Ivy League Prep Academy Podcast

Latest Episodes:

High School Leadership Case Studies Dec 22, 2025

Show notes

Leadership isn’t about titles as it’s about noticing what matters and taking action.

In this episode, three students show how real impact often begins close to home.

Scarlett worked with her city to strengthen emergency alert systems and protect vulnerable residents.
Abbas bridged science, faith, and community service to turn personal challenge into purpose through his thought-provoking podcast.
Akilaish used curiosity and analysis to solve meaningful problems through disciplined, thoughtful leadership.

Their stories reveal a powerful truth: students become leaders by being useful.

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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website
To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
To join us on our Facebook group for parents

Social Media & Teen High Performance Dec 15, 2025

Show notes

Is social media silently sabotaging your success?

In this episode, Steve Gardner — founder of The Ivy League Challenge and Harvard Summer School instructor — shares the mindset and strategies that set high-performing teens apart. Discover how top students manage (and often delete) their social media apps during critical periods like finals, and why this one decision can be a game-changer.

You’ll learn:

Why most teens are reactive with social media — and what to do instead
The exact challenge Steve gives his students during high-pressure seasons
How to use social media strategically (not addictively)
A 5-step plan to take back your attention and protect your goals

Whether you’re prepping for finals, writing college essays, or just ready to feel less scattered — this episode will give you the clarity and tools to focus on what really matters.

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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website
To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
To join us on our Facebook group for parents

What Matters Most During High School Dec 08, 2025

Show notes

Real innovation isn’t about being impressive or unique unless it’s also about being useful.
In this episode, three teens show how curiosity and compassion can combine to create meaningful change.

Illia Denisov uses robotics and AI to protect civilians in Ukraine.
Matthew Kim designs hands-on STEM programs that make science exciting and accessible for younger students.
Mohammad Aarish Khan connects cutting-edge cancer research with a mission to help underserved communities.

These stories reveal that when students pursue what they care about and use it to serve others. They don’t just innovate. They lead.

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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website
To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
To join us on our Facebook group for parents

The Kind of Leadership Colleges Can't Ignore Dec 01, 2025

Show notes

Most students think leadership starts with a title like captain, president, or founder.
But true leadership doesn’t wait for permission.

In this episode, two teens prove that real impact begins the moment you care enough to act.

Asher Stubbs shares how his great-grandmother’s legacy in Peru inspired him to create Kusko Trips, a program helping students build cross-cultural understanding through service and entrepreneurship.

Asher's email address is ajstubbs100@gmail.com

Toby Hou explains how he launched the Civil Discourse Initiative to bridge political and social divides in his school through empathy and open dialogue.

Toby's email address is thou26@lawrenceville.org

If your teen believes they need a title to lead, this episode will change the way they see leadership and themselves.

Register for the Ivy League Challenge to gain the kind of support that these students had as they went through this journey towards incredible college preparation.

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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website
To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
To join us on our Facebook group for parents

Innovation-ish: How Anyone Can Create Breakthrough Solutions with Rich Braden Nov 17, 2025

Show notes

Harvard and Stanford educator and co-author of the bestselling book Innovation-ish Richard Braden joins me to discuss how his book can help my students.

We explore how teens, parents, and aspiring innovators of all ages can develop the mindsets and skill sets needed to thrive in an ambiguous world.

Rich shares how his book demystifies innovation, reframes failure as essential learning, and helps ordinary people unlock their creative potential. Together, we dive into the connection between design thinking and college prep, the power of micro-failures, and how to navigate the real world with curiosity, empathy, and humility.

Whether you're a student trying to design an impact project or a parent guiding your teen through uncertainty, this episode is packed with inspiration, insights, and practical tools.

Topics Covered:

What Innovation-ish really means, and why it makes innovation more accessible
How “Explore Before Explain” builds lasting learning
The critical role of ambiguity in growth, creativity, and college prep
Why the myth of the lone genius is holding us back
The two types of failure, and how to embrace the kind that leads to success
Why humility is the single most important trait for innovation, leadership, and impact

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You can find Richard's book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Innovation-ish-Anyone-Breakthrough-Solutions-Problems/dp/1394318901
To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website
To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
To join us on our Facebook group for parents

Mastery Training from the Global Impact Council training Nov 03, 2025

Show notes

Most people romanticize mastery.

