The College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and Parents

#099 – Today, Jankel and I continue giving you insights on how to write your personal essay. We begin by going over the importance of the essay as an integral part of your college application, review the prompts that you will find in the Common App, and highlight the beauty of the essay as the only part of the application  in which you control 100% of the narrative. We also present 10 different topics you should stay away from, or at the very least, be very careful with, when writing your essay. After the midpoint of the episode, we present you with the steps to take to write your first draft. We finish by sharing tips directly from Vanderbilt University on how to write your personal essay. You can find the show notes for this episode at https://collegemetropolis.com/99. You can help our show greatly by giving us a 5-star rating and leaving us a positive review. That is the best way you can help our podcast. We will truly appreciate it. Thank you!

#098 – Can you believe we are already starting a new school year? On this episode we explore the steps that each high school student should take during the fall to continue their college prep and finish the semester (or trimester) strong. There are timely steps that must be taken each year of high school. These are important because in many instances, the steps to take throughout high school are sequential, meaning that one has to be taken before the next one can be taken. Therefore, missing a step may keep a student from being able to meet the admission requirements for a selective college or university. Today, we talk about the steps each student should take before the winter break. Be prepared to take good notes on this important episode! You can find the show notes for this episode at https://collegemetropolis.com/98. Please help us by giving our podcast a 5-star rating and leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcasting platform. In doing so, you would be helping our efforts greatly. Thank you!

#097 – On this episode, we continue talking about the personal essay or the personal statement. We begin by reminding you of a few very important facts to keep in mind about the essay, and analyze precisely what it is that you will be asked to do as you tackle this very important component of your college application. Jankel and I continue our conversation by going over the steps to follow when choosing the prompt from the Common App that you will use to write your own personal statement. We provide a vivid example by analyzing the writing requirements for Brown University as they are presented on the Common App. Brown University is an institution that requires both a personal statement and a writing supplement. We end the episode by presenting 17 questions you can answer to help you develop the material you will need to as you answer the prompts from the Common App. You can find the show notes for this episode, including the full list of the 17 questions presented on the episode, at https://collegemetropolis.com/97. You can help our show greatly by giving us a 5-star rating and leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcasting platform. That is the best way you can help us reach a wider audience. Thank you!

#096 - Today, we begin a multi-episode series focused on the personal essay, that is the part of the application where you will have a chance to present yourself in a way that makes a positive and direct impact in your chances for admission into a college or university. That is especially true for the more selective ones, who historically have given more weight to the importance of the personal essay. The episode begins by highlighting the fact that the entirety of the college application will, in some ways, tell a story about you. College admission officers will look at the academic and non-academic components of your application and begin to form ideas about who you are. But, it is on the personal essay, where you, the person who you truly are, have a chance to tell your story in your own voice. This gives you an amazing chance to make a great impression on them. Jankel presents information from the University of Chicago, in which they tell students who are applying directly from high school, exactly how they should write the essay, what they are trying to learn about you as they read your essay, and the great chance this gives you to connect with such a great institution. We give you pointers on the essay, how to approach it, what to do and, in some ways, what not to do when it comes to writing it. We urge you to begin writing it early, be honest, and above all, to not stress about it, but instead see it as a great opportunity to tilt the scales in your favor. The essay is one of your best friends when it comes to your college admission path. You can find the show notes for this episode at https://collegemetropolis.com/96. Please help our efforts by giving us a 5-star rating and leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcasting platform. That would go a long way in helping us be found more easily by other high school students and parents who are also looking for college admission content. Thank you!

#095 – On this, the last episode on our 3-part series, we conclude our list of the 25 skills that every high school student should learn prior to going to college. Jankel and I talk about the importance of taking notes, what to do when you share notes from a classmate, seeking permission from the instructor prior to recording a lecture, and what to do with the recorded lecture. Additionally, we share plenty of personal experiences in the different subjects we present. We conclude the episode by highlighting the importance of asking questions during or after class, socializing and networking with your peers, and taking time to reward yourself. The 25 habits we presented in this and the previous 2 episodes will help high school students as they transition to college. The faster they begin to put these habits to use while in high school, the better they will be able to carry them out in college. You can access the resources mentioned on this episode on our show notes at https://collegemetropolis.com/95. We ask that you please give us a 5-star rating and leave us a positive review. That will go a long way in helping us reach a wider audience. We would truly appreciate it. Thank you!

