Today, I talk with Signet's Director of Operations and senior academic coach, Andrea West about the benefits of combining traditional college admissions consulting with coaching. Coaching can not only improve a student's academic performance, but it can also shift them into more of a growth mindset and self-knowledge, two things which are vitally important in having a positive experience in the college process. Andrea shares how even high achieving students can benefit from this approach. Tune in to hear about some of the transformations she's witnessed and had a hand in, and the joy that comes from sending a young adult off to college with full confidence that they can handle whatever they may face.

Bio:

Andrea is Signet’s Director of Operations and one of our top academic coaches. In her administrative role, Andrea makes sure Signet always runs smoothly and is a fun and productive place for all of our employees. When she works as a coach, she takes a student driven approach to encourage introspection and reflection. Her students flourish both inside and outside of the classroom, developing a deeper sense of who they are through coaching.

Before joining Signet, Andrea earned a degree in Psychology from Endicott College and minored in Dance. She still dances and performs in the community and is an acting board member for a local movement company. Andrea currently volunteers for Minds Matter Boston, a local nonprofit offering support to students applying to college, and she previously spent two years volunteering on Boston’s Samaritans crisis line. In her spare time, Andrea enjoys the Food Network, podcasts, Nintendo games, and finding cats to pet. Follow Andrea at https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-west-594676171/

Access free resources and learn more about Sheila and her team at Signet Education at signeteducation.com or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheilaakbar/.

Today, we’re focusing on the dreaded college essay (that doesn’t have to be so dreaded). We’ve brought together some of our most experienced and educated writing coaches to walk us through some of their greatest tips and tricks for tapping into your passion zone as you write your college essay. Join us as we discuss the personal essay, the supplemental essays, brainstorming, editing, and even the role of a parent in this complicated and stress-laden process.

Panelists:
1.) Sheila Akbar, PhD - Signet President & COO
2.) Satia Marotta, PhD - Signet Writing Specialist
3.) Andy Friedman, PhD - Signet Academic Coach & Writing Specialist
4.) Holly Schreiber, PhD - Signet Academic Coach, Writing Specialist, & Admissions Counselor

Access free resources and learn more about Sheila and her team at Signet Education at signeteducation.com or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheilaakbar/.

Does standardized testing help or hurt your college admission chances?

When it comes to standardized tests for college applications, your high school Freshman or Sophomore has choices looming in front of them you never had to face, and you’re not sure how to help them make the right decision.

Should they take the SAT or the ACT? Or both? Or neither?
What about the digital SAT? Do colleges prefer one type of test over the other?
If a college has a “test optional” policy, do they mean it? Or does opting out give them a bad impression?   

These questions can be overwhelming! And the last thing you want to do is overload your child unnecessarily.  If they’re going to have to go through the pressure and stress of standardized testing, you want to be sure it’s going to be worth it. So tune into this episode, where I take the guesswork out of this confusing process and provide practical guidelines for making data-based decisions you can feel good about.

Follow me on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheilaakbar/

Access free resources and learn more about Sheila and her team at Signet Education at signeteducation.com or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheilaakbar/.

Marie Bigham, Founder & Executive Director of ACCEPT, joins to talk with us about issues of equity and access in college admissions, and the work that her non-profit has undertaken to make the system work better for everyone.

Bio:

Marie Bigham is the Founder and Executive Director of ACCEPT (Admissions Community Cultivating Equity & Peace Today), a nonprofit organization that is removing racism from college admissions. Recently named a “Global Game Changer” by Facebook, Marie is a national leader in college admission redesign and reform. In 2018, ACCEPT received the Excellence in Education Award from the National Association for College Admissions Counseling, awarded to “those who use their prominence to advance equity and access in education”. Marie’s lifelong commitment to racial justice has informed her professional path. With almost 25 years in the college admissions ecosystem, Marie has served on the Board of Directors for the National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC); as Vice Chair and Director of Communication for Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS); and on the Board of Directors of Texas Association of College Admissions Counseling (TACAC). Marie entered admissions at her alma mater, Washington University in St. Louis (Class of 1995), where she earned a BA in Political Science and Women’s Studies and a minor in Glassblowing. She served as Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Washington U, as Associate Director of College Counseling at Riverdale Country School (NY), and as Director of College Counseling at The Bishop’s School (CA), Greenhill School (TX), and Isidore Newman School (LA). Follow Marie at https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-bigham-accept/

Access free resources and learn more about Sheila and her team at Signet Education at signeteducation.com or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheilaakbar/.

As their children approach the college process, some families face a uniquely challenging question: does the model minority myth help or hurt their students in college applications? Given the cases before the Supreme Court, the lack of transparency in the admissions process, and differing values around education, this discussion is overshadowed by strong opinions, confusion, and deliberate misinformation. On top of this, recent immigrants and first-generation applicants are particularly impacted by an unfamiliarity with the American way of getting into college, which–let’s just say it–is stressful and confusing for everyone, no matter their background.
Today’s episode is a recording of a panel discussion with renowned experts on admissions reform, standardized testing, race-conscious admissions practices, and Asian American politics. 

