Ever wonder what the folks in college admissions departments actually think about students’ applications? Maxine Seya actually interviewed several of them, and learned a lot in the process, which she shares with the College Prep Podcast. Join Gretchen and Megan, ... Read More » The post 310: Tips from Admissions Insiders About What Colleges are Really Looking For appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Mar 30, 2020•29 min
It’s the time of year students get the news about what colleges they have (and haven’t!) been accepted into. The reality of the rejection is a lot harder than many families expect. Megan and Gretchen reflect about how parents can ... Read More » The post 309: How Teens Can Accept Defeat with Grace (In College Admissions and Beyond) appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Mar 23, 2020•19 min
Should we change our podcast programming during the Corona Virus shutdowns? Megan and Gretchen decided not to, and explain why during this check in. Megan also gives an update on college admissions for high school juniors and seniors. The post A Personal Message from Megan & Gretchen appeared first on The College Prep Podcast .
Mar 19, 2020•15 min
The Corona Virus is changing everything for parents, students, and teachers, for the short term and possibly the long. Megan and Gretchen weigh in about how to maneuver through all the changes one day at a time. Specifically they discuss: ... Read More » The post 308: Advice About Corona Virus Changes to Schooling and College Admissions appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Mar 16, 2020•31 min
School is boring much of the time! So how do you stay awake and engaged when your whole system wants to tune out? Gretchen walks students through more than 10 simple ways to keep yourself going so you can learn ... Read More » The post 307: 10 Ways to Stay Awake in a Boring Class appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Mar 09, 2020•21 min
Many students experience a rude awakening when they get to college, and realize they aren’t ready to do the kinds of learning and thinking tasks college professors expect. Guest Expert Leonard Geddes breaks down the key differences between high school ... Read More » The post 306: The Differences Between High School and College Learning with Leonard Geddes appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Mar 02, 2020•29 min
Visiting colleges is an important factor in deciding what school to go to! Megan breaks down the who, what, when, where, why and how of planning and going on your college visits. Specifically she discusses: why college visits are important ... Read More » The post 305: How to Do College Visits and Why They’re Important appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Feb 24, 2020•24 min
There are two huge reasons why students don’t ask for help, but this can change with a little prodding. Gretchen breaks down how to help students get over their discomfort with looking “stupid” and asking the right questions to get ... Read More » The post 304: Why Students Don’t Ask for Help and What to Do About it appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Feb 17, 2020•17 min
There are a number of misconceptions that families have about state schools and in- and out- of state tuition. Megan breaks down everything you need to know if you’re considering going to a state school (and might convince you why ... Read More » The post 303: In-State Tuition – Who Qualifies and What is the Cost Difference? appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Feb 10, 2020•25 min
This episode is a re-broadcast of episode 30 originally published on February 30, 2015. However, the content is still relevant today! Enjoy. It’s course selection time at high schools across the country! If you’re the parent of a rising freshman, ... Read More » The post 302: Select the Right High School Classes to Avoid Common Pitfalls appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Feb 03, 2020•40 min
Have you ever wondered what teachers’ who care about student learning talk about when they’re in a room alone withe each other? In this episode Gretchen lets you “in” on what the discussions in her Anti-Boring Educators’ Club are like. ... Read More » The post 301: Listen In On One of Gretchen’s Training Calls with Teachers appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Jan 27, 2020•25 min
Thanks to the Varsity Blues scandals, colleges are reviewing their application policies and looking to improve the integrity of their admissions systems. What does this mean for high school seniors applying to colleges? Tune in to find out. In today’s ... Read More » The post 300: Don’t Stretch the Truth; Colleges Are Fact Checking More Applications appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Jan 20, 2020•23 min
Parenting is always challenging, and being a parent of a “differently wired” kids comes with its unique set of adventures. Listen in as parenting expert Debbie Reber shares tips for navigating the transition from homeschooling to high school with a ... Read More » The post 299: Parenting Differently Wired Kids with Debbie Reber appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Jan 13, 2020•39 min
A downside of being a student is that you’re the subject of constant comparison to other students — whether it’s related to smartness, grades, SAT scores, or what college you got into. There are some simple ways adults can shift ... Read More » The post 298: How to Reduce the Harm of Constant Comparison appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Jan 06, 2020•32 min
Can it be that we are still podcasting as we start our 7th year?! We’ve outlasted many of our “competitors” who were also doing college prep podcasting back in 2014 when we began. Join Megan and Gretchen as we reflect ... Read More » The post 297: Have We Really Been Podcasting for 7 Years?! appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Dec 30, 2019•40 min
