How Your 11th-Grader Can Thrive in Quarantine

As the estimates for quarantining seem to get longer by the day, what can your junior PrepWeller do to thrive at home?

They may not appreciate it, but this downtime gives them unprecedented opportunities to get ahead in the college admissions process. 

My guess is that they've been slammed with schoolwork since September and have found it difficult to keep up with all their PrepWell videos and Journaling.

Well, kiss that excuse goodbye.

With weeks and weeks of downtime ahead of them, a meticulous review of every PrepWell video is a must.

Here's how they should be thinking about the next few weeks and months:

Standardized Tests

As we all know by now, your child's SAT or ACT score is a key factor in determining what colleges to focus on. If they have a 4.0+ GPA, but no legitimate SAT or ACT score yet, it will be difficult to determine where they stand on the college admissions continuum. Lots of students have 4.0+ GPAs.

Until they secure a solid SAT or ACT score, they are in limbo. Are they bound for a junior college or the Ivy League? We just don't know. This is why I have been so insistent on beginning the testing process early - so that if something unforeseen happens (like a worldwide pandemic) - they are prepared.

The coronavirus has led to cancellations of SAT and ACT test dates for the foreseeable future. If they haven't done so already, make sure your child registers for the next few available test dates (they will fill-up quickly). June is probably the last month available for registration as of today. Keep an eye out for updates and/or the addition of more testing dates.

If your child does not yet have a solid SAT score, and the June 6th SAT is canceled, your child may not get a legitimate SAT score until September. This will make it very challenging to determine what colleges to consider, visit, or even apply to.

Needless to say, it's important that your child studies for the SAT now.  They should not expect to take multiple tests. They should approach studying with a one-and-done mentality!

Especially given the current scenario, it is vitally important that your child is on top of their test-taking preparation and timelines.

Here are the PrepWell resources that directly address how to manage these issues:

PrepWell Academy Videos: Weeks 8, 10, 17, 34

PrepWell Podcast: Episode 12

PrepWell Blogpost: SAT or ACT

Remember, if your child has not yet taken any SAT Subject Tests, they must prepare for those as well. These tests cannot be taken on the same day as an SAT, so that creates a timing challenge as well. They should be signed up for as many testing dates as possible. They may not be able to take their SAT Subject Tests until August or October. Remember, the SAT takes priority over the SAT Subject Tests. 

Timing and Pacing of Study

Our current quarantine gives your child ample opportunity to study for their standardized tests. This is even more imperative as they will likely not get several attempts to take the SAT or ACT. They should have a one-and-done mentality.

Now is not the time to "see how they do" before they start to study in earnest. That is a poor strategy that almost always backfires. The most conscientious PrepWellers will have already received a strong SAT or ACT score and do not have to worry about any of this. 

Pacing is also a consideration. If they don't take their SAT or ACT until June or July, it's prudent to spread out the studying so that they don't run out of test prep materials or peak too early.

No one knows what will happen with AP testing. AP tests are typically given in mid-May and we don't even know if we will have returned to school by then. Or, if we will return to school at all this year. Or, if the AP tests will even be administered. 

If we are back to school by May, students will not have been taught all the material that will be on the AP exams. My most motivated PrepWellers are teaching themselves the missing AP material in the hopes of performing well on the exams regardless of the missed classroom time. This could be a big differentiator for students trying to gain admissions to the most competitive schools. 

Please review my blog post on How A Navy SEAL Studies for the SAT.

Building a Target List

If your child already has a good SAT or ACT score or has a good idea where they will end up on one of these tests, they may be able to start building their target list of colleges. 

I review exactly how to do this in a series of PrepWell videos. Your child should review videos from Weeks 6, 19, 20, 21, 25, 39, and 41.

Brag Sheets

With all this time on their hands, there's no reason your child should not prepare their brag sheets for the teachers they will choose to write their letters of recommendation for college. A brag sheet is a mini-resume that provides the teacher with the relevant information they need to write a compelling letter of recommendation. I cover this in the PrepWell video in Week 24. 

LinkedIn Profile

Now would be the perfect time for your child to refine their LinkedIn profile. This exercise will not only help them when they begin to fill out their college applications this summer, but it will help them get a sense of how much they have (or have not) accomplished during high school. I provide a step-by-step tutorial on exactly how to do this in Week 11. 

