Tutor Ted Talks College Admissions

Ted welcomes guest and friend Candice Frankel, a college counselor with 25 years of experience. Candice founded her own company, Frankel College Counseling, to assist students and their parents in the application process. In addition, she created The Edwin, a personalized organizational tool designed to yield fantastic college options. As her own 10th grade daughter has recently become a client of Ted’s company, Candice reflects on her experience with college prep as a parent vs. as an administrator. Ted probes deeper into why parents might need a professional college counselor to guide them and their child in their college process. (4:35) Candice and Ted discuss the college counselor cynicism spectrum; namely how much should a counselor or parent encourage a student to tailor their experiences to a particular college’s application. Candice sees this situation as a problem, an “upside-down” way to address a student and their goals. (9:50) Ted and Candice discuss the best time to start thinking about college, common misconceptions about the application and admission processes, and the benefits of college tours. (16:14) Ted asks Candice the Question of the Day, a writing and language problem from the old SAT format. This particularly tricky question reminds Ted of what he misses about the old SAT and hates about the new one. (25:14) Have a question or comment for Ted and the show? Email and check out his website!  

Jordan Schanda, co-founder of ScholarPrep, joins Ted to discuss when and how students should begin to prepare for the college application process. ScholarPrep is centered around The Organizer, a tool that helps students set goals, track their progress and organize all of the information they will need for college and scholarship applications. Jordan’s goal is to maximize admissions and scholarships while minimizing stress. (1:15) Ted and Jordan talk about extracurricular activities; should students choose based on their own interests or are they better off spending time only on what schools are specifically looking for? (8:40) ScholarPrep encourages students to begin their college preparation in the summer after 8th grade. Ted asks how, at such a young age, a student can identify their goals for higher education and career. Jordan suggests some basic points these students and their parents can think about to get started with planning. (18:30) Ted asks Jordan the Question of the Day, a wordy math problem from the No Calculator section of the SAT. (27:19) There are many ways for students and their parents to connect with ScholarPrep; check out their main site, their facebook group, or contact them with questions.  Have a question or comment for Ted and the show? Email and check out his website!  

Jordan Schanda, co-founder of ScholarPrep, joins Ted to discuss when and how students should begin to prepare for the college application process. ScholarPrep is centered around The Organizer, a tool that helps students set goals, track their progress and organize all of the information they will need for college and scholarship applications. Jordan’s goal is to maximize admissions and scholarships while minimizing stress. (1:15) Ted and Jordan talk about extracurricular activities; should students choose based on their own interests or are they better off spending time only on what schools are specifically looking for? (8:40) ScholarPrep encourages students to begin their college preparation in the summer after 8th grade. Ted asks how, at such a young age, a student can identify their goals for higher education and career. Jordan suggests some basic points these students and their parents can think about to get started with planning. (18:30) Ted asks Jordan the Question of the Day, a wordy math problem from the No Calculator section of the SAT. (27:19) There are many ways for students and their parents to connect with ScholarPrep; check out their main site, their facebook group, or contact them with questions. Have a question or comment for Ted and the show? Email and check out his website!  

Chelsea Watkins, founder and CEO of College Application Training, joins Ted for a conversation about how families can handle the staggering cost of college. College Application Training provides guidance with creating a stellar college application and assistance in filling out a FAFSA. Ultimately, they create a customized college funding plan and overall financial strategy for each family. Contact Chelsea for a free hour-long evaluation to see if she can help you. (0:50) Ted admits he has never filled out a FAFSA before; Ted’s parents, perhaps knowing their son best, always completed the paperwork for him. Chelsea shares the basics of the process and also gives tips and tricks for families. They agree, however, that this step is important enough to bring in a professional if possible.  (4:36) The CSS profile form, required by some upper-tier schools, takes into account some assets that the FAFSA does not. Chelsea explains these holdings and who they might impact, then recommends steps for the people in this predicament. (14:15) Retirement plan balances, non-qualified annuities, and permanent life insurance policies are sheltered assets that can be beneficial for many families preparing to apply for aid. Learn more about sheltered assets and find out which top-ranked school is asking about one in particular. (20:49) Ted surprises Chelsea with the Question of the Day! She’s a great sport and, as a former teacher for The Princeton Review herself, she rocks this one from a past SAT. (35:29) Last but not least, Chelsea puts Ted on the spot and forces him to choose- SAT or ACT?? Which will it be….(42:00) Have a question or comment for Ted and the show? Email and check out his website!

