The Launch Mission

The transition from high school to college brings new freedoms, responsibilities, and challenges, but preparing for them doesn’t have to wait until move-in day. Dr. Jenica Alvarez, college professor and author of Crushing Your Freshman Year, joins Tommy to share practical strategies for navigating your first year with confidence. Drawing…

When Everyone Else Seems to Have Their College Plans Figured Out It starts with a casual conversation. “Where are you applying?” “Have you heard back yet?” “What’s your top school?” And suddenly, what was supposed to be a normal conversation turns into a mental comparison of everyone else’s college plans.…

Your College Application Checklist: What to Do Before You Hit Submit College application season is officially underway! Maybe you’ve already submitted a few applications. Maybe you’re still working on your personal essay. Or maybe you’ve opened the Common App, looked at everything you need to complete, and decided you’ll come…

The Impact 360 Fellows Program is a nine-month Christian gap year experience designed to help students grow in their faith, develop as leaders, and prepare for life after high school. In this episode, seven recent Fellows join Tommy to reflect on the experiences, relationships, and lessons that shaped their year.…

College Expectations vs. What You’re Actually Looking For When you picture college, what comes to mind? Maybe it’s late-night conversations in a dorm room, football games, new friendships, your favorite coffee shop on campus, or finally having the freedom to make your own decisions. Maybe it’s a specific major, a…

How to Make the Most of a College Visit There’s only so much you can learn about a college from a website. You can scroll through campus photos, read about different majors, watch student testimonials, and check out the residence halls. But at some point, you have to ask yourself:…

Leaving home for college brings new opportunities to grow, but it also means encountering new ideas and cultural pressures that may challenge what you believe. Brett Kunkle, founder of Maven, explains why a faith built only on what your parents or church have taught you isn’t enough—you need to understand…

Let’s talk about the word you’re probably going to hear approximately 700 times during the college process: Fit. “Find the right fit.” “Is this school a good fit?” “Make sure the college fits you.” Okay…but what does that actually mean? Because “fit” can sound a little vague when you’re a…

You’ve probably heard the advice: “Start making your college list.” Easy enough, right? Except… where do you even start? There are thousands of colleges out there, and every school website is going to tell you why their school is the perfect place for you. Add in rankings, TikTok videos, your…

What does it look like to carry your faith with you when the routines and people you’ve always relied on are no longer right down the hall? Annabel Baker, a chemical engineering student at the University of Alabama, shares what she learned navigating college, from finding Christian community to working…