College Essays

No, it's not too early to start brainstorming about college essays. In fact, my guess is that there will be a lot of college essays written about the "coronavirus quarantine". Some of my most astute PrepWellers are keeping detailed journals about what life is like living through this crazy time. I can see these musings being turned into winning college essays.

Your child can review the college essay prompts (8 of them) and begin to take notes on their ideas. My most motivated PrepWellers will have rough drafts of 1-2 college essays done before the end of Spring Break.  My PrepWell lessons on the college essay will open in their portal in a few weeks. In the meantime, the College Essay Guy is a great resource to get started.

Summer Contingencies

Obviously, we don't know what life will be like this summer. Hopefully, your child already has summer plans and we all hope these plans remain intact. In case they do not, I highly encourage your child to think about contingency plans. What can they do to demonstrate a willingness to go the extra mile even under these trying conditions? Maybe they plan to take several challenging online courses? Maybe they commit to reading 100 books on military leadership? I want them to think unconventionally. 

Scholarship Opportunities

Why not begin applying for college scholarships now? Most students run out of time (and motivation) when it comes to researching and applying for legitimate scholarships because the applications often require a writing sample. This scares away most students.

Now that your child has weeks and weeks of time on their hands, they can allocate time to applying for scholarships. They can think of applying for scholarships as a part-time job. Hopefully, if they apply broadly enough, they'll be compensated for their efforts. Check out scholarships.com.

I know your child won't like to hear this, but they should search for the most onerous scholarships. The more required writing - the better. A more involved application means there will be less competition because most teens are lazy. 

Next Steps

Other than their health and helping as needed at home, the tasks I've listed above are your child's priorities. They should consume a lot of their downtime over the next few weeks. If they play their cards right, they will be light years ahead of their peers when things get back to normal. I highly encourage them to take these steps. What else do they have to do (that's productive) while sitting at home for weeks on end?

I will send an email (similar to this one) directly to your child as well so that they have their marching orders. What will your child do with this information? Take action and make the most of a challenging situation? Or, sit around swiping on their phone and laptop all day? This will be a defining moment for them and I hope they pick the right path. 

Please reach out to me if you have any questions. I know this has thrown a wrench into an already stressful time in your child's life. I hope I have provided some very specific guidance and resources to help your family. I hope PrepWell Academy has provided an organized and systematic approach to the college admissions process that can be accessed anytime/anywhere. 

Do not hesitate to contact me with questions - big or small. As many of you know, I have a 9th-grader and two 11th-graders living through this as well, so I'm right in the breach with you.

If your child makes the most of their downtime, it may turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to them.

Keep prepping,

Author: PrepWell Academy's Founder, Phil Black, has spent a lifetime cracking the code on the world's most competitive programs: Yale University, Harvard Business School, Navy SEALs, Goldman Sachs, Entrepreneurship, Shark Tank, etc.

Inside PrepWell Academy, Black teaches students everything they need to know about the college admissions process in a series of expertly-timed, 3-5-minute, weekly training videos starting in 9th grade and continuing through 12th grade [Note: this program can only be joined in 9th or 10th grade]. My specialties include military service academies, ROTC scholarships, Ivy League, and student-athletes.

How 9th & 10th-Graders Thrive Under Quarantine

As the estimates for quarantining seem to get longer by the day, what can your 9th and 10th-grader do to thrive at home?

They may not appreciate it, but this downtime gives them unprecedented opportunities to grow as a student, citizen, and person.

I've broken down my ideas into a few buckets. My hope is that your child will take some of these suggestions for action.

PREPWELL ACADEMY (College Prep)

Not enrolled in PrepWell Academy yet?

Now might be a good time to get started.

Freshman programs

Sophomore programs

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT

RECREATION

WELLNESS

SERVICE

GRATITUDE

Here's a sample daily schedule that I would like to see:

Ask them what they think? Help them come up with a daily routine.

Don't brow-beat them, but try not to let them waste weeks upon weeks of precious time swiping on their phone. 

Good luck and please share ideas that you've come up with.

