Tutor Ted Talks College Admissions

Ted speaks with Gail Meyer, President Emeritus of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (ICEA) and an educational consultant specializing in college admissions. Before getting into college admissions she spent 17 years as a clinical social worker specializing in working with adolescents and their families. Gail brings all of her education, skill, and passion for helping students achieve their goals to her current career.

Ted asks Gail if she has noticed colleges catering to students today more than they have in the past. She believes colleges are looking to make offers to students whose admission would be beneficial to both the student and the institution. They talk about the importance of self-assessment when a student is looking for the right match in colleges. (2:40)

As they discuss the overlap of working in the mental health field with working in education consulting, Ted and Gail agree that a student’s anxiety can be hugely detrimental to their preparation for college. Gail stresses the importance of listening to, and truly hearing, the students they work with. (5:30)

Gail shares insights on how the college admissions landscape has shifted in the last few years, e.g. financial planning, early decision admission for freshmen, and stauncher competition. Later, she and Ted get into more common misconceptions students and their families have about the admissions process. (13:25)

As Ted puts the Problem of the Day to Gail, they experience some test anxiety of their own. (23:00)

Have a question or comment for Ted and the show? Email and check out his website!

 

 

 

Ryan Harrison returns to discuss some of the most common SAT/ACT conspiracy theories, myths, and old wives tales out there. First, though, the guys share a few of the school-themed nightmares they’ve experienced while asleep. Ryan’s range from getting in trouble with his parents to getting lost in the hallways, while Ted’s are of a more musical variety. (4:00)

 

Myth No. 1: The tests are easier or harder depending on which test date you take them. (5:30)

Myth No. 2: Test prep is all about learning “the tricks.” (10:10)

Myth No. 3: Some colleges prefer scores from one test over the other. (20:30)

Myth No. 4: The SAT was designed to identify gifted students. (24:33)

Myth No. 5: The ACT is actually a circus put together by a band of clowns. (34:32)

Listen in as Ted asks Ryan to determine which myths are true and which are false; the answers may surprise you! They also dive into the origin stories of the tales and whether even the false ones have a kernel of truth deep within.

 

Have a question or comment for Ted and the show? Email and check out his website!

Ted takes a field trip to Campbell Hall High School to speak with their director of college counseling, Jennifer Simpson. As a self-proclaimed “recovering life planner,” Jennifer uses her strategist superpowers to help individual students identify and prepare for their best path for after graduation. (0:43)

Jennifer shares some of the biggest misconceptions she encounters regarding the college application and admission processes. She and Ted consider the impact of perception and attitude in the experience. (6:20)

Ted asks Jennifer where she falls on his College Admission Cynicism Spectrum, and whether she believes students should be involved in activities as purely a means to an end. Hear her thoughts on such a singular approach and her impassioned plea for adults to guide their kids along a more inquiry-based path. (17:25)

Jennifer and Ted discuss the growing globalization of higher education. While this movement does create added competition for potential students, it also serves to cultivate environments of diversity and learning. Ted takes a deep dive into the cynicism whirlpool but Jennifer’s optimism pulls him back into more positive waters. (29:33)

For the Problem of the Day, Ted chooses a question from the US History SAT subject test. Jennifer, with an assist from one of her students at Campbell Hall, masterfully handles this issue of 18th century women’s rights. If you don’t have a helpful AP History student of your own, look for clues in the wording of the question to find the correct answer. (46:16)

Have a question or comment for Ted and the show? Email and check out his website!

Wes Carroll- MIT grad, podcast host, math tutor, educational coach/consultant, and Ted-proclaimed “Master Problem Solver”- joins the show for Episode 9. Wes explains how learning to problem solve is more than simply learning how to answer test questions correctly; in fact, this type of thinking is a skill that will serve students through college and beyond. Ted and Wes discuss the difference between classroom exercises and true problem solving and weigh in on which is more important to a student’s success. (0:50)

Check out Wes’ website to learn more about his tutoring and how he can help high school students become better thinkers. Also, take a listen to his podcast for more fun problem solving practice!

Ted and Wes chat about mathematician George Polya’s 1947 book How To Solve It, a guide to the principles of problem solving. Both are big fans of Polya’s strategy of making a plan and breaking a challenging problem into parts to find the answer. (9:00)

Ted asks Wes if good thinking and problem solving are things a tutor can teach and a student can develop. They discuss the self-evaluative process of a successful problem solver. Ted humbly admits he has a tendency to always immediately pick the best method to solve a problem but Wes believes there’s more to it than chance. (17:00)

After discussing the theories, quandaries, and philosophies of problem solving, Ted and Wes finally get to solving some problems! Wes has brought some interesting examples from his puzzler podcast so he and Ted work on a few to close out the show. (33:06)

Have a question or comment for Ted and the show? Email and check out his website!

Ted welcomes guest and friend Candice Frankel, a college counselor with 25 years of experience. Candice founded her own company, Frankel College Counseling, to assist students and their parents in the application process. In addition, she created The Edwin, a personalized organizational tool designed to yield fantastic college options.

As her own 10th grade daughter has recently become a client of Ted’s company, Candice reflects on her experience with college prep as a parent vs. as an administrator. Ted probes deeper into why parents might need a professional college counselor to guide them and their child in their college process. (4:35)

Candice and Ted discuss the college counselor cynicism spectrum; namely how much should a counselor or parent encourage a student to tailor their experiences to a particular college’s application. Candice sees this situation as a problem, an “upside-down” way to address a student and their goals. (9:50)

Ted and Candice discuss the best time to start thinking about college, common misconceptions about the application and admission processes, and the benefits of college tours. (16:14)

Ted asks Candice the Question of the Day, a writing and language problem from the old SAT format. This particularly tricky question reminds Ted of what he misses about the old SAT and hates about the new one. (25:14)

Have a question or comment for Ted and the show? Email and check out his website!

