Shows
The College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsThe Personal Essay (Part 3). How to Write Your First Draft and Topics to Stay Away From. Advise from Vanderbilt University on How to Write Your Essay#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 ste...2022-08-1546 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsThe Steps All 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Graders Should Take Before the December Break. Follow Your Checklist to Continue Strengthening Yourself for Admission into Selective Colleges and Universities#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 fo...2022-08-081h 00The College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsThe Personal Essay (Part 2). How to Select a Prompt from the Common App. 17 Questions that Will Help You Create Content for Your Essay. The Writing Requirements for Admission into Brown University#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 Un...2022-07-2644 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsThe Personal Essay (Part 1). Why It Is Important in Your College Application. Two Things Admission Officers Want to Learn About You from Reading Your Essay. What the University of Chicago Wants You to Know About It#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...2022-07-1741 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and Parents25 College Survival Skills You Should Learn in High School to Succeed in College. The Quicker You Learn Them, the Higher Your Chances for Success (Part 3)#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 pe...2022-07-1039 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and Parents25 College Survival Skills You Should Learn in High School to Succeed in College. The Quicker You Learn Them, the Higher Your Chances for Success (Part 2)#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...2022-06-2738 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and Parents25 College Survival Skills You Should Learn in High School to Succeed in College. The Quicker You Learn Them, the Higher Your Chances for Success (Part 1)#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 ea...2022-06-2049 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsWhat Every Selective School Wants to Find in Your Extracurricular Activities (Part 2). Passion and Leadership. How to Present a Job in Your Application. Admission Requirements for the University of Southern California, USC#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 ac...2022-06-1448 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsWhat Every Selective School Wants to Find in Your Extracurricular Activities (Part 1). How to Best Present Your Extracurriculars in Your Application. What Cornell University Looks for in Candidates#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...2022-06-0751 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsHow Commitment to Your Vision Is Necessary to Overcome Obstacles. Also, the Many Advantages Offered by Honors Colleges at State Universities, and a Deep Look at Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University#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 Co...2022-05-3040 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsQuestions College Admission Officers Ask About You and Your High School to Estimate Your Potential for Success in College. How the ‘Summer Melt’ Can Help You Gain Admission and Get More Financial Aid. How Many APs to Take for Selective Schools#089 – On today’s episode, I present the meaning of the “Summer Melt” and the ways in which it could help you gain admission to college, while at the same time allowing you to negotiate more institutional aid for yourself. Changes in the rules that guide how colleges and universities recruit students now allow colleges to poach students away from other colleges, even after May 1st, commonly known as Commitment Day. This has increased the level of competition among colleges as they seek to fill every available admission slot. I present a couple of ways in which this increased level of compe...2022-05-2328 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsWhat Gets Students Accepted to MIT? Here Is What MIT Admission Officers Have to Say. This Will Help Your Chances of Admission into Any Schools, Specially the More Selective Ones#088 – Today, we explore the admission criteria at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, better known as MIT. We begin by analyzing admission information about the most recent freshman class, highlighting the admission rate, standardized test scores, and other academic and non-academic factors considered by MIT Admission Officers as they offer or deny admission to students every year. This episode centers on the one component of the application that is the most important to MIT. Regardless of academic prowess, if that component is not evident in a student’s application, admission to MIT is not given. The information you will learn on t...2022-05-1243 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsWhat Every College Admission Officer Will Look for in Your Application (Part 2). –Select the Courses You Take in High School Wisely. Taking Advanced Courses Is Crucial, Especially When Applying to Selective Colleges and Universities#087 - Today, we continue our conversation focused on the most important portions of your college application that will garner the attention of College Admission Officers. Depending on what they find on your application, they will decide to continue exploring your qualifications, or not simply deny you admission to that college or university. On this episode, Jankel and I present a very important way to present yourself in a way that impresses