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Parents: Is Your Teen College Ready?: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Shellee Howard
Your teen is in middle school or high school, and college is on the horizon! Do you know where to begin? It can be overwhelming! Which college will be a good fit? Can you afford it? What is my teen passionate about? This can be an exciting time, but a stressful one! College admission is at an all time high in both competitiveness and cost. How do you navigate this? Your host Shellee Howard with College Ready has helped countless families in the college admissions process while saving them thousands of dollars in tuition! In her podcast, she sits down with new and past clients to share their experiences with College Ready, along with financial advisors and other experts who understand the importance of financial awareness when it comes to graduating from college debt free. This year's College Ready seniors earned over 17 million dollars in scholarships and grants!
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- 2 weeks ago25 min
The Path to Medical School: What Students Need to Know with Aanika Warner
If your student dreams of becoming a doctor, it can feel like there are endless boxes to check. But preparing for medical school isn’t about rushing through the process—it’s about making intentional choices, exploring interests, and building meaningful experiences along the way.In this episode of Parents: Is Your Teen College Ready?, Shellee Howard talks with Aanika Warner, a breast oncologist who has served on the Johns Hopkins medical school admissions committee. Aanika offers an inside look at the journey to medical school and what students and parents should understand at each stage.In this episode, you’ll learn:What high school students can do now if they’re interested in medicineWhy shadowing doctors and other medical professionals mattersWhat to consider when choosing an undergraduate collegeWhy finding a school where your student can thrive matters more than prestige aloneThe importance of GPA, study habits, research, and meaningful activitiesHow the MCAT fits into the medical school admissions processThe differences between traditional medical school pathways, DO programs, and accelerated BS/MD optionsWhen a gap year may actually strengthen a student’s journeyWhat Aanika noticed when reviewing medical school applicationsWhy a cohesive story can help an applicant stand outAanika also offers an important reminder for ambitious students: there’s no prize for getting through medical school the fastest. Students should give themselves room to explore, grow, and make sure the path they’re pursuing is genuinely right for them.For families wondering how to turn an interest in medicine into an intentional plan, this conversation provides a clearer picture of what the journey can look like—from high school to medical school and beyond. 🎁 Episode Gift & Contact 🎓 College Planning Support for ParentsWant help organizing next steps and avoiding costly college mistakes? 📘 Workbook Gift:https://go.collegereadyplan.com/podcast-gift-workbook 🤝 Interested in Collaborating with College Ready?Email or call Shellee@collegereadyplan.com (949)235-7350
- 3 weeks ago20 min
How to Stand Out in College Admissions: Leadership, Essays & Strategy with Seth Skaff
What separates a strong college application from a collection of good grades, activities, and accomplishments? College Ready student Seth Skaff joins Shellee Howard to share what he learned while navigating a highly competitive college admissions season. Seth is a high school senior involved in student government, Model United Nations, his school newspaper, Academic Decathlon, and varsity golf. Academically, he has taken an extensive schedule of AP exams and community college courses. But Seth's story demonstrates an important lesson for families: standing out isn't simply about doing more. It's about pursuing activities you genuinely care about and creating a cohesive story around who you are. Seth shares how he approached his applications strategically, including choosing majors based on his experiences and goals, researching individual universities, preparing for essays early, and considering the opportunities and career outcomes different colleges could provide. At the time of this conversation, Seth had already earned acceptances to multiple UC campuses, including UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Irvine's honors program, UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, UC Riverside, UC Merced, and UC Santa Cruz, with Regents Scholarships at UC Davis and UC Santa Barbara and a scholarship at UC Merced. In this episode, you'll hear about: Why students don't need to fill their schedules with activities just to impress colleges How genuine interests can develop into meaningful leadership Why a student's activities, intended major, and application story should make sense together How Seth approached major selection at different universities Why students should research the rules around changing majors before applying The value of seeing college essay prompts well before senior-year deadlines How early preparation made the application process easier What Seth learned from working with College Ready Why having an experienced advisor helped clarify confusing admissions questions How Seth evaluated colleges based on opportunities and career outcomes What he wishes he had started earlier How students can use AI for brainstorming and feedback while keeping their essays authentically their own One of Seth's biggest lessons for younger students is simple: you probably can't start too early. College planning isn't about knowing your entire future in middle school or freshman year. Starting early gives students time to explore their interests, develop meaningful experiences, understand themselves, and eventually tell a much stronger story when application season arrives. 🎧 Listen to hear about the college admissions process directly from a student who has just lived it and what he believes made the biggest difference. 🎁 Episode Gift & Contact 🎓 College Planning Support for ParentsWant help organizing next steps and avoiding costly college mistakes? 📘 Workbook Gift:https://go.collegereadyplan.com/podcast-gift-workbook 🤝 Interested in Collaborating with College Ready?Email or call Shellee@collegereadyplan.com (949)235-7350
