Let's Talk College

Join me, Shane Bybee, on this episode of "Let's Talk College" as I chat with Shereem Herndon-Brown and Timothy Fields, experts in college admissions. 🎙️📚 Shereem, CEO of Strategic Admissions Advice, and Timothy, Senior Associate Dean at Emory University, discuss their book "The Black Families Guide to College Admissions." We delve into their insights on college admissions, diversity, and redefining success in education. This episode is packed with valuable advice for families navigating the college application process. Tune in! 🎓🤓 #CollegeAdmissions #EducationInsights

Click here for more information on The Black Family's Guide to College Admissions

🎙️ In this episode of "Let's Talk College with Shane Bybee," I chat with Jim Etri, a lawyer for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and a soccer coach. We delve into Jim's journey from defending companies against the SEC to joining the "other team" as an SEC lawyer. We explore the intricacies of law school, clerking, and how Jim balances a demanding career with family life. Plus, we discuss the hidden truths behind TV appearances and share essential advice for parents navigating the college admissions process. Tune in for an enlightening conversation filled with insights and surprises! 🎓⚖️⚽

📚🎙️ In this episode of "Let's Talk College with Shane Bybee," I delve into the often-overlooked subtleties of grade inflation from a teacher's perspective. I explore how English teachers, passionate about literature, balance their workload and the impact this has on student grades. We'll discuss the challenges of grading, the pressure from parents and administrators, and how these factors unintentionally contribute to inflating GPAs. Join me as we navigate the complexities of education and college admissions. Share and tune in for insights! 🏫✨ #Education #CollegePrep #TeachersLife

🎙️ Join me, Shane Bybee, on this eye-opening episode of #LetsTalkCollege! 🎓 I chat with Ben Taylor, a.k.a. Pleasant Green, about his unique journey on YouTube exposing scams. 🕵️‍♂️📹 Ben dives into his process of scambaiting, sharing insights and tips to stay safe online. 🌐💻 Don’t miss this intriguing conversation that blends storytelling, education, and a pinch of humor!💡🎥

Click here to check out Pleasant Green on YouTube!

Join Shane Bybee in this enlightening episode of Let's Talk College, where he converses with Mike Rose, a seasoned leader, author, and coach. Mike shares his journey from starting his first business in a dog shed to leading a successful digital marketing agency, Mojo Media Labs, and how the principles of art and science fuel marketing success. Discover the power of being "mentor-able," the art of learning, and insights from his book "Return on Energy." A must-listen for aspiring leaders and entrepreneurs!

🔑 #LearningToLead #DigitalMarketing #Entrepreneurship #Mentorship #CollegeSuccess #LetsTalkCollege

In this episode of "Let's Start College" host Shane Bybee explores the unconventional career path of Jason Armour from Armour Creative. With no college degree, Jason's journey in creative services is a testament to self-taught skills and seizing opportunities. From working at a call center to founding a successful creative agency, his story is a rich tapestry of resilience and ingenuity. Dive into this insightful conversation that challenges traditional views on education and career success.

Contact Jason at jason@armourcreative.com

Join Shane Bybee as he explores Aaron Denney's journey from a Berklee College of Music graduate to a New York actor. Aaron shares the challenges and triumphs of his artistic path, offering insights into the entertainment industry and advice for aspiring artists. A must-listen for anyone interested in the realities of pursuing a creative career.

Click here to go to the Instagram page for "Autumn Leaves".

Click here to donate to Aaron's short film "Autumn Leaves."

In this insightful episode of Monday Briefs, Shane Bybee delves into the complex world of grade manipulation in education. He explores how pressures on educators lead to grade inflation, impacting students' GPA and their college admissions journey. Drawing on decades of experience, Shane analyzes the discrepancies between grades and standardized test scores, and the ramifications of policies like 'no fail' and grade rounding on academic assessment. Join us for a critical look at how grades may not always reflect true mastery.

Click here to see David Blobaum's blogpost.