Admission Officers, giving you a great chance to succeed as an applicant. This particular way to stand out is, in fact, extremely important and should be part of...2022-05-0247 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsWhat Every College Admission Officer Will Look for in Your Application (Part 1). Core Course Requirements for Virginia Tech and UT Austin. Update on Our Recent Trip to UC Berkeley, Stanford University, and UC Santa Barbara#086 – This is a very special episode in which I am joined by my son who will share with us some of his observations about a recent trip we took to visit some of the schools to which he will apply. These include, UC Berkeley, Stanford University, and UC Santa Barbara. Although his ultimate goal is to do graduate work in vertebrate paleontology, his undergraduate degree will be in geology. The trip was very informative. As the episode progresses, I share ways in which students can learn to think like college admission officers, and in doing so, use that information to...2022-04-2345 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsThe One Extremely Important Characteristic That Every College You Apply to Must Have. The Ability of a College to Engage You is Necessary for You to Achieve Your Best Outcomes#085 - This is the third episode in a series that deals with some of the most common misconceptions about college admissions. On the previous two episodes we talked about the fallacy of the “Best-College Rankings” and what research shows is the connection between the level of selectivity of a college or university and the quality of education students receive in those institutions. Spoiler alert, there is no connection! On this episode, we conclude with a presentation of what different types of research show is the one characteristic that all the schools that have allowed students to enjoy the best outc...2022-03-2752 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsWill Attending Highly-Selective Colleges Lead to Superior Learning, Increased Job Satisfaction, and Much Higher Economic Opportunity? Here Is What Research Shows#084 – The perceived complexity of the college admission process makes it easier for students and parents to believe misinformation, as they attempt to gather as much information to do it right. On the previous episode, we debunked the idea that Best-College Rankings are true indicators of the quality of education offered by a college or university. On this episode, we will visit another common misconception, one that has to do with what many expect enjoy as a result of attending a highly-selective college or university. This episode is based on a white paper produced by CollegeSuccess, a non-profit organization affiliated wi...2022-03-2039 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsDo You Know How Colleges and Universities are Ranked Each Year? What the Rankings Measure May Surprise You. It Is Time to Rethink the Idea of “Best Colleges”# 083 – Today, I uncover the fallacy of common methods of ranking colleges and universities. On any day, it is very common to hear talk about so-called best colleges, top colleges, ranked colleges, highly-ranked colleges, top-10 colleges, etcetera. These designations are usually based on rankings published every year, mostly by newspapers and magazines, such as, The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, and The U.S. News & World Report, as well as The Princeton Review, better known for providing test prep and tutoring services. On this episode I shed light on the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Rankings, the most popul...2022-03-0438 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsWhat is a Teaching Institution? Questions to Ask to Determine If You Should Apply to Teaching Universities or Research Universities. The Experience Students Receive at Amherst College in MA#082 – Today, we uncover the characteristics of teaching institutions, which in many ways, are different from research institutions. We begin by presenting an article that appeared on the Chicago Tribune, which criticized the state of higher education at the time, from the perspective of the author. The article exposed colleges and universities in which teaching was not a priority, and as such, students received an education that greatly differed from what many students set out to receive. Jankel and I continue by introducing a research project undertaken by three professors at DePaul University in Chicago, which came as a result of...2022-02-0757 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsWhat are Research Universities? Qualities Students Need to Succeed in Them. Harvard University Research Findings and the Many Research Opportunities for Undergraduate Students at UC Irvine#081 – On this episode, Jankel and I begin by outlining some of the major differences between research universities and teaching universities. We begin by sharing some Jankel’s experience doing geological research in the Pisco Basin of Peru, while at Loma Linda University. We then dive deep into the characteristics of research universities and the advantages of attending one. We also uncover the qualities and abilities that students should have to do well in research universities. As the episode progresses, we highlight the importance of research to the world, and give an example of a recent findings that came from a res...2022-01-2945 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsImportant Questions That All High School Students Should Ask Their High School College Counselors for Success in College Admissions. Be Proactive and Exercise Your Personal Leadership On This!