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

#049 – Today, Jankel and I talk about the different types of colleges available to high school graduates. The truth is that all high school kids, with different levels of academic preparation, can obtain a college education immediately after high school, if they choose to do so. There are a variety of types of colleges in the United States that exist to serve students from different levels of academic achievement and preparation. That also includes those students who had what may be considered an abysmal high school preparation. On this episode, we explore the different types of colleges, starting with those that are highly-selective (private and state), and transition to state schools that have a higher admission rate, private schools that are not highly selective, and community colleges. We also present the minimum requirements for admission into each type of institution. During our talk, Janekl and I debunk myths about two very inclusive and helpful types of institutions, state and community colleges. At the beginning of our conversation, we uncover the meaning of highly-selective, selective, and competitive colleges and universities. We also talk about the marked effect Mr. Loren Pope had in the world of college admissions in America. His writings, including Colleges That Change Lives, have led to changes in the way students, parents, and counselors approached the college admissions process. You can find the show notes for this episode at https://collegemetropolis.com/49. You can help us reach many other high school students and parents who could also benefit from our content, by giving this podcast a 5-star rating, by leaving us a positive review on the platform you used to download this episode, and by sharing our show with others. We will be very grateful to you for your valuable help. Thank you!

#048 – On this episode, we conclude the senior year checklist with part 8. Jankel and I talk about a very important step to take during the summer before college begins, using the reading list that your college or university has prepared for you. College reading lists are all different, depending on the institution, what society may be going through at the time, and other factors that the school may find to be important. Some professors will teach class with the assumption that students read material from the reading list, and the school may have a series of activities that coincide with its theme. Because of that is important that incoming freshman students get a hold of the reading list and utilize it. We also go over a very important step in financial aid, which when not taken properly may keep a student from being able to register for classes. We continue our discussion with the many activities and organizations that your college or university will prepare for you. It is important to actively participate in them to broaden your horizons. We will go over these activities and will show you how they are playing out at UCLA, the University of Southern California, University of Texas Austin, and the University of Miami. A great part of your college education will take place outside of classrooms. We feel you will appreciate the importance of having the right mindset prior to beginning college, after listening to this episode. You can find the show notes for this episode at https://collegemetropolis.com/48. Please help us reach others who may benefit from this information by telling your friends about us, by giving our show a 5-star rating, and by leaving us a positive review on the platform you used to download this episode. We will be very thankful to you for your valuable help. Thank you!

#047 – Today, on this midweek episode, we present very interesting information about one of the most fascinating careers today, mechanical engineering. Although we start by going over some quick facts about this field of engineering, we quickly dive into some of the most interesting mechanical engineering projects going on today, including, the construction of a mechanical arm to operate on the moon, where temperatures easily drops to 292º Fahrenheit, the work that Purdue University is conducting in its Resilient Extra Terrestrial Habitats Institute, the introduction of advanced augmented reality into the cockpits of military aircrafts so pilots can practice managing different scenarios, and work conducted at MIT that led to the discovery of what makes coronaviruses so infectious and deadly, and the ability to weaken the infectiousness of the virus greatly. We also covered other valuable areas to students interested in finding out more about mechanical engineering, such as the essential qualities necessary for anyone considering becoming a mechanical engineer, specific about what they do on a daily basis, the courses to take in a bachelor degree program in mechanical engineering, pay, and employment prospects to the year 2029. There is so much we talked about that we are sure you will find very interesting, even if a career in mechanical engineering is not one for you. You can find our show notes at https://collegemetropolis.com/47. You can help our podcast greatly by telling others about us, giving us a 5-star rating, and a leaving us a positive review. We will greatly appreciate it. Thank you!

#046 - Today, we highlight a very important step to take during the summer before college begins, securing your dorm and choosing your roommate. Getting your student housing set up and being matched with a great roommate will make a difference in your college experience. It may also influence your academic performance. We will tell you how the typical process of securing your dorm is carried out, and two steps that are usually taken to be properly matched with a roommate. The first step is filling out your personal bio, while the second is answering a questionnaire with your preferences about a roommate. We will go over some of the typical questions in the roommate questionnaire. Throughout this episode, we feature examples from two beautiful institutions, Florida International University and Northern Arizona University. You can find the show notes for this episode at https://collegemetropolis.com/46. Please help us reach more high school students and parents by giving our show a 5-star rating, and by leaving us a positive review on the platform you used to download this episode. That would be very helpful to our show. Thank you!

#045 – On this Midweek Episode Jankel and I begin the first career deep dive by focusing on Registered Nursing. We uncover important information that will give high school students a well-informed idea of all that entails earning a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, and working as a Registered Nurse (RN). In our conversation, we go over essential qualities that are necessary for a person interested in becoming an RN, the duties and responsibilities associated with this profession, the different patient groups with whom RNs may work, the educational path to follow to earn a BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) degree. Additionally, we explore the components of the typical Nursing Program pre-requisites and explore those of the undergraduate nursing program at Loma Linda University. We also discuss the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination and other licensing requirements. The episode ends with a look at statistical data related to pay and employment prospects for registered nurses, and the five reasons why this profession is expected to grow at almost twice the percentage average of other professions. We hope this episode allows all high school students in our audience to gain an appreciation for this noble, stable, and much-needed occupation. We also hope it gives all parents in our audience important information they may use to have meaningful career-related conversations with their kids. These types of episodes will continue to be posted in the middle of the week, while our episodes related to college admissions will continue to appear on Fridays. You can find our show notes at https://collegemetropolis.com/45. Please help our podcast by giving us a 5-star rating and a leaving us a positive review. We will greatly appreciate it. Thank you!

