#059 – On this episode, we wrap up our discussion about medicine as a field of study and as a profession. Today, we expand on areas related to medical school that were introduced during our previous episode. The path to becoming a physician is very challenging and requires a high level of commitment for a long period of time. Students who successfully get admitted and succeed in medical school often begin their preparation many years before graduating high school. Jankel and I have a profound ap...
Aug 19, 2021•50 min•Ep. 59
#058 – Today, we begin a couple of episodes focused on the path to becoming a medical doctor. This is a topic often filled with misinformation. To dispel myths and do away with bad information, Dr. Shrag Shemmassian joins us today to talk about medical school admissions. Dr. Shemmassian is one of the world’s foremost experts, not just on medical school admissions, but also on college admissions and graduate school admissions. During our conversation, we discussed various elements related to gett...
Aug 06, 2021•54 min•Ep. 58
#057 – Campus safety is one of the most important factors to consider when making the list of colleges to which you will apply. On this episode, Jankel and I share the importance of practicing situational awareness, the ways in which the local population may affect a college campus, the strong efforts made by college campuses to keep you safe, and tips for you to remain safe in the college campus that will be your home for some years. We also go over statistics from the Institute of Education Sc...
Jul 30, 2021•44 min•Ep. 57
#056 – On this episode we uncover the path that leads to becoming an airline pilot. Dr. Kenneth Byrnes outlines the steps students must take to succeed in the aviation program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, a highly respected university in the country. The airline industry has begun to rebound and is expected to reach the pre-COVID levels of 2019 in short order. Additionally, from reports presented by the Federal Aviation Administration, the Boeing Company, and airlines, such as Americ...
Jul 23, 2021•51 min•Ep. 56
#055 – Today, we share our love for Study Abroad Programs. These are programs that offer students a great opportunity for personal, academic, and even, professional growth. We begin the episode by uncovering the details of Jankel’s experience as a participant in a study abroad program that took her to Italy. The experiences she had there were extremely positive, and continue to play a role in her life today. We continue our deep dive into Study Abroad Programs by sharing details of the program a...
Jul 16, 2021•49 min•Ep. 55
#054 – Today, we finish our series on strategies to use to help your college application stand out. Jankel and I begin the episode by putting into context the episodes that were part of this series. We continue our conversation by highlighting the importance of being mindful as you complete each section of your college applications, keeping in mind that the information you provide gives college admission officers a picture of who you are. In college admission parlance we say that everything you ...
Jul 09, 2021•41 min•Ep. 54
#053 - On this episode, Jankel and I continue to present steps you can take to help your college applications stand out. We begin the show by highlighting the fact that College admission officers favor students who, in addition to being smart, are also interesting. That means that they welcome students who grab their attention with their academic and non-academic accomplishments. They like to see applications that tell a congruent story, in which students not only mention their passions for subj...
Jul 02, 2021•37 min•Ep. 53
#052 – With this episode, we begin a series of episodes that will give you non-academic ideas you can put into practice, so that your college application can stand out to the colleges and universities to which you will apply. This is especially important if you are planning to apply to the more selective colleges and universities. Today we talk about ways display leadership skills in projects that can be very helpful to those around you, while at the same time catching the attention of college a...
Jun 26, 2021•49 min•Ep. 52
#051 – The percentage of high school students that receive scholarships to Division I and Division II NCAA teams is surprisingly low. That leaves millions of high school kids without the opportunity to benefit from them each year. But does that mean that students who do not receive scholarships wasted valuable time participating in sports throughout high school? On this episode, we answer this and other questions related to high school sports. We will give you a hint, high school sports provide ...
Jun 19, 2021•40 min•Ep. 51
#050 – Today, Jankel and I present the Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science. This is a degree that leads to a number of careers that are and will continue to be in high demand, are very well-paid, and are extremely important to organizations of all types. The episode begins with a discussion on the important role computer science plays in the modern world, and the continue importance it will yield in the future. We present some of the hot topics related to computer science, including, Artificia...