#080 – On this episode, Jankel and I present a very important person in the college admission aspirations of high school students, the high school college counselor. We discuss the enormous workloads that are placed on the desks of counselors, who on the average are assigned with guiding 500 students through their college admission process. In some states, high school college counselors are assigned as many as 1,200 students. Considering the huge time and resource limitations in which counselors have to carry out their duties, we provide advice for high school students to follow to create the best working relationship with their counselors. Ad...2022-01-2346 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsEssential Info from Guests During Our First Year. What to Communicate in Your College Essay, How to Get More Financial Aid, Ways to Stand Out to Highly Selective Schools, and More!#079 – As we kick off our episode line-up for 2022, we begin by recapping some of the most memorable guests we had during the past year. These are guests that shared very valuable information in matters related to college admissions and college life. The content we revisit today is broad and covers the college essay, the advantages some private colleges offer over state schools, and ways to secure more financial aid than initially offered. Additionally, you will hear about ways to prepare a high school kid for the social challenges that may be experienced in a college setting. One of our gu...2022-01-1544 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsThe Importance of College Interviews and How They Will Affect Your Chances for Admission. When Your College Interviews Will Happen, Who Will Interview You, What You Should Be Ready to Answer, and What You Should Ask.#078 – Today, we dissect a part of the college admission process that many applicants find very challenging, the college interview. Jankel and I dive into the details of the interview, which for some schools is a required portion of the application, while for others it is optional or not considered at all. We begin the episode by tracing the steps you will take beginning the senior year of high school. These steps include turning your college applications and scheduling your college interviews where they are required or made optional. We present important facts about your college interviews, and what you ca...2021-12-2242 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsThe Colleges You Apply to May Be Test Optional, Test Flexible, or Test Blind. Here Is What These Terms Mean, and How They Have Changed What Is Expected From You on Your College ApplicationsEp. 077 – On this episode, we begin by reading a very kind and warm review that was given to our podcast by a parent who is a listener. Towards the end of the review, she asked whether we could talk about college interviews. Jankel and I talked about our plans to talk about that subject on the next episode. But in the meantime, we went over three very important and very commonly asked questions during college interviews. Additionally, we mentioned the importance of sprinkling in information about your accomplishments to the interviewer during the interview, and the need to have qu...2021-12-1241 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsHow Selective Colleges and Universities Determine Which Students Get Admitted or Rejected Each Year. A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the 13 Admission Criteria Used by UCLA. Understand Them to Increase Your Chances for Admission into Selective Schools#076 - Admission into selective colleges and universities requires more than a stellar academic record. Most selective schools follow a holistic admissions approach, in which they consider other aspects of their applicants, including character, talent, work history, community service, and other elements to get to know the applicants as individuals. To them, it is important to know each applicant beyond academics, and to use what they learn about those applicants through their applications to gauge what each of those applicants will potentially add to the college body. To learn the specifics of how colleges and universities carry out a holistic...2021-11-2745 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsAll About Class Rank. What It Is and How It Is Used in College Admissions. The Reason Why Some Schools Do Not Use It. How Important Class Rank Is for Harvard, Brown, Princeton, Stanford, and UCLA# 075 – Class rank is one of the factors considered for admission decisions by college admission officers in some colleges and universities. Because class rank is so important to those institutions, it is important that you understand everything about class rank. On this episode, I talk about what class rank is, how it is computed, and how it is used in the college admission process. Additionally, I present some of the reasons why some high schools choose not to rank students. For example, in cases where the GPAs of several students in a grade level are high but also very close to...2021-11-1438 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsThe Importance of Grades in Your College Application. Weighted and Unweighted GPA. How to Find GPA Requirements for Colleges and Universities. What to Do If Your Grades are Too Low for Admission Into Your Dream School. GPA Data for UCLA# 074 – Your academic record will be the first part of your application to be checked by the college admission officers of the schools to which you will apply. The courses you take and the grades you receive make up a big part of your academic record. On this episode, we focus on the importance of grades as part of your transcripts, and how they are reported as a Grade Point Average. Jankel and I uncover the difference between