What makes the difference between students who struggle and those who find success in school & life? There are many essential skills that go into it. In this episode, we welcome on Ana Homayoun, a noted author, academic advisor, and early career development strategist whose work focuses on helping students develop Executive Functioning skills in today's technology & social media world. Her new book is Getting In Is Not Enough: The New Blueprint for Success Beyond Grades, Test Scores, and College Admission. Hear why adaptability is so crucial for students, how to know when to step in and help as a parent, the core skills students need to succeed in school & life, how to help your student break down that panic state, and the systems students & parents can start trying out right away. Connect with Ana at AnaHomayoun.com, GreenIvyEd.com, her new book, and on LinkedIn, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

How do you help your student transition to college if they have ADHD or struggle with Executive Functioning? In this episode, we welcome on Debbie White, an ADHD & Executive Functioning Coach who's the Founder of Life Stormer. Hear the difference between ADHD & Executive Functioning, how to know if your student needs more support, what happens when a student with ADHD or Executive Functioning concerns ends up at the wrong college, how to prepare your student for college without compromising their independence, and how to leverage ADHD or Executive Functioning skills as a gift and superpower. Connect with Debbie at LifeStormer.com and on LinkedIn, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

How can your students figure out what they want to major in? How about what they want to do in life? It might be time to find their hidden genius. In this episode, we welcome on Betsy Wills & Alex Ellison, Authors of Your Hidden Genius: The Science-Backed Strategy to Uncovering and Harnessing Your Innate Talents. Betsy is the Co-Founder of YouScience and Alex is the Founder of Throughline Guidance. Hear how to find your aptitudes, how to use your aptitudes to align with your major or career, how important it is to go into college confident in your major or career, how to turn a student away from a particular field gracefully, and how parents can help students find their hidden genius. Check out the book and resources at YourHiddenGenius.com and connect with Betsy & Alex on LinkedIn, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

How can your student figure out what they want to major in? How about what they want to do in life? It might be time to find their hidden genius. In this episode, we welcome on Betsy Wills & Alex Ellison, Authors of Your Hidden Genius: The Science-Backed Strategy to Uncovering and Harnessing Your Innate Talents. Betsy is the Co-Founder of YouScience and Alex is the Founder of Throughline Guidance. Hear how to find your aptitudes, how to use your aptitudes to align with your major or career, how important it is to go into college confident in your major or career, how to turn a student away from a particular field gracefully, and how parents can help students find their hidden genius. Check out the book and resources at YourHiddenGenius.com and connect with Betsy & Alex on LinkedIn, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

Now that Early Decision (ED) results are back - and students are either thrilled or disappointed - we wanted to look back at our first interview with a student, Zoe, who shares her experience not getting into her first choice Early Decision school. She reveals her feelings when she first got denied, why it was actually a blessing in disguise, and her advice to rising seniors. Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

With college decisions coming out in the coming weeks, we're entering one of the most stressful times for high school students & parents. There are so many emotions you're bound to experience, and it's hard to resist comparing yourself to other aspiring college students. In this episode, we welcome on Jenna Schebell, Founder of The College Navigators. She's an Independent Educational Consultant (IEC) with over 20 years of experience in college admissions. Hear how to navigate the news on college decisions, what to actually believe on social media, how to block out the noise in this extra stressful time, how to regroup if things don't work out the way you'd hoped, and how to own your path as an aspiring college student - no matter what it looks like. Connect with Jenna at TheCollegeNavigators.com and on Instagram @TheCollegeNavigators, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

It's never too early to start figuring out what your student will be doing next summer. There are endless options, but which one will be the most rewarding - for personal growth AND adding to that resume? In this episode, we first cover how to make the most of your summer experiences, how to nail the outreach letter for internships, and whether it's still beneficial to get a summer job. Then, we share case studies so you can hear how high school students with very different passions & interests used their summer experiences to make a truly remarkable impact on their communities - and in turn, their college applications. Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

An IEC (Independent Educational Consultant) can be a huge help on your student's high school & college journey. How do you know whether an IEC is right for you - and what should you look for in an IEC? In this episode, we welcome on Kristina Dooley, a Certified Educational Planner and Founder of Estrela Consulting - a multi-consultant educational consulting firm based in Ohio. In addition to her 18 years of experience as an IEC, Kristina has previously served as a college admission officer, a school-based college counselor, and as a Past President of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA). Hear what an IEC actually does, the dynamic between school counselors & IECs, key questions to ask an IEC to find out if they're the right fit, the drastic ways the industry has changed in the last 5 years, and why campus visits are more essential than ever. Connect with Kristina at EstrelaConsulting.com and on LinkedIn, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

Want to know the key trends & takeaways in college admissions for 2025? We've got you covered. In this webinar, hear why the demographic cliff is real, how schools are using AI in admissions, how to show you're a great fit for your major, why standardized testing is making a comeback, and what's happening with supplemental essays. Watch the webinar on YouTube, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

Some of the trickiest essays to pin down on college applications are the Why College/Why Academic Interest essays. This has never been more true than today, so we wanted to bring back our interview with special guest Lisa Marker-Robbins, Founder of Flourish Coaching, who's helped over 4,000 high school students and young adults gain the insight, experiences, and confidence they need to successfully embark on their post-high school path. She busts some myths about the Why College/Why Academic Interest essays, reveals some findings of her study of the Top 50 public universities and their admissions practices, and shares her best advice for students who truly don't know what to major in. Get Lisa's resources at FlourishCoachingCo.com/Majors and check out her College and Career Clarity podcast, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com