The College Prep Podcast

Everyone has less attention span these days. How can educators package the most important study theory and strategies for students in a way they will actually hear? The answer is the “mini-lecture” and Gretchen unpacks what that is and how to deliver one consistently, including: * The 7 characteristics of an effective mini-lecture* How she uses the idea of a mini-lecture to teach the science of learning, including both theory and strategies* How she inspires educators in her Anti-Boring Educators’ Club to create their own creative mini-lectures on topics they are experts in For more information about Gretchen’s courses or her Anti-Boring Educators’ Club, visit www.GretchenWegner.com.

Summer is the best time to write your college admissions essays! So how should you get started? Megan walks you through four steps including: * Get organized — know what schools, what questions, how many unique essays and short answers you need. * Recognize that HOW you write is as important at WHAT you write. * Be authentic. Colleges want to get to know you, not the person you think they want you to be.* Be strategic. Your essay can be the factor that tips in your favor or a missed opportunity. Spend time strategically looking at what you need to say to make your application complete. If you want in-depth coaching on how to make your college essays and resume work for you, Megan is offering her summer essay workshop LIVE on Zoom on Saturday, June 20. Better yet, it is on sale. Check it out: https://www.collegeprepresults.com/college-application-essay-coaching/

How can students take responsibility for reminding themselves to follow through on tasks large and small? Without relying on mom or dad for nagging? In this mini-episode Gretchen shares one of her favorite ways to get students to start thinking about reminder systems. This includes a brainstorm where you guide students through the following: * Make a list of ways they can remind themselves to follow through on tasks* Discuss the pros of each reminder system, thinking through what kinds of reminders they might work for* Discuss the cons of each reminder system, thinking through what kinds of reminders this system might NOT work for If you’d like to learn more about how Gretchen helps students with time management, check out these free and paid courses for families and educators.

Which college schedule is best for a student with ADHD – semesters or quarters? Recently one of Gretchen’s Anti-Boring Approach Licensed Coaches sent an email asking just that, and Megan & Gretchen chatted about it on this episode of the podcast. Here’s the exact question: I have a parent asking me for my opinion on her son choosing between 2 colleges right now.  One is on semester, one is a quarter system school.  This young man has ADD.  He hasn’t been great using all the new tools I’ve taught him but is very bright.  Quarter system would mean less classes at a time but quicker.  Many say they are consistently having exams during the 11 week quarter.  Thoughts?  I was kind of thinking that a quarter system has quite a few positive.   You hate a class, it only last 11 weeks.  You could possibly get more feedback since you have tests more often.   Negatives is there is no time to recover and if you get behind you are screwed.  I haven’t coached a student on a quarter system….let me know your thoughts.  Tune in to Megan and Gretchen’s wide ranging chat about how to thinking through which schedule is best for what kinds of students.

There are appropriate (and inappropriate) times during the school year or college admission process to hire a tutor. Make sure you know the ins and outs of when and how to hire a tutor so that you can save time, money and frustration. In this episode from the archives, Gretchen and Megan discuss mistakes such as: * Hiring a tutor without clearly defined expectations and goals.* Hiring a tutor out of desperation.* Waiting until it is too late to hire a tutor.* Becoming dependent on the tutor.* Ignoring issues of quality. Tune in to hear more about these mistakes, and suggestions for what to do instead.

There’s a university for everyone, and a college sports team too. If you’re curious about how to prepare for college sports recruitment, even if you’re as young as 8th grade, this interview with Guest Expert Chris Stack is a must-listen. Tune in as we discuss: * what to expect at every phase of the college recruiting process* how to find the right college fit — academically, athletically, and personally* how to gain exposure as an athlete* the importance of standing out on and off the field* and more! Chris Stack is the founder of Guiding Future Stars, author of the College Recruiting Playbook, and developer of Designing Your Pathway to College Sports Curriculum. He worked in intercollegiate athletics for over 12 years, as a DI/D3 Soccer Coach and Director of Student-Athlete Academic Support and Student Development. His organization Guiding Future Stars is committed to educating prospective student-athletes about what it takes to play at the next level, how the recruiting process works, and how to be successful in the classroom, on the field, and in the community. Visit his website here.

Gretchen is taking a couple of classes this semester, and she is fascinated to notice that she’s a bad student! Or more specifically: She doesn’t follow her own advice about learning. Tune in to find out why, and what she’s learned about human behavior in the process, including: * What good academic habits she does have* What pieces of advice she isn’t following* The single most important thinking habit students need to be successful in the 21st century* What she’s learned about students, teachers, and teacher training, as a result.

