Why am I here?

I’m here for you, MOM! I once sat where you sit now. I know your concerns about helping your teen prepare, plan, and pay for a college education.  I know that you are looking for answers:

•  Your middle school son or daughter is heading off to high school soon and will need to begin preparation for the college process. How can you help him or her prepare to hit the ground running freshman year of high school?
•  Maybe your son or daughter is already in high school and you are worried that they need straight A’s and 10 AP classes to get into a college. How can you help your student find the best “college fit”?
•  You didn’t attend college yourself and want your son or daughter to be the first in your family to attend college. How can you assure they have the college guidance they need to make sure this happens?
• Maybe your son or daughter puts in long hours and dedication into their studies but you stay awake at night twisting and turning because you don’t know how you will afford to send your motivated child to college when the time comes.  What are scholarships and financial aid?  How do you find and receive this assistance?

I’ve got answers.

You’ve got the questions and I’ve got the answers! I’m here to expedite your learning curve. I’ve already poured through the books, websites, college fairs, tours, informational sessions, and more! Through experience, I have found a way to simplify this information and provide you with the clearest understanding of how you can help your teen prepare, plan, and pay for college. Allow me to help you make this an efficient and painless (and maybe even a little fun!) process for YOU and your college-bound teen! Sign up below for FREE simple how-to videos, bite-size chunks of information, tools, and tips to get you on the right track!

What’s my story?

I’m an ‘empty nester’ and I love it! My beautiful daughters currently attend Haverford College and Brown University. As their mom, I quickly learned that their academic success and college readiness was linked to my parental involvement, starting as early as driving for kindergarten field trips to the zoo! Fast-forward from kindergarten to high school and my role in their education changed from decision-maker to that of a more supportive, advisor-like role. And it changed even more when it came time to help my daughters with their college applications. With the college application process rapidly approaching, I had to find the time and energy to sort through and understand the overwhelming abundance of essential information to help my teen to prepare, plan, and pay for college.

Professional bio.

Darlene Bell-Carson is a mother, educator, and founder of darlenebellcarson.com. Her mission is to help moms frame their worries about the college admissions and financial aid process into questions that are figure-out-able with the right guidance. With over 20 years experience in education, Darlene has seen how academic success and college readiness is linked to parental involvement. This knowledge has guided her profession as Admissions Director & Financial Aid Director of multiple Bay Area independent schools and as a Parent Community Outreach Coordinator, teaching parents how to support their child’s academic journey. Darlene holds both a BA from the University of California, Berkeley and a Certificate in College Admissions and Career Planning. She is also a member of the Western Association for College Admission Counseling. Darlene is a happy ‘empty-nester’ and enjoys her trips from California to the east coast to visit her daughters on the Haverford College & Brown University campuses. You can usually find her out and about in Oakland, CA exploring local spots and people-watching with her husband Cepeda!