Chelsea Watkins, founder and CEO of College Application Training, joins Ted for a conversation about how families can handle the staggering cost of college. College Application Training provides guidance with creating a stellar college application and assistance in filling out a FAFSA. Ultimately, they create a customized college funding plan and overall financial strategy for each family. Contact Chelsea for a free hour-long evaluation to see if she can help you. (0:50) Ted admits he has never filled out a FAFSA before; Ted’s parents, perhaps knowing their son best, always completed the paperwork for him. Chelsea shares the basics of the process and also gives tips and tricks for families. They agree, however, that this step is important enough to bring in a professional if possible. (4:36) The CSS profile form, required by some upper-tier schools, takes into account some assets that the FAFSA does not. Chelsea explains these holdings and who they might impact, then recommends steps for the people in this predicament. (14:15) Retirement plan balances, non-qualified annuities, and permanent life insurance policies are sheltered assets that can be beneficial for many families preparing to apply for aid. Learn more about sheltered assets and find out which top-ranked school is asking about one in particular. (20:49) Ted surprises Chelsea with the Question of the Day! She’s a great sport and, as a former teacher for The Princeton Review herself, she rocks this one from a past SAT. (35:29) Last but not least, Chelsea puts Ted on the spot and forces him to choose- SAT or ACT?? Which will it be….(42:00) Have a question or comment for Ted and the show? Email and check out his website!

Ted introduces Martha Marion: actor, writer, comedian, poet, and longest-tenured tutor at Ted’s company (take that Ryan!) Martha’s tutoring specialty is in translating intimidating math problems into more accessible narratives. She and Ted discuss PEMDAS, SOHCAHTOA, and whether or not it’s true that All Sexy Teachers Cook?! (5:00) Ted and Martha discuss the plausibility of using a mathematical or scientific approach on the Reading section of the test. They agree that you, as the test taker, have two jobs when confronting the SAT/ACT. (19:30) To illustrate his theory that there is a test-taking strategy out there for everyone, Ted shares a story about the lowest-scoring student he’s ever tutored. This client scored lower by answering all the math questions than he would have if he had left the answers blank. Even in this challenging case, a strategy was devised that nearly doubled the student’s score. (28:00) In honor of Marion’s visit, the Question of the Day is a math problem featuring Combinations and Permutations.  (29:23) Have a question for the show? Email Ted or check out the website!

Ted introduces Martha Marion: actor, writer, comedian, poet, and longest-tenured tutor at Ted’s company (take that Ryan!) Martha’s tutoring specialty is in translating intimidating math problems into more accessible narratives. She and Ted discuss PEMDAS, SOHCAHTOA, and whether or not it’s true that All Sexy Teachers Cook?! (5:00) Ted and Martha discuss the plausibility of using a mathematical or scientific approach on the Reading section of the test. They agree that you, as the test taker, have two jobs when confronting the SAT/ACT. (19:30) To illustrate his theory that there is a test-taking strategy out there for everyone, Ted shares a story about the lowest-scoring student he’s ever tutored. This client scored lower by answering all the math questions than he would have if he had left the answers blank. Even in this challenging case, a strategy was devised that nearly doubled the student’s score. (28:00) In honor of Marion’s visit, the Question of the Day is a math problem featuring Combinations and Permutations. (29:23) Have a question for the show? Email Ted or check out the website!

Episode 3 features guest Jacob Osborne, the newest member of the Tutor Ted test prep family. Jacob is a 2016 Yale graduate, actor and comedian in Los Angeles, and lifelong fan of JJ Redick. Ted asks him about growing up in a tiny town in Vermont, the pressure he might have felt from having parents that are both Ivy-league graduates, and his top-5 favorite movies. Jacob shares the process of how he decided which colleges to apply to and the advice he received when he was feeling overwhelmed by the endless options in front of him. (7:05) The guys delve into a discussion about the difficult task many students are facing this spring- choosing which college admittance they should accept. Ted acknowledges it is a situation where the outcomes are going to be somewhat unknown, while Jacob describes it as the first adult decision he had to make. They share their own experiences of making this choice, and give advice on what elements to focus on in this process. (19:10) After accepting admission to Yale, Jacob decided to take a gap year. He spent this time traveling, challenging himself mentally and physically, so he could start his freshman year with more life experience to share. Jacob highly recommends taking a gap year to explore, work, travel, etc, and Ted admits he wishes he had done so himself before starting at Princeton. (34:00) Episode 3’s Question of the Day is an Inference problem based on a rather melancholy passage. Jacob attempts to find the answer that is better than the other choices; will he make the right decision?? Have a question for the show? Email Ted or check out the website!

Episode 3 features guest Jacob Osborne, the newest member of the Tutor Ted test prep family. Jacob is a 2016 Yale graduate, actor and comedian in Los Angeles, and lifelong fan of JJ Redick. Ted asks him about growing up in a tiny town in Vermont, the pressure he might have felt from having parents that are both Ivy-league graduates, and his top-5 favorite movies. Jacob shares the process of how he decided which colleges to apply to and the advice he received when he was feeling overwhelmed by the endless options in front of him. (7:05) The guys delve into a discussion about the difficult task many students are facing this spring- choosing which college admittance they should accept. Ted acknowledges it is a situation where the outcomes are going to be somewhat unknown, while Jacob describes it as the first adult decision he had to make. They share their own experiences of making this choice, and give advice on what elements to focus on in this process. (19:10) After accepting admission to Yale, Jacob decided to take a gap year. He spent this time traveling, challenging himself mentally and physically, so he could start his freshman year with more life experience to share. Jacob highly recommends taking a gap year to explore, work, travel, etc, and Ted admits he wishes he had done so himself before starting at Princeton. (34:00) Episode 3’s Question of the Day is an Inference problem based on a rather melancholy passage. Jacob attempts to find the answer that is better than the other choices; will he make the right decision?? Have a question for the show? Email Ted or check out the website!