#094 - Today, we continue on our list of the 25 skills and habits that every high school student should begin to practice in high school so that, by the time they transition to college, those habits and skills are part of their normal way of operating. The quicker students integrate them into their lives, the quicker they will be able to put them into practice while in high school, and the higher the chances they will have to succeed as they transition to college. You can access the resources mentioned on this episode on our show notes at https://collegemetropolis.com/94. As always, please help our show grow by giving us a 5-star rating and by leaving us a positive review. We would truly appreciate it. Thank you!

#093 – The transition from high school to college is one that every student must learn, practice, and prepare for, to do it properly. The sooner that preparation begins in high school, the higher the chances that the transition will be a successful one. There are several expectations that will be placed on new college students by their professors. For example, they are expected to practice self-monitoring, and do everything else that is expected of them, at the college level. While some colleges are better than others at helping students with this transition, it is extremely helpful for students to learn early on, the behaviors and steps needed to take to ensure a successful transition. On this episode, we present the first 10 of 25 college survival skills that we have compiled, to help high school students prepare for college. These college survival skills are some of the steps and behaviors needed for a successful transition. The quicker students learn these skills, and the quicker they put into practice those that are applicable while in high school, the higher their chances will be for college success. You can access the resources mentioned on this episode on our show notes at https://collegemetropolis.com/93. Please help our show grow by giving us a 5-star rating and giving us a positive review on the podcast platform you used to download this episode. We would truly appreciate it. Thank you!

#092 – On this episode we conclude our two-part conversation about extracurricular activities by focusing on the different activities that can be included in the college application. Although we discuss participation in clubs, volunteering, and other similar activities, we focus our conversation on ways applicants could present any jobs they may have had while in high school. The experiences gathered in these jobs could be presented in the application in ways that greatly benefit applicants. We go over several examples of how to do it. Jankel and I also talk about the main reason why students should become involved in extracurricular activities, and what these tell college admission officers about students who actively participate in those activities. We also present the meaning of “Passion” and “Leadership” as it regards extracurricular activities. At the beginning and towards the end of the episode we also cover the admission requirements for the University of Southern California, with a special emphasis on the non-academic requirements. You can access the resources mentioned on this episode on our show notes at https://collegemetropolis.com/92. Please help our show grow by giving us a 5-star rating and giving us a positive review. We would your efforts to help our podcast. Thank you!

#091 – Today, we uncover the admission requirements for Cornell University, focusing deeply on the non-academic factors. For selective universities, high academic achievement is expected and cannot be counted on to differentiate you as a candidate. Rather, it is the non-academic factors of your application that will set you apart. Cornell University, a school with a 10% admission rate, looks for several factors in their applicants, including character, community involvement, and their reasons for choosing Cornell, in addition to intellectual potential. Jankel and I talk about the ways in which selective schools review an applicant’s extracurricular activities, and provide you with the reasons why they do it, namely, to gain a good idea of who you are as a person and what is truly important to you as an individual. We go over the importance of having alignment between your college essay, your extracurricular activities, and what you say are your passions. Additionally, we talk about the college interview, the step in the admission process in which questions will be asked about your extracurricular activities. You can find the show notes for this episode at https://collegemetropolis.com/91. Please help our efforts by giving us a 5-star rating and leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcasting platform. That would go a long way in helping us be found more easily by other high school students and parents who are also looking for college admission content. Thank you!

#090 – On this episode, Jankel and I begin by highlighting the ways in which high school students can increase their chances for success by overcoming the inevitable obstacles and challenges that will present themselves throughout the college path. This conversation is, at the core, about personal leadership. As the episode continues, we present honors colleges found within state universities and the many advantages found in them. These give students the ability to enjoy the many benefits of attending some of the largest Research I institutions, while enjoying important advantages usually found only in private institutions. We explore Barret, the Honors College at Arizona State University. We uncover important academic and non-academic information about Barret, including, admission requirements, available housing, research opportunities, and other important advantages. You can find the show notes for this episode at https://collegemetropolis.com/90. Please help our efforts by giving us a 5-star rating and leaving us a positive review. Doing so will make it easier for other high school students and parents to find us. Thank you!