The advice has changed! Although we used to suggest that students should always write the “optional” essay on the ACT/SAT, now it really depends. Tune in to hear the updates on this key college admissions topic. Specifically, Megan walks you ... Read More » The post 296: Updated Advice — Do You Need to Take the Written Essay on the ACT/SAT? appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Dec 23, 2019•17 min
Junior year is supposed to be “the most important year” of high school! Megan breaks down why that is, and gives you a 5-part checklist for how to tell if you’re on track with making the most of the year. ... Read More » The post 295: Junior Year Status Check – Are You on Track with Essential College Tasks? appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Dec 16, 2019•22 min
University learning centers are a lesser-known gem on college learning centers. Guest expert Lauren Hensley from the Ohio State University explains about how their learning center helps students learn how to learn, and provides tips for parents and students about ... Read More » The post 294: Learning How to Learn: Hot Tips from a University Learning Center appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Dec 09, 2019•39 min
There are 7 different types of students, in Gretchen’s experience, who have 7 different approaches to school and studying. As final exams approach, it’s a great opportunity to explore each type of student’s weaknesses in regards to studying, and what ... Read More » The post 293: 7 Types of Students and Their Study Blindspots (Reprise) appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Dec 02, 2019•34 min
Study Smorgasbord! Gretchen lists more than 15 anti-boring strategies students can choose from as they prepare for final exams, to make sure that they’re practicing retrieval and encoding in new ways. Tune in to learn: The 3 most important steps ... Read More » The post 292: 15+ Anti-Boring Ways to Study for Final Exams appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Nov 25, 2019•37 min
For students open to spending a few years in military service after college graduation, the ROTC offers generous scholarships. Join us for an interview with Lieutenant Colonel Robert Kirkland, as he explains how families might take advantage of this opportunity. ... Read More » The post 291: How to Pay for College with ROTC Scholarships appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Nov 18, 2019•35 min
In today’s episode, Megan responds to a mom’s question about how to choose what schools her son has a chance of getting into based on his high SAT but average GPA scores. Here’s Sandra’s question: Any tips on how to ... Read More » The post 290: Will My High SAT Score Make Up for a Lower GPA in College Admission? appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Nov 11, 2019•32 min
We love it when families reach out with questions! Today Megan and Gretchen tackle topics related to college admissions, the Duke TIP program for 7th graders, homeschooling, and more! Switching to ACT. My son thought the SAT would be his ... Read More » The post 289: Q&A – College Apps, Homeschooling & the Duke TIP Program appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Nov 04, 2019•32 min
Getting students to persist through college is as — or more! — important than getting in. But families often put so much effort into the first part of the process that they forget to pay attention to the second. Gretchen ... Read More » The post 288: 6 Persistence Challenges that Keep Students from Graduating College appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Oct 28, 2019•31 min
Does college still work? Is the system designed just to protect the privileged and leave everyone else behind? Or can a college education today provide real opportunity to young Americas. Join us for an interview with journalist and author Paul ... Read More » The post 287: How College Makes or Breaks Us: An Interview with Journalist and Author Paul Tough appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Oct 21, 2019•29 min
The most common question Megan gets from families is how to choose between the ACT, SAT or both? The answer is sadly not clear cut, so Megan walks parents through a number of considerations around the following three questions: Will ... Read More » The post 286: SAT or ACT? How to Decide Which Test is Best appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Oct 14, 2019•29 min
One of the hardest new habits for parents of middle and high schoolers to learn is how to talk to their students about grades. Last year in May 2019 Gretchen had an indepth email conversation with the parent of one ... Read More » The post 285: Tips for Parents About How to (Not) Check Your Student’s Grades appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Oct 07, 2019•34 min
Gretchen’s former client Tatiana had a bumpy transition from her last two years of high school into college. She quickly dropped out of a college that she wasn’t very excited to attend, that that started a long but fruitful journey ... Read More » The post 284: How a Student with F’s and ADHD Got into Her Dream University appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Sep 30, 2019•31 min
The perfect planner is so elusive! Gretchen shares some reflections about the criteria that EVERY planner system must meet in order to help students organize their lives… especially if they executive function issues. Specifically she and Megan discuss: Four problems ... Read More » The post 283: Is There a Perfect Planner for Students? appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Sep 23, 2019•28 min
Top students think they are the top of their class — so shouldn’t their admission into top universities be a sure thing? A look at the numbers tells a different story. About 35,000 valedictorians in US– not enough seats in ... Read More » The post 282: How to Honestly Evaluate How Strong a College Candidate You Are appeared first on The College Prep Podcast ....
Sep 16, 2019•29 min