- Aug 20, 202630 min
Overwhelmed by College Applications? What Parent Rocky Dendo Wishes He Knew Before Senior Year
College admissions have changed dramatically, and for many parents, figuring out where to begin can be one of the hardest parts. In this episode of Parents: Is Your Teen College Ready?, Shellee Howard talks with College Ready parent Rocky Dendo about his family’s experience navigating the college application process. Rocky’s family began working with College Ready in January 2023. He shares how having a structured plan helped his daughter stay organized, work ahead of deadlines, strengthen her essays and activities list, and identify meaningful opportunities that supported her interests. They also discuss how the process helped his daughter develop skills that extend beyond college admissions—including time management, prioritization, responsibility, and independence. In this episode, you’ll hear about: • Why the modern college application process can feel so overwhelming • The value of beginning college planning before senior year • How meaningful extracurriculars, service, and leadership can strengthen a student’s story • Why identifying a genuine interest can help students make more intentional choices • How organization and accountability can reduce application-season stress • The importance of starting essays and applications well before the deadline • How thoughtful feedback can strengthen essays and activities lists • Why high school counselors may not have the capacity to provide individualized college-planning support • How the college planning process can help students become more independent and college-ready • Rocky’s advice to parents who are just beginning the process Rocky also shares some of the results his daughter had received at the time of the conversation, including college acceptances and partial scholarship offers, and why his family felt confident about the applications they submitted. 🎓 Not sure where your student stands? Take College Ready’s FREE 2-Minute Assessment to get a clearer picture of where your student is now and what to focus on next: https://collegereadyplan.com/?utm_source=twpp_podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=aug2026&utm_content=show_notes 🎁 Episode Gift & Contact 🎓 College Planning Support for ParentsWant help organizing next steps and avoiding costly college mistakes? 📘 Workbook Gift:https://go.collegereadyplan.com/podcast-gift-workbook 🤝 Interested in Collaborating with College Ready?Email or call Shellee@collegereadyplan.com (949)235-7350
- Aug 13, 202623 min
How to Protect Your College Investment From the Unexpected — with John Fees
College planning usually focuses on admissions, scholarships, housing, and tuition. But there’s another question families should be asking: What happens to the money we’ve invested if something unexpected prevents our student from finishing the semester? In this episode of Parents: Is Your Teen College Ready?, Shellee Howard sits down with John Fees, co-founder of GradGuard, to discuss some of the financial risks families may overlook when sending a student to college. John explains why he helped create GradGuard and how tuition insurance can provide protection when a student has to withdraw for a covered reason. He and Shellee also discuss the realities students can face once they’re living independently—from illness and mental health challenges to stolen belongings, dorm damage, accidents, and other unexpected disruptions. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why families should understand a college’s tuition refund policy before the semester begins How an unexpected withdrawal can create a significant financial loss How tuition insurance may help when a student must leave school for a covered medical or mental health reason Why John believes mental and physical health should be treated with equal importance What parents should know about renters insurance for students living on campus Why FERPA and other important documents deserve attention when a student turns 18 How families can check for potential duplicate health insurance charges Why it may be worth contacting your auto insurer when your student leaves for college How travel insurance can factor into planning when a student attends college far from home Why financial preparedness is part of helping students successfully navigate college life Shellee and John also share an important reminder: preparing for unexpected situations isn’t about creating more fear around sending a student to college. It’s about understanding the risks, asking better questions, and knowing what protections are available before you need them. The takeaway: College is too significant an investment to understand the financial risks only after something goes wrong. Before your student starts the semester, learn the school’s refund policies, review your family’s existing insurance coverage, understand what you would be responsible for financially, and determine whether additional protection makes sense for your family. 🎁 Episode Gift & Contact 🎓 College Planning Support for ParentsWant help organizing next steps and avoiding costly college mistakes? 📘 Workbook Gift:https://go.collegereadyplan.com/podcast-gift-workbook 🤝 Interested in Collaborating with College Ready?Email or call Shellee@collegereadyplan.com (949)235-7350
