Ep. 222 | Summer school for smart students

Uncategorized Apr 26, 2024

In this week's podcast, I make a pitch for summer school.

All four of my sons took classes over the summer (for different reasons) and many motivated PrepWellers have done the same.

Listen to this week's episode to learn why summer school has become a "thing".

 

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PrepWell Academy's Founder, Phil Black, has spent a lifetime cracking the code on the world's most competitive programs: Yale University, Harvard Business School, Navy SEALs, Goldman Sachs, Entrepreneurship, Shark Tank (2X), etc.

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Ep. 221 | Insights from 30 hrs of consulting in 1 week

Uncategorized Apr 13, 2024

Last week, I emailed a link to my private calendar offering PrepWell families an opportunity to book a consulting session with me.

College admissions is so off the rails that I thought it might be nice to give families a chance to ask questions.

I was overwhelmed with the response.

With the craziness going on with college admissions these days, who could blame them?

In today's podcast, I share 3 insights that jumped out at me after 30 hours of conversations during Spring Break.

Listen to what all of these sessions had in common...

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Ep. 220 | Admissions results, explained

Uncategorized Apr 02, 2024

In this week's podcast, I dive into this year's crazy admissions results. Take a look at the admit rates of a sampling of popular colleges:

  • Amherst 9%
  • Bowdoin 7%
  • Brown 5%
  • Colby 6%
  • Columbia 4%
  • Dartmouth 5%
  • and the list goes on...

What exactly is going on here?

Single-digit acceptance rates as far as the eyes can see.

I walk through an example of how an unhooked student has to compete against 10,000 similarly-credentialed students for just 300 spots at a popular college.

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Ep. 219 | The new Digital SAT is here (for good)

Uncategorized Mar 20, 2024

In today's episode, I review the new digital SAT.

If you are a parent, or a 9th, 10th, or 11th grader, this is a must-listen.

What are the big 4 changes, and how do you set yourself up for success?

 

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Podcast Host:

PrepWell Academy's Founder, Phil Black, has spent a lifetime cracking the code on the world's most competitive programs: Yale University, Harvard Business School, Navy SEALs, Goldman Sachs, Entrepreneurship, Shark Tank (2X), etc.

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Inside PrepWell Academy, Black teaches students everything they...

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Ep. 216 | Yale goes back to test-required. Anyone else?

Uncategorized Feb 28, 2024

In today's episode, I discuss how Dartmouth's recent decision to return to a test-required policy for the SAT/ACT has influenced other schools.

As I predicted last week, Yale has now returned to a test-required policy as well. They call their policy test-flexible.

Columbia has gone in the opposite direction and proudly announced that they are making their test-optional policy permanent.

Harvard and Cornell are kicking the can down the road for another year and keeping test-optional in place.

University of California schools still refuse to accept any test scores (test-blind).

What is going on here?

What does any of this mean?

What should my child do?

Listen to today's podcast to get some guidance.

 

 

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Ep. 215 | An extracurricular activity cheat code

Uncategorized Feb 22, 2024

In today's episode, I discuss how to develop a compelling extracurricular activity in the final 6 months before college applications are due.

There are many juniors who wake up halfway through the year, and realize that their extracurricular activities list is pretty light.

It dawns on them that their applications are due in 6 months -- and they hit the panic button.

What can I do to be different, to stand out? Most of my activities are pretty generic and unorganized...

Listen to today's podcast to learn a way to take your ECA list to the next level.

If you're younger than a junior, learn how to use the same strategy over 18 - 24 months, instead of 4 - 6 months.

 

 

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Ep. 214 | Dartmouth reinstates requirement for SAT score

Uncategorized Feb 10, 2024

In today's episode, I discuss the implications of Dartmouth College's recent decision to reinstate the standardized test (SAT or ACT) requirement next year.

Translation...you will be required to submit an SAT or ACT score. Just like the old days.

In other words, the gig is up!

I predict that nearly every other highly-selective college will soon revert back to requiring an SAT or ACT by next year (or the year thereafter).

Learn how this decision came about, when the other colleges will follow suit, and who will be the winners and losers in this ongoing drama.

 

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Ep. 213 | Should you bother applying to UC schools?

Uncategorized Feb 01, 2024

In today's episode, I discuss your child's chances of getting into a UC (University of California) school.

There are 9 UC campuses up and down the coast of California.

7 of the 9 schools are in the "Top 10 most-applied-to colleges" in the country.

For example: UCLA (about 150K applications), UC Davis (about 110K applications)

With this obscene number of applications, is it even worth applying? What are your chances of getting in?

If you're interested in how your child might fare in the UC admissions lottery, please listen.

 

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Ep. 209 | Is college worth it? 51% of Americans say, no

Uncategorized Jan 03, 2024

In today's episode, I try to uncover the reasons why, for the first-time ever, a majority of Americans (51%) no longer believe that college is worth the time or money.

Yikes! That's quite a shift compared to 5 years ago.

  • Why is this the case?
  • What happened?
  • Which students should go to college?
  • Which students should not?
  • At what price is college worthwhile?
  • Alternatives to $300K colleges?

If you're interested in the radical changes happening on college campuses, from affordability, to student protests, to the spread of commercially useless degree programs, give this episode a listen.

 

 

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Ep. 208 | How to maximize the time we have left

Uncategorized Dec 13, 2023

Show Notes:

In today's episode, I discuss how little time we have left with our children (and how to maximize that time).

Statistically, once our child turns 18, 90% of the time we will ultimately spend with him/her - is already spoken for.

Translation: Once our child goes to college, it's possible that we will only see them another 60 times (total) over the next 30 years.

If you're interested in this topic and making an effort to maximize what time you do have left with your child, give this episode a listen.

Paragraph for show notes.

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