unweighted and weighted GPA, and the reason why most schools, especially the more selective ones, will pay particular attention to weighted GPA. As...2021-11-0643 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsHow to Figure Out Whether a College or University is a Reach, Target, or Safety School for You. The Importance of Creating a Balanced List of Schools. Analyzing University of California, Berkeley and University of California, Riverside# 073 – After listening to this episode, you will be able to analyze whether a college or university is a Reach, Target, or a Safety school for you. One of the most important things you will do as part of the college admission process is to create a list of schools that is balanced. That is, a list that has a number of schools that will likely accept you, some that may or may not accept you, and some that, more than likely, will not accept you, but you still apply to them because they are part of your dream college li...2021-10-2953 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsThe Habits of Successful and Overachieving Students (Part 4). Organizational Skills, Keeping the Brain Engaged, Embracing Feedback, and Participating in School Activities# 072 – Today, on this episode, we conclude our series on the habits of successful and overachieving students. Jankel and I embark on a conversation about how important it is for students to have excellent organizational skills to do well in high school and carry out the college admission process successfully. Jankel tells a story about one of her students, whose organizational skills made a big impression on her. That student is now completing medical school. Our conversation also touches on the importance of having the commitment required to acquire these habits. We compare this process to everything that successful athletes ha...2021-10-2036 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsThe 5 Pages You Should Explore on a College Website to See If that School is a Good Fit for You. Today, We Explore Cornell University#071 - One of the most important things you will do in high school, is to make a list of colleges to which you will apply. Making that list will be a challenging exercise because there are a great many colleges and universities from which to choose. Although they all share some characteristics, they are also very different in many other important ways. It is important that you recognize the elements of a college or university that are important to you. On episodes 10, 11, 13, and 14, we shared with you the questions to ask about every college, so that, at the end...2021-10-1335 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsThe Habits of Successful and Overachieving Students (Part 3). How to Generate Self-Motivation and Intellectual Curiosity. The Importance of Your Inner Circle, Developing Endurance, and Keeping Your Emotions in Check# 070 – Today, on our next-to-last episode of in our Habits of Successful Overachieving Students, Jankel go over five habits and activities that historically have produced positive results in the lives of students in the past. As we begin our conversation highlighting the importance of intellectual curiosity, we transition into the ways in which successful students find self-motivation. Inner self-motivation is a necessary must-have for anyone interested in pursuing a worthwhile cause. Jankel continues emphasizing the importance of having the right people in your inner circle. That is a point that I truly value and wish more high school students understood an...2021-10-0736 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsHow to Build a Strong Academic Record. Your Academic Record Will Define How Your Application Will Be Viewed by the Schools to Which You Apply. [How the University of Pennsylvania Reviews the Academic Record of Each Applicant]#069 – The information in your high school transcripts is the first element of your college application that will be scrutinized by the college admission officers of the colleges to which you will apply. The classes you took, the grades you earned, and your GPA, will all come together to give them an idea of how prepared you are for college. On this episode, Jankel and I explore this and everything else related to your academic record. At the beginning of the episode, we explore the reasons why your academic record is so important to your chances for admission. We also di...2021-10-0248 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsThe Habits of Successful and Overachieving Students (Part 2). How to Increase Your Understanding of Everything Your Learn in Your Courses, and the Essential Role That Reverse-Engineering and Prioritizing will Play in Your Success# 068 – On this episode, Jankel and I, continue outlining the habits of successful and overachieving students by going over habits number 4 to 6. We begin by describing what “owning the course material” means and the ways in which students can do so, in ways that affect their academic performance. We also uncover an often-automatic and very positive action that overachieving students take, that is reverse engineering the many seemingly unsurmountable tasks that are part of the high school and college experience. We end the show by discussing the importance of prioritizing and establishing a system that will allow you to prioritize. In our...2021-09-2940 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsThe Habits of Successful and Overachieving Students (Part 1). Vision is Absolutely Vital to Achieving College Success. How to Create Your Own Vision for Success While in High School# 067 – In my life as a professor I have had the sweet privilege of seeing a number of students who went on to