With college season heating up for seniors, students face life-changing decisions about their futures. However, they rarely receive training on handling large tests, taking effective notes, or balancing college with everyday life.

Mya Andersen, a college success coach and owner of The Student Empowered assists students in navigating their freshman year. She has over 20 years of experience in higher education.

“I offer independent academic life coaching for college students and college readiness for students and their families,” Andersen explains.

As Andersen gains more experience, she identifies critical aspects of her work.

“The most important part is getting buy-in from both the family and the student,” Andersen said. “During introductory calls, I focus less on my experience and more on my process and who I am as a person. This influences how I discuss college success.”

Colleges can be more challenging and draining than high school, as Maya Burds, a former Ankeny Centennial student and current freshman at Oklahoma City University, shares.

“One of the biggest shocks was how draining it would be,” Burds said. “I had seven classes on the first day and then two hours of auditions every day that week.”

High-achieving students reportedly struggle initially in college, Andersen notes.

“For many students, it’s tough mentally,” Andersen said. “If you were a high achiever in high school, you might expect the same in college, but that’s rarely the case. High school success often comes from a methodical approach.”

Students attending out-of-state colleges may find it challenging to be social.

“The hardest part was making new friends,” 2023 Ankeny High graduate Drew Taylor said. “Going out of state was a big change, [and] not knowing everyone like in high school. Those first weeks, I had to put myself out there, and it was worth it!”

Andersen also addresses interest changes among students, using a method called Ikigai to help students find their passion.

“Ikigai involves finding your sweet spot—what you love, what the world needs, what you can be paid for, and what your strengths are,” Andersen explains.

Andersen offers summer classes to prepare students and parents for college, which can be signed up for on her website. 

“In a perfect world, my summer readiness programs would have overflow enrollment, ensuring students and their families are truly ready for the college experience, which goes beyond the classroom and roommate relationships,” Andersen said.

Andersen also works for the non-profit organization Dollars for Scholars, which helps students get easy access to scholarships, 

“I’ve always wanted to be a part of a scholarship organization and have the privilege of awarding scholarships to students,” Andersen said.

“On college campuses, there’s really no one that can bridge the gap between the hand-holding that high school students have with grades and the free-for-all for college students, so that’s where I have to come in and help them understand that everything will be okay,” Andersen said.