Karen Feamster has been a PTO president, Girl Scout troop leader, church choir director, and a CPA, but when it came time for her oldest daughter to begin searching for colleges, she knew she needed to call in the experts.
“My oldest daughter was a high achiever,” Karen shared. “We realized how much we didn’t understand about college, and we definitely had sticker shock.”
The college application and selection process can be a daunting task for both students and parents, from identifying goals, majors, and budget to selecting schools to visit and apply. Aside from choosing a school alone, seeking out scholarships is a stressor all its own. With college on the horizon for Karen’s daughter, she turned to Class 101 founder Tom Pabin for support.
“He walked us through this whole process and helped us understand what was going on,” Karen shared, noting she quickly told all her friends about the resource.
The Class 101 team are experts in all things college planning, working directly with students and their families to identify goals, encourage extracurriculars and resume building, explore post-high school options, facilitate campus visits, conduct ACT and SAT prep courses, complete college applications, and identify and apply for a variety of applicable scholarships.
After Tom and the Class 101 team successfully helped Karen’s daughter through college planning, the conversation turned toward franchising the business. Karen felt that she was fulfilling a calling and chose to open a Franklin location of Class 101 in 2014. She has been helping students and families in the area ever since.
“We do a free consultation with any family since we’re going to be part of their lives,” Karen shared. “When we meet in that consultation, I’ll look at the student and say your parents can’t hire me unless you want to work with me.”
From there, Karen and her team of advisors talk with students about grades, standardized testing, future plans and general college jargon to help them be prepared when the time comes to make a decision. While sophomores, juniors (which, according to Class 101, is the most important year for college planning) and seniors have more frequent meetings, Class 101 advisors can meet with students as early as eighth grade.
“We think our teachers and guidance counselors do a great job,” Karen adds. “I don’t replace those people in your lives, I’m giving you the opportunity to talk about things more frequently.”
One mantra Karen and her team live by is that “the college doesn’t make the student, the student makes the college.” This is particularly important when visiting campuses because, while degree programs and budgets are important, the environment can greatly influence a student’s success.
“It’s a lot like house hunting,” Karen shares. “You’re going to live there for four years, so make sure it’s a good fit.”
As Class 101 Franklin prepares to enter its tenth year in business, Karen reflects on the success stories that happen in her office all the time. She recalls one from a few years back, “This family had a really tight budget. Their daughter was amazing, and she had been accepted to all the schools she had applied to. We had it down to two schools, and she had been invited to interview for both of their top tier scholarships. She found out she didn’t get the scholarship for her top school, and she told them she wouldn’t be able to go there. We took some time to think about it, we prayed about it, and after a holiday weekend, both schools called her and told her she had gotten their top scholarship.”
Karen and her team hope to provide peace of mind to families entering a period of life filled with change. As a parent, Karen shares a reminder to not be afraid – the process can actually be fun.
“Talk about where you went to college, share your experience,” Karen said. “What were your likes and dislikes? Have those conversations with your children so they’re comfortable talking about it.”
Class101.com/franklintn
Karen Feamster opened Class 101 Franklin in March 2014 and hasn’t slowed down since. It’s hard to keep up with this Kentucky Wildcat and CPA, who loves running, a good cup of coffee (with cream), volunteering with the Girl Scouts (she’s been involved for over 30 years), and of course, counseling high schoolers and their families to help them find their best-fit colleges. Karen and her husband Mike live in Leiper’s Fork, and have two adult daughters and four adorable pups.
“We do a free consultation with any family since we’re going to be part of their lives,” Karen says.