They talk about "grit" and "passion" and "work ethic," but avoid the uncomfortable truth:

Mastery is build by failing-- over and over again. In public, in private, both big and small failures. Failure is followed by recovery and reflection and leveling up.

In this recording, you can hear me teaching this idea to my students in the Global Impact Council, which is our internal teen mentoring program.

Enjoy the call!

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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website
To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
To join us on our Facebook group for parents

Prof. Elizabeth Lee: How Aligning with Core Values Helps You Rock College Aug 18, 2025

Show notes

Dickinson College professor Elizabeth Lee joins us to discuss how the aligning your choices around your core values helps you prepare for college and for long-term success.

We discuss why her daughter, a high school freshman, signed up for the Ivy League Challenge, and how Professor Lee's experience teaching in college for over two decades made her clear that she wanted this.

After we stopped the recording, Professor Lee said "I wish every student I teach could go through your program before they get to my classroom." Listen in to find out why.

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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website
To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
To join us on our Facebook group for parents

Personal Statement College Essay Workshop wk 2 Your Garbage Draft Jun 16, 2025

Show notes

You’ve done the hard thinking. You’ve found your insights, explored your contradictions, and reflected deeply. But now you’re stuck—staring at a blank page, unsure how to turn those ideas into a compelling college essay.

In this episode, Steve explains why the next step is not perfection—it’s motion. You’ll learn how to choose the right moment to write about, why your first draft should be messy, and how that so-called “garbage draft” is the best way to get unstuck and start building an unforgettable essay.

What You’ll Learn:

Why insight alone won’t get you a finished essay
How to choose a powerful, reflective moment for your personal statement
The truth about “impressive” stories (and what to do instead)
Why the garbage draft is your most powerful tool for clarity and momentum
A simple two-step plan to move from stuck to confident

Ready to finish your essay?

Join Steve’s College Essay Workshop and get:

Access to recordings from completed weeks
Step-by-step guidance to write a powerful, authentic essay

👉 Register now at TILC.to/essay

How to Get your Personal Statement Done Jun 10, 2025

Show notes

If you’ve been putting off your college essay, dreading it like a monkey on your back—you’re not alone. But what if you could stop trying to sound impressive and start telling a story that actually matters?

In this episode, I’ll guide you through the exact questions and strategies we used in the first week of my Personal Statement Workshop to help students uncover stories that admissions officers care about.

You’ll learn:

Why this essay can make or break your application
What admissions officers are really looking for
How to start discovering the contradictions and insights that make your story unforgettable
Examples of thought-provoking contradictions like “a colorblind painter” or “a debater who avoids conflict”
Insightful truths that make you human—and memorable

Whether you join my workshop or not, this episode will help you begin writing an essay that’s honest, thoughtful, and impossible to ignore.

Ready to take action?

Join my 4-week Personal Statement Workshop and finish your essay before July even starts.
You’ll get instant access to the replay of Session 1 and join me live for the next three trainings.

Enroll now: TILC.to/essay

Mentioned in this episode:

20+ examples of powerful contradictions you can explore in your own story
Insightful one-liners that could become the heart of your essay
The two questions every personal statement should answer

Essay Workshop Prep Episdoe Jun 02, 2025

Show notes

The personal statement can be one of the most confusing and stressful parts of the college application — but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode, I share a few key do's and don'ts to help you avoid common pitfalls and start your essay with clarity and confidence.

Whether you're staring at a blank page or already brainstorming ideas, these tips will help you stay on track and write something that actually strengthens your application.

🎯 You’ll learn:

What the personal statement is really for (and what it’s not)
The biggest mistake most students make — and how to avoid it
How to know if your essay idea is on the right track
A simple mindset shift to make your writing more authentic and effective

📣 Want support while you write?
Join my upcoming College Essay Bootcamp, starting June 4th.
It’s free for Ivy League Challenge grads. Register at TILC.to/essay

✅ 4 live Zoom sessions
✅ Essay workbook + live feedback
✅ Finish your personal statement before July

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