collegepreppodcast's podcast

[This episode originally aired November 23, 2015.]

There are six common myths and misunderstandings that many students and parents believe that cause extra stress senior year.

They may also hurt your prospects for getting in to college.

Megan breaks them down for you (see the list below), and tells you what the truth is instead (tune into the episode):

1. It’s too late to apply to college.
2. My weighted GPA for honors classes. will make my grades look better.
3. I can hide my bad grades from the colleges by making up for it in other ways.
4. I don’t meet a  college or major’s suggested requirements, so I shouldn’t bother applying.
5. Most students know what they want to major in.
6. Professionally written essays work.

The post 400: Six Myths about College Admissions That Students Should Stop Believing appeared first on The College Prep Podcast.

What’s the best way to motivate students (and ourselves) to change behaviors?

One way is to teach them how to run self experiments. Through stories and examples, Megan and Gretchen discuss what it means to self-experiment, why it works, and how adults can model this skill better in our own lives so that we better support kids.

Gretchen also invites you to download the following related resources:

• A guide to how to talk to students in a way that encourages them to listen: www.gretchenwegner.com/consent
• A list of available coaches, if you’d like another adult to teach them this skill: www.gretchenwegner.com/trained-coaches
• An opportunity to be in conversation with Gretchen about how run experiments in real life, or in building your own academic coaching business! www.gretchenwegner.com/live

The post 399: Teaching Students (and Ourselves!) to Run Self-Experiments appeared first on The College Prep Podcast.

It’s final exam time! What can teachers do to better set students up for their exams? What can students do to better prepare?

Gretchen lays down the anti-cram law with some study tips for everyone. Specifically she and Megan discuss:

• Why “dead week” is such a valuable process for schools to institute
• The difference between homework and studying
• How to organize for final exams
• The importance of quizzing one’s self and re-teaching one’s self in a new way
• How teachers can model this in the classroom, and how students can do this for themselves
• and more!

If you’d like more information about applying Gretchen’s Study Cycle to exam planning, download her free guide at www.gretchenwegner.com/actionguide

The post 398: Final Exam Studying – Advice for Teachers and Students appeared first on The College Prep Podcast.

Many parents and students are terrified that low grades will keep them from getting into college. But that’s not the case at all!

Megan reassures us that there are many options, and provides some tips for how to sift the good ones from the bad. She covers:

• The ways that community college might (or might not) be a good option, depending on the student,
• How to avoid scams– the for-profit universities & programs targeting students with lower grades — like the “no money down/ no credit” car loans!
• A tip to search for colleges by acceptance percentage
• How and why to double check a school’s graduation rate and financial stability, so that you
• How to adjust your expectations for what kind of school you can go to,
• And more!

The post 397: Yes! Even a “C” Student Can Go To a 4-Year College appeared first on The College Prep Podcast.

Many students and educators go into a week long vacation like Thanksgiving with high hopes for how to be productive while away from school.

Maybe you have a lot of late work to make up? Maybe you want to study for finals? Or perhaps teachers assigned too many projects?

Megan and Gretchen provide some pointers, including:

• How to plan ahead at the start of vacation, to set yourself up for success
• How to create accountability, so you actually follow through
• The importance of being realistic about what can and can’t get done, and when
• How to set boundaries
• And more!

The post 396: Tips for Being Productive on Vacation Without Sacrificing Downtime appeared first on The College Prep Podcast.