Parent Perspective: A Conversation with Molly Ferguson

Sending a student off to college is both exciting and daunting. We had the pleasure of interviewing a parent about it. Molly Ferguson’s daughter Lee participated in Focus Collegiate’s Summer Cohort, the experience offered not only a stress test for Lee but also a lesson in letting go. In this interview with C. Jane Taylor, Molly reflects on her hopes, fears, and the surprising growth that came from the program.

Trust, Resilience, and the Summer Cohort

C. Jane Taylor: What were some of the things you hoped Lee would learn at summer cohort? Did you have a preconception?

Molly Ferguson: All throughout high school, Lee had a difficult time building trust with other peers, but also with educators. It took until maybe the end of junior year, top of senior year, where finally after being at School One [a progressive private high school in Rhode Island], she built up the trust, built up the confidence, had had enough wins to know, “I do have this, and these people are in my corner, even though they’re giving me a hard time—they’re holding me accountable but they have my back.”

My question about Focus Collegiate was: can she jump right into a new situation, with new peers and educators, and do hard things without that long runway of trust? James and I were like, “Let’s see.” And also knowing it would be heartbreaking if she couldn’t do it. But if she couldn’t, that is important information for us to know.

So, she did. And she did. We were blown away.

Facing Parental Fears

CJT: Did you and [your husband] James have any fears or hesitations about Lee going away to attend the cohort?

MF: Only because it was new and Lee had never been away before. While she is much more resilient now, she still gets dysregulated and struggles to articulate what she needs. That was hard—knowing I wouldn’t be there in those moments.

But Focus Collegiate was in her corner. It was okay to fail. It was okay to not be ready. It was okay to set those boundaries if it was like, nope, I can’t do this. It’s not a punitive thing.
“This is going to be good. It’s a stress test. You guys were able to set aside the fears and put Lee in the stress test.”

Letting Go of Pride and Pressure

CJT: How would you suggest other parents set aside fears like that?

MF: Parents carry so much pride and pressure around college. There’s nothing wrong if your child needs a gap year. It’s okay if they go to a different school than you imagined, as long as it’s what they are choosing.

The cost of college is terrifying and clouds judgment. But reframing helps. It’s not don’t fail. It’s we’re not going to let you fail—but we’ll do this at your pace.

That’s what I loved about Focus Collegiate. It was, “We’re going to invest in something that will be hard, but it will also manage your expectations.”

A Collaborative Decision

CJT: Was Lee involved in the decision to attend?

MF: Absolutely. We wouldn’t have done it otherwise. It had to be collaborative. And that’s what Focus Collegiate models—even the roommate agreement was, what are your boundaries? Let’s come together and build a collaborative.

Learning Through Experience

CJT: What do you think you gained from Lee’s participation?

MF: So much. It reiterated everything I already knew and believed to be true. It was wonderful to hand off to a team and know, they’ve got it.

I’ll never forget Treetop Adventures. I thought, we’ll see what happens. Lee looked at the highwire, said “nope,” and noped out. But instead of shame, everyone said, “Good for you knowing your boundaries.” She still had fun with the zipline. I was blown away.

Small Signs of Growth

CJT: How did your knowledge about Lee change?

MF: I thought I might get calls to “come fix this.” Instead, I’d hear, “Hey, I made myself a can of soup.” Or, “I was playing frisbee on the quad.”

That told me—she can do things I had been doing. Realizing she didn’t need that long runway to jump into something new was huge.

The Hardest Part for Parents

CJT: What was the hardest thing for you?

MF: Letting go. I realized, this isn’t just Lee’s bridge program. It’s mine, too. I had to check myself. I had to move from team manager to bench coach.

One example: she texted saying she didn’t have enough charging bricks. My instinct was to send them right away. Instead, I asked, what resources do you have? Where’s the nearest store? I still shipped one, but gave her two days to solve it herself.

That’s the shift—modeling trust instead of snowplowing.

Honest Feedback, Real Tools

CJT: How did the student summary and Pathway U shape your thinking?

MF: I loved them. They weren’t just positives; they also showed resistance. For parents like us, used to hearing only what our kids aren’t doing, that honesty was refreshing.

Even the negatives weren’t negative—they were just a snapshot. It was the first time I didn’t have that gut-check of oh no, oh no. I knew Focus Collegiate was firmly in her corner.

Confidence for the Future

CJT: How did your confidence in Lee change?

MF: I was so proud of her. Dropping her off was seamless. On the drive home I thought, I don’t know what to do with myself.

“That was the most surprising thing—that I could say, oh, she’s got it. And that’s how it’s supposed to be.”

Final Reflections

MF: I loved the Google Chat system. It wasn’t policing—it taught kids to check in and realize their actions affect others. That’s a life skill.

I’ve already told friends: start saving for transition. It changed everything for Lee, and for us.