Ivy League Prep Academy Podcast

The world needs every teen to reach their full potential, and college prep, should not hold them back. College prep and education should be the vehicle that gives teens the self-efficacy and other skills they need to know they can solve problems that matter to them in the real world. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already showing us how disruptive it can be. Education will need to adjust quickly,...

One of the keys to getting into selective colleges, and earning scholarships is a wise use of summer. Well, May is now here, and many people are asking the question "what is the best use of my summer this year?" Be sure to use some of the summer to recover from burnout. The episode I referenced in the podcast is found here . This is the episode about how summer camps impact college admis...

Asfi has been on the show before when we spoke about her impact project and how she figured out her core values. Today she is a senior and has been admitted to a number of amazing colleges. She shares how she got into Cornell and why she chose Cornell over her other great options. Here is a link to the "meet the students" page we referenced throughout the conversation: https://www.theivy...

Many among us want to become great. Others wonder what we can do to help the teens we work with. When your circumstances are difficult, many around you will complain and struggle. It will seem like the world is full mediocrity. How do you become an island of excellence in the middle of this sea of mediocrity? 1. self-awareness 2. discipline 3. meaning 4. collaboration Listen in to learn what you c...

Corey Fischer is only a few weeks into the Ivy League Challenge, and I've invited him to speak about how he decided on his impact project, and what steps he has taken so far. ----- 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

If you've been thinking about what you can do today to increase your chances of getting into a GREAT college (like Harvard), I can give you some practical advice that will work today. You have the power to increase your chances of getting into your dream college. To do this, learn to truly love learning. Love school. Become unusually resourceful due to your unusual love of school and of learn...

How do we take students who are struggling in school-- teens who are so disengaged that they are actively sabotaging classroom learning, into cheerful collaborators or curios creators? We have to stop thinking that we can create this kind of transformation by focusing on marginal improvements in classroom performance. Instead, we need to shift our perspective completely. Effective education should...

I ran for my middle school cross country team. I learned some surprising things. Because I never ran a single race where I didn't desperately look for a rock to trip on, or a bump to roll my ankle on, so that I can fake an injury and wouldn't have to finish the race. But I never faked an injury. And I never quit. In fact I learned to lean in when my leg muscles started screaming at me to...

I recently overheard a conversation that inspired me to set the record straight. This conversation was about how difficult it is to lead new employees in the workplace, because these young adults are too selfish, too self-absorbed, too lazy, too... whatever. But I have worked with teens all day, every day, for a loooong time. And the longer I work with these amazing humans, the more optimistic I a...

I was recently asked to speak to Lumiere students to hep them understand how to use the academic research they are doing to help them stand out in college applications. We discussed how powerful it can be to combine academic research with an aligned impact project. I also invited them to join me this week in a Hacking College Admissions workshop. You can register for that workshop at TILC.to/hack...

Janice Kim is the mother of four children, and enrolled her youngest daughter in the Ivy League Challenge. Because she saw such extreme success guiding her own children to earn admittance to multiple outstanding schools (they attended MIT, Yale, and Harvard, respectively), Janice has helped many families prepare to get admitted to great colleges. Today we discuss why she wanted to enrol her daught...

I help teens to figure out their core values and then work to solve problems in their community that violate their core values. It is very meaningful work, and I love every minute of the journey. And I have noticed over time, that some teens are ready for the challenge, and others can struggle with the friction and ambiguity of trying to solve real problems in the real world. A growth mindset, bei...

Every loving parent wants their children to be happy. But happiness can be elusive-- sometimes seeking happiness seems to push the happiness away, but getting lost in another activity and forgetting about pursuing happiness can produce great joy and happiness. Similarly, many parents and teens want to get into a great college. And the motivation that teens feel to get into a great college can be e...

The current college prep environment creates desperation. But it doesn't have to. We can replace that desperation with curiosity. When healthy ambition pushes you to try hard, to take risks and do your best, it leads to wonderful things like skill development, increased confidence, and success. But when ambition spills over into desperation, anxiety replaces ambition, and comparison replaces...

If you listen to me regularly, you know that the best college prep begins with discovering your core values, and then building off of that make a meaningful contribution to your community. But as I've taught more and more students, I've realized that some students are well prepared to do this work, while others struggle to get there. For example, if you believe that talent is innate, the...

In the early 1990's, Christ Chabris and Daniel Simons did a study at Harvard. They asked participants to count the number times a basketball was passed between different people. While the people passed the ball, a person in a gorilla suit walked into the middle of them, pounded his chest, and then walked off screen. Shockingly, roughly half of the participants were so focused on their job-- c...

THIS is what healthy college prep sounds like. Listen in to hear what it is like to join the Ivy League Challenge as a junior, or a freshman in high school. ----- 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

Minna Most joined the Ivy League Challenge during the summer before her senior year of high school. Now she is nearly finished with all of her applications, and she shares her story about all of the progress she has made it the tiny amount of time she had during the summer and the first few months of her senior year. During this time, she has created an impressive impact in her community, and in t...

Join us on January 22nd for a free workshop: Hacking College Admissions learn about college prep that actually works.  (Day 1) January 22nd: What colleges actually want (Day 2) January 23rd: How to present yourself so that colleges want you (Day 3) January 24th: The step-by-step guide: what to do instead (Bonus day 1) January 25th: Q&A with Steve (Bonus day 2) January 26th: Meet the Students i...

When Claire Kim's mom introduced the Ivy League Challenge to her, Claire was incredulous. How could she possibly add another thing to her already-impossibly-busy schedule? Claire talks about why she decided to join the course, despite her busy schedule, and explains how her improved focus and performance has meant that she gets more done in less time now, even after having added the 12 week o...

If you are frustrated by New Year's resolutions that have failed, I'd love to introduce you to my approach. Instead of massive, revolutionary changes, consider small, evolutionary changes. I have a system I love to follow several times each year. Grab a piece of paper, and follow along as I explain my system. Enjoy! ----- To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website . To f...

In the business of high school classes and activities, it can be easy to lose sight of just how incredible it is to be alive and to be working towards a better future. In fact, because of hedonic adaptation, we generally return to our set baseline of happiness. But we don't have to settle for that. Listen in to hear my advice for expanding the magic moments we enjoy each day, and also to redu...

You begin the semester with optimism and genuine excitement for the challenges ahead. But as stress builds, that excitement can die out quickly. If you don't plan for effective recovery during busy periods, you are at risk for chronic stress and, eventually, burnout. But with appropriate recovery, you can recover your excitement and focus, and reach even your most ambitious goals. Listen in t...

final thoughts as I wrapped up the presentation portion of the masterclass.  We did spend an additional 25 minutes discussing answers to some excellent questions. If you want to join these masterclasses live each month, join the Facebook group for free.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1063379861177735

Now that we know what colleges are not looking for, and also what they do care most about, we can create a strategy to ensure that we prioritize the right activities. We clarify how to create the time for those most important activities, and how to stay on top of everything as you go. ----- To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website . To follow on Instagram:  @TheIvyLeagueChalleng...