College Matters. Alma Matters.

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In middle school Anton fell in love with Stem Cells. He knew he wanted to go to college and pursue this more. Unfortunately, he did not have the means to pay for college.

On this podcast Anton shares his undergraduate journey from High School, to Community College of Philadelphia and now Cheyney University, High School Interests, Research & Internships over 7 years, Majoring in Biology and Advice for High Schoolers.

Check Out: The College Application Workbooks for Juniors and Seniors

In particular, we discuss the following with him: 

Topics discussed in this episode:

Our Guest: Anton McFadden is studying Biology at Cheyney University in Pennsylvania.

Memorable Quote: “ So don't give up. Keep going. Love what you do and learn as much as you can.” Anton McFadden.

Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode Transcript.

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Every year the Coca Cola Scholars Foundation awards a select set of High School Seniors the Coca Cola Scholarship. Chase is a 2024 Coke Scholar. 

In this Podcast, Elizabeth talks about her spectrum of passions from STEM to the Arts, Music and Leadership, Performing at Carnegie Hall, Winning the Coca-Cola Scholarship, her College search process, and her advice to high schoolers. #CokeScholars

Check Out: The College Application Workbooks for Juniors and Seniors

In particular, we discuss the following with her: 

Topics discussed in this episode:

Our Guest: Elizabeth Djajalie is a 2024 Coke Scholar, and a recent graduate of Thunder Mountain High School, Juneau Alaska. Elizabeth will be a Freshman at Harvard University in Fall 2024.

Memorable Quote: “ I went to a public school for middle school through high school, and I really think that experience of growing up in this small town overall has really taught me to be resourceful and create new opportunities, not just for myself, but for other people around me.” Elizabeth Djajalie.

Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode’s Transcript.

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Every year the Coca Cola Scholars Foundation awards a select set of High School Seniors the Coca Cola Scholarship. Chase is a 2024 Coke Scholar. 

In this Podcast, Mark talks about his passion for filmmaking and student-run film festival SWIFF, Winning the Coca-Cola Scholarship, his college search process, and his advice to High Schoolers. #CokeScholars

Check Out: The College Application Workbooks for Juniors and Seniors

In particular, we discuss the following with him: 

Topics discussed in this episode:

Our Guest: Mark Leschinsky is a 2024 Coke Scholar, and a recent graduate of Bergen County Academies High School, New Jersey. Mark will be a Freshman at Stanford University in Fall 2024.

Memorable Quote: “ I mean, I've always really enjoyed, you know, working with other people, working towards a common goal.” Mark Leschinsky.

Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode’s Transcript.

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Every year the Coca Cola Scholars Foundation awards a select set of High School Seniors the Coca Cola Scholarship. Chase is a 2024 Coke Scholar. 

In this Podcast, Suraj talks about his passion for STEM and Innovation, ISMER Research, Winning the Coca-Cola Scholarship, his college search process, and his advice to high schoolers. #CokeScholars

Check Out: The College Application Workbooks for Juniors and Seniors

In particular, we discuss the following with him: 

Topics discussed in this episode:

Our Guest: Suraj Reddy is a 2024 Coke Scholar, and a recent graduate of Charter School of Wilmington, Delaware. Suraj will be a Freshman at MIT in Fall 2024.

Memorable Quote: “...I was always really inspired by my seniors, you know, people who I could look up to and say, Oh, that's a cool thing that they did. You know, maybe, oh, I didn't know this was possible. You know, it really showed me that, you know, these people who are making changes, as you know, age, age didn't matter for them, you know, it was just something that they did.” Suraj Reddy.

Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode’s Transcript.

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Every year the Coca Cola Scholars Foundation awards a select set of High School Seniors the Coca Cola Scholarship. Chase is a 2024 Coke Scholar. 

In this Podcast, Chase talks about his initiatives on Educational Inequities Eco Brothers, Winning the Coca-Cola Scholarship, his college search process, and his advice to high schoolers. #CokeScholars

Check Out: The College Application Workbooks for Juniors and Seniors

In particular, we discuss the following with him: 

Topics discussed in this episode:

Our Guest: Chase Hartman is a 2024 Coke Scholar, and a recent graduate of Sickles High School, Florida. Chase will be a Freshman at the University of Florida in Fall 2024.

