How do you actually prepare for college — beyond grades and test scores?

In this live conversation, Laura sits down with college transition educator and author Dr. Andrea Brenner (How to College) to unpack what truly prepares students for the move from high school to college. They discuss the emotional, social, and executive functioning skills students need to succeed during the first year of college — and what parents often underestimate about this transition.

This video is for:

• Parents preparing a teen for college

• High school students getting ready for college life

• Families navigating the transition from high school to higher education

• Anyone looking for practical college readiness tips

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• What “college readiness” really means

• Why academic success alone doesn’t guarantee a smooth college transition

• The independence, decision-making, and self-management skills students need

• How parents can better support teens before move-in day

• How to prepare emotionally and practically for the first year of college

Andrea Brenner shares insights from years of working with first-year college students and introduces practical tools for families, including her book How to College and resources designed to help parents and teens have better conversations about college expectations. If you’re looking for real-world advice on preparing for college — for both students and parents — this conversation will help you approach the transition with more clarity and confidence.

Special offer for our community: Andrea is offering $25 off registration for her How to College for Parents course. Use code SAVE25.

Learn more and register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-college-for-parents-tickets-1980266858481?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl

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What happens when a high school student steps into a new country, a new culture, and a new way of seeing the world? 🌎

In this inspiring episode, Laura Barr sat down with Tim Taravella, Chair of the Rocky Mountain Rotary Youth Exchange (RMRYE), to explore the life-changing impact of international exchange programs for teens.

Tim brought both personal experience and deep professional insight to the conversation. A former foreign exchange student to Denmark, he has spent years helping students from around the world live with host families in Colorado—and supporting local students as they embark on exchanges abroad. Through RMRYE, he has overseen hundreds of exchanges, including his own son’s transformative year in Argentina. Tim also serves as the U.S. State Department Responsible Officer for Rocky Mountain Rotary Youth Exchange.

During the conversation, Laura and Tim discussed:

1. Why cultural exchange is one of the most powerful growth opportunities for teens 🌱
2. How the Rotary Youth Exchange program works—and what makes it uniquely accessible 🧭
3. What families should know about safety, host families, and student support 🌐
4. How a year abroad builds confidence, independence, empathy, and global awareness 🚀
5. Real stories of students who returned home transformed 📖

Whether families are actively considering studying abroad or simply curious about the benefits and logistics of cultural exchange, this episode offered insight, clarity, and inspiration from a leader deeply committed to global education.

👤 About Tim Taravella

Tim Taravella is an experienced nonprofit executive with a 30-year track record of driving mission-focused results through innovative fundraising, community engagement, and organizational leadership. As Executive Director of Sense of Security, he has led a transformative organizational turnaround—building sustainable revenue streams, deepening donor relationships, and increasing statewide visibility to support Coloradans with breast cancer.

His background includes development leadership at national and regional nonprofits, high-impact capital campaigns, and volunteer mobilization. A former licensed funeral director, Tim brings a unique blend of empathy, professionalism, and cross-sector perspective to his work.

In addition to his leadership within Rotary Youth Exchange, Tim serves in multiple roles across cancer advocacy coalitions and philanthropic networks. He believes deeply in the power of thoughtful strategy, authentic relationships, and grassroots action to strengthen communities and expand opportunity.

1. Outbound Applications: The Interview Process for 2026-27 School Year is complete - Applications for 2027-28 will be due on November 1, 2026. Click on Study Abroad to request an application!
2. Learn more about the Long Term Exchange Program (LTEP)
3. Learn more about the Short Term Exchange Program (STEP)

Related Emerging Podcast Episodes:

1. Episode 24: Across the Pond—Reasons Why You Might Want to Study Abroad in the UK or Ireland
2. Episode 16: A Different Freshman Year: Exploration of VERTO Education

Related Emerging Blog Posts:

1. Studying Abroad: The 2025 Guide for Students & Parents

Artificial Intelligence is everywhere—and today’s high school students are already using it daily, from drafting emails to researching assignments and preparing college applications. While most teens now understand that AI can’t (and shouldn’t) write their essays for them, many still have questions about where the appropriate line is. Can AI help with background research? Lab reports? Science fair data? College prep?

