Best new podcasts?

[Anonymous]

What about playing a fall and a spring varsity sport? Why would that be bad?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I kinda adore YCBK. It comes out enough and is so bonkers long that I can skip a ton of it (I completely skip some cohosts) and still get a lot out of it.

He did an episode last year with Vince that was a post mortem on the admissions cycle that I enjoyed so much I had my kid listen to it. It really helped to show him that, beyond what he could do for his own application, there were forces outside his control. You gotta do your best and then, let the chips just fall. It's not personal. It's a complicate and evolving landscape. I think they're doing that again.

PS I worry Mark has given up on his weight loss, which is too bad. It was another thing I skipped over, but I like Mark and wish him well. Take the GLP1s, Mark!

I want Mark to take GLP1s as well. Dedicated listener that has a lot of affection for Mark.

I haven't been listening as regularly as I have in the past, but I was wondering how his weight loss was going, too. I hope he takes the GLP1s, too. He seems like such a good guy. I don't think the primary reason he does the podcast is to market his business. He spends an incredible amount of time on these podcasts. It's obvious that it is his passion, and he is happy to help people. I don't know how he hasn't burnt out.

Former client here and be aware he's a podcaster not an effective counselor. He was unprofessional, didn't remember what was covered in the last meeting, and my kid had to schedule meetings because Mark is too busy to keep up with clients. When he says he's not tech savvy on the podcast you should believe him. More than once someone else would show up in the Zoom because he doesn't know how to use a waiting room. It's not amusing when you pay for his time. Love the podcast but the man is a disappointment.

+1

I had similar experiences as a client. I would avoid.

Are you both referring to Mark from YCBK or the guy from The Game?

Omg - the dude from The Game with the vocal fry - dropped a new episode….its been 6 months.

Has anyone listened to it?

Listening now. Wow, he's brutally honest. Not sure I agree with everything, though (including how anti-sports he is).

- Like, don't list Varsity Golf bc it doesn't help you AT ALL if not related to your academic hook/candidacy. A kid should have omitted it for a selective college bc it does not help.
- 1480 gets your app thrown away to most T20 (def to a T10) unless you have something stellar/Nobel Prize unique about you, without even ever being read.
- Not having APs available at your HS will hurt your application. Don't believe AO who tell you you are scored based on your context. By looking at actual "scoring" from enrolled students, you can see that even valedictorians don't get the highest rigor/academic score.....so its clear you aren't just being evaluated in context. You need to always do more.
- They are looking for the best. At the end of the day, it's all about being the best in something. Mastering something.
- Two Bs (Even if B+s) will take T10 off your possible list. They're gone.
- Colleges are "more anxious" about filling their classes early, so you may/potentially have a better shot earlier.
- AO can make innocuous statements that can breed complacency in the applicant pool, bc their job can be to reassure during the fall to encourage the highest number of applications.
- high schools that require their HS students to play 3 seasons of sports will screw your kid over, bc they will not be competitive in the larger pool. And the AO doesn't really care about your specific HS's limitation.
- View AO as a job interviewer. They are looking for applicants who meet the job requirements. And the end of the day, they won't care much (outside of certain situations) for applicants who can't meet or fill the soft or hard requirements (AP/advanced academic prowess, leadership). They'll just auto-reject - they really don't care. There are no free passes (e.g., if your HS doesn't allow you to found a club, or you can't get leadership bc there is none, you need to find other ways. There is always a different way).
- Figure out how to compound your advantages (put your foot on the gas pedal; don't take it off; don't (no really) take it off).
- He cites Cornell, Georgia Tech - about absolute course rigor (not in a relative sense) - but the highest-level courses you have taken. So, it will be disadvantageous to you if you don't take AP classes - for example (even if your school doesn't offer) ....
- Grade inflation vs. deflation and how it hurts (comparing Horace Mann to Choate)
- Test optional consequences
- Own your candidacy. There are no excuses. Be outcome orientated.

