Some people support your work from afar. Charlain Bailey has supported us from the front row.
As a veteran school counselor and founder of Going-To-College.com (https://www.going-to-college.com),
Charlain has dedicated her life to helping students especially first-generation and underrepresented students understand how to navigate the often confusing and unequal college admissions process.
She’s spent nearly two decades doing the work in schools. Now, through her business, she’s stepping beyond the counseling office to support families directly—withculturally informed, accessible, and personalized college planning guidance.
And let’s be clear—Charlain doesn’t just talk about support. She lives it. She was one of the very first people to buy The Black Family’s Guide to College Admissions—owning both editions and the audiobook—and even invited us to present the book to her community. She understands that getting this information into more hands is a collective responsibility.
🎯 In this episode, we cover:
• What most families don’t realize about the real workload of school counselors
• Why college planning has to start before senior year
• The inspiration behind Going-To-College.com, and how it’s helping families create action plans early
• How Charlain infuses faith, structure, and cultural insight into her advising
• Practical steps families can take to build a balanced college list
• Why she continues to support our mission and align with our message: cost, location, major, and career — in that order
🔥 So… we have to ask:
What are YOU doing to get this good information?
Because it’s out here. Charlain has it. We have it. Thequestion is—are you ready to use it to change the trajectory of your family’s future?
🎧 Listen, share, and take notes. This episode is packed with real talk and real tools.
🔗 Learn more about Charlain’s work at: https://www.going-to-college.com
📚 Get The Black Family’s Guide toCollege Admissions (print or audio):
Strategic Admissions Advice (https://www.strategicadmissionsadvice.com/theblackfamilysguide)
🎙 Subscribe to Application to Admissionfor weekly insights and conversations with the people doing the work.