In this highly practical conversation, Laura Barr was joined by Dr. Robert A. Malkin, PhD, PE, to demystify how AI fits into academic work for high school students—and where it can become problematic. Together, they unpacked when AI tools can thoughtfully support learning and when they risk undermining integrity and authentic skill development.

• Whether AI is truly “new” in the world of science
• The difference between generative and assistive AI
• How (and whether) colleges use AI when reviewing applications
• Why AI cannot generate a meaningful college application essay
• When using AI for background research is appropriate
• Whether AI can be used to research colleges prior to visits
• The rise of literature reviews in applications—and how AI fits in
• AI’s role in science fair projects, data analysis, and graphing
• Where AI can be safely and ethically used, including language translation

Designed for parents, educators, and students navigating a rapidly shifting academic landscape, this conversation offered clear, grounded guidance for using AI wisely—without compromising academic integrity or authentic learning.

Dr. Malkin is Professor of the Practice of Biomedical Engineering and Global Health, Emeritus, at Duke University and Academic Director of the International Research Institute of North Carolina. His career has included faculty and research roles at Duke University, the University of Memphis, the University of Tennessee, The City College of New York, and Columbia University.

He is the founder of Engineering World Health and The Global Public Service Academies, organizations dedicated to improving healthcare in the developing world, and has served as an expert advisor to multiple World Health Organization committees focused on healthcare technology and innovation.

• A Guide to Academic Research for High School Students by Malkin & Hale - Second edition coming soon!
• International Research Institute of North Carolina - Read more about Programs or head directly to APPLY NOW!

Emerging Blogs About AI:

• College to Career: How to Future-Proof Your Path in an Age of AI and Uncertainty
• Your Teen’s Brain on ChatGPT: What the MIT Study Reveals—and How Parents Can Respond Thoughtfully
• Unlocking Potential: How AI and Tutor-Supported Test Prep Are Empowering Students with ADHD
• The Future of Test Prep: How AI is Changing the Game

Additional Emerging Podcasts on AI:

• Episode 18: Ace Your Future: How AI is Revolutionizing Test Prep & College Admissions
• Episode 17: How (and Why) High Schoolers Should Get Involved in AI

Executive function skills—planning, organization, emotional regulation, task initiation, and follow-through—are the foundation of independence, resilience, and success in adulthood. Yet for many teens and young adults—especially those with ADHD, anxiety, learning differences, or gifted/twice-exceptional profiles—these skills develop unevenly and under intense pressure.

On January 12, Emerging Founder & CEO Laura Barr was joined by expert clinicians Dr Elly Maras & Dr Kim Yoshino from Birch Psychology for a thoughtful, research-informed conversation about executive function development in today’s world—and what parents can do to support it.

This conversation blended clinical insight, educational strategy, and real-world application to help families better understand how the brain develops, why teens struggle, and how they build skills that actually stick.

The Intersection of Social Milestones & Brain Development

• How advances in technology and social media have influenced adolescent brain development
• Social experiences teens are gaining—and missing—compared to previous generations
• How delayed independence can impact the development of executive function skills

Technology as a Double-Edged Sword

• Ways technology can support executive function through tools like organization systems, reminders, and scaffolding
• How technology can undermine executive function by impacting focus, emotional regulation, and task initiation
• How families can establish healthier, more intentional boundaries around technology use

What Parents Can Do to Prepare Their Teens

• Realistic ways parents can support executive function skill development at home
• What helps teens internalize executive function skills rather than relying on constant reminders or external pressure
• When executive function coaching is helpful and when a clinical assessment or therapy may be more appropriate

Executive function challenges are often mistaken for lack of motivation or effort. In reality, they reflect skill gaps shaped by brain development, stress, environment, and modern demands. This conversation helped parents shift from frustration to understanding—and from micromanaging to meaningful support.

Dr Elly Maras

Licensed clinician & trained school psychologist specializing in ADHD, neurodiversity, trauma-informed assessment, and family-centered therapy. Read Elly’s full bio.