Jun 11, 2021•54 min•Ep. 50
#049 – Today, Jankel and I talk about the different types of colleges available to high school graduates. The truth is that all high school kids, with different levels of academic preparation, can obtain a college education immediately after high school, if they choose to do so. There are a variety of types of colleges in the United States that exist to serve students from different levels of academic achievement and preparation. That also includes those students who had what may be considered a...
Jun 07, 2021•57 min•Ep. 49
#048 – On this episode, we conclude the senior year checklist with part 8. Jankel and I talk about a very important step to take during the summer before college begins, using the reading list that your college or university has prepared for you. College reading lists are all different, depending on the institution, what society may be going through at the time, and other factors that the school may find to be important. Some professors will teach class with the assumption that students read mat...
May 30, 2021•55 min•Ep. 48
#047 – Today, on this midweek episode, we present very interesting information about one of the most fascinating careers today, mechanical engineering. Although we start by going over some quick facts about this field of engineering, we quickly dive into some of the most interesting mechanical engineering projects going on today, including, the construction of a mechanical arm to operate on the moon, where temperatures easily drops to 292º Fahrenheit, the work that Purdue University is conductin...
May 27, 2021•50 min•Ep. 47
#046 - Today, we highlight a very important step to take during the summer before college begins, securing your dorm and choosing your roommate. Getting your student housing set up and being matched with a great roommate will make a difference in your college experience. It may also influence your academic performance. We will tell you how the typical process of securing your dorm is carried out, and two steps that are usually taken to be properly matched with a roommate. The first step is filli...
May 15, 2021•53 min•Ep. 46
#045 – On this Midweek Episode Jankel and I begin the first career deep dive by focusing on Registered Nursing. We uncover important information that will give high school students a well-informed idea of all that entails earning a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, and working as a Registered Nurse (RN). In our conversation, we go over essential qualities that are necessary for a person interested in becoming an RN, the duties and responsibilities associated with this profession, the different patie...
May 13, 2021•58 min•Ep. 45
#044 - Today, we continue our senior year checklist discussing the first two of five important steps to take during the summer before college begins. Jankel and I will talk about the first two, starting with the importance of securing a job that allows you to save as much money as you can for several expenses you will need to make during your first term. During our discussion, we debunk a myth that many students believe about the problems that may arise if they earn too much money during the las...
May 11, 2021•58 min•Ep. 44
#043 – What do you do after you apply to all the colleges that made it to your final list and some of them respond granting you admission, actually saying yes, we want you to be one of our students? How do you choose the one whose admission you will accept? In today’s episode, we give you the steps to follow as you read the acceptance letters you receive from each of the college and universities to which you applied, and how to decipher the contents of the Financial Aid Award letters in them to ...
May 01, 2021•59 min•Ep. 43
#042 – On this special episode, I pinpoint important elements of the $1.8 trillion plan that president Biden presented today to help American families. There are many elements of this plan that will positively affect high school students who will begin their college careers in the near future. The plan proposes free tuition for the first two years of college, increases to the amount of funds that students will receive through the Pell Grant, and a number of new important services to be offered t...
Apr 29, 2021•25 min•Ep. 42
#041 – Today, we present the steps to take after the college applications have been sent in. Jankel and I talk about what you should do around your winter break to ensure that your application packet is complete for each of the universities and colleges to which you applied. Although turning in your college applications is a huge and monumental milestone, it is not the last step in your college admission process. There are also very easy and important steps you are expected to take for those sch...
Apr 24, 2021•52 min•Ep. 41
#040 – On this midweek episode, we feature Andrea Ward, Program Manager for AdventHealth Global Missions Department, which exists to bring health and healing to people around the world. An example of the projects which this department carries out is Operation Sunshine, through which healthcare leaders and medical professionals help almost 600 children who lost their parents during the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Through Operation Sunshine provides it, the department provides medical care to every ...