 

Jordan Schanda, co-founder of ScholarPrep, joins Ted to discuss when and how students should begin to prepare for the college application process. ScholarPrep is centered around The Organizer, a tool that helps students set goals, track their progress and organize all of the information they will need for college and scholarship applications. Jordan’s goal is to maximize admissions and scholarships while minimizing stress. (1:15)

Ted and Jordan talk about extracurricular activities; should students choose based on their own interests or are they better off spending time only on what schools are specifically looking for? (8:40)

ScholarPrep encourages students to begin their college preparation in the summer after 8th grade. Ted asks how, at such a young age, a student can identify their goals for higher education and career. Jordan suggests some basic points these students and their parents can think about to get started with planning. (18:30)

Ted asks Jordan the Question of the Day, a wordy math problem from the No Calculator section of the SAT. (27:19)

There are many ways for students and their parents to connect with ScholarPrep; check out their main site, their facebook group, or contact them with questions.

Have a question or comment for Ted and the show? Email and check out his website!

 

Chelsea Watkins, founder and CEO of College Application Training, joins Ted for a conversation about how families can handle the staggering cost of college. College Application Training provides guidance with creating a stellar college application and assistance in filling out a FAFSA. Ultimately, they create a customized college funding plan and overall financial strategy for each family. Contact Chelsea for a free hour-long evaluation to see if she can help you. (0:50)

Ted admits he has never filled out a FAFSA before; Ted’s parents, perhaps knowing their son best, always completed the paperwork for him. Chelsea shares the basics of the process and also gives tips and tricks for families. They agree, however, that this step is important enough to bring in a professional if possible. (4:36)

The CSS profile form, required by some upper-tier schools, takes into account some assets that the FAFSA does not. Chelsea explains these holdings and who they might impact, then recommends steps for the people in this predicament. (14:15)

Retirement plan balances, non-qualified annuities, and permanent life insurance policies are sheltered assets that can be beneficial for many families preparing to apply for aid. Learn more about sheltered assets and find out which top-ranked school is asking about one in particular. (20:49)

Ted surprises Chelsea with the Question of the Day! She’s a great sport and, as a former teacher for The Princeton Review herself, she rocks this one from a past SAT. (35:29)

Last but not least, Chelsea puts Ted on the spot and forces him to choose- SAT or ACT?? Which will it be….(42:00)

Have a question or comment for Ted and the show? Email and check out his website!

Ted introduces Martha Marion: actor, writer, comedian, poet, and longest-tenured tutor at Ted’s company (take that Ryan!) Martha’s tutoring specialty is in translating intimidating math problems into more accessible narratives. She and Ted discuss PEMDAS, SOHCAHTOA, and whether or not it’s true that All Sexy Teachers Cook?! (5:00)

Ted and Martha discuss the plausibility of using a mathematical or scientific approach on the Reading section of the test. They agree that you, as the test taker, have two jobs when confronting the SAT/ACT. (19:30)

To illustrate his theory that there is a test-taking strategy out there for everyone, Ted shares a story about the lowest-scoring student he’s ever tutored. This client scored lower by answering all the math questions than he would have if he had left the answers blank. Even in this challenging case, a strategy was devised that nearly doubled the student’s score. (28:00)

In honor of Marion’s visit, the Question of the Day is a math problem featuring Combinations and Permutations. (29:23)

Have a question for the show? Email Ted or check out the website!

Episode 3 features guest Jacob Osborne, the newest member of the Tutor Ted test prep family. Jacob is a 2016 Yale graduate, actor and comedian in Los Angeles, and lifelong fan of JJ Redick. Ted asks him about growing up in a tiny town in Vermont, the pressure he might have felt from having parents that are both Ivy-league graduates, and his top-5 favorite movies.

Jacob shares the process of how he decided which colleges to apply to and the advice he received when he was feeling overwhelmed by the endless options in front of him. (7:05)

The guys delve into a discussion about the difficult task many students are facing this spring- choosing which college admittance they should accept. Ted acknowledges it is a situation where the outcomes are going to be somewhat unknown, while Jacob describes it as the first adult decision he had to make. They share their own experiences of making this choice, and give advice on what elements to focus on in this process. (19:10)

After accepting admission to Yale, Jacob decided to take a gap year. He spent this time traveling, challenging himself mentally and physically, so he could start his freshman year with more life experience to share. Jacob highly recommends taking a gap year to explore, work, travel, etc, and Ted admits he wishes he had done so himself before starting at Princeton. (34:00)

Episode 3’s Question of the Day is an Inference problem based on a rather melancholy passage. Jacob attempts to find the answer that is better than the other choices; will he make the right decision??

Have a question for the show? Email Ted or check out the website!

Episode 2 asks whether, in a world where people with means so often have an advantage over others, the test prep business is fair. This is an existential question for Ted, who loves and believes in his career but also thinks prep should be freely available to every student. Podcast guest Ryan Harrison agrees with Ted and suggests that everyone does have the tools and opportunity to prep on their own but it is the rare person that has the discipline to do so. They discuss the goals and aims of professional tutors that go beyond imparting pure strategy. (2:00)

Ted and Ryan compare content knowledge to pedagogical content knowledge (CK vs. PCK, for those in the know). They discuss their own teaching methods and what has been effective for their students. (17:28)

The last topic of the show is the recent change to the ACT essay. This alteration came as a surprise to test-takers when confronted with the prompt, again offering a potential advantage to students who worked with a tutor that was familiar with the shift. Ryan and Ted share their advice for dealing with the new essay, specifically discussing how to display critical thinking skills to the graders. (33:00)

Have a question for the show? Email Ted or check out the website!