Harvard professor Dr. Richard Weissbourd is currently a senior lecturer on education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and at the Kennedy School of Government.

In our discussion today, we are particularly excited to hear about the Making Caring Common Project that he directs, and the Turning the Tide initiative, which is a national effort to reform college admissions that has engaged almost 200 college admissions offices in promoting ethical engagement, reducing damaging achievement pressure in high school and increasing equity and access for economically disadvantaged students. 

Listen in to get his take on the following questions: 

1. Of all the things you could be doing with your time and expertise, you devote a lot of yourself to Making Caring Common & Turning the Tide. Why is this effort so important right now?

2. you know from our previous conversations that I am a strong advocate of Turning the Tide, and many of my listeners are high school guidance counselors and other youth leaders. What can we be doing better to support ambitious teens today?

3. Is it possible for college prep to be the catalyst to inspire teens to find their core values and become healthier rather than stressed out?

4. What advice would you have for the ambitious 14 year-old listening in now?

As someone who has written hundreds of letters of recommendation, and has spent just as much time talking to the admissions officers who read others' letters of recommendation, I know that these letters can make or break your application.

But rec letters feel like something that is completely out of your control. 

Or are they?

There are things you can do to ensure you will be getting outstanding recommendation letters. In this podcast, I teach the secret strategy that has helped my students get into Harvard, Stanford, and other amazing schools. 

Registration for the Summer 2022 cohort of the Ivy League Challenge is now open! 

To participate in the bootcamp (July 3-16) or standard cohort (weekly on Thursdays beginning July 14th) all from 8-10 PM eastern time, go to www.theivyleaguechallenge.com to register!

To register for the Ivy League Challenge, go to www.theivyleaguechallenge.com
To schedule a call with me, go to https://calendly.com/theivyleaguechallenge/meet-with-steve

Want to make sure you or your teen are on track in your college prep? 
Wondering when college prep should really begin? 
This podcast takes you through a free guide that I've created to help you follow a healthy and highly effective timeline of events to know you are fully prepared for college preparation. 

To get your FREE guide, go to TILC.to/timeline

Registration for the Summer 2022 cohort of the Ivy League Challenge will open soon, but the date is already set. 
Mark your calendars beginning Thursday, July 14, from 8-10 PM Eastern time. The course will run for 12 total weeks (weekly calls).

Also, be sure to listen to this episode to hear the unbelievable great news about this upcoming cohort.

To contact me, email me at [email protected]

See you in the program!

No matter how impossible this statement might feel right now, it is still true: YOU can get straight A's, even in your hard classes.

When you create a strong academic foundation (and are willing to go back and fill gaps that might exist), manage your time, manage your energy, and manage your relationships, you can get perfect grades.

Listen up to learn how.

You don't need more time in your day, you need to be more productive with the time you already have.

But how?

Do you get frustrated when you realize that you have ambitions that you are not living up to? 

That frustration can lead to procrastination, self-doubt, discouragement, and more. 

People who don't have the skills necessary to be more productive often end up dependent on deadlines in order to get things done. 

But it doesn't have to be that way. 

Listen to learn about the productivity tools I used to get into and through my degree at Harvard, and the system that I teach my students to help them get more done when they choose to do so.

You can be more productive, as long as you know how to focus your mind, and schedule in appropriate recovery at the right time. 

Find out how.

If you were asked to create a fictional character to represent total confidence, how would you create that character? 

Most people would make this fictional character a combination of Wonder Woman (knows every language, knows everything), Superman (stronger and faster than everyone else), and Captain America (no matter how scary the situation, he has enough courage to always act without struggle). 

But know-it-alls and people like Superman or Captain America are not an accurate picture of confidence. 

In fact, confidence is not know something already. 

It is the belief that you can figure it out. 

And how do you develop this belief? 
 
Listen, and enjoy!

Ever wonder what it is like to participate in the Ivy League Challenge?

As a busy high school junior, Anubhav decided to add the Ivy League Challenge to his AP classes and other activities.

Find out what he says about fitting everything in and what advice he has for middle school and high school students who want to make the most of their teenage years as they prepare for selective college admissions.


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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website.
To follow on Instagram:  @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
Join Facebook group: Parents of Ambitious Teens: Personal Growth & Healthy College Prep
Or schedule a meeting with Steve here

Media exposure can be the best, most effective way to create legitimacy and credibility for you as the expert or for your impact project as the solution to a problem in your community.

But how do you find the right publications to highlight your project? Can you control that message by writing the article yourself?

Publicity expert PollyAnna Brown, who has helped people get spotlighted in outlets like Forbes or Parenting Magazine, joins us today to help you understand how to find the right publications and how to effectively pitch them.

To reach PollyAnna, go to:
 
TikTok: @PollyAnnawrites
Instagram: @PollyAnnawrites
Facebook: publicityPollyAnna


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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website.
To follow on Instagram:  @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
Join Facebook group: Parents of Ambitious Teens: Personal Growth & Healthy College Prep
Or schedule a meeting with Steve here