The College Prep Podcast

A parent wonders, “how to pick a major for students who desire professional certifications.” Megan shares that not all colleges handle majors the same and provides a few tips on choosing a major. Want to be pre-law, pre-med, engineering, or other specific major? Then this is the episode for you!

Erin shares how her student, Victoria, is whittling down her college list and how some of the terminology can really change our feelings about the various schools. Words like “safety,” “target,” “reach,” and other words that Megan would like to kick out of the college dictionary. Along with healthier ways to talk about college, Megan and Erin cover how many schools to apply to, whether you should go to the highest-ranked school you get into, and a few other “choosing the right college” tips.

Guest expert Jane Gabin joins Megan to discuss the issue of part time versus tenured faculty. This issue goes beyond the staffing policies of universities and can affect your experience as a student. Jane explains * the problem, * how it can impact students, and * how families can research this issue while searching for the perfect college.  You can search for the schools on your list using “Common Data Set + school name”. You can contact Jane directly: janesgabin [at] yahoo [dot] com

A listener writes in with some financial advice and Megan and Erin talk all things money! * How do you get scholarships? * What does Megan tell families about choosing schools? * What general money advice have you been given before? * What would Erin do differently if she had a time machine? This episode wants everyone to think about their future selves and how to set yourself (and your family) up for financial success. Links to info mentioned: Are Personal Finance Gurus Giving You Bad Advice? (Freakonomics #518): https://freakonomics.com/podcast/are-personal-finance-gurus-giving-you-bad-advice/ You Need a Budget (and you do!): https://www.youneedabudget.com/share-ynab/

The listeners ask whether college is about getting a job or being a well-rounded human (Liberal Arts education). Megan and Erin debate the topic with a little help from a listener that wrote in about her experience. So, what is the point of college anyway? You might want to check out these resources: * What Will They Learn college-ranking website: whatwilltheylearn.com * What’s the Purpose of College (Forbes): https://www.forbes.com/sites/brandonbusteed/2019/04/10/whats-the-purpose-of-college/?sh=7498bf8a354e * What’s the Point of College (The Atlantic): https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/05/whats-the-point-of-college/624011/

Megan and Erin answer a parent question today about service opportunities and where to find them (even with a busy schedule). Erin gives her top three places to look for meaningful experiences and Megan shares a few opportunities that have been great for her kids. Let us know where you chose to volunteer!

Megan has been hearing students (and her son) say that they “have so much work to do” and that things are “so hard.” How can we help students reframe their thinking? Erin gives a mini-primer of Growth Mindset and encourages “the power of yet!” Plus, we cover the dreaded math block and give some strategies for getting out the “this is so hard” slump.

Yes, you read that right, there is a new SAT coming and Megan helps answer all of the questions about what has been announced thus far: * Why is the College Board changing the test? * What’s the timeline? * Who will be affected? * What will the new test look like? Erin and Megan also discuss some of the potential challeges with the new testing format and share what you need to know to make an informed choice.

We kick off the new year with advice we were given and want to hear yours! * What is the best advice you have ever recieved? * What advice did you really learn from? * What advice would you give to others? Erin talks about a study she read and wonders – how do you get others to take your “good advice?” Link to researcher Lauren Eskreis-Winkler’s question: Why is it that we typically don’t use the advice that other people give to us? https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0956797618795472

Catch up with the team and hear how Megan, Gretchen, and Erin are wrapping up this year and what they are looking forward to next year. Gretchen shares about her new business venture for educators, Megan gives some advice about the upcoming new SAT, and Erin tries to finish all of the things on her multiple “to do” lists. Join us for a fun wrap-up, an exciting look ahead, and find out why Megan’s house can be spotted from the ISS. And here are the pictures we promised in the show: Megan finally won “Best Decorated” in her section of the neighborhood! And this is all the snow Megan hopes to see in her South Texas yard this winter. Rex keeps Erin’s yard safe and festive!

Once called Junior Colleges, community colleges are local educational institutions that offer a variety of programs with easy access, but the stigma of community colleges has kept students from considering them in their college journey. Hear Erin completely nerd out about community and technical colleges, Phi Theta Kappa, and the opportunities and access that these modern-day institutions offer.

Multiple choice tests have been both a frustration and a celebration for students–they think it wil be easy and them feel overwhelmed by the choices. * How do you know which answer is more right? * What are some test strategies to help you know what to choose? * And is “C” always the go-to option? Plus, we share some SAT upcoming changes in 2024 and what Megan and her son plan to do with the switch.

It’s December and that means it is all about tests–final exams and SAT/ACT planning for juniors. Some seniors are hearing back from colleges while others are working on their final push to complete applications. Megan asks Erin about some study tips for finals and what students can do to “save the term” and finish strongly (and strategically). Erin also shares a few things students can do over break to prepare for the upcoming term while Megan encourages students to think even further ahead to summer and make some plans to set them up for college and the next school year.

Rejection can hurt and leave us wondering “why?” Megan covers some of the reasons a college might say no to a student. Erin and Megan also discuss how many colleges to apply to and how to strategize when applying to get colleges to see your value and (hopefully) accept you.

We’ve all heard that colleges want to see involved students who show academic readiness by completing a rigorous high school program. But do colleges prefer depth– specializing in fields like STEM or humanities, focusing on one or two extracurriculars, or taking one world language for four years? Or do colleges want to see breadth– a range of academic subjects, multiple activities, an extensive resume, and a range of interests? Megan and Erin discuss the question of depth versus breadth as it applies to various aspects of a student’s high school experience including: * course schedule * volunteer and extracurricular interests * world language choices * and more