Parents: Is Your Teen College Ready?

Hosted by Shellee Howard

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164

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Nov 2026

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Your teen is in middle school or high school, and college is on the horizon! For parents wondering where to begin, this podcast helps you navigate college admissions, scholarships, finding the right college fit, and preparing your teen for what comes next. Which college will be a good fit? Can you afford it? What should your teen study? And what if they have no idea what they want to do yet? College planning can be exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. Your host, Shellee Howard with College Ready, has helped countless families navigate the college admissions process while saving them thousands of dollars in tuition. She sits down with families, financial advisors, and other experts to share practical strategies for college planning, scholarships, choosing the right path, and graduating with little to no debt. You don’t have to figure it all out alone. Tune in for practical guidance to help your teen find the right path, make smart college decisions, and build a future they’re excited about.

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60 recent

November 5, 202629 min

College Prep for Parents: Helping Your Teen Succeed with Louis Newman

🎓 In this episode, you'll learn: • Why good grades in high school don't always mean a student is ready for college • How parents can prepare teens for the academic, social, and emotional transition to college • Why even high-achieving students at universities like Stanford can struggle academically • How to help your teen develop independence, critical thinking, and time-management skills • What parents should know about college academic advising and available student support services • How to recognize when your college student may need additional guidance • Why communication and trust matter when your teen leaves for college • How college success coaching can help students navigate challenges and make the most of their college experience Getting into college is only the beginning. Helping your teen succeed once they're there is just as important. Whether you're a parent preparing your high school student for college or already navigating the challenges of parenting a college student, this conversation offers practical college guidance to help your family prepare for the transition and support your student's long-term success. 🎁 Episode Gift & Contact Ready to create a college plan that supports your teen's strengths, goals, and future? Schedule your free Clarity Call with College Ready. No obligation. Just clarity. 🎓 College Planning Support for Parents Want 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

October 22, 202634 min

College Admissions for Parents: What Colleges Aren't Telling You with Jon Marcus

In this episode, you'll learn: Why college admissions may not be as competitive as parents think How Early Decision can affect admissions chances and financial aid Why some colleges are offering more financial incentives to attract students How to determine whether a college degree is worth the investment What parents should know about college closures and financial stability How college rankings, campus visits, and demonstrated interest influence admissions Why exploring career outcomes and alternative education paths matters From understanding college costs to making smarter admissions decisions, this conversation offers valuable college guidance for parents who want to help their teens choose the right path without unnecessary stress or financial surprises. College planning is about more than getting accepted. It's about making informed decisions that support your student's future. 🎁 Episode Gift & Contact Ready to create a college plan that supports your teen's strengths, goals, and future? Schedule your free Clarity Call with College Ready. No obligation. Just clarity. 🎓 College Planning Support for Parents Want 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

October 15, 202622 min

College Prep for Parents: Study Skills, Test Anxiety & Student Success with Marc Hoberman

In this episode, you'll learn: Why teens experience test anxiety and academic stress How better study strategies can improve learning and retention Why executive functioning and time management matter for college readiness How parents can support their teens without creating dependence What students need beyond good grades to succeed independently in college College entrance prep isn't just about SAT scores, applications, or getting accepted. It's about preparing your student to handle the academic responsibilities and independence that come next. 🎁 Episode Gift & Contact Ready to create a college plan that supports your teen's strengths, goals, and future? Schedule your free Clarity Call with College Ready. No obligation. Just clarity. 🎓 College Planning Support for Parents Want 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

October 8, 202620 min

How Do You Fill Out the 2027-28 FAFSA? What Changed and 7 Mistakes to Avoid

Chapters: 0:00 The short answer: how to fill out the 2027-28 FAFSA 1:15 Why filing in October pays off 3:30 What changed on the 2027-28 FAFSA 8:10 What you need before you start 11:05 Step by step: filling out the form 13:35 The 7 FAFSA mistakes to avoid 19:00 After you submit: your Student Aid Index and aid offers 19:40 Your next step 🎁 Episode Gift & Contact Ready to create a college plan that supports your teen's strengths, goals, and future? Schedule your free Clarity Call with College Ready. No obligation. Just clarity. 🎓 College Planning Support for Parents Want 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

September 3, 202625 min

College to Medical School: What Students and Parents 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 medical school admissions expert at Inspira Advantage. 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 medicine Why shadowing doctors and other medical professionals matters What to consider when choosing an undergraduate college Why finding a school where your student can thrive matters more than prestige alone The importance of GPA, study habits, research, and meaningful activities How the MCAT fits into the medical school admissions process The differences between traditional medical school pathways, DO programs, and accelerated BS/MD options When a gap year may actually strengthen a student’s journey What Aanika noticed when reviewing medical school applications Why a cohesive story can help an applicant stand out Aanika 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 Ready to create a college plan that supports your teen's strengths, goals, and future? Schedule your free Clarity Call with College Ready. No obligation. Just clarity. 🎓 College Planning Support for Parents Want 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

August 27, 202620 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 Ready to create a college plan that supports your teen's strengths, goals, and future? Schedule your free Clarity Call with College Ready. No obligation. Just clarity. 🎓 College Planning Support for Parents Want 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

August 20, 202630 min

College Applications for Parents: What 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 Ready to create a college plan that supports your teen's strengths, goals, and future? Schedule your free Clarity Call with College Ready. No obligation. Just clarity. 🎓 College Planning Support for Parents Want 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

August 13, 202623 min

College Costs for Parents: How to Protect Your 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 Ready to create a college plan that supports your teen's strengths, goals, and future? Schedule your free Clarity Call with College Ready. No obligation. Just clarity. 🎓 College Planning Support for Parents Want 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

August 6, 202623 min

How to Pay for College with Real Estate: Can Buying a Condo Save You Thousands? with Kathi Jesse

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 Ready to create a college plan that supports your teen's strengths, goals, and future? Schedule your free Clarity Call with College Ready. No obligation. Just clarity. 🎓 College Planning Support for Parents Want 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

July 31, 202636 min

College Majors and Careers in the Age of AI: What Parents Need to Know with 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 Ready to create a college plan that supports your teen's strengths, goals, and future? Schedule your free Clarity Call with College Ready. No obligation. Just clarity. 🎓 College Planning Support for Parents Want 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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