Standardized tests have been delayed. Many high schools are replacing final exams with final projects. Megan and Gretchen check in about the changes they’re seeing in In the world of college planning and test prep, Megan shares: * How to handle the delays to the SAT and ACT tests (including an explanation of why you don’t need to study right now)* What admissions requirements for colleges have changed, and what haven’t * The importance of knowing individual school requirements, deadlines, and adjusted policies (including the tip: get on college email lists)* And more! Gretchen shares: * How to “make time visible” with an end-of-semester plan, regardless of whether you now have a bunch of projects (more common) or final exams (less common)* How she and the other Anti-Boring Approach trained coaches have shifted the way they coach (and why it might be even better than what we were doing pre-COVID* What students are learning about how they prefer to do work (and why this is a good thing)* And more!

Introducing the ASVAB, a completely free tool to help students discover their career aptitudes! Guest expert Kate McLean breaks down why this is such a useful tool, and how families might get access to it. Specifically, she discusses: * What the ASVAB is, and the benefits of participating* Practical details, like when, where and how to take it* How (not) to prepare for the test* Why it’s so useful for students, even if they never want a career in the military* and more! Kate McLean has worked with the ASVAB Career Exploration Program for 10 years. She currently serves as the communications director for the program managing marketing efforts for the program online, in print, and in person. She is a contributing member of the team responsible for revolutionizing the ASVAB CEP over the last five years. Kate is passionate about empowering young people to maximize their full potential. She has extensive experience in the marketing industry and completed her Master’s in Public Relations at George Washington University.

College visits can get repetitive and boring, and the “official” tours offered by the school don’t always reveal the hidden details that help you make a decision about which school is best for you. In this episode from the archives (originally posted in April 2018), let Megan school you on how to take your visits to the next level! She’ll cover: * How early is too early to start taking college visits?* How to go beyond the basic two-hour info session, with tips like eating in the actual cafeteria picking up the school newspaper* How to use college visits to help make the “short list” Megan will also share some notes from the road, observations based on the college visits her clients and her daughter have done.

Admission to state universities can be very competitive. Your chances of admission increase significantly when you tailor your college application to the specific focus on each school on your list. Listen in a Megan visits with Wei-Li Sun an expert in the University of California System. Find out the types of issues that can make (or break) your applications.  * Know the profile and type of student your school wants. * Get to the point in your application– give the college what they want to know.* Focus on rigorous courses and good grades (grades 9-12).* Make sure your application offers the evidence for how you will succeed academically in college.* Don’t get swept up in rumors or attempts to game the system– these strategies don’t work and can actually backfire.* Just as you would stage your home if you were trying to sell it, you need to “stage” your application by focusing on presentation (of key factors.) You can find Wei-Li Sun at AskMsSun.com

Recently we got a question about when students should take their SAT subject tests. Tune in as Megan answers that question…and provides other tips about test prep for the subject tests. Here is the exact question the mom Nathalie asked: My daughter is a HS Freshman taking Honors Biology with a plan to take AP Biology by her senior year. We noticed that some schools (premed programs) that she may be interested in require SAT subject tests in Biology, Chemistry and Math Level I, II, English. She is an A minus student on a 4.0 scale (core only). The SAT website suggests that students take the Subject Tests after completing the class. Do you suggest that she take the SAT Biology Subject Tests after the Honors class, or after her AP exam and class? Also, if my HS Fresh. student is taking Hon. Alg. 2 student and Hon. English, is it too soon to start this summer with SAT/PSAT or ACT test prep? She took PSAT 8/9 and scored 1100 out of 1400. If not, what would be recommended? We love questions, by the way. Please keep them coming!

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, as they interview Maxine and find out what she learned from admissions insiders about what colleges look for in regards to college essays, extracurriculars, and more! : Maxine Seya quit corporate America to start SocratesPost, an Amber Grant-winning subscription newsletter delivering US higher ed insights to the world. A journalist by training, she wrote for CNN and HuffPost before working as a college consultant and test prep instructor. After leaving the ed field, Maxine became a US State Dept. featured speaker. She’s a proud Northwestern alumna who spends her free time exploring the world with her husband.

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 handle the news in ways that build students’ ability to accept defeat with grace.

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.