Dr Kim Bowers Yoshino

Doctoral-level psychologist with expertise in ADHD, giftedness, twice-exceptionality, emotional regulation, and special education systems and advocacy. Read Kim’s full bio.

• Learn more about Birch Psychology
• Emerging’s Executive Function Coaching Pricing Guide - Empowering students with skills for academic success and life beyond the classroom
• Executive Function: A Complete Family Guide - A comprehensive resource from Emerging for understanding, supporting, and strengthening executive function in high school teens
• Feel like we might be a great fit but not sure exactly what services your student might need? Tell us your story! Tell us about their interests, passions, struggles, and the outcome you’re hoping for and we’ll be in touch!
• Fill out the Executive Skills Questionnaire from Peg Dawson & Richard Guare

College readiness isn’t just about academics — it’s equally about relationships, communication, and emotional awareness. In this conversation with Emerging’s Founder & CEO, Laura Barr, we explored the soft skills that help students with ADHD thrive socially and personally in college.

The session highlighted the real-world skills that make independence sustainable and success meaningful:

• Building Authentic Friendships: We discussed how students can move from convenience-based high school friendships to intentional, lasting connections in college. 👉 One prompt Laura recommended: “What helps you feel connected to people?”
• Handling Conflict & Repair: Families learned why conflict is a normal part of healthy relationships and how repair work builds resilience, emotional confidence, and trust.
• Upleveling Social & Communication Skills: Laura shared practical strategies for emailing professors, joining new communities, and collaborating with peers — often challenging areas for students with ADHD.
• Managing Impulsivity & Emotional Regulation: The session covered tools students can use to pause, reflect, and redirect before emotions take over.
• Using Resources & Anchors: We emphasized normalizing help-seeking and identifying academic, social, and emotional supports that help students stay grounded and successful.

🎯 Outcomes

By the end of the session, parents, students, and educators walked away with:

- A deeper understanding of the soft side of college readiness — and why it matters just as much as academics

- Conversation prompts and strategies to help build these habits at home

- Insight into how self-awareness, communication, and connection support long-term success for students with ADHD

📚 Resources Mentioned in the Episode

• Launch Checklist
• The Naked Roommate
• From Dorm to Doorstep
• Table Topics (Conversation Cards)
• Michelle Garcia Winner – Social Thinking Resources for Tweens & Teens
• Social Thinking Resources for Young Adults and Adults

🎓 Everything Juniors and Families Should Know Before Senior Year!

Laura hosted a live session that broke down everything families need to know about navigating junior year with focus and calm. She covered what to do (and when), how to manage competing priorities, and what truly moves the needle in the college process.

This interactive session, with live Q&A, answers parents' questions about timelines, motivation, and how to support students during a time when it's easy to feel overwhelmed and stuck.

✨ Topics Covered:

• The timeline for testing, essays, and college exploration
• How to balance academics, activities, and downtime
• The critical role of executive function—organization, planning, and follow-through
• What to do when students procrastinate or feel stuck
• How to stay supportive without creating extra pressure

🎯 Outcomes:

Parents leave with a clear roadmap for the rest of junior year, a deeper understanding of their student’s readiness, and tools to keep the process steady, structured, and student-centered.

📍Hosted in Growing Good Humans Parent Community: Bill Huston, co-founder of Mindfish Test Prep, joined Laura Barr to bring clarity to one of the most confusing parts of the college process: testing.

📌 Episode Recap:

Together, in this conversation about the new test prep landscape, they explored the key questions families have been asking them the most:

• How do I decide which test to take—the SAT or ACT?
• When should I submit scores, and when is it better not to?
• How should my student approach test prep in a healthy, strategic way?

Bill explained why starting with both SAT and ACT diagnostics helped students make informed choices, how results shaped college list building, and what factors mattered most when deciding how much time and support to invest in prep.

This session offers a calm, practical approach to testing—helping families focus less on pressure and more on purpose.