If your child is not yet enrolled in PrepWell Academy, they are missing out on weekly guidance and advice on college admissions, career, culture, and life.

Enroll them today.

Keep Prepping,

PrepWell Academy's Founder, Phil Black, has spent a lifetime cracking the code on the world's most competitive programs: Yale University, Harvard Business School, Navy SEALs, Goldman Sachs, Entrepreneurship, Shark Tank, etc.Inside PrepWell Academy, Black teaches students everything they need to know about the college admissions process in a series of expertly-timed, 3-5-minute, weekly training videos starting in 9th grade and continuing through 12th grade [Note: this program can only be joined in 9th or 10th grade]. My specialties include military service academies, ROTC scholarships, Ivy League, and student-athletes.

Will Erin Get Into Princeton?

As a college admissions counselor specializing in students with big ambitions (e.g. Ivy League, Military Service Academies/ROTC, Athletic scholarships), I have seen dreams realized, shattered, and everything in between.

Case Study

In this case study, I reveal what goes through a college admissions officer's mind as they review an application. What do they care about, what do they disregard, what jumps out, and what factors might seal the deal (for good or bad)?

In this blog, I review Erin's profile. Erin is a junior at a public high school in CA. She's an elite soccer player, near straight-A student, member of student government, and involved in community service.

Sound familiar?

Many parents of talented 9th and 10th-grade athletes tell me similar stories. They want to know their child's chances. 

Here's how the story goes:

Hi, Phil. I've heard you're the expert in helping kids get into highly-selective colleges by mentoring them early in their high school careers. Can I tell you about my daughter? She's a [freshman or sophomore] and a very good [enter name of sport] player. She was pulled up to varsity as a [freshman or sophomore] and plays on the most competitive club team in our area. She's a 4.0 student, scored in the [enter any number in the 90s] percentile on her PSAT, is very involved in [enter generic student club], and just won the Presidential Award for community service. She really wants to go to [enter Ivy League school]. We think [enter name of sport] could be her ticket in. Our [enter random relationship]'s friend just got into [name of Ivy League school] for [enter name of other random sport] and my daughter has much better board scores. What do you think?

If this is how you find yourself describing your son or daughter, please watch the full video above. It will give you insights into what matters, when it matters, and why it matters.

Here are the summary findings for Erin:

Objective Academic Metrics:
So-so (for Princeton standards).

Extracurriculars:
I see a lot of "soccer-related" activities in this section. That's okay, as long as it translates to an ability to play soccer at Princeton. If not, it just shows me that Erin really likes soccer. Good for her. The other activities are relatively generic and not overly compelling. I hope there's more to the application.

Honors & Awards:
Generic and uninspiring

Letters of Recommendation:
Assume these will be strong, but not earth-shattering.

Demonstration of Interest:
The 3-year relationship with the Princeton Soccer Coach gets my attention.

Essays:
Assume these will be strong, but Erin is no JK Rowling.

Hooks:
Eureka! Erin's name is indeed on Princeton Women's Soccer Coach Driscoll's list of "supported athletes". Okay, now I'm sitting up in my seat. I've got a live one...

Will Erin get in?
Yes.

When an Ivy League athlete has "official support" from the coach, the Admissions Officer's job is to determine whether or not Erin can handle Princeton academically. The answer to that question is yes. No question.

Unless something materially changes in the next 6-9 months, Erin will apply Early Action (usually a pre-requisite for supported athletes) and get her acceptance letter by Christmas. She may even receive a piece of paper called a "likely letter" from Princeton Admissions which will give her extra confidence about her chances of acceptance.

LESSON LEARNED:

WHERE ARE THE PITFALLS?

As talented as Erin is, she still beat the odds. She is the exception - not the rule. She did EVERYTHING right, and still had to be lucky.

Here are some potential scenarios that must be considered:

As you can see, the list of obstacles is long and ever-growing.

MORAL OF THE STORY

If your child is a talented high school athlete that hopes to use athletics to get into an Ivy League school, please review these insights with them. 

If you want your son or daughter to follow in Erin's footsteps, I suggest that you help.