Bios:

Akil Bello - Senior Directory of Advocacy and Advancement, FairTest. https://www.linkedin.com/in/akil-bello/

Marie Bigham - Founder and Executive Director, ACCEPT. https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-bigham-accept/

Suzi Nam - Former Admissions Officer and DEI Expert.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzi-nam/

Professor Janelle Wong - Asian American Studies Program Director, University of Maryland.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/janelle-wong-0619a4105/

Access free resources and learn more about Sheila and her team at Signet Education at signeteducation.com or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheilaakbar/.

“He’s so smart, but he’s no longer interested in school—or any 'offline' activities.”
“She used to love sports, but now she just mopes around.”
“My kid has turned into such a slacker!”
If this sounds like your child, you need to listen to this episode!
This week, my friend @Dr. Ellen Braaten shares insights from her new book, Bright Kids Who Couldn't Care Less: How to Rekindle Your Child's Motivation.
Kids who have lost the will to do anything (other than play video games) need more than simple encouragement or the “right” school, teacher, or coach to get back on track. Instead, Dr. Braaten helps parents understand the myriad biological, emotional, cognitive, and social factors that affect motivation—and build a plan to boost their child’s confidence, incentive to learn, and engagement in life.
Dr. Braaten's approach is to explore the issue of kids who couldn’t care less from many different vantage points, starting with identifying the problem—why is it that so many kids don’t seem to care about anything?

Dr. Ellen Braaten's Bio:

Ellen Braaten, PhD, is Executive Director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, Associate Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School, and Visiting
Professor at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. She has been affiliated with MGH and HMS since 1998. Dr. Braaten is widely recognized for her expertise in pediatric neuropsychological and
psychological assessment, particularly in the areas of assessing learning disabilities and attentional disorders. Follow Dr. Braaten at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-braaten-275a7b11/ 

Access free resources and learn more about Sheila and her team at Signet Education at signeteducation.com or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheilaakbar/.

Towards the end of my conversation with Jay, our CEO, last week, we started getting really tactical around various tools that can help build students’ awareness of their challenges and move them towards solutions. In this episode, we talk through calendars, digital distractions, time management, and a tool for examining how non-academic factors impact academic performance.

Links to Tools Mentioned in the episode:
• Semester Reflection
• Weekly Review
• Time Diary
• Life Wheel

Access free resources and learn more about Sheila and her team at Signet Education at signeteducation.com or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheilaakbar/.

Today, I welcome Jay Bacrania, CEO and co-founder of Signet Education, onto the podcast. Jay’s passion is enabling and supporting personal growth - in himself, his colleagues, and his students. We discuss the foundations of Signet’s academic coaching program, through which we help students develop and pursue an inspiring vision for their lives. Our Five Keys framework can support a wide variety of learners, from students with executive function deficits and learning differences to high performing students who want to reach a new level of reflection and growth. Tune in for a deep dive on vision, mindset, and the power for reflection in helping students achieve their academic goals.

Jay's Bio:

Jay is the CEO of Signet Education. He has taken a broad academic path that encompasses both the sciences and the humanities. Jay is values-driven in his approach to both tutoring and running Signet. He believes that education and career are twin pillars vital to building a meaningful life. Jay continually experiments with how best to promote deeper learning and personal growth for himself, his staff, and the students who work with Signet. When he’s not at the office, Jay can be found at his home in Somerville, finding new and better ways to make a cup of coffee and spending time with his family. Follow Jay at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaybacrania/

Access free resources and learn more about Sheila and her team at Signet Education at signeteducation.com or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheilaakbar/.

How does your high school college counselor support your application to college? And what can a private college consultant do that your college counselor might not be able to? Today, I sit down with an old friend and former Signet admissions consultant, Blair Munhofen, to discuss how high school counselors and private consultants strive to support their students.

Blair's Bio:

Blair Munhofen, EdD is Head of Upper School at the Miami Valley School in Dayton, Ohio. Blair’s career spans teaching, administration, college counseling, and leadership. His pedagogy is inspired and informed by engaging young people in authentic, experiential learning, and his leadership style blends authenticity with deep care for others. Follow Blair at https://www.linkedin.com/in/blair-munhofen-edd

Access free resources and learn more about Sheila and her team at Signet Education at signeteducation.com or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheilaakbar/.

With all the college decisions that came out in the last week of March, I'm getting so many questions about how to navigate the waitlist. In this episode, I talk about what the waitlist is used for, how waitlist use has increased recently, and what students who are waitlisted should do to both move forward with the acceptances they do have AND put themselves in the best position to get in off the waitlist. 

Access free resources and learn more about Sheila and her team at Signet Education at signeteducation.com or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheilaakbar/.