✨ Outcomes:

By the end of this conversation, listeners understood:

• The key differences between the SAT and ACT—and how to determine which test best fit their student.
• How to use diagnostic results to plan a focused, efficient prep timeline.
• What colleges really meant by “test-optional,” and how to decide whether to submit scores.
• How to balance academics, activities, and test prep without overwhelm.
• What a healthy, sustainable approach to testing looked like for their family.

💡Learn more:

Explore the Mindfish/Emerging Practice Test Program

Read more about Mindfish Test Prep & Academic Support

🎙️ Growing Good Humans Podcast Event: Paying for College Made Simple—Live Q&A with Liane Crane and Laura Barr

📌 Episode Recap:

We were so excited to welcome Liane Crane back to our podcast for a special College Finance Ask Me Anything edition! ✨

Liane was our featured college finance expert, helping families truly understand the cost of college and how to pay for it. With over a decade of experience in college consulting—plus certifications in College Finances (AFCPE) and Financial Aid (Scoir)—she brought both expertise and compassion to the process. As a parent of three college students herself, she knew firsthand the stress and excitement families face—and how to make the journey a little smoother.

In this live AMA session, Liane answered parents’ biggest questions about college costs, FAFSA, scholarships, and student debt.

🎙️ Listeners heard answers to questions like:

• How do you start a college budget?
• Should everyone submit the FAFSA and CSS Profile?
• What’s the best way to secure merit scholarships?
• What does “financially fit colleges” mean?
• Why is reviewing a tuition bill so important?
• …and more!

📍 Hosted in Growing Good Humans Parent Community: Across the Pond—Reasons Why You Might Want to Study Abroad In the UK or Ireland

📌 Episode Recap:

More and more students are asking about studying abroad—and with good reason! International universities offer academic rigor, shorter degree timelines, and rich cultural experiences that truly broaden students’ worlds.

Thanks to Jennifer Koller, we hosted a special 45-minute session called Across the Pond, designed to help families explore whether studying in the UK or Ireland could be the right next step.

👉 What we covered:

• Applications 101 – how to apply to schools in England, Ireland, and Scotland
• Tips & Common Pitfalls – what to watch for in the UCAS and Irish application systems
• Real Talk for B Students – options for those not earning 4s and 5s on AP exams
• Hidden Gems – incredible universities that flew under the radar but delivered world-class programs

📝 Key Takeaways:

Families left with a clear understanding of how UK and Irish universities evaluate applicants, the differences in structure and cost, and whether an international degree might fit their students’ goals and personality.

#CollegeAdmissions #StudyAbroad #UKUniversities #IrelandUniversities #EmergingConsulting

🎙️ Growing Good Humans Podcast Event: The Complete Guide to College Transfer — Jaime Smith on the Roadmap That Made the Complex Process of Transferring Colleges Feel Manageable:

📌 Episode Recap:

Transferring colleges once felt overwhelming, confusing, and—let’s be honest—totally exhausting. But Jaime Smith, transfer admissions expert and certified educational planner, showed us it didn’t have to be. In this episode, we sat down with the author of The Complete Guide to College Transfer to unpack the myths, roadblocks, and practical steps students faced when making the move to a new college.

With over 25 years of experience supporting nontraditional learners, homeschoolers, and neurodiverse students, Jaime shared her compassionate, clear, and empowering approach to helping students find the college that truly fit—this time. Whether they were navigating credit transfers, financial aid, or just figuring out where to start, this conversation was filled with insight, encouragement, and hope.

🎧 Listeners heard:

• Why over a million students transferred each year
• How to find a transfer-friendly school
• Ways to maximize existing credits
• What colleges really thought about transfer students
• And why the path to a degree didn’t have to be linear to be successful

This episode was a must-listen for students, parents, educators, and anyone supporting a young person on their college journey.

🧠 Learn more about Jaime and her book at TransferSavvy.com

Resources discussed in the podcast:

Finding Community Colleges with dorms:

• collegexpress
• List of two-year colleges in the United States with campus housing

Finding Community Colleges with sports:

• National Junior College Athletic Association
• California Community College Athletic Association

Study Abroad Opportunities:

• Verto Education