Which private school is he referring to that requires its kids to play 3 seasons of sports?

It isn’t uncommon. NCS and STA require it. I think Potomac does as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about playing a fall and a spring varsity sport? Why would that be bad?

He suggests not even listing sports as an activity on the common app unless you are a recruited athlete. He wants you using the after school time doing research or other impactful ECs. So 2 sports is a huge waste of time in his mind. It is a bit extreme.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about playing a fall and a spring varsity sport? Why would that be bad?

He suggests not even listing sports as an activity on the common app unless you are a recruited athlete. He wants you using the after school time doing research or other impactful ECs. So 2 sports is a huge waste of time in his mind. It is a bit extreme.

lol...and we wonder why some of our colleges are becoming a laughingstock

[Anonymous]

From our high school, unhooked, middle class to upper middle class, with some possessing the "ungodly wealth", there have been 20 Ivy admits over the past two years. Zero HAVE NOT played a sport. Not one girl or boy has NOT played a sport.

These are not the recruited athletes. Just regular varsity athletes. Football, cross country, water polo, lacrosse, baseball, swimming/diving, soccer, softball.

That guy is FOS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From our high school, unhooked, middle class to upper middle class, with some possessing the "ungodly wealth", there have been 20 Ivy admits over the past two years. Zero HAVE NOT played a sport. Not one girl or boy has NOT played a sport.

These are not the recruited athletes. Just regular varsity athletes. Football, cross country, water polo, lacrosse, baseball, swimming/diving, soccer, softball.

That guy is FOS.

Did they play a sport all three seasons? He is talking about schools with a sports requirement. If your kid is playing one season, they can still load up on their passion ECs the rest of the year. But 3 seasons of sports is what is making this guy freak out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From our high school, unhooked, middle class to upper middle class, with some possessing the "ungodly wealth", there have been 20 Ivy admits over the past two years. Zero HAVE NOT played a sport. Not one girl or boy has NOT played a sport.

These are not the recruited athletes. Just regular varsity athletes. Football, cross country, water polo, lacrosse, baseball, swimming/diving, soccer, softball.

That guy is FOS.

This guy is also the guy that recommends leaving parent’s occupation off the common app, not listing the colleges where siblings attend, etc. He plans out a super pointy narrative for kids. He has a very specific formula for getting kids into Harvard, Yale, Stanford and Princeton.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about playing a fall and a spring varsity sport? Why would that be bad?

Does your kid have time to do other more relevant stuff? That’s his point.
Only as it relates to T20.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From our high school, unhooked, middle class to upper middle class, with some possessing the "ungodly wealth", there have been 20 Ivy admits over the past two years. Zero HAVE NOT played a sport. Not one girl or boy has NOT played a sport.

These are not the recruited athletes. Just regular varsity athletes. Football, cross country, water polo, lacrosse, baseball, swimming/diving, soccer, softball.

That guy is FOS.

Did they play a sport all three seasons? He is talking about schools with a sports requirement. If your kid is playing one season, they can still load up on their passion ECs the rest of the year. But 3 seasons of sports is what is making this guy freak out.

Some sports are year round...baseball, xc/track, football has a fall and a spring, but most do track, wrestle, etc. Sports are part of the PE class in a semester setting, so no one does just plain "gym" for their last period, they opt to play a sport.

[Anonymous]

my kids are at a private school in nyc w no APs and it hurts kids 0%. we have unhooked kids who go to top 5 schools. we have dozens who go to T10 schools.

he belongs to this group of consultants who thinks everyone should apply early but not to a SCEA school (HYP) unless hooked. I know this type. they really push their clients to lock up a UChicago or Northwestern. It''s good advice - but in a "dont dream too big" way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:my kids are at a private school in nyc w no APs and it hurts kids 0%. we have unhooked kids who go to top 5 schools. we have dozens who go to T10 schools.

he belongs to this group of consultants who thinks everyone should apply early but not to a SCEA school (HYP) unless hooked. I know this type. they really push their clients to lock up a UChicago or Northwestern. It''s good advice - but in a "dont dream too big" way.