#044 - Today, we continue our senior year checklist discussing the first two of five important steps to take during the summer before college begins. Jankel and I will talk about the first two, starting with the importance of securing a job that allows you to save as much money as you can for several expenses you will need to make during your first term. During our discussion, we debunk a myth that many students believe about the problems that may arise if they earn too much money during the last high school summer of the high school year. We continue with the second step, attending the student summer orientations that your college or university will make available for you. Student orientations are very important in helping you start the first school term strongly. Additionally, we go over the reasons why it is very important to attend one of the orientations scheduled early in the summer. There is a lot to gain by being one of the first students to attend. Jankel begins the episode by asking me an important an unexpected question that helped emphasize some of the important points examined during the episode, What type of students do I prefer to teach? There is a lot we packed into this episode. You can find our show notes at https://collegemetropolis.com/44. You can help our show greatly by giving us a 5-star rating and a leaving a positive review for our show. That will help others find us more easily. Thank you!

#043 – What do you do after you apply to all the colleges that made it to your final list and some of them respond granting you admission, actually saying yes, we want you to be one of our students? How do you choose the one whose admission you will accept? In today’s episode, we give you the steps to follow as you read the acceptance letters you receive from each of the college and universities to which you applied, and how to decipher the contents of the Financial Aid Award letters in them to figure out what each college is willing to do for you. In our conversation, we uncover the elements of the typical award letter, including grants, scholarships, work-study program opportunities, and loans. Jankel and I also read a real letter that was sent to a student in the recent past. We will also let you know how to ask a school for more than it is offering you, especially when that school is your top school, but it isn’t offering you as much financial aid as other schools are offering you. We end the episode by discussing other important steps to take after receiving letters of acceptance. You can find the show notes for this episode at https://collegemetropolis.com/43. Please help our show grow by letting others know about us and by giving us a 5-star rating. That will ensure that we reach many other high school students and their parents, and that they benefit from the information we share on the podcast. We would really appreciate it. Thank you!

#042 – On this special episode, I pinpoint important elements of the $1.8 trillion plan that president Biden presented today to help American families. There are many elements of this plan that will positively affect high school students who will begin their college careers in the near future. The plan proposes free tuition for the first two years of college, increases to the amount of funds that students will receive through the Pell Grant, and a number of new important services to be offered to students enrolled in community colleges. I will talk about the requirements students need to meet to receive these benefits. Additionally, I will uncover what the plan will do for students eligible for assistance in Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Minority-Serving Institutions. My hope is that this information gives you a clear idea of the many benefits and advantages you may be presented with soon. You can find the show notes for this episode at https://collegemetropolis.com/42. Please help us reach more high school students and their parents by giving our show a 5-star rating, and by leaving us a positive review on the platform you used to download the show. Thank you!

#041 – Today, we present the steps to take after the college applications have been sent in. Jankel and I talk about what you should do around your winter break to ensure that your application packet is complete for each of the universities and colleges to which you applied. Although turning in your college applications is a huge and monumental milestone, it is not the last step in your college admission process. There are also very easy and important steps you are expected to take for those schools that grant you admission. Those steps are important because failing to act on them may result on those colleges rescinding your admission, and that is something no student wants to happen. We also talk about what to do if one of your top schools places you on a waitlist. Our discussion uncovers whether that is a good or bad thing, and the steps you can take to tilt the scale in your favor. We value and appreciate everything you are doing as a student to prepare have the best possible outcome in your college path. We also treasure what parents of our audience do by listening to each episode to be better prepared to help their kids through this process. You all are the reason why we create every episode and we welcome and embrace each of you as part of this beautiful College Metropolis community. You can find the show notes for this episode at https://collegemetropolis.com/41. We would like to ask you for a little help reaching other high school students or parents who could benefit from this podcast. Please share us with others on your social media platforms or through word of mouth. We will truly appreciate that kind gesture. Thank you!

#040 – On this midweek episode, we feature Andrea Ward, Program Manager for AdventHealth Global Missions Department, which exists to bring health and healing to people around the world. An example of the projects which this department carries out is Operation Sunshine, through which healthcare leaders and medical professionals help almost 600 children who lost their parents during the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Through Operation Sunshine provides it, the department provides medical care to every kid and cover all medical costs. On this candid interview, Jankel asks questions that prompt Andrea to share important details of what became her professional path, one that today allows her to feel professionally fulfilled today. Andrea began her higher education in a community college, transferred to and graduated from La Sierra University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, and eventually received a Master’s Degree in Non-Profit Management from the University of Central Florida. Andrea talked about the profound influence her parents had in the decisions she made regarding higher education, and in the professional path she chose thereafter. Andrea was very open about not having a precise idea of what she wanted to after college, although she always remained loyal to her desire to do something in which she helped people. That desire allowed her to apply for an internship that took her across the country, got her immediately hired, and gave her the initial platform for what today is a very successful and fulfilling career. There are many valuable lessons that students will gain from this episode related to college plans, career path, and professional advancement. Parents will gain important insights on how to help their kids find their college and professional paths. You can find the show notes for this episode at https://collegemetropolis.com/40. You can help our show greatly by telling others about our show and by leaving us a 5-star review. That kind gesture will help other high school students and their parents find us more easily. Thank you!