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Customized College Application Support

Sometimes your teen needs help. They just don't want it from you.

You know they're capable. But college applications get pushed off, reminders become arguments, and somehow you've become the project manager for a process that is supposed to belong to them.

ForwardReady® U gives your teen another trusted adult in their corner. We help them make a plan, tell their story, and actually follow through — without turning you into the deadline police.

We don't expect your teen to adapt to college counseling. We adapt college counseling to your teen.

Book a Free 15-Minute Fit Call See How We Work

Online college application coaching for students nationwide. ADHD and neurodivergent-friendly. No diagnosis required.

Maisie Lynch working with students

Less managing from you. More ownership from them.

The College Application Standoff

You want to help. They want you to back off.

When every question about college starts to feel loaded, the application process can become a family stressor instead of your teen's next step.

You: "Have you started your Common App essay?"
Your teen: "I KNOW."
You: "I'm just trying to help."
Your teen: "I'll do it."
Three days later: It still isn't done.

You don't have to be the parent, college counselor, deadline tracker, motivational coach, and essay editor all at once. Hand us some of the stressful parts.

How We Work With Teens

We start by getting to know your kid.

College counseling works better when your teen actually trusts the person helping them.

We're educators who have spent decades working with teenagers — including students who are overwhelmed, skeptical, anxious, distracted, independent, resistant, or simply tired of adults telling them what they should be doing.

The relationship develops while we do the work. We might be building a college list, starting an essay, sorting deadlines, or tackling the task they've been avoiding while we're also learning how your teen thinks, communicates, gets stuck, and moves forward.

Talk it through
Walk & talk
Work side-by-side
Meet virtually

We connect quickly enough that teenagers let us help — and then we use that connection to get the work done.

A Different Kind of College Coaching

Connection first. Progress starts right away.

The goal isn't just a better plan. It's helping your teen actually engage with the plan and follow through.

1

Connect + Get Moving

We start on real application work while learning how your teen thinks, communicates, makes decisions, and gets unstuck.

2

Build the Right Plan

We turn the college process into realistic next steps and build around fit, goals, support needs, finances, interests, and real life.

3

Help Them Follow Through

We provide feedback, troubleshoot what's getting in the way, and offer accountability from someone who isn't their parent.

College Application Support

From "Where do I even start?" to submitted.

Practical help through the actual college application process — tailored to the student in front of us.

✓

College Lists That Actually Fit

We look beyond rankings to academics, size, location, cost, culture, support, opportunities, and where your teen is likely to thrive.

✓

Application Planning

Organize deadlines, requirements, recommendations, testing, activities, financial-aid steps, and what needs to happen next.

✓

College Essays

Brainstorm, organize, revise, and strengthen authentic essays while keeping your teen's voice firmly theirs.

✓

Executive-Function Support

Break tasks down, prioritize, start, manage time, organize, and recover when something gets off track.

✓

Accountability Without Shame

Someone besides a parent checks in, helps troubleshoot, and keeps the next step moving.

✓

Parent Relief + Visibility

Know what's happening without being responsible for every reminder, deadline, draft, and decision.

ADHD & Neurodivergent-Friendly College Support

Built for brains that don't always move in a straight line.

College applications are essentially an executive-function obstacle course: planning, writing, deciding, organizing, initiating tasks, managing deadlines, and following through.

We adjust the process to the student. That might mean smaller steps, external deadlines, talking through decisions, working alongside them while they start, or figuring out what's making a task feel impossible in the first place.

No diagnosis is required. If your teen is capable but stuck, overwhelmed, avoidant, disorganized, or unsure where to begin, this approach may work well for them.

What Families Say

Support that connects with teenagers.

★★★★★
"Maisie helped my son explore his interests so that he could find extracurricular activities he would enjoy. She has a knack for connecting with teenagers in a way that is supportive and motivating."
Kate F. · Parent
★★★★★
"Throughout this course, all the questions that I had about college and the steps it took to apply were answered in full. Maisie guided me through the process. This course helped me get accepted to my dream college."
Sasha L. · Class of 2026
★★★★★
"Working with Maisie Lynch made my college application season more manageable. She helped me stay organized, revise essays, and highlight my strengths while remaining authentic to myself."
Aliya S. · Class of 2026
Meet the Team Behind ForwardReady® U

Professional expertise. Lived experience. Decades of working with teens.

We're educators first — with experience across college and career counseling, executive-function support, writing, special education, and neurodiversity.


Maisie Lynch, CCSP, NBCT, PMP

Founder & CEO
College Counselor · Career Counselor · Project Management Professional · National Board Certified Teacher

Maisie brings more than 20 years of experience as a public high school educator, including a decade leading college and career readiness programming. Her background also includes special education, professional coaching, executive-function support, work-based learning, and adjunct college teaching.

Her particular strength is connecting with teenagers — especially capable students who shut down when adults push too hard or want independence before they completely know how to manage it.

Learn more about Maisie →

Nulty Lynch, CCSP

Autism & Neurodiversity Consultant
English & ESOL Department Chair · Certified Teacher · Certified Autism Specialist · Career Counselor

Nulty brings more than a decade of experience as an English and ESOL Department Chair, with expertise in literacy, writing, curriculum, student voice, career development, and inclusive education.

As an adult-diagnosed autistic educator, he combines professional and lived experience to help shape support that values autonomy, clarity, strengths, self-advocacy, and authentic student voice.