- Aug 6, 202623 min
Can Buying a Condo Save You Thousands on College? | Kathi Jesse Explains
In this episode, you'll learn: Why college housing is often one of the largest out-of-pocket expenses for families How buying a property near your student's college may help build equity instead of paying rent The benefits of FHA "Kitty Condo" loans and low down payment financing options How 1031 exchanges can help families preserve and grow their real estate investments Potential tax advantages of owning student housing Whether a condo or single-family home makes the best investment for college students What to do if your student changes schools—or decides not to attend college How real estate can become part of a long-term family wealth strategy Questions parents should ask before investing in college housing College planning considerations that can help families minimize debt and maximize financial flexibility 🎁 Episode Gift & Contact 🎓 College Planning Support for ParentsWant help organizing next steps and avoiding costly college mistakes? 📘 Workbook Gift:https://go.collegereadyplan.com/podcast-gift-workbook 🤝 Interested in Collaborating with College Ready?Email or call Shellee@collegereadyplan.com (949)235-7350
- Jul 31, 202636 min
How AI Is Changing College Majors and Careers: What Every Parent Should Know | Kevin Zhu
Why AI is advancing faster than most people realize The truth about choosing a college major today Which careers may be most vulnerable to AI Why human skills matter more than ever How students can become future-ready The importance of AI literacy for every family Opportunities for students interested in AI research 🎁 Episode Gift & Contact 🎓 College Planning Support for ParentsWant help organizing next steps and avoiding costly college mistakes? 📘 Workbook Gift:https://go.collegereadyplan.com/podcast-gift-workbook 🤝 Interested in Collaborating with College Ready?Email or call Shellee@collegereadyplan.com (949)235-7350
- Jul 17, 202627 min
The 3 Questions Every Parent Should Help Their Teen Answer Before College | Featuring James McLamb
In This Episode, You'll Learn: The three questions every teen should be able to answer before leaving for college Why anxiety, peer pressure, and loneliness are often symptoms of deeper issues How to start meaningful conversations with your teen—without making them feel interrogated Why identity, belonging, and purpose are essential for long-term success How parents can reconnect with their teen, even if they feel like they've missed opportunities in the past Ways to help high-achieving students avoid burnout while staying motivated Why college readiness is really about preparing students for adulthood Whether your teen is in middle school, high school, or getting ready to head off to college, this conversation will give you practical tools to build a stronger connection and help them develop the confidence and resilience they'll need for the future. 🎁 Episode Gift & Contact 🎓 College Planning Support for ParentsWant help organizing next steps and avoiding costly college mistakes? 📘 Workbook Gift:https://go.collegereadyplan.com/podcast-gift-workbook 🤝 Interested in Collaborating with College Ready?Email or call Shellee@collegereadyplan.com (949)235-7350
- Jul 16, 202620 min
Helping Your Teen Stand Out for College Through Purpose & Impact | Featuring Aishani Sheth
In This Episode, You'll Learn: • Why meaningful experiences matter more than résumé-building • How students can develop leadership and problem-solving skills before college • What admissions officers value beyond GPA and test scores • Why purpose-driven projects create stronger college essays and interviews • How students gain mentorship from professionals at companies like Google, Bain, McKinsey, Goldman Sachs, and Deloitte • The future-ready skills every student needs in an AI-driven world • What parents can do to help their teen find direction without adding more pressure 🎁 Episode Gift & Contact 🎓 College Planning Support for ParentsWant help organizing next steps and avoiding costly college mistakes? 📘 Workbook Gift:https://go.collegereadyplan.com/podcast-gift-workbook 🤝 Interested in Collaborating with College Ready?Email or call Shellee@collegereadyplan.com (949)235-7350
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About Parents: Is Your Teen College Ready?
Your teen is in middle school or high school, and college is on the horizon! Do you know where to begin? It can be overwhelming! Which college will be a good fit? Can you afford it? What is my teen passionate about? This can be an exciting time, but a stressful one! College admission is at an all time high in both competitiveness and cost. How do you navigate this? Your host Shellee Howard with College Ready has helped countless families in the college admissions process while saving them thousands of dollars in tuition! In her podcast, she sits down with new and past clients to share their experiences with College Ready, along with financial advisors and other experts who understand the importance of financial awareness when it comes to graduating from college debt free. This year's College Ready seniors earned over 17 million dollars in scholarships and grants!
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