accomplish and surpass their goals. These are the students I refer to as successful and overachieving. Their paths were crafted with care and their steps were taken with absolute precision. Some of them went on to complete their bachelor and graduate degrees at great universities. Today, they are successful professionals, each making the world better within their own domain. I have also seen my share of students who coasted along to graduate and do something with their de...2021-09-2430 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsAdvanced Placement Courses. How to Figure Out How Many and Which AP Courses to Take. The Right Mix of Courses to Have in Your Academic Record. The Role of Holistic Admissions. [Columbia University and the USC Marshall School of Business]#066 – On this episode we dive into the details of Advanced Placement courses, including the importance of having a number of them reflected in your transcripts, especially if you are planning to apply to highly selective colleges and universities. There may be departments or programs within colleges or universities that will expect to see specific AP courses on your academic record. An example of this may be Engineering Programs expecting to see a number of AP math and science courses in your transcripts. Jankel and I go over the different AP courses available, the number of AP courses you should ta...2021-09-1853 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and Parents[Careers] Industrial Engineering. A Vital Profession Today. Personal Characteristics Required and Important High School Courses to Take. Pay and Job Prospects for the Next 10 Years. Industrial Engineering Program at the Georgia Institute of Technology#065 –Today, on this Career Episode, we present Industrial Engineering, one of the hottest careers for the period between 2020 and 2030. Jankel and I begin our conversation by explaining what industrial engineers do and highlighting their utility in diverse industries and organizations throughout the world. As I define industrial engineering as “Project Management on Steroids,” we uncover the robust activities that industrial engineers perform on a daily basis, from using computer simulation to decide on the best way for passengers to board planes at United Airlines, to performing quality control at Hershey Food to minimize candy breakage on its way to retail...2021-09-1534 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsSelective Colleges will Look For Higher-Level Classes in Your Transcripts. Build a Strong Schedule by Taking the Ones You Can Safely Handle. Comparing Regular, Honors, and Advanced Placement Classes#064 – Selective Colleges and universities want to give admission to applicants who have a demonstrated record of great academic performance. One of the ways in which college admission officers are able to gauge the academic abilities of applicants is by scrutinizing the information provided in their transcripts. The more high-level classes students take and do well in, the more favorable they will be perceived as applicants. On this episode, Jankel and I go over the different levels of classes offered in high schools across the country. These include regular classes, honors classes, and advanced placement classes. Each type of class is...2021-09-1140 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsHow to Successfully Carry Out Your College Plans, Even If You Have Little Support, Very Few Resources, and a Low College Preparation#063 – Each year, thousands of students find themselves in the unfortunate position of not being ready for college, even as they get close to graduating high school. On this episode, I talk about the different reasons why students fall behind on their college preparation, even as some of them do all that they think they should be doing in addition to their academic work. There are two pieces of advice I introduce, based on my personal experience, research on this topic, and years of participating in workshops and seminars devoted to helping high school students succeed in the college admission pr...2021-09-0833 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and Parents6 Myths About Colleges and College Admissions That May Hurt You. Some are 100% False#062 – Misinformation about college admissions is widespread and constant. And, although poor and downright wrong information is often circulated with the best of intentions, it has the potential of taking you down a path that does not help your college goals. On this episode, I uncover the truth behind six popular myths, having to do with preparing and applying to highly selective colleges and universities, the affordability of a private college education, school rankings, the role that legacy and networking play in college admissions, whether some people simply cannot succeed in college, and the value of community colleges. Using a co...2021-09-0231 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsThe Truth About How Colleges See First-Generation College Students (FGCS). What Most Colleges Do to Help. How This Could Benefit Your Chances for Admission#061 – Today, on this solo episode, we uncover the default assumptions colleges and universities make about First-Generation College Students (FGCS). Those assumptions aim to guide the efforts higher education institutions make to support applicants who are considered FGCS. They have to do with the applicants’ academic preparation, ability to afford college, and the ability to manage the college admission process and college success. As the episode progresses, I present the different ways in which First-Generation College Students are defined, each depending on the college or organization doing the defining. This