the DC2 System
Clear guidance, without overwhelm.
How the DC2 System Works
A clear path.
One step at a time.
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DC2 is designed to support students and families across all four years of high school, without requiring parents to manage every detail.
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Each part of DC2 has a role.
You only need to start with one.
The One Thing to Know First
You do not need to use every part of DC2.
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DC2 works as a guided system, where each piece supports the others and families engage only with what is helpful right now.
Most families begin with one step and add more only if it makes sense.
Step 1
Start With the Destination College Book
The DC2 Book serves as a roadmap and provides the long view.​​​​​​​
It shows students how:
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Academics, activities, testing, applications, and financial aid fit together
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Each year has a different purpose
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Progress happens over time, not all at once​
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For students, the book reduces anxiety by making the process visible and finite.
For parents, it provides a clear, trustworthy reference point.
For educators and advisors, it creates a shared manual everyone can work from
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It is not meant to be followed rigidly or all at once.​
Use DC2 Insight to Personalize the Journey
Insight helps students identify what kind of support helps them most right now.​​
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Insight helps students and parents understand:
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How a student experiences school
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What creates stress or motivation
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How they tend to follow through
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What kind of support helps most
You receive:
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a Student Insight Report
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a Parent Insight Report
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clear guidance on where to begin
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Plus offers two reports and insights into progress
This step creates shared understanding and removes guesswork.​
Step 2
Weekly Paths Translate Insight Into Steady Progress
Weekly Path students receive structured, grade-specific actions via SMS aligned with the DC2 four-year roadmap.
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Each year is organized into clear phases that reflect how readiness actually develops:
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Freshman: Orientation and Stability
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Sophomore: Direction and Depth
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Junior: Strategy and Positioning
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Senior: Execution and Transition
Students focus on one realistic step at a time so progress feels structured, steady, and sustainable.
No overwhelm. No guesswork.
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The goal is momentum, not urgency.​​
Step 3
Step 1
Step 4
Learning Tracks Help You Focus on the Right Year at the Right Time
DC2 uses year-by-year learning tracks to narrow attention and reduce overwhelm.
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Each track corresponds directly to the year the student is living inside the book:
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Freshman year builds foundations
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Sophomore year supports exploration
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Junior year focuses on preparation
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Senior year supports decisions and transition
Students are guided to focus only on what is relevant for their current year, instead of trying to manage the entire process at once.
Tracks keep the process contained and manageable for both students and parents. ​
Step 5
Make Progress with Microlearning
Courses translate guidance from the book into small, doable actions.
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Each course includes:
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Short lessons
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Reflection prompts
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Practical next steps
Designed for weekly progress, micro-learning makes it easier for students to:
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Stay consistent during busy periods
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Re-enter support after falling off track
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Build momentum without pressure
Micro-learning does not introduce a new framework.
It activates the framework already established in the book.​
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Step 6
Use Workshops to Activate the System
DC2 workshops bring the book to life in group settings.
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The 12-session workshop series:
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Follows the Destination College framework
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Provides concrete tools and takeaways
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Creates shared language among students and families
Workshops are designed for schools, libraries, and community-based organizations seeking structured, turnkey programming that aligns with the book.
They create space for students to work through the book together, ask questions safely, and build confidence in how to use it over time.
Step 1
Step 7
Use the Resource Hub to Extend Support Thoughtfully
The DC2 Resource Hub provides a curated collection of trusted tools that align with the framework and philosophy of the DC2 book.
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Resources are organized by topic and purpose so students and families can:
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Explore more deeply without feeling overwhelmed
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Access reliable information without sorting through conflicting advice
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Find support that matches where they are in the four-year plan
The Hub is intentionally selective and exists to extend the guidance in the book, not replace it or compete with it.
Step 8
Join the DC2 Mentorship Program
The Mentorship Program allows high school students to gain accountability, guidance, and real-world perspective.
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The Program pairs high school students with current college students who have recently navigated the application process and transition to college.
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Mentors answer questions, share their own experiences, and offer practical insight into what the process and college life are actually like. They provide perspective, reassurance, and the kind of advice they wish they had while in high school.
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Students ask openly. Mentors respond honestly. Confidence grows through shared experience.​
How This All Fits Together
DC2 works best when each part does its job:
provides the full four-year context, helping families understand what is coming next
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keeps the process manageable by narrowing focus to what matters at each stage of high school
offers continually updated links to trusted tools for scholarships, financial aid, testing, and more
helps you start in the right place by identifying what kind of support will help most right now
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support steady progress through short, practical steps that fit real schedules
adds perspective from college students who have recently navigated the process themselves
delivers structured, grade-specific weekly steps that keep students focused on what matters right now ​
provide guided conversation and community support through schools and libraries