You want to know that your child is thriving in college in all aspects of their life: academically, socially, and personally. We know that the transition into college life can raise a lot of questions for parents. We’ve compiled a list of the most common questions parents ask our Director of Academic Coaching, Kimberly Tierney, about academic coaching, executive functioning, and how we support students. 

Once the initial excitement has worn off, many students find themselves overwhelmed with their classwork, homework, and complicated schedules. Adjusting to the planning and time management demands of college can be difficult and frustrating. At Tierney Education, our coaches help you feel confident and in control of your academic success! Our goal is to help you build the skills you need to do it all on your own. 

Starting college is both an exciting and nerve-wracking journey! New experiences await, but so do high expectations. Many students stress about their ability to thrive academically while also joining clubs and organizations and taking advantage of the social aspects of a full college life. One of the most effective ways to rise to those expectation is by honing your executive functioning skills. The good news is, executive functioning skills aren’t set in stone, you can grow them!

At Tierney Education, we pride ourselves on delivering high-quality, meaningful support to students. Over the years, we've refined our approach to ensure our tutoring services not only help students improve academically but also foster skills that lead to long-term success. One of our key policies is that we don’t accept new tutoring clients after Week 10 of a standard semester.

Whether you are a rising senior, a thoughtful junior, a sophomore inquiring, or a freshman planning ahead--the question of graduating early crosses the desk of many Penn State students. While some worry about graduating on time, others ponder if they should finish early and weigh all the options. I was in this position asking this question since freshman year of college, and went back and forth all four years. I ended up landing on graduating early in Fall 2023, but there were many pros and cons debated and tweaks I had to make in my educational journey to get there.

Navigating college is a pivotal journey for many young adults, marking their first true taste of independence. This transition into the collegiate world is a leap from the structured support of high school to an environment where guidance is available yet requires active pursuit. The leap to university life, with its reduced oversight and increased personal accountability, can be seamless for some but daunting for others. The challenge of managing academic duties alongside personal responsibilities can quickly become overwhelming, leading to potential setbacks in both academic performance and well-being.

Being accepted to Penn State is a huge accomplishment and exciting time for students and parents. The horizon broadens, and all one can think of is the amazing four years they are going to have here at PSU. However, as time creeps closer, we as students find that we have a lot to manage and put in place before we ever step foot here--and fast. There’s matters of football tickets, housing, meal plans, roommates, and more--it feels like you always have to be one step ahead in your planning. This can be extremely overwhelming, for both students and parents.

Navigating the academic landscape can be challenging, especially when it comes to understanding policies that can impact your GPA and academic standing. Penn State has introduced a grade forgiveness policy that offers a helping hand to undergraduate students striving to improve their grades and, ultimately, their GPA. Here’s a simplified breakdown of what you need to know about this policy.

At one point, the differences between the ACT and SAT accentuated their rivalry.  But both have been redesigned recently so that now, they are more like comparable alternatives in friendly competition. Both are still the major college admissions tests and criteria for national merit scholarships; both still test what students learn in high school. But here the differences begin and with those differences, the likely reason why which test to take became--and still is—a question for so many students.