presents problems to students who may be classified as FGCS unde...2021-08-2834 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsThe Path to Becoming a Veterinarian. Our Guest Today is Dr. Jonathan Dear, Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine#060 – Becoming a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine is a goal that requires full commitment and dedication. Our guest today is Dr. Jonathan David Dear, professor of medicine and epidemiology at one of the premier veterinary programs in the world, the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Dear is also very involved in the SVM’s admission board. That is the group of people who are in charge of selecting the applicants who will become part of the veterinary medicine program for a given academic year. He shared extremely important details related to the path to becoming a veterinarian and tips...2021-08-2647 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and Parents[Careers] Physician. How to Become a Medical Doctor. Pre-Med Courses and the MCAT. What Medical School is Like. Admission Requirements and Expected Competencies for the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA#059 – On this episode, we wrap up our discussion about medicine as a field of study and as a profession. Today, we expand on areas related to medical school that were introduced during our previous episode. The path to becoming a physician is very challenging and requires a high level of commitment for a long period of time. Students who successfully get admitted and succeed in medical school often begin their preparation many years before graduating high school. Jankel and I have a profound appreciation and respect for the path that leads to becoming a doctor. That is a path th...2021-08-1949 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsHow to Get Accepted into Medical School. Our Guest is Dr. Shirag Shemmassian, a Foremost Expert in Medical School Admissions#058 – Today, we begin a couple of episodes focused on the path to becoming a medical doctor. This is a topic often filled with misinformation. To dispel myths and do away with bad information, Dr. Shrag Shemmassian joins us today to talk about medical school admissions. Dr. Shemmassian is one of the world’s foremost experts, not just on medical school admissions, but also on college admissions and graduate school admissions. During our conversation, we discussed various elements related to getting into medical school, including, the steps to take after high school to become a doctor, whether there are college majo...2021-08-0753 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsHow Safe is the College of Your Dreams? Campus Safety Is Extremely Important. How to Check the Campus Crime Stats for the Schools to Which You Will Apply#057 – Campus safety is one of the most important factors to consider when making the list of colleges to which you will apply. On this episode, Jankel and I share the importance of practicing situational awareness, the ways in which the local population may affect a college campus, the strong efforts made by college campuses to keep you safe, and tips for you to remain safe in the college campus that will be your home for some years. We also go over statistics from the Institute of Education Sciences about college crime from 2017. We also share a magnificent tool created by...2021-07-3044 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsHow to Become an Airline Pilot. Our Guest is Dr. Kenneth Byrnes, Professor, Assistant Dean, and Chairman of the Flight Department at the Embry- Riddle Aeronautical University Daytona Beach Campus [Updated Episode]#056 – On this episode we uncover the path that leads to becoming an airline pilot. Dr. Kenneth Byrnes outlines the steps students must take to succeed in the aviation program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, a highly respected university in the country. The airline industry has begun to rebound and is expected to reach the pre-COVID levels of 2019 in short order. Additionally, from reports presented by the Federal Aviation Administration, the Boeing Company, and airlines, such as American and United, we can forecast a high demand for airline pilots by diverse airlines in the near future and for the next couple of...2021-07-2451 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsStudy Abroad Programs. Take College Courses in Another Country. Your Financial Aid Can Be Used to Pay for It [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill]#055 – Today, we share our love for Study Abroad Programs. These are programs that offer students a great opportunity for personal, academic, and even, professional growth. We begin the episode by uncovering the details of Jankel’s experience as a participant in a study abroad program that took her to Italy. The experiences she had there were extremely positive, and continue to play a role in her life today. We continue our deep dive into Study Abroad Programs by sharing details of the program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. That program that makes a great number of o...2021-07-1648 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsStrategies to Make Your College Application Stand Out (Part 3). How to Frame Your Job, the Advantage of Internships, and the Importance of Showcasing Your Personal Interest Project#054 – Today, we finish our series on strategies to use to help your college application stand out. Jankel and I begin the episode by putting into context the episodes that were part of this series. We continue our conversation by highlighting the importance of being mindful as you complete each section of your college applications, keeping