The College Prep Podcast

When students grades are lower than you’d like, how do you talk them through improving them? Too often parents tell students to “study,” but that’s not enough. Here’s how to get specific about what actions students can take. In today’s episode Megan interviews Gretchen about how to get specific about what actions students can take. They discuss: * How to do an analysis of a students’ grades to identify whether the issue is related to studying or time management* How to use the Study Cycle to identify what aspects of studying will be most useful to the student* Specific ways to create quizzable study tools and encode in a new way

It’s the start to a new semester, which means a fresh start and one more opportunity to turn the school year around. Tune in as Gretchen and Megan discuss tips for how to set yourself up for success this spring. Specifically, they discuss: 1. How to do a review of the last semester and identify the key areas for improvement in the areas of time management, organization, study skills, and mental health/self care. 2. How to pick one specific theme for what you’d like to improve the MOST. 3. The importance of creating a system for how to track what you want to improve.

Not every student is built for an immediate transition from high school into the college of their dreams. Megan lays out unconventional pathways that can help students who need more support transition into their ideal college. Specifically, she discusses: * School specific “bridge” programs * The military-to-college route* Community College transfers* Four year university transfers* Academic “fresh start” or “bankruptcy” programs for older students* Redefining what “the college of your dreams” looks like

Sometimes adults forget that being a student is an emotionally taxing job, and students need reassurance! On today’s New Year’s episode we discuss the 5 ways that feelings get in the way of student success if they’re not acknowledged. Each of today’s tips is inspired by a video from Gretchen’s YouTube channel. Tune in to get the low-down on each of these tips, or go directly to the videos that inspired them in the first place: * What to do when you’re stressing about homework — about the common problem of trying to second guess what the teacher wants, and how this habit causes undue stress* Beat test anxiety with this 10 minute trick — about the underlying fears that cause you to blank out on tests* A giant fear that makes students unnecessarily stuck — about students’ fear of talking to teachers* A destructive myth that makes students miserable — about the stress caused when students think their work is not valuable or respected unless they do it alone* What every struggling student needs to hear — about a deep seeded fear that they are broken because they struggle This episode originally aired on January 2, 2017.

As we celebrate the holidays together, let’s envision what’s possible for schools and schooling! How can we use some of the changes forced by this global pandemic to create something beautiful and new, and not just “go back to normal”? The following quote by Sonya Renee Taylor has inspired this episode: Listen in as Gretchen and Megan imagine what might be possible, if schools bravely choose to “not go back to normal”: * How standardized testing in college admissions might change* The ways in which meaning, purpose, and mental health might be more deeply infused into schooling and the college admissions process* Some practical changes to campus visits, counselor presentations, and the Duke TIP program* How the process of teaching and learning in classrooms might shift* The ways in which academic habits and skills might take focus over content* Curricula centered around racial justice* And much more! Do you have more to add to the list? If so, please email us at collegepreppodcast [at] gmail [dot] com.

Who doesn’t want to make college life easier and more affordable? Today Megan talks with Ayden Berkey of Accessscholarships.com a new site for students to find scholarships and resources that are: * Personalized to your year, school, area of study, etc.* User friendly and readable* Recent (no old, out of date listings here!)* Student tested (Ayden is a 2020 graduate!) Ayden shares her tips for transitioning to college and making the sholarship process easier and more successful. Listen to hear: * resources for finding relevant scholarships * who should apply for scholarships * how to track your progress* different types of scholarships to consider* and much more! As a 2020 college graduate, she also shares some of her tips for academic success and what it was like to graduate during a pandemic. You can connect with Ayden through her website, AccessScholarships.com, or on Instagram @accessscholarships. And the printable resource page mentioned in the episode can be found here: https://accessscholarships.com/student-deals-resources/resources

In junior high and high school, teachers often hand out study guides to help students prepare for tests. However, there’s a wrong way and a right way to use them, if you care about optimal learning! Listen in for the full study guide scoop, including: * the different kinds of study guides teachers hand out* how to fill out that study guide in a way that helps, rather than hurts, your learning* whether or not to use online quizzes as study guides* what to do when your teacher doesn’t hand out a study guide,* how to make sure that study guide becomes quizzable* and more! For more information about how to use study guides, check out one of Gretchen’s online anti-boring courses.

Did you know that many of the practice SAT & ACT tests offered by companies to help you study — are fake?! Don’t fall for fake tests! Megan walks you through how to make sure the practice tests you are taking are legit… and will actually help you study effectively for the ACT and SAT. Specifically, she walks you through: * What advertisements to watch out for so you don’t get bamboozled by fake practice tests* Legitimate methods for taking practice tests* Creative ways to get your teen to take “kitchen table” tests proctored by you* How to get a baseline result* Whether or not the PSAT will be helpful for you to take* and more! This From the Archives episode first appeared in January 2018.

