collegepreppodcast's podcast

College visits can get repetitive and boring, and the “official” tours offered by the school don’t always reveal the hidden details that help you make a decision about which school is best for you.

Let Megan school you on how to take your visits to the next level! She’ll cover:

* How early is too early to start taking college visits?

* How to go beyond the basic two-hour info session, with tips like eating in the actual cafeteria picking up the school newspaper

* How to use college visits to help make the “short list”

Megan will also share some notes from the road, observations based on the college visits her clients and her daughter have done.

College visits can get repetitive and boring, and the “official” tours offered by the school don’t always reveal the hidden details that help you make a decision about which school is best for you.

Let Megan school you on how to take your visits to the next level! She’ll cover:

* How early is too early to start taking college visits?

* How to go beyond the basic two-hour info session, with tips like eating in the actual cafeteria picking up the school newspaper

* How to use college visits to help make the “short list”

Megan will also share some notes from the road, observations based on the college visits her clients and her daughter have done.

Do your teachers ever give you the essay questions far in advance of the chapter test or final?

Many students don’t take advantage of this key resource.

Gretchen walks you through a few ways to use these advance questions to your advantage, including how to:

* Identify which questions can be answered by reading which chapters and/or sections

* “Chart” essay questions so you understand a) what information you are supposed to learn and b) what kind of thinking you’re being asked to practice

* Give yourself a map of the chapter using the essay questions as a guide

* Take notes using the essay question as a guide.

* Run your charts and notes by your teacher as a way to “assess” your understanding before chapter tests and quizzes, and

* Use your charts and notes to study for the actual exam

Do your teachers ever give you the essay questions far in advance of the chapter test or final?

Many students don’t take advantage of this key resource.

Gretchen walks you through a few ways to use these advance questions to your advantage, including how to:

* Identify which questions can be answered by reading which chapters and/or sections

* “Chart” essay questions so you understand a) what information you are supposed to learn and b) what kind of thinking you’re being asked to practice

* Give yourself a map of the chapter using the essay questions as a guide

* Take notes using the essay question as a guide.

* Run your charts and notes by your teacher as a way to “assess” your understanding before chapter tests and quizzes, and

* Use your charts and notes to study for the actual exam

April 1 was the date by which all colleges should have notified students of acceptance; students have this month to make the final choices and notify schools of their decisions.

Tune in as Megan walks you through 10 factors to consider as you make this final decision, including:

* General impression / ranking from your visits

* Money– How much will you pay EACH YEAR?

* Choice of Major– Are you in? Can you change your mind?

* Required courses– what will you have to take at each

* AP or transfer credits?

* Activities, organizations, Greek life?

* Travel costs and issues

* Academic support

* Need for family connectedness

* Where will you feel supported and pushed to be your best?

April 1 was the date by which all colleges should have notified students of acceptance; students have this month to make the final choices and notify schools of their decisions.

Tune in as Megan walks you through 10 factors to consider as you make this final decision, including:

* General impression / ranking from your visits

* Money– How much will you pay EACH YEAR?

* Choice of Major– Are you in? Can you change your mind?

* Required courses– what will you have to take at each

* AP or transfer credits?

* Activities, organizations, Greek life?

* Travel costs and issues

* Academic support

* Need for family connectedness

* Where will you feel supported and pushed to be your best?

By mid-semester students’ time management routines have often weakened or collapsed.

Consider these four questions when giving your routines a makeover so that you can make it to the end of the semester with your grades and self esteem intact:

* First, do you have a weekly planning routine? This can be a helpful Sunday task to help you look ahead and plan for the week ahead.

* Second, do you have a daily routine to do right before and after your homework? This can be helpful to make sure you are adjusting your weekly plan as needed, with every new assignment your teachers give.

* Third, if the daily routine doesn’t work for you, are you doing a midweek check-in ritual? This enables you to check off items from your To Do list, add new items, and make a plan for the weekend, so that you take action rather than procrastinate during your “off” time.

* Finally, do you have a plan for accountability? Who else besides you can know about your plans and help make sure you feel a low-grade pressure to follow through?

By mid-semester students’ time management routines have often weakened or collapsed.

Consider these four questions when giving your routines a makeover so that you can make it to the end of the semester with your grades and self esteem intact:

* First, do you have a weekly planning routine? This can be a helpful Sunday task to help you look ahead and plan for the week ahead.

* Second, do you have a daily routine to do right before and after your homework? This can be helpful to make sure you are adjusting your weekly plan as needed, with every new assignment your teachers give.

* Third, if the daily routine doesn’t work for you, are you doing a midweek check-in ritual? This enables you to check off items from your To Do list, add new items, and make a plan for the weekend, so that you take action rather than procrastinate during your “off” time.

* Finally, do you have a plan for accountability? Who else besides you can know about your plans and help make sure you feel a low-grade pressure to follow through?

Believe it or not — raising your reading comprehension scores on standardized tests is often not about improving your reading skills!

Tune in as Megan outlines surprising skills to improve if you want improved performance on this section of your tests. Specifically she covers how to:

* Develop college-bound vocabulary

* Practice reading challenging material (fiction, non-fiction, archaic rhetorical style, complex scientific, detailed, etc.

* Learn to find details (open book skills)

* Practice analysis skills, and

* Understand that every word matters

Believe it or not — raising your reading comprehension scores on standardized tests is often not about improving your reading skills!

Tune in as Megan outlines surprising skills to improve if you want improved performance on this section of your tests. Specifically she covers how to:

* Develop college-bound vocabulary

* Practice reading challenging material (fiction, non-fiction, archaic rhetorical style, complex scientific, detailed, etc.

* Learn to find details (open book skills)

* Practice analysis skills, and

* Understand that every word matters