Getting Ready for College Admissions:
What Charlotte Families Need to Know
A free webinar for families of high school students navigating today’s college admissions process and the steps students can take now to strengthen their applications.
Tuesday, April 28, 2026 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm
The college admissions process can feel overwhelming—especially when expectations seem to change every year.
Parents often find themselves wondering:
How does my student actually stand out among thousands of other applicants?
What should they be doing right now?
And are we focusing on the things colleges truly care about?
Join us for a free, expert-led webinar designed to give families clear, practical guidance on what matters most in today’s college admissions landscape.
Two experienced college application consultants will share the key steps students should be taking now—from building meaningful activities to shaping a strong application story. Each speaker will give a short presentation, followed by a moderated Q&A where you’ll have the chance to ask questions directly.
Whether your student is a rising freshman just getting started or a junior preparing for applications, this session will help you better understand how to support them and avoid common mistakes along the way.
Can’t attend live? No problem. The webinar will be recorded and sent to everyone who registers.
What We’ll Talk About
What colleges actually look for in extracurriculars, leadership, and activities lists
What students should be doing now—by grade level—to stay competitive and prepared
How to help your student build a compelling application story that stands out authentically
Common mistakes families make during the admissions process (and how to avoid them)
Your questions answered during a live moderated Q&A with our admissions experts
Who Should Attend
Parents, grandparents, and guardians of high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors
Families who want a clearer understanding of how the college admissions process works today
Parents and guardians who want to help their student stand out without unnecessary stress or pressure
Anyone looking for practical guidance from experienced admissions professionals
Meet Lee Shulman Bierer
Guest Speaker
Lee Shulman Bierer is an independent educational consultant who has helped over 1,000 students navigate their college admissions process. She has been working with students since 2006 and loves it!
She has written over 800 College Advice & Timely Tips columns over the last 19 years. Her column is syndicated nationally through Tribune News Service, picked up each week by High School Counselor Weekly and bimonthly by The Link for Counselors.
Lee has been a guest on Charlotte’s NPR Affiliate – WFAE’s Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins several times, where she has spoken about the college admissions scandal, the college admissions process, campus visits, college applications, and essays. She has been interviewed by the New York Times, featured in the New York Times Magazine, and been a guest on a talk show on the Martha Stewart Radio station.
Lee received her undergraduate degree in Spanish from Colgate University and has a Master’s in Education. She received a Certificate in College Counseling through UCLA and currently serves on the advisory board of Princeton Review.
Lee has lived in Charlotte for over 30 years and is now an empty-nester – with two college graduates– so she has survived this adventure both personally and professionally!
Meet Ashley Ausman
Guest Speaker
Ashley Ausman champions personal stories and those who find the courage to write theirs with truth and authenticity. For more than 20 years, she has guided high school students in identifying and developing the stories that become the foundation of their college application essays.
She founded The Essay Architect to give students the tools and framework to tell their stories clearly and effectively — not just for college applications, but as a lifelong skill in communication and storytelling.
Ashley studied journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and built strong writing experience through roles at The Daily Tar Heel and The News & Observer.
She later spent eight years teaching English at Charlotte Catholic High School, during which she earned her MFA in creative nonfiction from Queens University of Charlotte and discovered her passion for helping students craft meaningful college essays. In addition to private tutoring, Ashley gives college essay presentations at several area high schools and also serves as the essay specialist for GenOne Charlotte, a non-profit helping first-generation students navigate to and through college.
In her free time Ashley enjoys spending time with her husband and their three children – a senior, who just survived the college application madness mostly unscathed, a junior just gearing up to tackle the process, and a nine-year-old, who won’t have to think of college for a while. Ashley also loves reading (of course) and doing karaoke. With that last one, there’s a story there; there always is. Just ask her.