Parents, have you done an inventory recently of the way you talk about and to your kids? are you 100% sure it’s shame and blame free? Join Elaine Taylor Klause in this interview as we discuss her “coach approach” to parenting, as described in her new book: The Essential Guide to Raising Complex Kids. Also, if you want to watch the full recording of this interview, it will be inside Gretchen’s Anti-Boring Educators’ Club through January 2021. Join us for only $25 (instead of $55) by using this link. Elaine Taylor-Klaus is a change agent: a mother of 3 complex kids, a parent educator, a writer, a health care advocate, a community entrepreneur, a public speaker, a facilitator, and a compassionate listener. She is also a certified professional coach, providing support for families around the globe raising children with complex needs. The co-founder and CEO of ImpactADHD.com, a virtual training and coaching resource for parents of kids with ADHD and related challenges, Elaine is a writer for publications like Huffington Post, Attention and ADDitude magazines. A regular presenter at national conferences, such as CHADD (Children & Adults with ADD) and the LDA (Learning Disability Association of America), she serves on the national Board of Directors of CHADD, chairing the Membership committee. She also serves as an expert voice for parents as part of Pfizer’s Making Moments education campaign.

Putting together your college list is daunting at any time, much less during a global pandemic. However, there are some straightforward tips you can follow for how to research the best college for you during this strange time. Megan walks you through these 7 tips: * Start learning about schools early * Do preliminary research online (website, data, virtual tours) * Find out how the pandemic has impacted each campus (opening plans, financial stability, changes to programs) * Seek out options (location, cost, selectivity) * Identify your priorities and when/ if they change * Still make in-person visits a priority for your top choice schools * When in doubt, reach out (to admissions staff, your school guidance counselor, current students, etc.)

Peer tutoring is a super effective method for improving academic skills. Meet Gabriela Nguena Jones, a teenager who started a nonprofit dedicated to teens tutoring teens. She chats with Megan and Gretchen about: * what prompted her to start a nonprofit when she was a sophomore in high school* where she got her work ethic and resilience from* what it’s like being a college freshman this year during COVID* tips for apply to college* tips for being a great peer tutor To find out more about Gabriels’s nonprofit, visit her organization’s website: www.teenstutorteens.com.

Although there is a “standard” path towards college for most students, there are many families who have special circumstances. Tune in as Megan discusses all things unique in the college admissions process, including: * how to apply for fee waivers, * why it’s so important for the college process to fill out the form for free/reduced lunches if you qualify* when and how to apply for testing accommodations for the college board (SAT) and the ACT* three other special circumstances students might experience in the college admissions process,* and more!

Now that so many students are studying virtually, they learning world is limited to two dimensions. That means that now, more than ever, students need to learn the power of 3D learning tools — what Gretchen calls the “Study Senses.” Tune in to learn more, including: * an Introduction to how to learn according to the Study Senses* The importance of using as many senses as possible during virtual learning* Note-taking and quizzable study tools as crucial 3D learning methods* What do to when taking tests digitally,* and more! To learn more about how to use or teach the Study Senses, check out one of Gretchen’s courses!

In this new age of virtual learning, how does a student build a strong enough relationship with a teacher in order to ask for a letter of recommendation? Megan and Gretchen take on the following listener question: One fear I have is that I’m applying to medical school next year and still need a science professor letter of recommendation. I was planning on asking my public health pathophysiology professor for a letter of recommendation after taking her class this semester, but now I’m worried that it will be hard to build a relationship with a professor through online-only classes. Do you have any advice around that? I was hoping that online office hours would be available and I could sign up for those every week to ask her questions about what we learn about in class and talk about my career goals. Also, I know ideally you should ask for letters of recommendation in-person but how would I do that online? Tune in to hear their tips!

One of the most time consuming activities for students is reading! Tune in to discover simple tips for reading faster and more effectively than you ever thought possible. * The section of the book readers usually skip (but shouldn’t)* How to skim for the structure of the information so you remember the main points* How to find secret clues inside the chapter that will allow you to quickly identify main ideas* How to use your hand while you read to help you read faster* How to annotate a nonfiction text (it’s not what your teacher taught you!)* and more. If you’d like to check out the original video 4-part series that this podcast is based on, check out Part One, Part Two, Part Three and Part Four of How to Read a 400 Page Book in Under Two Hours.Audio Player This podcast originally aired on January 16, 2017.