Enroll them in the PrepWell Academy Athlete or Ivy Program. These programs will address each of these pitfalls (and dozens more) and will give your son or daughter the best chance of making their dreams come true.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. I hope to see your son or daughter inside PrepWell Academy soon.

Enroll in PrepWell Academy

Keep Prepping,

Author: PrepWell Academy's Founder, Phil Black, has spent a lifetime cracking the code on the world's most competitive programs: Yale University, Harvard Business School, Navy SEALs, Goldman Sachs, Entrepreneurship, Shark Tank, etc.

Inside PrepWell Academy, Black teaches students everything they need to know about the college admissions process in a series of expertly-timed, 3-5-minute, weekly training videos starting in 9th grade and continuing through 12th grade [Note: this program can only be joined in 9th or 10th grade]. My specialties include military service academies, ROTC scholarships, Ivy League, and student-athletes.

The Golden Years | Freshman and Sophomore Year

A Broken Model

After years of engaging with hundreds of high school students, parents, and guidance counselors from around the country, I've witnessed an unfortunate pattern.

These individuals continue to operate under the assumption that "college preparation" should begin in junior year.

I strongly disagree.

In fact, before stepping one foot into junior year, students should have a firm understanding of the expectations, milestones, and context for what lies ahead. [More on exactly what these factors are in a subesquent post].

Otherwise, students (and parents) risk feeling overwhelmed, paralyzed, and ill-prepared to manage the onslaught of information dumped in their laps. Once a student enters junior year, there are no do-overs.

In my private counseling practice, I find that a student's freshman and sophomore years (The Golden Years) have a disproportionate impact on their readiness for the college admissions process, college selection, and life itself.

They are - as an economist would say - reliable leading indicators.

Unfortunately, these early years are largely ignored in today's system.

This model is broken. And I aim to fix it.

But, No One Told Us...

Unfortunately, when I speak to parents of juniors for the first time, this is what I hear:

And, to make matters worse, when parents realize that their child has some "catching up" to do - it's often too late.

When they try to start a conversation about "college admissions" - they hear the universal go-to refrain - "I can't deal with that now. It's junior year. I'm too busy. Leave me alone."

Why Are the Golden Years So Powerful?

As you can see, a high percentage of a high school student's grades, habits, experiences, and education have been established prior to junior year:

Yes, with the right plan in place, 70% of a student's college preparation readiness should be accomplished by the time they begin junior year.

What Does My Child Do Junior Year?

That's a great question. Instead of stressing-out trying to manage EVERYTHING in junior year, students should focus on what matters most.

  1. Academics (60%): Junior year is typically the most challenging academic year with the most difficult courses. Great! 60% of your child's time should be spent digging into classwork, labs, homework, papers, projects, AP exam prep, etc. If they did not perform as well as expected on their early SAT or ACT, they have time to recover and take it again.
  2. Extracurricular Activity (25%): Deep engagement in their most significant extracurricular activity. They can make an impact through their performance, spirit, or leadership. This could be a varsity sport(s), drama club, debate team, entrepreneurship, volunteer work, etc.
  3. Refine Thoughts on College (15%): Toward the end of junior year, students will finally have a significant body of work to match to a certain "tier" of college. Now is the time to build a viable list of colleges to further explore.

Summary

In all of my interactions with high school students and parents, I have found that freshman and sophomore years are the most underappreciated and underutilized years in a student's high school career. 

To me, they represent a "Golden Age" when students can learn the habits, routines, and milestones that will set them up for ultimate success in junior year and beyond.

Unfortunately, these years are often overlooked. There is so much hype surrounding the "crazy and stressful" junior year, that it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. It does not have to be that way.

Closing Thoughts

My goal is to mentor my freshman and sophomore PrepWellers (including my own freshman twins) by providing a carefully designed roadmap that helps them build the skills, perspectives, and habits of a high-performer. 

I want them to enter junior year with a mental map of what to expect along with an ability to place new information into context.

The transition from sophomore to junior year is a significant one for parents. Once a teen can drive themselves to and fro, the physical and emotional separation becomes even more apparent.

This is the perfect time to let your high-schooler go.  With proper planning, they should be more than ready.

Tips/Advice

Start early. Don't wait to explore the ins-and-outs of college admissions until junior year. It will be too late to maximize your child's options.