Keith Wilkerson is the founder of College Thoughts, a college prep company that provides help with all of the elements that go into college and private school applications. He shares his insights into what is going on with the changes to the SAT and FAFSA as well as the impact of the Supreme Court decision last June affecting the use of race in college admissions.

Click here to find out more about College Thoughts.

In the first part of a multi-part series, I tackle the misconceptions surrounding academic grades. Why a student's GPA might not be telling you what you think it is.

This week's guest is Andi Thacker, a licensed professional counselor who specializes in working with kids and adolescents.

Note - We had some technical difficulties during the recording. I worked to patch through the especially rough places. I apologize in advance but promise that Andi's insights are well worth it!

You can contact Andi at andithacker@thackercounseling.com.

Here are the links to the books and documentaries Andi suggested.

Brainstorm by Dr. Dan Siegel

Mindful Parenting by Kristen Race

The Social Dilemma

Childhood 2.0

Brian Eufinger's college prep company Edison Prep works with a couple of thousand students a year. I don't know anyone in the test prep industry who is more dedicated to figuring out how the sausage is being made in college admissions. Based in Atlanta, Brian is our resident expert on all things UGA. In fact, he just released his annual look at UGA's Early Application information.

Click here for more information on Edison Prep.

Click here for Edison's Prep deep dive into UGA admissions information.

Manu Shahi, owner of Homework in a Cafe, is an expert on helping students with executive function and helping parents "connect before you correct." In this episode we talk about a number of the "meta" requirements that go into helping a student be academically successful.

Click here for more information on Homework in a Cafe.

I joke that Mike Bergin is the godfather of test prep, but he's been involved in the industry for longer than just about anyone and at all levels having worked with Kaplan and Huntington before starting his own tutoring company Chariot Learning. He's seen multiple changes in the tests themselves as well as the way colleges are usuing the tests for admissions.

Click here for information about Chariot Learning.

Click here for information on Mike's curriculum at TestBright.

Click here for Mike's Roots2Words vocabulary builder Substack.

Click here for information on the National Test Prep Association (NTPA).

This week's guest is Jason Robinovitz. As the COO of Score at the Top Learning Centers and Schools in Florida, Jason has a unique insight into trends in college admissions for the range of universities from highly selective on. 

Freddie deBoer was kind enough to find an hour to sit down and catch up with what he's been up to over the last 2 years. He also shares his perspective on what's going on in higher education as well as K-12. 

You can click here to subscribe to his work at substack or click here to visit his website.

It's been close to two years since I shelved the podcast to focus on the growth of the business. Things were moving quickly for us, and something had to give. But now we've gotten organized and I can put my attention back on this passion project.

In this relaunch episode, I focus on something that isn't getting shared with most parents when they hear about college admissions. Some critical numbers that affect most of the students who apply to college. If you'd like to see the numbers I share in the podcast to take a closer look, here's the blogpost I wrote on the same topic.

Freddie deBoer is a freelance writer. He has a Ph.D. in writing assessment and has worked in administration in higher education. After Harvard announced they would stay "test-optional" through the class of 2026, his article "Why the Fuck Do You Trust Harvard?" had some interesting insights.

Follow him on Substack: https://freddiedeboer.substack.com/

Find out about Cult of Smart: https://read.macmillan.com/lp/cult-of-smart/

We're starting off our 2nd year with a conversation with someone who has been doing test prep long enough to see the dramatic changes that have happened. Ben Sexton, owner of Sexton Test Prep, specializes in helping students trying to get into the top 5 percent of test scores.

Check out his company at https://www.sextontestprep.com/.

Want to save $50,000 on college?

It's been 1 year! (It's been 1 year?) In this anniversary episode, I look at 2 case studies of students we've worked with recently and the value of their test scores in their college admissions process. This podcast is in connection with my recent blogpost.

https://bybeecollegeprep.com/college-applications/what-they-dont-say-about-test-scores/