in mind that the information you provide gives college admission officers a picture of who you are. In college admission parlance we say that everything you provide your college admission officer as part of your application is the narrative you provide about who you ar...2021-07-0940 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsStrategies to Help Your College Application Stand Out (Part 2). Show Your Grit by Taking College Courses. Enroll in Your Local Community College and Take Free Online Courses by Top Colleges and Universities#053 - On this episode, Jankel and I continue to present steps you can take to help your college applications stand out. We begin the show by highlighting the fact that College admission officers favor students who, in addition to being smart, are also interesting. That means that they welcome students who grab their attention with their academic and non-academic accomplishments. They like to see applications that tell a congruent story, in which students not only mention their passions for subjects and fields of study, but also provide evidence by listing the steps they took to broaden their knowledge and...2021-07-0237 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsStrategies to Help Your College Application Stand Out (Part 1). How to Create Activities in High School That Make a Real Difference and Highlight Your Leadership Abilities. Ways to Catch the Attention of College Admission Officers#052 – With this episode, we begin a series of episodes that will give you non-academic ideas you can put into practice, so that your college application can stand out to the colleges and universities to which you will apply. This is especially important if you are planning to apply to the more selective colleges and universities. Today we talk about ways display leadership skills in projects that can be very helpful to those around you, while at the same time catching the attention of college admission officers and college admission boards. As Jankel and I present easy ways to use wh...2021-06-2649 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsHigh School Sports and Your College Application. A Comparison of Sports to Other Extracurricular Activities. How College Admission Officers Perceive Participation in High School Sports#051 – The percentage of high school students that receive scholarships to Division I and Division II NCAA teams is surprisingly low. That leaves millions of high school kids without the opportunity to benefit from them each year. But does that mean that students who do not receive scholarships wasted valuable time participating in sports throughout high school? On this episode, we answer this and other questions related to high school sports. We will give you a hint, high school sports provide a big window through which college admission officers and college admission boards can learn about the character of a st...2021-06-1939 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and Parents[Careers] Computer Science. 7 High-Paying and High-Demand Jobs for Graduates. Hot Topics: Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Cybersecurity, and Others. Bachelor’s Degree in CS. [Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, or Virginia Tech]#050 – Today, Jankel and I present the Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science. This is a degree that leads to a number of careers that are and will continue to be in high demand, are very well-paid, and are extremely important to organizations of all types. The episode begins with a discussion on the important role computer science plays in the modern world, and the continue importance it will yield in the future. We present some of the hot topics related to computer science, including, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics, Bioinformatics, Computer-Assisted Education, and Cybersecurity. Jankel presents the skills necessary for a pe...2021-06-1153 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsThe Truth About College Admissions. There are Different Types of Colleges for “All” High School Graduates, Regardless of Academic or College Preparation. [Columbia University, Boston College, University of Oregon, Southwestern U., and Miami Dade College]#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 th...2021-06-0757 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsSenior Year Checklist (Part 8). Five Important Steps to Take During the Summer Before College Begins. The Summer Reading List. Preparing to Participate in Events and Activities Outside the College Classroom [UCLA, USC, UT Austin, and U of Miami]#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 it...2021-05-3055 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and Parents[Careers] Mechanical Engineering. Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering. The Interesting and Diverse Work That Mechanical Engineers Do, Skills and Characteristics Needed, Required Education, Pay, Employment Prospects, and Other Important Data#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 sce...2021-05-2750 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and ParentsSenior Year Checklist (Part 7). Five Important Steps to Take During the Summer Before College Begins. Getting a Dorm and Choosing Your Roommate#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...2021-05-1553 minThe College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and Parents[Careers] Registered Nursing. Bachelor’s in Nursing Programs. The Life of a Registered Nurse, Skills and Characteristics Needed, Required Education, Pay, Employment Prospects, and Other Important Data#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) degr...2021-05-1358 min