Ivy League Prep Academy Podcast

Instead of asking "am I doing enough to get in?" We should instead be asking if we are spending our time and energy on the activities that matter the most. Why? because asking the question "am I doing enough to get in" leads us to the point where we are too busy to become less busy. It is suffocating and soul-crushing and very ineffective. Just as fire requires space between th...

Top students believe that the goal of conflict is progress, not proving yourself right.  Conflict is important for growth and improvement, as well as success. And conflict averse people are generally not chosen to lead. But when does a group move from healthy conflict to toxic? How do we know if a group has gone from functional to dysfunctional? The answer will surprise you. ----- To register for...

We all face challenges, including unfairness and injustice. But imagine your life was a movie or a great story.   If you were playing the victim in this story, then your only role would be to be saved by someone else-- the hero.   The story doesn't get interesting until the hero faces a real challenge.   At the end of the movie, the victim is safe, having been saved by the hero, but is unchan...

It turns out that nearly all of the students who get admitted to elite universities share a lot of common traits.   No skill or strategy can compensate for poor character, but what are the traits that these successful students have in common?   Today we'll discuss the first of these common traits: The mindset that you are always part of a team, and your job is to give more value than you take...

It sure seems like everyone  says if you want to get into a top-tier college, you need to: 1. take the most rigorous coursework available at your school and do well 2. retake ACT or SAT until you can score above a 34 or above a 1550. Hire a tutor if necessary 3. Join multiple clubs. But don't just be a participant, become the president or leader of student counsel, MUN, or both. 4. Develop yo...

Ambitious Ivy League hopeful, meet the law of diminishing returns.  Grit and effort and a willingness to embrace the grind has helped you achieve great things in life. So more hard work, more grit, and more effort must be the solution to future challenges as well, right?  It turns out, what got you the success you have now will not get you greater success. This is because of the law of diminishing...

One of my best friends at Harvard had no less than a dozen nerf guns in his closet, and subscribed to Lego magazine. It turns out this friend was doing a lot of things right. Neuroscience now demonstrates that play stimulates innovation, adaptability, creativity, and more, while simultaneously improving health, relationships, stamina, and other important qualities.   But, obviously, play can also...

Observing my peers at Harvard, interviewing and guiding outstanding successful applicants at many other amazing universities, I can say there is one thread that is nearly universal among these people.   It's not what you think. Listen to find out why curiosity is so critical to elite admissions success, and how you can cultivate and document the kind of curiosity that will actually make you s...

Do you think the key to success is to do it all, do it big, and do it now? Smart students don't. Listen to find out how "starting big" leads to small results, but starting small and building momentum leads to massive results. Get your free guide "5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Middle School if you Want to get into your Dream College" here . ----- To register for the Ivy League...

Dr. Legatt attended a top tier school, worked as an admissions officer for an Ivy League school, and now the founder of Ivy Insight. Her new book Get Real & Get In shares how authentic exploration is better than building an impressive resume. We discuss her book and her advice to high school students in this episode. ----- To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website . To follow...

Shellee Howard is the owner and president of College Ready. She is a college graduate and is a Certified Educational Planner. Shellee has a son who graduated from Harvard in the spring of 2016 debt free. We discuss her unique but effective strategies for helping students identify the ideal school for them. Last year alone her students received over $10 million in scholarship money as well. ----- T...

Can you imagine getting bumped to first class on a flight back home, and spending over two hours together with Michael Jordan? My friend Cathy Heller did once, and he gave her some amazing advice about the importance of courage. His advice, it turns out, aligns with Harvard Dean of Admissions Bill Fitzsimmons' advice around admissions as well. Listen carefully. This advice make all the differ...

Meryem Benkirane, a quadrilingual Harvard graduate student, gives great advice as she shares why she loves the Ivy League Challenge and has decided to help the participants in our course. ----- To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website . To follow on Instagram:  @TheIvyLeagueChallenge To join us on our Facebook group for parents : Or schedule a meeting with Steve here

Most teens (and their parents) delay college application prep until it is time to actually apply. I don't blame them. Because of bad advice, confusing and complicated differences in college options, and the mystique of the admissions process in general, college applications can be super stressful. Fortunately, the best preparation for your dream college is not about losing sleep to bump an SA...

Studies show that nearly all students are disengaged in school. The ones who haven't tuned out their teachers are usually intensely pressured.  Meanwhile, most of the jobs that today's students will have as adults don't yet exist.   Rather than trying to fit into the school community (like everyone else), I hope my listeners choose to blaze their own paths and create success through...

This is part 3 of 3 podcasts from my interview with Debt Free Degree. I was asked what age student should begin thinking about college and how the Ivy League Challenge can help them.  I go into detail how the Ivy League Challenges so effectively equips students to successfully pursue the college of their dreams and why it is a good idea to start in 8th or 9th grade if possible. I will host a live...

In part two, I am asked how the Ivy League Challenges so effectively equips students to successfully pursue the college of their dreams. I go into detail in my answer. I will host a live Q&A webinar June 26th at 9:00 AM eastern, June 26th at 9:00 PM eastern, and June 29th at 9:00 AM eastern. I will stay on until all questions are answered. Please sign up for that webinar.   To register for the...

With registration for the Ivy League Challenge closing at the end of June, this is the first of three podcasts taken from a recent interview I did with Debt Free Degree podcast. Debt Free Degree is a program that teaches students how to earn scholarships, and the host was interested in the Ivy League Challenge because what we do in the course is exactly the stuff that helps students earn outrageou...

Are you hoping to use your athletic talents to propel you into an Ivy League or top tier school? Akshay and his twin sister attended UC Berkeley and Stanford where they excelled in athletics and in life. After university, they came back to Singapore and founded AddedEducation, which is an elite university counselling company. Akshay shares valuable wisdom about the right mindset to take into colle...

What are the best strategies for gaining scholarships through music or other impact projects? Trisha Craig is an expert who has helped students earn admittance to top music schools, and also helped musicians earn admittance to top-tier schools like Yale on music scholarships. There is a lot of bad advice out there, and Trisha clarifies some of the best practices. ----- To register for the Ivy Leag...

In previous episodes we talked about impact projects leading to successful admissions to Stanford, Princeton, Dartmouth, Harvard, and other amazing schools. The success stories never get old. Hear how a recent participant in the Ivy League Challenge recently used his impact project to earn admittance to his dream school. Registration for the Ivy League Challenge is now open. Don't delay! ----...

Among the 5 fatal pitfalls middle school students should avoid if they want to be admitted into their dream universities is the failure to appropriately manage relationships. Peer groups will have a significant influence on your motivations and actions. Additionally, teachers and college counsellors will be writing your recommendation letters, and relationships with those key teachers will also be...

You know you are capable of getting into a world-class college. But let's be honest, the college admissions process looks daunting, and you have more questions than answers.   At a time when you should feel excited about the future, you feel uncertain. You may even be doubting if you have what it takes. I believe that the world needs every student to reach their full potential.   College admi...

I record this just hours after I watched my grade 12 students, in tears, hugging and signing each other shirts and saying goodbyes on their last day of school. They are excited for the future, but genuinely sad as they realize this is the end of an important period of their lives. You too will have many "lasts". You will one day enjoy your last meal. You will have last conversations with...

Avoiding frustration and discomfort is not the ticket to a good life. Just as our immune systems would become weak in a sterile environment, our personal fortitude-- our inner strength-- cannot grow when life is too comfortable.   So why do so many try so hard to avoid discomfort, even when it is good for them? What if we shifted our mindset around frustrations so that we saw life as a good coach-...