A Slice with 'Dice

Why do gifted, talented, and motivated students leave behind the comfort of home, their local schools, and the friends and teachers they’ve known for years to take on something more demanding and more challenging? The answer, at its heart, comes down to dissatisfaction.

In this six-part special series, ASMSA Executive Director Corey Alderdice introduces the Catalytic Agency Model of Talent Development, a new framework shaped by two decades of working with gifted learners. Across the episodes, he explores dissatisfaction as a signal of student agency, the intentionalities of Eclipse, Evolve, and Escape, and how these combine into paradigms of student experience. He unpacks the practical levers of acceleration, elevation, and separation, then devotes a full episode to Catalytic Agency itself — the rare but powerful state of comprehensive dissatisfaction that makes specialized and residential schools not just valuable, but essential.

The series concludes with a call to educators, leaders, and policymakers: listen to dissatisfaction, honor student intentionality, and ensure that schools and systems are ready to respond.

For additional thoughts from Corey, visit coreyalderdice.com.

You can also follow him on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, BlueSky, YouTube, Instagram, and Threads.

College admissions come with a dictionary’s worth of terms, but not all pathways are created equal. From binding commitments to open access, each one shapes the journey differently.

ASMSA Executive Director Corey Alderdice explores the major types of college admissions—Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision, Rolling Admission, and more—breaking down what each option means, who they work best for, and how students can navigate them with clarity and confidence.

For additional thoughts from Corey, visit coreyalderdice.com.

You can also follow him on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, BlueSky, YouTube, Instagram, and Threads.

College and scholarship essays shouldn’t read like résumés in disguise. They should read like a small, true story that changed how you see the world—told clearly, humbly, and in your own voice.

In this double-sized episode, ASMSA Executive Director Corey Alderdice explores five guiding questions to help you choose a specific scene in context, blend action with reflection, echo your opening in the close, and connect your growth to goals and concrete college fit—so admissions and scholarship readers remember you for the right reasons.

For additional thoughts from Corey, visit coreyalderdice.com.

You can also follow him on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, BlueSky, YouTube, Instagram, and Threads.

No clip show. No celebrity drop-ins. No tear-filled montage set to soft piano. Just slice number 100 served hot and ready.

ASMSA Executive Director Corey Alderdice looks back and ahead, exploring the threads that have shaped the podcast so far and why the best conversations are still to come.

For additional thoughts from Corey, visit coreyalderdice.com.

You can also follow him on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, BlueSky, YouTube, Instagram, and Threads.

Prestige TV has given us a new metaphor for education: Surf Dracula. The idea comes from a viral critique of shows that delay their own premise—spending entire seasons on backstory before ever letting the main character do the thing the audience tuned in for. In education, we fall into the same trap when students are told to sit through endless setup before they ever get to “surf” for themselves. ASMSA Executive Director Corey Alderdice explores how the Surf Dracula problem shows up in classrooms, why delayed payoff can leave students disengaged, and how educators can create opportunities for students to catch waves of authentic learning earlier and more often.

For additional thoughts from Corey, visit coreyalderdice.com.

You can also follow him on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, BlueSky, YouTube, Instagram, and Threads.

In its first year, AP Precalculus drew over 184,000 students — the largest launch in AP history — and reached learners often left out of advanced math. It’s opening doors for first-generation, Black, Hispanic, rural, and later-starting students who didn’t take Algebra I or Geometry in middle school.  ASMSA Executive Director Corey Alderdice explores how the course is reshaping the calculus pathway. For younger students, it’s a springboard to AP Calculus and other STEM classes; for seniors, a rigorous capstone that builds confidence before college. Teachers praise its design, accessibility, and real-world impact, marking AP Precalculus as more than a new course — it’s a redefinition of who gets to pursue higher-level math.

For additional thoughts from Corey, visit coreyalderdice.com.

You can also follow him on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, BlueSky, YouTube, Instagram, and Threads.

The language of therapy is everywhere — from TikTok feeds to hallway conversations. Young people are learning to name their feelings and advocate for themselves like never before. But with that new vocabulary comes a risk: overgeneralizing, self-diagnosing, and shutting down dialogue before it starts.  ASMSA Executive Director Corey Alderdice explores the double-edged sword of gaining mental health frameworks through social media — how it empowers, how it complicates, and what it means for educators, parents, and students to use this language wisely.

For additional thoughts from Corey, visit coreyalderdice.com.

You can also follow him on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, BlueSky, YouTube, Instagram, and Threads.

Recommendation letters can make or break a college or scholarship application, yet many fall flat simply because the recommender doesn’t have enough detail to work with. That’s where a brag sheet comes in.

In this episode, ASMSA Executive Director Corey Alderdice explores the purpose of brag sheets, what to include, and how they transform vague, generic letters into powerful, personal endorsements. From highlighting academic interests and extracurricular impact to sharing character traits and future goals, a brag sheet gives teachers and mentors the stories they need to make a student’s application stand out.

Whether you’re a student, a parent, or an educator, this conversation will help you see brag sheets not as busywork, but as one of the most effective tools in the admissions process.

Brag Sheet Template for Students

Brag Sheet Guide for Educators and Mentors

For additional thoughts from Corey, visit coreyalderdice.com.

You can also follow him on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, BlueSky, YouTube, Instagram, and Threads.

The debate over admissions at selective public high schools has never been more urgent. With cases like Thomas Jefferson High School in Virginia and Stuyvesant High School in New York drawing national attention, the question remains: how do these schools balance excellence with equity in an era where traditional methods are under legal and cultural scrutiny?

ASMSA Executive Director Corey Alderdice explores how selective schools can navigate the fallout of recent court decisions, why “merit” must be redefined beyond test scores, and how opportunity—not just talent—should guide the future of admissions.

For additional thoughts from Corey, visit coreyalderdice.com.

You can also follow him on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, BlueSky, YouTube, Instagram, and Threads.

The first month of school is when excitement gives way to routine, and for gifted students that often brings a mix of confidence, pressure, and hidden struggles. In this episode, ASMSA Executive Director Corey Alderdice reflects on why now is the right time for parents to pause and check in with their students. He explores how families can open space for honest conversations about academics, friendships, and well-being—not as an interrogation, but as an invitation to share and be supported.

For additional thoughts from Corey, visit coreyalderdice.com.

You can also follow him on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, BlueSky, YouTube, Instagram, and Threads.