Of course, this type of early teen development and mentoring is the premise behind PrepWell Academy.

Please share this blog with others who may have middle school and high schoolers coming up the ranks.

Keep Prepping,

Author: PrepWell Academy's Founder, Phil Black, has spent a lifetime cracking the code on the world's most competitive programs: Yale University, Harvard Business School, Navy SEALs, Goldman Sachs, Entrepreneurship, Shark Tank, etc.

Inside PrepWell Academy, Black teaches students everything they need to know about the college admissions process in a series of expertly-timed, 3-5-minute, weekly training videos starting in 9th grade and continuing through 12th grade [Note: this program can only be joined in 9th or 10th grade]. My specialties include military service academies, ROTC scholarships, Ivy League, and student-athletes.

Is it Worth Pursuing an Athletic Scholarship?

The Dream

Many young athletes today aspire to play Division I sports in college. This dream is fueled, in part, by the prospect of securing the ever-elusive "full-ride athletic scholarship".

The dream often originates as early as 3rd or 4th grade, when young athletes are shunted onto "elite" travel teams if they show above-average skill for their age. Unfortunately, once this train leaves the station - it's hard to get off.

For the next 4-6 years, most weekends and holidays are dedicated entirely to the sport - no matter the cost, travel, time, or energy required. And the beat goes on for years - with an unwavering devotion. Parents and children are equally afraid to step off the train for the fear of missing out.

Though rarely admitted in public, most parents mistakenly assume that their child is on a path to some type of athletic scholarship. They don't really know what this means exactly - and are afraid to ask too many presumptuous questions - but they sure hear a lot of chatter about athletic scholarships. It must just be a matter of time for them.

At some point, usually in 7th grade, the sport becomes a family obsession. The money spent for uniforms, tournament fees, league dues, equipment, personal trainers, hotels, travel, coaches' gifts, etc. is seemingly unlimited. The parents and child are all-in.

Other factors that feed our obsession with athletic scholarships:

The Advantages of an Athletic Scholarship

To be sure, there are many benefits to playing a Division I sport:

The Pitfalls of an Athletic Scholarship

However, the quest for the elusive athletic scholarship is often met with broken dreams.  Below is a sampling of issues that prospective athletes must acknowledge before blindly pushing forward in their sport in search of a Div I scholarship.

With all of these potential challenges, it's a wonder that anyone has a successful athletic campaign as a Division I athlete. 

How to Know When the Writing is On the Wall

Here are some signs that your child is not Div I scholarship material:

If you see some combination of these signs, your child's dream (and maybe yours) of a Div I scholarship is probably over. That's okay. The sooner you find out the better.

Most students realize they are not viable Div I scholarship athletes during sophomore year in high school. All of the delusions of recruiting trips and letter signing days come to an abrupt end.  The bubble has popped. Hopefully, this still gives them enough time to reorganize and reorient their lives.

How to Regroup after Realizing You're Not that Good

When a successful high school athlete finally realizes that they aren't as good as they thought, it's time to act. The student must begin to engage in many of the activities that sports had crowded out for 4-6 years. They should consider school clubs, employment, internships, and the like. This transition is not always easy, as most athletes strongly identify with their sport.

Summary

Be careful about blindly accepting sports as the path to a Div I scholarship - no matter how much the club soccer coach sings the praises of your 7-yr-old son or daughter.

Don't believe all the hype about Div I sports. There are more potential risks than rewards.

Find an expert to evaluate your child's talent. If the professionals don't believe they have a chance, believe them. It's time to move on to more mainstream pursuits.

Your child may have a chance at a scholarship if: (1) they are genetically encoded with physical gifts or attributes that match their sport, (2) they are obsessed about their performance and progress, and (3) they are willing to risk it all.

If you and your child need help figuring this out, enroll in PrepWell Academy today.

Keep prepping,

Author: PrepWell Academy's Founder, Phil Black, has spent a lifetime cracking the code on the world's most competitive programs: Yale University, Harvard Business School, Navy SEALs, Goldman Sachs, Entrepreneurship, Shark Tank, etc.