Introducing The YOUprint Method

Your story. Your voice. Your YOUprint.

You don't need an extraordinary story to write a meaningful college essay.

Many students think they need one big, life-changing moment. We start somewhere different: who you are and the everyday experiences that show it.

Our student-centered approach helps teens discover character strengths and find meaningful evidence for an essay that sounds like them — whether they focus on one story or several experiences.

Your identity is the blueprint. Your experiences are the evidence.

Curious about The YOUprint Method? See how it works  ▾

The P.R.I.N.T. process provides a flexible roadmap rather than a one-size-fits-all essay formula.

  1. Pinpoint: Explore your qualities and values.
  2. Recall: Find real experiences that bring them to life.
  3. Interpret: See what those moments reveal about you.
  4. Narrate: Write around a meaningful story or a defining character strength supported by evidence.
  5. Tune: Revise while protecting your authentic voice.

The student writes the essay; we guide the process. Explore one-on-one essay coaching →

Choose the Right Kind of Help

Three ways to get started. Pick the one that's right for your teen.

Start with a free planning tool, get focused help with the personal essay, or, work with a coach through the whole college application process. Don't see a package that fits? We can customize one for your teen's needs.

CAPReady U App

Do It Yourself, With a Roadmap

Free

Best for: Students who want to stay organized and move through applications at their own pace.

Step-by-step checklists, tasks, deadlines, resources, and progress tracking in one place. Optional paid features are available in the app.

CAPReady U App
Download Our Free App

College Essay Coaching

Your Story. Your Voice. Your YOUprint.

$1,495

One Strong Personal Statement · Up to 6 hours of one-on-one coaching.

You don't need an extraordinary story. You need an essay that shows who you are.

Best for: Students who aren't sure what to write about, are struggling to begin, or need help making their essay sound authentically like them.

Using The YOUprint Method, students explore their character strengths, recall meaningful experiences, and shape an essay around one strong story or a defining quality supported by real-life evidence.

Get a free YOUprint worksheet →

See what's included 

From blank page to polished personal statement: up to six total hours of personalized one-on-one coaching for one main college essay.

  • Guided self-discovery, identifying values and character strengths.
  • Brainstorming and gathering authentic experiences as evidence.
  • Selecting an essay direction and developing a clear outline.
  • Writing guidance, individualized draft feedback, and revision support.
  • Final review for organization, clarity, voice, and impact.

Coaching is adapted to the student, including smaller steps and executive-function support when helpful. The student writes the essay; we coach the process.

One main personal statement is included. Work beyond the six included hours, including supplemental essays, can be arranged separately at the package-client rate of $199/hour.

Talk About Essay Coaching

Guided College Coaching

Personalized Planning + Accountability

$2,750

12 weeks · One 45-60 minute check-in each week.

Best for: Students who want a trusted adult alongside them for more than just the essay.

12 weeks of support with one 45-60 minute check-in each week, plus a personalized application plan, college-list guidance, essay review & feedback, deadline organization, and help following through.

See what's included 

Over a 12-week coaching period, students receive one scheduled 45–60 minute check-in per week, focused on planning, progress, questions, and next steps.

We also help them break tasks into manageable steps and navigate challenges as they arise.

Additional coaching or essay work outside the package scope is available at the package-client rate of $199/hour. Specific deliverables and essay-review limits are confirmed during the fit call.

Book a Free Fit Call

Just need help with one thing? Flexible one-on-one coaching is available at $249/hour, or $199/hour for families who purchase a package. Not sure which option makes sense or need a different package? Book a free 15-minute fit call.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before you hand over the college reminder job...

Is ForwardReady® U only for students with ADHD?

No. Our approach is intentionally ADHD and neurodivergent-friendly, but no diagnosis is required. It works especially well for capable students who need more structure, flexibility, accountability, organization, or help getting started.

What if deadlines are already coming up?

We start with the work that matters most. Getting to know your teen and getting things done happen at the same time, so we're not spending weeks building rapport before opening the Common App or working on an essay.

What if my teen doesn't want help from me?

That's one of the main reasons families come to us. Many teenagers want independence while still benefiting from guidance. Another trusted adult can reduce the emotional charge around deadlines and let you step out of the daily reminder role.

Do you write college essays for students?

No. Students remain the authors of their application materials. We help them find the story, talk through ideas, organize their thinking, revise drafts, strengthen structure, and preserve their authentic voice.

Will I know whether my teen is actually doing the work?

Yes. The work is teen-centered, but parents receive appropriate visibility into progress. The goal is to keep you informed without making you responsible for managing every task.

Looking for Something Else?

ForwardReady® U does more than college applications.

Our work also includes career development, education, workforce development, training, consulting, curriculum, and partnership projects.

Want to Know More About Maisie?

Visit Maisie's professional portfolio for her experience, publications, presentations, and work across education and career development.

Visit Maisie's Portfolio

Training, Consulting, or Partnership Work?

ForwardReady® U works with schools, organizations, agencies, community partners, and employers across education, workforce, career development, and training.

Explore Other ForwardReady U Services
Ready to Hand Some of This Over?

You can be their parent again.
We'll help with the college process.

Your teen gets another trusted adult to help plan, problem-solve, work through essays, keep track of what comes next, and provide accountability without turning every conversation at home into another reminder.

Book a Free 15-Minute Fit Call Email maisie@forwardready.com

Prefer text? 240-476-1262