I agree. He’s pushing his clients to apply ED1 to schools where their odds are good, because that’s how he gets to say “all our clients got into T20s.” Kids who want to shoot for a T5 in the SCEA round and are willing to risk landing at a T40 in RD mess up his numbers. Hence the scare tactics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:my kids are at a private school in nyc w no APs and it hurts kids 0%. we have unhooked kids who go to top 5 schools. we have dozens who go to T10 schools.

he belongs to this group of consultants who thinks everyone should apply early but not to a SCEA school (HYP) unless hooked. I know this type. they really push their clients to lock up a UChicago or Northwestern. It''s good advice - but in a "dont dream too big" way.

maybe. i def see the "scary" CC types so that may be it.
A bit of a different view from our non-DMV private. No APs, small progressive, yes, kids go to top 5 and many go to T10, and many more to T25. Can be considered a feeder in many ways to many T20.
But rarely MIT and rarely for CS (though a lot more engineering to schools like WashU, GT, UCLA, Michigan etc).....Why? I think the humanities and social sciences kids get into the T10s, etc. School maxes out at BC, there is no MV or linear algebra/diff equations. So kids have a harder time in that space - and I think it IS bc of the curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I kinda adore YCBK. It comes out enough and is so bonkers long that I can skip a ton of it (I completely skip some cohosts) and still get a lot out of it.

He did an episode last year with Vince that was a post mortem on the admissions cycle that I enjoyed so much I had my kid listen to it. It really helped to show him that, beyond what he could do for his own application, there were forces outside his control. You gotta do your best and then, let the chips just fall. It's not personal. It's a complicate and evolving landscape. I think they're doing that again.

PS I worry Mark has given up on his weight loss, which is too bad. It was another thing I skipped over, but I like Mark and wish him well. Take the GLP1s, Mark!

I want Mark to take GLP1s as well. Dedicated listener that has a lot of affection for Mark.

I haven't been listening as regularly as I have in the past, but I was wondering how his weight loss was going, too. I hope he takes the GLP1s, too. He seems like such a good guy. I don't think the primary reason he does the podcast is to market his business. He spends an incredible amount of time on these podcasts. It's obvious that it is his passion, and he is happy to help people. I don't know how he hasn't burnt out.

Former client here and be aware he's a podcaster not an effective counselor. He was unprofessional, didn't remember what was covered in the last meeting, and my kid had to schedule meetings because Mark is too busy to keep up with clients. When he says he's not tech savvy on the podcast you should believe him. More than once someone else would show up in the Zoom because he doesn't know how to use a waiting room. It's not amusing when you pay for his time. Love the podcast but the man is a disappointment.

+1

I had similar experiences as a client. I would avoid.

Are you both referring to Mark from YCBK or the guy from The Game?

Omg - the dude from The Game with the vocal fry - dropped a new episode….its been 6 months.

Has anyone listened to it?

Thanks for the tip. I’ve been waiting for 6 months!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about playing a fall and a spring varsity sport? Why would that be bad?

Does your kid have time to do other more relevant stuff? That’s his point.
Only as it relates to T20.

Exactly. Your application isn't as strong as it COULD be if you weren't playing all 3 seasons. Play 1 school sport and travel maybe....but you need time to "resume build" is his point. Not stay at practice late and go to matches until late evening....

[Anonymous]

Wow, this is insane.
So don't play a sport and keep your body and mind healthy - just do research or other sedentary things.... sounds like he's trying to keep the healthcare and pharma industries booming.

But I get it - his job is to get you into these schools. He's not being hired to keep your kid healthy or alive past middle age, or to keep them happy and mentally stable and socially connected.

-signed a middle aged physician who feels very sad for this next generation