frenzy; and
-
Persuade the college you want to want you.
What's In It For Parents?
-
Gain a structured, stress-free way to discuss the college decision together,
-
Ensure you are both working towards the same goals.
-
Help your child find a great education at a college you can afford.
You'll Learn How To
- Understand and use your remarkable mind
- Clarify what you really want in a college
- Think backwards from the vision to the plan
- Gather relevant and reliable evidence
- Establish evaluation criteria
- Understand the interests of the college
- Develop options that satisfy your interests
- Weigh tradeoffs among alternatives
- Use AI tools properly and ethically
- Prepare for and conduct your campus visits
- Choose the College that’s Right for You!
You Will Be Able To . . .
- Gain Clarity and Control Over the Process
- Overcome confusion and anxiety
- Trust your own judgment
- Reduce “buyer’s remorse”
- Become confident about big decisions
- Create a smarter college list
- Craft a more compelling and authentic application
- Navigate family conversations about college
- Ace college interviews and visits
- Develop greater resilience and self-reliance
Get Our eBook for only $1
Getting the Facts About College is a comprehensive, annotated list of books, websites, and service providers who can help you find, select, apply to, and get into the right college for you.
Find books and resources on
- The admissions process overall
- The application process
- Writing the personal essay
- Financial aid and scholarships
- Private consulting and coaching
- Test preparation and academic support
- College visits
- Professional Organizations and other resources
- Government resources
This guide will help you find your way through a maize of resources.
Save time.
Don't worry about missing a helpful book or online resource.
Get the book now for only $1.
Click the button to hear Kate and Ken take a deep dive on strategic thinking.
"Strategic thinking is a process of telling your mind what you want it to do and then making sure that it does what it's told." --Mike Palmer
About the Money
Overcome the Confusion
Even low-cost 4-year colleges cost a lot of money. But if they want you (and most do), you can negotiate deals to decrease the lifetime costs significantly. You need to be prepared to make the best deal for you and your future self.
In this workshop, we show you how to do that.
What's Covered in the Workshop?
- Morning Session
- Mindset & Strategy Kick-off: A facilitated discussion on the mental challenges of the college search and an introduction to the art of strategic thinking.
- The Family Decision Scorecard
- Afternoon Session
- How to Use AI Responsibly
- Negotiating the Best Financial Aid Package
Downloadable books and worksheets (in Excel and pdf formats)
- Getting the Facts About College (eBook)
- Family Decision Scorecard
- Campus Visit Planning and Evaluation Worksheet
- Helpful prompts for AI tools
- Financial Aid Letter Comparison Worksheet
eBook version of Smart College Choices
(complete text and audio track of the course videos)
Certificate of Completion
About Mike Palmer
• Doctorate in philosophy & social sciences from the Free University of Berlin
• Law degree from Georgetown University
• Certificates in negotiation and mediation from Harvard Law School
• Practiced law for 25 years, first with Jenner & Block and then as head of his own firm in Vermont
• Extensive teaching experience across multiple disciplines including philosophy, logic, conflict management, ethics, negotiation, and dispute resolution
• Has taught diverse audiences including college students, business professionals, and practicing lawyers
• Author of books and articles on professional ethics and dispute resolution
Next Workshop is on September 6
Join us in bucolic Middlebury for the next edition of
Smart College Choices.
The Full Workshop for both student and parents is only $950 $380
An Investment in Your Child's Future, at an Unbeatable Price
Strategic thinking is one of the most valuable skills you can develop. This course is an investment that will pay dividends throughout college and beyond, enabling better decisions, reducing stress, and building well-founded confidence.
The standard price for this course is $950.
For a limited time, we are making this transformative course available at a 60% discount of only $380.
College prep companies charge $595 to $3,595 and more for help with the application process.
Smart College Choices Workshop is a one-day workshop with 4 sections and includes access to the recorded video presentations, quizzes, eBooks, and workbooks to help confirm and consolidate learning for both student and parents.
The workshop is limited to 12 students and their parents.
We expect this cohort to fill quickly.
Reserve your spot now with a deposit of $190.
Overview
100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
Our No Risk Offer
If you're not satisfied, neither are we.
If you want your money back after completing the first Module on How Your Marvelous (and Unruly) Mind Works, just let us know by phone or email.
And we'll refund your payment.
No questions asked.
Can't Make this Cohort?
Let us know if you'd like to participate but a conflict prevents your joining this cohort. We'll reserve a spot for the next offering. And we can get you started with the video course as well. Just complete the form on the right.
Contact Us
Let your friends know about this unique opportunity. They will be glad you did. Tell them to let us know they heard it from you, and you both will get a 10% discount on the course.