Memorable Quote: “ You might think that this one school that you've wanted to go to since sixth grade is the school that you're going to end up at, and it's your dream school, so you have to go there. But in reality, there might be another school that is offering you something else that's way better, and that is going to be a way better experience for you in the end, and it's going to benefit you a lot more.” Chase Hartman.

Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode’s Transcript.

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Phil started coaching kids at Colorado Academy sometime after college. He deferred his admission to Law School to do this. But Phil found himself enjoying coaching. He enjoyed working with kids.

Today, 3 decades later, Phil is the Director of College Counseling at St. Mary’s Academy.

Phil joins us on our podcast to talk about his background, St Mary’s Academy, Counseling Approach, Challenges, Success Stories, and his Advice for High School students.

Check Out: The College Application Workbooks for Juniors and Seniors

In particular, we discuss the following with him: 

Topics discussed in this episode:

Our Guest: Phil Gentry is the Director of College Counseling at St Mary’s Academy in Colorado..

Memorable Quote: “ You know, I would say it would seem like it should be the predictability of the job, but it's the unpredictability of the job.” Phil Gentry.

Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode’s Transcript.

Recommended Episodes: College Experiences, College Application Workbook 

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In High School, Emily was a theater kid. She was into music. She was in a number of clubs ranging from National Honor Society to Science Olympiad.

Her favorite subjects were STEM courses, but she was really confused about what major to pursue in college. But Emily was clear that she wanted to do UG Research, from Day One in college!

Emily  joins our podcast to share her undergraduate college journey at the Honors College at Drexel University, Infant Heart Research, Co-Op, Choosing Biomed engineering Major, and Advice for High Schoolers.

Check Out: The College Application Workbooks for Juniors and Seniors

In particular, we discuss the following with her: 

Topics discussed in this episode:

Our Guests: Emily Woodland is studying Biomedical Engineering at Pennoni Honors College, Drexel University in Philadelphia.

Memorable Quote: “So I think happiness is a large part of success. Because if you're motivated, and you're excited to wake up every day and study what you're studying, you're going to do great things.” Emily Woodland.

Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode’s Transcript.

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Shilpi has a varied set of interests. In High School, Shilpi pushed herself academically taking a heavy load of AP courses, did credit card research as part of AP Capstone.

She started a cricket club in her Freshman year which grew to 50 people. 

In this Podcast, Shilpi talks about her High School Journey, her interest Quilting, Choosing Math as a Major, her college search process, and her advice for high schoolers.

In particular, we discuss the following with her: 

Topics discussed in this episode:

Our Guest: Shilpi Bardhan is a recent graduate of Jenks High School, Oklahoma. Shilpi will be a Freshman at Case Western Reserve University in Fall 2024.

Memorable Quote: “I probably applied for a total of 50, outside of college specific scholarships, including colleges probably would go up to around 60 or 70.” Shilpi Bardhan.

Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode’s Transcript.

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The 2023-24 College Application Season is almost in the books. It is a good time to step back and reflect for the benefit of the next set of high school seniors and parents.

And who better to help us than the College Counselors who guided the current graduating seniors through the college process. I talked to over half-dozen High School College Counselors from across the US to put together this episode.

Check Out: The College Application Workbooks for Juniors and Seniors

Topics discussed in this episode:

Our Guests:

Memorable (& Prescient) Quote: “I think the FAFSA, the opening of the application period being delayed to December[2023] is really a kind of sleeping giant…”, Sean Kennedy of Ravenscroft School, June 2023.

Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode Transcript.

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It is not often that I get to go back and have a follow up conversation with a guest. When I last spoke with Rishika, she had just won the Coke Scholarship,  just graduated from High School and was headed to Brown University.

Rishika has just completed her sophomore year at Brown.

In this episode, Rishika shares her undergraduate experiences at Brown University, Passion for Disability & Design, Research, and Custom Design Major.

Check Out: The College Application Workbooks for Juniors and Seniors

In particular, we discuss the following with her: 

Topics discussed in this episode:

Our Guest: Rishika Kartik is a rising junior at Brown University.

Memorable Quote: “So the biggest thing I learned throughout college is that a good life consists of good days.” Rishika Kartik.

Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode’s Transcript.

Similar Episodes: College Experiences

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