The Way to College Podcast

Coach, mentor, and author Adam Sarancik returns to The Way to College Podcast to talk about helping young people build independence, confidence, and direction. We explore the everyday skills students need beyond graduation, from preparing meals and managing a calendar to taking effective notes, communicating clearly, and asking for help. We also discuss identity beyond athletics, the importance of...

On this very special episode of The Way to College Podcast, I'm joined by Maria Fernanda Martinez-Donaus of Rio Progress, a non-profit organization committed to helping students and their families navigate the ever-changing college admissions landscape. Maria skillfully guides us through the FAFSA. She addresses some of the myths and misconceptions about the FAFSA and also offers guidance on h...

In this episode of The Way to College Podcast , I talk with Dr. Eugene Manley Jr. , scientist, engineer, nonprofit founder, consultant, and first-generation student advocate. Eugene shares his journey from growing up in Detroit to engineering school, cancer research, graduate education, and a career that has continued to evolve far beyond any single degree or job title. We discuss first-generation...

In this episode of The Way to College Podcast , I sit down with Pedro J. Rivera to talk about education, career transitions, resilience, and the importance of learning to advocate for yourself. Pedro shares how a professor first encouraged him to consider law school, how he navigated imposter syndrome and academic challenges, and how he later learned that doing good work is not always enough, you...

On this episode of The Way to College Podcast , I sit down with Eric Rath , founder and president of Rath Tutoring, to talk about curiosity, test-taking, asking for help, entrepreneurship, and lifelong learning. Eric has spent more than 20 years in tutoring and test prep, and one of the most common things students tell him is, “I’m not a good test taker.” His response is a reminder that many stude...

Adam Sarancik has spent decades coaching and mentoring young athletes, but his work goes far beyond sports. Through Elevate Sports Academy, he helps students think critically about college, career, identity, and what comes next when athletics is no longer the center of their world. In this episode of The Way to College Podcast , Adam shares his own journey through adversity, law, real estate, teac...

What happens when the path you imagined for yourself turns out not to be your path at all? Laura Cortez grew up in San Benito, Texas, believing she might become a lawyer. Instead, her educational and professional journey took her from the Rio Grande Valley to Drake University, Spain, AmeriCorps, graduate school, a Ph. D. at UT Austin, community engagement, and eventually entrepreneurship. As Laura...

Brian Eyster describes his professional journey as a “25-year internship.”It's a journey that has been filled with successes, failures, experimentation, and learning what he was good at. Today, Brian is helping families navigate one of their biggest financial challenges: paying for college. In this episode of The Way to College Podcast , Brian and I cover everything from career exploration to...

In my conversation with Cesar Quezada , we discussed his experience as a first-generation college student and his remarkable academic turnaround, mentorship, career pivots, leaving his comfort zone, serving students, and learning to navigate uncertainty. We also talk about something especially close to the mission of The Way to College : the power of sharing our stories. Cesar eventually began spe...

What if you don’t know exactly what you want to do with your life? Rick Margo will tell you to keep going. Eventually you'll find out. In this episode of The Way to College Podcast , Rick shares a career journey that was anything but perfectly planned. Growing up in Rio Grande City in a family with deep ties to Texas A&M, college was always an expectation, but Rick admits that even after a...

What happens when the career you thought you wanted turns out not to be the career for you? In this episode of The Way to College Podcast , I reconnect with my former Stanford classmate Cathy Ogawa , whose journey is proof that there is no single “right” path to a meaningful career. Cathy entered college thinking she would become a pediatrician. When that path didn’t work out, she explored everyth...

On this special episode of The Way to College Podcast, Aimee Nunez walks us through the CommonApp. She discusses some of the newer features of the CommonApp platform and some of the myths and misconceptions that inform how students approach the CommonApp. Join us as we unpack the CommonApp. #commonapp #collegeapps #collegesuccess #senioryear

Sometimes the most important lessons we learn don't happen in a classroom. On this week's episode of The Way to College Podcast, my guest is Sean Phelps. Sean is the President of College Works Painting, and he offers some valuable advice for current college students. Sean shares how growing up with hardworking parents, taking on jobs at a young age, and seeking out opportunities early helped shape...

