Imagine applying the strategies of FBI hostage negotiators to your interactions with students. In this episode, we delve into Chris Voss’s book “Never Split the Difference” and explore how its principles can transform communication with young people. Discover why giving students a sense of control and autonomy is crucial, and how shifting from “why” to “what” or “how” questions can foster ownership of their learning journey.

We’ll unpack actionable strategies for parents, educators, and advocates to empower students and guide them toward academic success by negotiating effectively for a more positive and productive educational experience.

The post 551: Never Ask Why: FBI Secrets for Negotiating with Students appeared first on The College Prep Podcast.

Choosing the right college is much more complex than affordability, location, and fit. Join us as we introduce our new co-host and explore how our unique upbringings influenced our college decisions. We’ll share our contrasting perspectives – one of us a first-generation college student, the other from a family of graduates – and reveal how family, school environments, and personal experiences shaped our views on higher education.

Get ready for some surprising revelations as we uncover unexpected differences and surprising similarities in our college search journeys. Plus, we’ll share valuable insights and advice to help your students navigate the complexities of college selection and avoid the pitfalls we encountered. Let’s discover how to empower the next generation to make informed college choices.

The post 550: Unpacking the Hidden Influences on College Choices appeared first on The College Prep Podcast.

In this episode, Megan is joined by Phil Black of the ServeWell Academy who helps students and families interested in service academies and ROTC scholarships. Find out how this former Navy SEAL Officer with four sons — two at Yale on Navy ROTC scholarships, one at the U.S. Naval Academy, and one still in high school– saved over $1,000,000 in college expenses. Learn some key strategies for securing funding and admission to these highly regarded programs.

The post 549: Phil Black: How our family saved $1M in college expenses appeared first on The College Prep Podcast.

In this episode Edward Coronado III joins Megan to discuss his Three Pillars Framework of the key areas that impact college success: learning & study strategies, productivity & executive function, and mindset & motivation.

We’ll dive deep into each pillar, exploring how weaknesses in one area can affect overall success. We’ll share real-life examples and guide you toward self-reflection with questions like:

• What study habits REALLY work for you?
• Where do you get stuck with productivity?
• How do you FEEL about school, beyond just grades?

This episode is packed with actionable strategies to help students optimize learning, boost productivity, and cultivate a positive mindset.

Edward is a higher ed administrator turned founder of Alma Modern, where they equip college success pros with the training and resources to empower their students to not just survive in college, but thrive.

The post 548: Three Pillars of Academic Success appeared first on The College Prep Podcast.

Building friendships and community is so important, but can also be a challenge. Alexis Moore Eytinge from The Confidence Society shares strategies including:

• Her personal Bill of Rights
• Building new friendships and networks in college
• Developing confidence
• Recognizing your own strengths

We also talk about bad relationships and what peers, mentors, and family members can do if they notice someone in a toxic situation.

Alexis is the founder of The Confidence Society where she supports students and parents through the independence transition by empowering them with boundary-setting skills, safety-planning techniques, and healthy relationship strategies. She has worked with women’s crisis organizations, police bureaus, community colleges, and universities on violence prevention, smart-partying practices, and self-defense programs. She is a certified life coach by the International Coaching Federation and holds a bachelor’s degree from Portland State University in Sociology and Gender Studies. She was a college orientation leader, theater kid, and is also a licensed New York City tour guide. She loves to watch individuals realize their value and begin to expect others to see it too. She lives in New York City.

Resources:

• 21 Strategies Workbook: https://www.theconfidencesociety.com/21strategies
• Online Self-Defense Series: https://www.theconfidencesociety.com/selfdefense

The post 547: Healthy Relationships with Alexis from The Confidence Society appeared first on The College Prep Podcast.

Join Megan as she speaks with guest, Edward Coronado III, founder of Alma Modern about a trap many students fall into this time of year. This is a phenomenon where students can be lulled into a false sense of security assuming they have good grades in all their classes because they haven’t had to submit any major assignments or take any high-stakes exams. 3 strategies.

• Newness & excitement mask reality
• Lack of major assignments leads to complacency & procrastination
  • By the end of the semester (10 discussion posts)
  • No major exams
  • Late September — Thanksgiving: auto-pilot
    • Set up for difficult recovery later
  • WAKE UP: Major deadlines (project, paper, final exams)
    • Learning Center/Libraries
• How to break the cycle?

