First-year college students often struggle with the transition to college-level academics. Professors expect more analysis, synthesis, evaluation and application compared with high school's focus on absorbing knowledge. My guest, Louis E. Newman, is the author of Thinking Critically in College: The Essential Handbook for Student Success. In our conversation, Louis draws on his experience as dean of academic advising at Stanford and as a professor at Carleton College to offer strategies and tactics students can use to get the most out of every aspect of their college careers.

Learn more about Dr. Newman at ⁠thinkingcritically.us⁠

Get your copy of ⁠Thinking Critically in College

The world of college merit aid is rife with myths and urban legends. Fortunately, Cozy Wittman of College Inside Track joined me to bust the myths and give you the straight scoop. Who gets merit aid, why, from which schools, what can you do to improve your chances of getting scholarships and so much more-- Cozy provides a wealth of information and strategies that any family can use to bring down the cost of college. 

As a high school guidance counselor, John McMichael has a lot of conversations with students about borrowing for college. That's in no small part because about two decades into his career, he's still paying off his own student loans. His experience with student loans is instructive: how not planning for college costs led to borrowing, graduate school's impact on his debt, the challenges of Public Service Loan Forgiveness, balancing his student loan obligations against saving for his own children's educations, and so much more. Fortunately for his students and for all of us, he's very generous in sharing his story. 

Applying to colleges can be arduous and stressful, but also a great opportunity for students to learn about themselves and build their futures. Certified education consultant Terry Mady-Grove of Charted University Consultants outlines the key steps and decisions in the process including researching schools, writing essays, enjoying the high school years, and whether Early Decision makes sense. 

Paying for college has emotional and practical components. As parents we want to provide opportunities for our kids, but the practical realities of college costs can make it seem like we're not doing enough even when we're doing all we can. Megan deBoer of Tended Wealth shared some strategies for both coming up with a practical savings plan that works for your family, and managing the emotions associated with this monumental financial undertaking. 

Planning and paying for college is confusing and complicated. As coordinator of Student Financial Literacy and Advising at the University of Southern Connecticut, Lew de Luca helps families navigate the college funding process from financial aid and scholarships to payment plans and cost-saving strategies. Lew shares a wealth of information on managing college costs and making good financial decisions. 

As test-optional admissions gain steam, many are questioning the place of standardized testing in the college admissions process and even whether or not to take the SAT or ACT. Scott Clyburn of North Avenue Education walked me through the ins and outs of test optional and test-taking in general. Should your student test? Listen and learn!

What's it like to be a college student during the pandemic? A lot depends on where you're going to school. I caught up with three current college students-- from Gonzaga, the University of Chicago and the University of Michigan-- and heard three really different stories. Each student has a different perspective and experience. What do they have in common? They all feel good about what their schools have done to address the pandemic. 

Prepaid tuition plans are a slightly different take on 529s: rather than investing for growth that might outpace tuition inflation, these plans aim to match tuition increases. While there used to be many prepaid tuition plans, currently there are only a handful, with the Private College 529 being one of the leaders. Jonathan Sparling, Director of Strategic Partnerships for the Private College 529, joined me to discuss the ins and outs of prepaid tuition plans and how they might fit into a family's overall college planning strategy. 

As a professor of organic chemistry at Reed College, Alan Shusterman teaches a hard class to smart students. Over the years, as both a professor and a parent, he's learned some valuable lessons about succeeding academically in college, and was gracious in sharing them with me.