Everybody talks about college. Not enough people talk about skills . In this episode of The Way to College Podcast , I sit down with Mr. James Love , welding program director at Galveston College, and his story is exactly what students need to hear right now. James didn’t follow a perfect path. He made mistakes. He hit a roadblock. His original dream of working in pharmacy got shut down. But inste...

What if your career is not supposed to be a straight line? If you're a regular listener of The Way to College Podcast , then you know that one's career is rarely a straight line. This is never more true than on the latest episode. In this episode, Dr. Jose Saldivar talks with Kate Crane , founder of Direction Over Perfection , about why careers are more like jungle gyms than ladders . Kate...

What happens when a student realizes they are not “bad” at a subject, they just learn differently? In this episode of The Way to College Podcast , Dr. Jose L. Saldivar speaks with Dr. Tara Williams , chemistry professor and founder of Innovative Collegiate Consultants , about her journey from struggling with math to earning a Ph. D. in chemistry and supporting neurodivergent students. Dr. Williams...

What happens when the path you chose no longer fits? Andrea Sotomayor shares her journey from pre-med student to entrepreneur, strategist, and founder, with honest lessons on failure, resilience, and self-awareness. This episode is for students and professionals learning that success is rarely a straight line.

Dr. Fred Fuentes joins The Way to College Podcast to share a powerful story of growth, resilience, and purpose. From being told he was not “college material” to serving in the military, earning multiple degrees, and dedicating his life to mentoring others, Dr. Fuentes reflects on what it means to take ownership of your journey. In this episode, we talk about first-generation experiences, mental he...

In this episode of The Way to College Podcast , Dr. Jose Saldivar sits down with Kayla Mendez , a climbing arborist and business owner based in San Antonio, Texas. Kayla shares how an unexpected entrepreneurship class during her final semester of college helped shift how she saw her future and opened her mind to building something of her own. Their conversation explores uncertainty, entrepreneursh...

In this episode of The Way to College Podcast , Dr. Jose Saldivar sits down with licensed funeral director and embalmer Arielle Caraveo. We talk resilience, reinvention, and pivoting when life does not go according to plan. From academic probation at UT Austin to launching her own funeral home and founding a nonprofit inspired by her own traumatic birth experience, Arielle shares a story marked by...

In the second part of my conversation with @ KenMillerSpeaks is a practical masterclass on mentorship, boundaries, and life skills . In this episode, we talk about: Why mentorship matters (and what a real mentor actually does) The 4 life skills Ken believes college students should build: Self-audit/self-reflection Learning how to ask for help and opportunities Public speaking and confidence Learni...

From foster care to the Ivy League to rebuilding after addiction and rock bottom. Ken Miller’s story is proof that your next chapter can be your best one. Ken and Dr. Jose Saldivar talk self-esteem, counseling, guilt vs. shame, Ken’s “4 buckets” growth framework, and why you should “not play in the gray.” 🎧 Follow, listen, and share with someone who needs hope today. Content note: addiction, inca...

In this week’s episode of The Way to College Podcast , I’m joined by Dr. Hortencia Jimenez, a sociologist and tenured community college professor at Hartnell College . Dr. Jimenez is also a certified health coach + fitness instructor, and a creator who’s building a powerful platform around identity, healing, mental health, and body liberation. We talk about: redefining “education” beyond classroom...

In this episode of The Way to College Podcast , Dr. Jose Saldivar sits down with Mya Andersen, independent academic life coach and founder of The Student Empowered , to break down the hidden curriculum of college, or the stuff students aren’t explicitly taught, but are still expected to master. Mya has spent 20+ years working on campuses and saw the same pattern again and again: support is often p...

This week on The Way to College Podcast , I’m joined by Jeannie Salinas , founder of Book-E Bus, the Rio Grande Valley’s first mobile bookstore . Jeannie’s story is a masterclass in pivoting with purpose : from earning her business degree at The University of Texas-Pan American, working in retail, helping run her family’s insurance business, and eventually turning a lifelong love of books into a f...