A membership for parents and students preparing for post-secondary success
Your launch year Membership
From Grade 12 to campus
YOUR LAUNCH YEAR is a comprehensive membership designed for Grade 12 students and their parent(s) who want clarity, confidence, and expert support throughout every stage of preparing for college or university.
Created and led by ME!!
I'm Dr. Deanna Behnke-Cook, an award winning educator with over 25 years of experience in post-secondary teaching and student success coaching.
I created this membership to guide families through the entire process - from the moment students begin exploring program options to the end of their first semester on campus.
I know how this goes.. Because I am THERE, on campus..
Folks at secondary school don't know (they couldn't possibly, even though they WANT to) because everything changes from year to year, and parents don't know because it's been a minute if they attended (and everything changes from year to year), and if they didn't.. how could they know?
So this Membership is where students and parents come to be informed, feel supported, and relax because they know they are prepared.
Does this sound like you?
YOU: "I'm terrified we're choosing the wrong program or school"
You are wondering if your teen is picking a program becuase it sounds impressive, their friends are going, or someone once told them it was a “good job”. not becuase it actually fits who they are. You worry that one wrong decision could mean wasted time, wasted money, or a painful restart.
What you're really worried about:
Regret. Mismatch. Watching your child quietly disengage or drop out because the choice was never right to begin with.
What we'll cover together:
Program research skills, values-base decision making, fit versus prestige, career pathways, and permission to pivot without panic.
YOU: “I'm worried they're not ready…emotionally, academically, or practically"
Your teen is smart, but procrastinates. Capable, but anxious. Independent one moment and completely overwhelmed the next. You wonder how they'll manage deadlines, self-advocacy, roommates, professor, or simply getting out of bed for an 8 am class.
What you're really worried about:
Burnout, anxiety spirals, falling behind, or quietly suffering without asking for help.
What We'll cover together:
Executive functioning (how to think through things), time management, emotional readiness, self-advocacy, resilience, and realistic preparation before they ever step on campus.
YOU: “The cost scares me, and I'm not sure we're being strategic.
Tuition, residence, books, fees.. it all adds up fast. You worry about debt, scholarships you might be missing, and whether the return on the financial investment will be worth it. You don't want money to define your child's experiences.
What you're really worried about:
Financial strain, resentment, and long-term consequences no one fully explains up front.
What We'll cover together:
Cost comparison, scholarships and bursaries, bedgeting, financial conversations with teens, and reframing “value” beyond just income.
YOU: “My biggest fear is that they'll start…and then fall apart in the first term".
You imagine the honeymoon ending fast. Homesickness, academic shock, loneliness, self-doubt. You worry about the late-night call that starts with “I can't do this”.
What you're really worried about:
Withdrawal, failure, or your child believing they're “not cut out” for postsecondary education.
What We'll cover together:
First-term skills to thrive, normalizing struggle, accessing supports early, mindset coaching, and knowing when discomfort is growth versus a red flag.
YOU: “I don't know how to support them without hovering or backing off completely"
You're walking a tightrope between too involved and not involved enough. You don't want to micromanage, but you're worried if you step back, things will fall apart. Every conversation risks turning into tension.
What you're really worried about:
Damaging your relationship at the very moment your child is ready to head off, and probably needs you the most.
What We'll cover together:
Program research skills, values-base decision making, fit versus prestige, career pathways, and permission to pivot without panic.
YOU: “I don't understand how postsecondary actually works these days"
The systems are confusing, everything has changed since you went (if you did), the expectations are unclear, and every school speaks its own language and you really don't know what's going on.
What you're really worried about:
Giving outdated or incorrect guidance and actually making things harder for your child.
What We'll cover together:
Current admissions processes, differences between college and university (you'll be surprised), timelines, credits, workloads, and what “success” actually looks likes now. For your child.
You don't have to figure this out on your own.. We'll walk through it all, one month at a time, and go from “Where do I even start?” to “I had a great it through first term!”.
Let's do this together!