collegepreppodcast's podcast

Junior year is supposed to be “the most important year” of high school! Megan breaks down why that is, and gives you a 5-part checklist for how to tell if you’re on track with making the most of the year.

Specifically, she shares:

* Why junior year grades are the first thing colleges see when they review your application, and how to decide if your grade trends are moving in the right direction* How to tell whether you’re on track with the SAT/ACT, and what the remaining testing dates are to consider, if you’re behind* How to ensure that the activities you choose to do over the summer are aligned with what students hope to study in college (including the wonderful empower question: “What are you interested in studying? How would I know that if I looked over how you spent your time?”* Where you should be with your college list at this point in the year, and why it’s important to plan 3 college visits before the year is over* How to identify your family’s deal breakers for the college planning process

University learning centers are a lesser-known gem on college learning centers.

Guest expert Lauren Hensley from the Ohio State University explains about how their learning center helps students learn how to learn, and provides tips for parents and students about how to prep best for college. Specifically, she shares:

* What kinds of supports learning centers (in general) and OSU’s learning center (specifically) provides, and what types of students it serves* What can students and parents practice in high school to better prepare students to take advantage of learning centers in college, * How to incorporate research about university learning centers into making your college application list* The best time to visit a campus’ learning center* Details about a Learning to Learn course that they teach at OSU* And more!

In her free resource, Lauren recommends students follow www.collegeinfogeek.com. However, Gretchen also recommends folks check out OSU’s free tutorials on all kinds of topics.

Lauren Hensley discovered her passion for working in the college environment while an undergraduate at the University of Richmond. She joined the leadership team of the Dennis Learning Center at The Ohio State University after receiving her master’s in Higher Education and Student Affairs. She also holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from Ohio State and continues to conduct research on factors that support college student success. Lauren has received The Ohio State University Distinguished Staff Award and holds level 4 leadership certification from the National College Learning Center Association.