Episode 2 asks whether, in a world where people with means so often have an advantage over others, the test prep business is fair. This is an existential question for Ted, who loves and believes in his career but also thinks prep should be freely available to every student. Podcast guest Ryan Harrison agrees with Ted and suggests that everyone does have the tools and opportunity to prep on their own but it is the rare person that has the discipline to do so. They discuss the goals and aims of professional tutors that go beyond imparting pure strategy. (2:00) Ted and Ryan compare content knowledge to pedagogical content knowledge (CK vs. PCK, for those in the know). They discuss their own teaching methods and what has been effective for their students. (17:28) The last topic of the show is the recent change to the ACT essay. This alteration came as a surprise to test-takers when confronted with the prompt, again offering a potential advantage to students who worked with a tutor that was familiar with the shift. Ryan and Ted share their advice for dealing with the new essay, specifically discussing how to display critical thinking skills to the graders. (33:00) Have a question for the show? Email Ted or check out the website!  

Episode 2 asks whether, in a world where people with means so often have an advantage over others, the test prep business is fair. This is an existential question for Ted, who loves and believes in his career but also thinks prep should be freely available to every student. Podcast guest Ryan Harrison agrees with Ted and suggests that everyone does have the tools and opportunity to prep on their own but it is the rare person that has the discipline to do so.  They discuss the goals and aims of professional tutors that go beyond imparting pure strategy. (2:00) Ted and Ryan compare content knowledge to pedagogical content knowledge (CK vs. PCK, for those in the know). They discuss their own teaching methods and what has been effective for their students. (17:28) The last topic of the show is the recent change to the ACT essay. This alteration came as a surprise to test-takers when confronted with the prompt, again offering a potential advantage to students who worked with a tutor that was familiar with the shift. Ryan and Ted share their advice for dealing with the new essay, specifically discussing how to display critical thinking skills to the graders. (33:00) Have a question for the show? Email Ted or check out the website!  

In an episode of firsts, the premiere edition of Tutor Ted Talks College Admissions features the vocal renderings of Ted and Ryan, a newly minted duet To Be Named Someday Or Possibly Never Spoken of Again. They open with an acapella rendition of the classic Golden Grahams jingle, then seamlessly transition to a Steve Miller Band medley. (1:55) The guys pit the ACT against the SAT as they discuss whether students should take one or the other, or even both. Factors like answer choice clarity, studyability, and the tests’ susceptibility to an overall prep strategy are compared. (5:53) Ted shares a few of his own SAT/ACT anecdotes, including the feeling of achieving a perfect score and the time his undercover persona was called out at LA High School. (17:25) Ryan and Ted consider the competitive aspect of the SAT/ACT as they deliberate who exactly a student is competing against when they take these tests. They suggest ways a test-taker can use this competition to improve his or her own score. (21:45) The first and second Questions of the Day are from the Writing and Language section of the 7th SAT released by the College Board and Khan Academy. Ted reads all four answer choices from a question, then he and Ryan attempt to pick the correct answer using knowledge of the tendencies of the test-writers, a technique students can learn themselves. (33:25) Have a question or comment for Ted and the show? Email and check out his website!

In an episode of firsts, the premiere edition of Tutor Ted Talks College Admissions features the vocal renderings of Ted and Ryan, a newly minted duet To Be Named Someday Or Possibly Never Spoken of Again. They open with an acapella rendition of the classic Golden Grahams jingle, then seamlessly transition to a Steve Miller Band medley. (1:55) The guys pit the ACT against the SAT as they discuss whether students should take one or the other, or even both. Factors like answer choice clarity, studyability, and the tests’ susceptibility to an overall prep strategy are compared. (5:53) Ted shares a few of his own SAT/ACT anecdotes, including the feeling of achieving a perfect score and the time his undercover persona was called out at LA High School. (17:25) Ryan and Ted consider the competitive aspect of the SAT/ACT as they deliberate who exactly a student is competing against when they take these tests. They suggest ways a test-taker can use this competition to improve his or her own score. (21:45) The first and second Questions of the Day are from the Writing and Language section of the 7th SAT released by the College Board and Khan Academy. Ted reads all four answer choices from a question, then he and Ryan attempt to pick the correct answer using knowledge of the tendencies of the test-writers, a technique students can learn themselves. (33:25) Have a question or comment for Ted and the show? Email and check out his website!