Apr 22, 2021•58 min•Ep. 40
#039 – We continue covering two elements of the senior year checklist that have everything to do with financial aid. It is in the senior year when students apply for financial aid. Different colleges and universities have different financial aid eligibility requirements, and they must be taken into consideration when applying for financial aid. These include, but are not limited to Grade Point Average and number units taken during a quarter or semester. Jankel provides an explanation of the diff...
Apr 17, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 39
#038 – Coach John Mosley is our guest on this special episode. We discuss several topics related to his successful approach to coaching, which has led several accomplishments inside and outside the basketball court. Coach Mosley was very generous with us as he gave us a behind-the-scenes look at several of the steps he takes each year to make sure his players achieve personal and collective goals, that result in success. Although our conversation took place within the context of basketball, the ...
Apr 15, 2021•41 min•Ep. 38
#037 – Long term success requires the ability to practice resilience, the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. Students can count on experiencing difficulties as they go through high school, carry out the college admission process, and as they become college students. Difficulties are part of life. On this episode, Jankel and I talk about the importance of developing resilience early in high school to go through the many obstacles that will surely present themselves. We also highlight ...
Apr 10, 2021•52 min•Ep. 37
#036 - This is first of our Midweek Episodes, which feature professional profiles of people in what are considered to be the hottest careers in the next 10 years. These are not episodes that will take the place of our regular college admission episodes. They will simply add to the content we present to you. These career-focused episodes will appear in the middle of the week. While our regular episodes will continue to be posted on Fridays. Today, we highlight the legal profession. California att...
Apr 08, 2021•48 min•Ep. 36
#035 – We have reached one of the most important parts of the senior year checklist, filling out the college application. Today, we explore every area of the application and provide you with advice that will you avoid some of the pitfalls that, in the past, have affected others at this stage in the process. We will discuss the information you will need to fill out the application, including personal information and information about your parents. We also go over elements about your academic hist...
Apr 03, 2021•49 min•Ep. 35
#034 – Today, we begin a series of episodes that focus on the senior year checklist. We will cover all that seniors should do during that very important last year of high school. On this episode, we will go over the things that students must do before they turn in their college applications. These are things high school seniors should do before the month of November, the month in which many college applications are due. Jankel and I talk about the number of schools that should be part of the fin...
Mar 27, 2021•46 min•Ep. 34
#033 – On this final episode of the junior year checklist, we focus on a very important step all high school students must do in the junior year. That is, narrowing down their big list of colleges, so at the end, they arrive to their final list, with only the colleges to which they will apply. We present visiting colleges and universities, as a way to gauge whether a school is a good fit and should make the cut to become part of the final list. We talk about the schools that should be visited, h...
Mar 20, 2021•55 min•Ep. 33
#032 - Today, we talk about the 13 things high school students should to transition smoothly from high school to college. This is advice I am offering after 17 years of teaching freshman and sophomore level students, who just a few months before taking my classes were finishing high school. These pieces of advice have to do with having the right mindset, how to manage college classes, the differences in classroom management between high school teachers and professors, and the different expectati...
Mar 13, 2021•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 32
#031 – The letters of recommendation are an important part of the college application for any student seeking admission into most institutions, especially those that are selective. On this episode, we talk about the differences in requirements regarding letters of recommendation that most colleges and universities have, and specific teachers and other individuals who a student should ask to write those important letters for them. We dive into the importance of asking them to write these letters ...
Mar 06, 2021•33 min•Ep. 31
#030 - On this episode, we will go over a very important step you will take as a high school student who is planning to go to college, narrowing down the list of colleges to which you want to apply, by selecting only colleges that are a good fit for you. This is something you should do during the junior year. We will talk about how to make sure the list is well balanced, meaning, it has three types of schools. These are schools to which getting admitted is a stretch, schools to which you will po...
Feb 26, 2021•51 min•Ep. 30