Strategies

• Treat Homework Like Exams:
  • Approach every assignment with exam-level seriousness
  • Many students say “I have nothing to study yet”
  • Study BEFORE doing homework, no peeking
    • Builds strong study habits
    • Get used to exams in that field
• Establish Consistent Study Habits:
  • Even without deadlines, schedule daily study time
  • Create a dedicated, distraction-free study space
• Reverse Plan with a Calendar
  • Use a planner/calendar (your preference, digital/physical)
  • Input ALL due dates: assignments, exams, especially midterms!
  • Work BACKWARDS from exam dates, ideally 2 weeks of study time
  • Makes the workload REAL, not caught off guard when it’s crunch time

Conclusion

No digging yourself out of a hole later, be proactive now!

These 3 strategies work together to set you up for the WHOLE semester

Edward is a higher ed administrator turned founder of Alma Modern, where he equips college success pros with the training and resources to empower their students to not just survive in college, but thrive.

The post 546: Danger Time for Grades: “I Got This” Thinking appeared first on The College Prep Podcast.

Erin shares about a big decision she has been struggling with. Hearing about others deal with tough things can sometimes help us deal with our own. Megan is a loving support as Erin shares that she will be leaving the podcast.

The post 545: Erin’s Big Decision appeared first on The College Prep Podcast.

College is expensive, but there are bargains to be had if you do your research. Megan outlines:

• The range of costs for in-state and out-of-state students at state universities
• Private college costs
• Community college tuition

Then she helps brainstorm some cost saving ideas that go beyond taking community college classes or living at home:

• Finding out-of-state university “deals” that cost less than your in-state options
• Understanding private school scholarships
• How to work the “supply and demand” aspect of scholarships
• And ideas for unconventional savings

The post 544: College Costs & How to Find Affordable 4-Year Options appeared first on The College Prep Podcast.

Megan and Erin go through questions that students ask about Extra Curricular activities.

• What is the best activity?
• How many hours do I need?
• Do I have to serve in a leadership role or is a participant good enough?
• Which is better–civic engagement or personal actvities?
• How do we write about these on our college applications?

The post 543: The Lowdown on Extra Curricular Activities appeared first on The College Prep Podcast.

Maureen Anderson from the Sorority Success Academy shares how as a first-generation college student, who after a injury found she didn’t have many friends outside of cheer, she was able to fill that social void through Greek life on campus. Greek life is a lot more than what we’ve seen in the media. There is an emphasis on: 

• sisterhood (brotherhood for fraternities)
• philanthropy / service 
• academics 
• social interaction 
• leadership, networking, and soft skills 

Maureen shares a wealth of information: 

• timeline (don’t wait until college starts to plan) 
• recommendation letters 
• recruitment rounds 
• formal membership 
• strategies for success
  

Understanding the process and how to position yourself for a good match is just one of the ways Maureen and the Sorority Success Academy can help. Check out her $99 class and reach out if you are interested in personalized consultations:

•  sororitysuccessacademy.com
• TikTok: sororitysuccessacademy 
• Instagram: sororitysuccessacademy

Maureen Anderson is a dedicated sorority consultant and the founder of SororitySuccessAcademy, a comprehensive recruitment and leadership firm for sororities. With over 20 years of experience, Maureen has served as a former sorority staff director, a lifelong volunteer, and held roles such as alumnae Panhellenic president and chapter advisor. She remains actively involved with Delta Phi Epsilon International Sorority, contributing her time to their foundation. 

Maureen holds a Master of Science in Nonprofit Administration from Louisiana State University in Shreveport and a Bachelor of Arts in Art with a Graphic Design emphasis from Winona State University. In her professional role with the State of Wisconsin, she focuses on developing low-income housing initiatives across the state. Outside of her professional commitments, Maureen enjoys traveling with her spouse and daughter, volunteering as a Girl Scout troop leader, and indulging in movie outings. She cherishes quality time with her pug, adding warmth to her busy life. 

The post 542: Greek Life Tips from the Sorority Success Academy appeared first on The College Prep Podcast.

It’s time for college applications! How do we strategize with our college apps to make sure we are applying for the schools we want and not wasting time and effort on our lowest priorities. Erin provides a sample of her ... Read More »

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