Ivy League Prep Academy Podcast

Latest Episodes:

How to Get Straight A's, Even In Hard Classes May 30, 2022

Show notes

No matter how impossible this statement might feel right now, it is still true: YOU can get straight A's, even in your hard classes.
When you create a strong academic foundation (and are willing to go back and fill gaps that might exist), manage your time, manage your energy, and manage your relationships, you can get perfect grades.
Listen up to learn how.

Ivy League Productivity, You Can Too! May 23, 2022

Show notes

You don't need more time in your day, you need to be more productive with the time you already have.
But how?
Do you get frustrated when you realize that you have ambitions that you are not living up to?
That frustration can lead to procrastination, self-doubt, discouragement, and more.
People who don't have the skills necessary to be more productive often end up dependent on deadlines in order to get things done.
But it doesn't have to be that way.
Listen to learn about the productivity tools I used to get into and through my degree at Harvard, and the system that I teach my students to help them get more done when they choose to do so.
You can be more productive, as long as you know how to focus your mind, and schedule in appropriate recovery at the right time.
Find out how.

How to Develop Ivy League Confidence May 16, 2022

Show notes

If you were asked to create a fictional character to represent total confidence, how would you create that character?
Most people would make this fictional character a combination of Wonder Woman (knows every language, knows everything), Superman (stronger and faster than everyone else), and Captain America (no matter how scary the situation, he has enough courage to always act without struggle).
But know-it-alls and people like Superman or Captain America are not an accurate picture of confidence.
In fact, confidence is not know something already.
It is the belief that you can figure it out.
And how do you develop this belief?
Listen, and enjoy!

Student's perspective: high school junior Anubhav May 09, 2022

Show notes

Ever wonder what it is like to participate in the Ivy League Challenge?
As a busy high school junior, Anubhav decided to add the Ivy League Challenge to his AP classes and other activities.
Find out what he says about fitting everything in and what advice he has for middle school and high school students who want to make the most of their teenage years as they prepare for selective college admissions.
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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website.
To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
Join Facebook group: Parents of Ambitious Teens: Personal Growth & Healthy College Prep
Or schedule a meeting with Steve here

How to get Publicity for your Impact Project with expert PollyAnna Brown May 02, 2022

Show notes

Media exposure can be the best, most effective way to create legitimacy and credibility for you as the expert or for your impact project as the solution to a problem in your community.
But how do you find the right publications to highlight your project? Can you control that message by writing the article yourself?
Publicity expert PollyAnna Brown, who has helped people get spotlighted in outlets like Forbes or Parenting Magazine, joins us today to help you understand how to find the right publications and how to effectively pitch them.
To reach PollyAnna, go to:
TikTok: @PollyAnnawrites
Instagram: @PollyAnnawrites
Facebook: publicityPollyAnna
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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website.
To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
Join Facebook group: Parents of Ambitious Teens: Personal Growth & Healthy College Prep
Or schedule a meeting with Steve here

How Future Ivy Leaguers Create Opportunities Apr 24, 2022

Show notes

Looking to land a competitive internship or research opportunity?
Having a hard time finding an opportunity that will take you one while you are younger than the eligibility rules allow?
Rather than giving up on the opportunity to connect with experts in the world because you can't 'find an opportunity', learn how to create the kind of opportunities that will help you grow and develop your admissions profile.
In this episode, I'll explain what my peers at Harvard did to create opportunities, and how I teach my students to do the same in the Ivy League Challenge.
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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website.
To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
Join Facebook group: Parents of Ambitious Teens: Personal Growth & Healthy College Prep
Or schedule a meeting with Steve here

Success Architecture Masterclass Apr 18, 2022

Show notes

Why is it that some people seem to have everything put together?
What's up with these people?
They are smart, they exercise exactly when they say they will, they eat the way they choose to eat, and they are able to focus when they want to focus.
How do you become the person you want to be?
Do you think they want success more than you? That they have more will power? That they care more than you?
The truth is people who are able to accomplish great things in life do not have more will power than you, instead they leverage habit, routines, and triggers in their lives to automate successful behavior.
You can too.
I'll be doing a masterclass about the science of Success Architecture this Thursday, April 21st, at 7:30 PM eastern time inside the Facebook group. To participate in this free masterclass, join the Facebook group now. The group is called Parents of Ambitious Teens: Personal Growth & Healthy College Prep.
See you in the group, and see you at the masterclass!
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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website.
To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
Join Facebook group: Parents of Ambitious Teens: Personal Growth & Healthy College Prep
Or schedule a meeting with Steve here

Self-identify & Great College Essays Apr 11, 2022

Show notes

How do you show thoughtfulness in your personal statement?
Why not learn from the professionals? Think about your favorite story. Whether a movie or a novel, that story will include a hero, a victim, a villain, and a mentor/guide.
What may not be obvious at first (before adding thoughtfulness)-- is that the hero, the victim, and the villain all begin the same way.
Think about it. Each of them begins as a person who faces injustice. The villain responds by becoming resentful and spending their time making others look small so that they can feel bigger.
The victim responds by staying the same and waiting to be saved by the hero.
The hero responds by accepting the challenge and working to overcome the injustice.
One of the reasons why bright, capable students may appear to be lazy is actually not because they don't care. They probably care a lot. But if they try their best and still fail, it would be humiliating. So they feel like they don't have a good way out, and choose to self-identify as a victim.
Understanding yourself (and humanity) on this deeper level shows an unusual level of thoughtfulness.
Listen to learn more, and to hear how you can step up and self-identify as the hero more often.
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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website.
To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
Join Facebook group: Parents of Ambitious Teens: Personal Growth & Healthy College Prep
Or schedule a meeting with Steve here

Student's perspective: Nilambera Pradhan Apr 04, 2022

Show notes

Nilambera (Neela) Pradhan explains what attracted her to the Ivy League Challenge and how her impact project aligns so completely with her core values.
To reach out to Neela, email her at spneela002@gmail.com or visit her website at www.atomstomountains.org
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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website.
To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
Join Facebook group: Parents of Ambitious Teens: Personal Growth & Healthy College Prep
Or schedule a meeting with Steve here

College Prep Without Sacrificing Childhood? YES! Mar 28, 2022

Show notes

What if you could gain an incredible advantage in college admissions without sacrificing your childhood?
It's not just a dream.
Real college preparation is about

Identifying and aligning with core values
Making your community better in ways that align with your core values
Developing emotional intelligence, problem solving, self-efficacy, etc.

All of these things should build a teen's confidence while giving them critical success skills as they go.
We help students become the most impressive versions of themselves, not someone else.

And now, we want to make it easier than ever before to benefit from our perspective and expertise.

That's right!

We've created a new Facebook Group:

Parents of Ambitious Teens: Personal Growth & Healthy College Prep

If you're a parent of a teen or preteen and want to know how to build their confidence as they build their resume, join now.

And let me know the single greatest challenge, frustration, or concern you face when it comes to college preparation.

I'll be addressing your biggest issues regularly in the Facebook group.

See you inside!

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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website.
To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
Join Facebook group: Parents of Ambitious Teens: Personal Growth & Healthy College Prep
Or schedule a meeting with Steve here