Twin XL: The Podcast

In this episode, we watch the Netflix documentary Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal so you don’t have to! We’ll discuss what happened in this now-infamous case, what this documentary brings to the conversation, and most importantly, what parents can learn from this whole situation (Lesson one: NO BRIBERY!).

Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal

2019 College Admissions Bribery Scandal on Wikipedia

Rich students get better SAT scores- here’s why

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In this episode, we’re focusing on a specific group of listeners- the parents of high school seniors who are about to make a choice about where to attend college in the fall. How has the pandemic impacted their students’ college search? Is it harder to get in this year? Did a lot of members of the Class of 2024 defer their acceptance or take a gap year, and does that mean there’s less room in the Class of 2025? We are joined by Emily Roper-Doten, Dean of Admission and Financial Aid at Olin College of Engineering, to hear about what’s really going on in admissions this year and how parents can be supportive as their students make this big decision.

Ten Ways to Help Your Teen with the College Decision

Vaccine timing fortunate for admissions

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It’s been ten months since our last episode, and we are excited to bring you season 2! To kick things off, we’re looking back on what we knew about colleges and their plans in May 2020, what has happened since, and what we might expect to see in the Fall of 2021. How can parents help their students manage the ongoing stressors of the pandemic and make decisions about what to do this fall?

Some colleges and universities are planning for a “more normal” fall semester

Could fall bring some return to normalcy? These colleges say yes.

Colleges Requiring COVID-19 Vaccine

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More on Michael Horn: https://michaelbhorn.com/about/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelhorn/2020/04/26/for-this-years-graduates-a-year-of-purpose/#3bee87ee60ba

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelhorn/2020/05/07/what-students-can-do-on-a-gap-year-during-the-pandemic/#26ae2b5f760b

https://www.globalcitizenyear.org/

https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2020/05/19/one-third-high-school-seniors-say-they-will-defer-or-cancel-rather

https://slate.com/technology/2020/05/online-college-fall-2020.html

Laura and Beth examine how colleges and universities are addressing these annual traditions – both transactional (registration, housing, etc.) and celebratory in real time. These resources are a start, but we would recommend parents and families have conversations with their student about keeping communication lines open with one another on these issues, and when communicating with campuses, remember that while people are working remote, most institutions are maintaining standard operating hours, and be respectful of those hours.

https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2020/4/1/21197425/coronavirus-missed-graduation-milestones-students

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/13/us/Coronavirus-college-commencement-ceremonies.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/02/how-the-class-of-2020-became-the-class-of-covid-19.html

https://www.collegian.psu.edu/news/campus/article_130cc190-7451-11ea-88e8-aba53418dc50.html

Laura and Beth are joined by Dr. Rich DeCapua of OneClass and Dr. Pat Whitely of the University of Miami to discuss higher education’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic and offer thoughts about how parents can manage the early and unexpected return of their students.

CDC Coronavirus Page

Inside Higher Ed Coronavirus Page

Campuses Shutter for Coronavirus, Leaving Some LGBTQ Students with Nowhere to Go

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Your student needs to make time to get to their campus career center. As our guest, Carolyn Tidwell says – Go Early, Go Often! Students seeking to find great employment, not just “a job” need to make every effort they can to make their resume and cover letter shine, and get the experience that will help them stand out from the pack!

NACE: First Destination Survey

https://www.naceweb.org/job-market/graduate-outcomes/first-destination/class-of-2018/

Study Suggests Many College Graduates as “Under Employed”

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/study-suggests-many-college-graduates-are-underemployed/4543268.html

Soft Skills

https://search.proquest.com/openview/aa5f345bde23cacbf99574378aeef44b/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=46775

Carolyn’s Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyntidwell/

You have likely heard the current “Mental Health Crisis” on college campuses being discussed in the news. How serious is the problem? What does it mean for you and your student? Learn how you can coach them through a challenging time and help them to use their campus resources effectively.

Stressed and Depressed on Campus Part 1

Stressed and Depressed on Campus Part 2

Stressed and Depressed on Campus Part 3

Stressed and Depressed on Campus Part 4

As stigma ebbs, college students seek mental health help and campuses struggle to meet need

State of Mind: Universities and colleges take innovative approaches to mental health

Episode 3 of TwinXL: Up All Night (Sleep Management)

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It’s time for a break! In the U.S. this week, college students are on break for Thanksgiving, and in mid-to-late December the Winter Break begins. What can you expect when you welcome your student home from school? How can you and your student make the break fun and relaxing and keep the stress to a minimum? What do you do if your student comes home and says, “I don’t want to go back?”

Join us for a conversation about making the most of break, WKRP, breakups, parties, and much more. Don’t miss our last episode of 2019!

How To Better Conquer the Long Winter Break: https://grownandflown.com/better-conquer-long-winter-break/

A Time of Thanksgiving: https://www.washcoll.edu/families/a-time-of-thanksgiving.php


If you’d like us to answer your college parenting question on a future episode, please contact us!


Your student has been on campus for a couple of months now. They’ve made friends, settled in, maybe joined a club or activity...you can relax! Until they call you and say, “I didn’t do so well on my midterms and I don’t think this major is for me.” How can you support and coach your student through changing their major? How can you help them figure out if a change is a good idea? What if they haven’t chosen a major yet? Laura and Beth chat with Lynn Zlotkowski, Director of the Wolak Learning Center at Southern New Hampshire University, about helping your student navigate their academic plans.

Data Point: Beginning College Students Who Change Their Majors Within 3 Years of Enrollment

When Your College Student Changes Majors

5 Considerations When Telling Parents About Changing Your Major

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