Bragging rights and bumper stickers are some of the social forces fueling today’s parenting behavior — and, as a result, even well-intentioned parents are behaving badly. With college applications and career searches getting more competitive every year, kids across the country are over-programmed, packing their schedules with tutors and extracurricular activities and exhaust themselves to be seen as the “cream of the crop.” And this year, while the COVID pandemic adds another layer of uncertainty, Jenn Curtis offers her insights into the admission process, college rankings and what parents should really be doing to help their teens navigate the entire process! FutureWise Consulting is a college counseling and test prep company in Irvine, CA and was nominated for Orange County Business Journal’s Women in Business Awards 2012 and 2015.