Inside PrepWell Academy, Black teaches students everything they need to know about the college admissions process in a series of expertly-timed, 3-5-minute, weekly training videos starting in 9th grade and continuing through 12th grade [Note: this program can only be joined in 9th or 10th grade]. My specialties include military service academies, ROTC scholarships, Ivy League, and student-athletes.

How Did This PrepWeller Get Into Every College He Applied To?

Wait, what?

"Wait, what? Jimmy got into Berkeley? Are you serious? My son has the same GPA and SAT scores - maybe even better. He took just as many weighted classes as Jimmy. Why didn't my son get in?  They both have the same profile."

This is one of the most common questions I hear from the PrepWell community and from random people around the water cooler, lacrosse field, and locker room.

I'd like to shed some light on this question by comparing three students that I counseled privately this year in my Private Mentoring program.

[FYI: I run a program where I work closely with a handful of PrepWell Academy students who opt to move from the online program to a full-service program in junior year].

What accounts for the difference in outcomes?

There are several factors at play here (e.g. extracurriculars, leadership, letters of recommendation, demonstrated interest, major preference, parental involvement, etc.)

However, I believe the biggest difference-maker is when a student begins to pay attention to the college admissions process.

Student A crushed it. He ran the table. He was admitted everywhere - reach, match, and safety schools. When did he start learning from PrepWell Academy? Freshman year.

Student B nabbed his first-choice reach school (Cornell), missed on some other reaches, and got in everywhere else. When did he start learning from PrepWell Academy? Sophomore year.

Student C had a tough time with his reaches, got a little love from his match schools, and got into his safeties. When did he start learning from PrepWell Academy? End of Junior year

What's the moral of the story?

Start early.

Outcomes like these don't happen by accident, mistake, or luck.  They are determined, in large part, by when a student begins to receive the guidance, advice, and strategies to win this game.

Of course, the most successful students also execute on the advice, but if they never get the advice to begin with - they have little chance.

I believe the results above are directly related to when these students began to take the process seriously. 

Which camp do you want your child in?

If you want to equip your child with the tools they need to succeed in the college admissions process, get them to pay attention sooner rather than later. 

If you'd like me to take on that role, enroll in PrepWell Academy before your child's junior year. 

If you'd like to take on the role of chief mentor, strategist, and admissions expert yourself - go for it! I wish you luck and would be happy to help you along the way.

Keep prepping,

Author: PrepWell Academy's Founder, Phil Black, has spent a lifetime cracking the code on the world's most competitive programs: Yale University, Harvard Business School, Navy SEALs, Goldman Sachs, Entrepreneurship, Shark Tank, etc.

Inside PrepWell Academy, Black teaches students everything they need to know about the college admissions process in a series of expertly-timed, 3-5-minute, weekly training videos starting in 9th grade and continuing through 12th grade [Note: this program can only be joined in 9th or 10th grade]. My specialties include military service academies, ROTC scholarships, Ivy League, and student-athletes.

Will Mia Get into MIT?

As a college admissions counselor specializing in students with big ambitions (e.g. Ivy League, Military Service Academies/ROTC, Athletic scholarships), I have seen dreams realized, shattered, and everything in between.

Case Study

In this case study, I reveal what goes through an MIT college admissions officers' mind as they review Mia's application. What do they care about, what do they disregard, what jumps out, and what factors might seal the deal for her (for good or bad)?

Mia just finished her junior year at a big public high school in CA. She has a great GPA, killer SAT score, nearly perfect SAT Subject Test scores, and some impressive extracurricular activities.

Will this seemingly extraordinary application stand out?
Here are the summary findings for Mia:

Objective Academic Metrics:
Excellent.

Extracurriculars:
Very strong. A combination of academics, work, STEM camp, internships.

Honors & Awards:
Very good. Nationally and Internationally competitive.

Letters of Recommendation:
strong across the board

Demonstration of Interest:
excellent (connected with professor, visit, tour)

Essays:
Well-written and aligned with her interests

Hooks:
female interested in STEM

Will Mia get into MIT? Check out the video to hear my rationale.

LESSON LEARNED:

MORAL OF THE STORY

In the end, Mia had a strategic plan. She had someone to prompt her at the appropriate times to think about: (1) class selection, (2) study strategies, (3) summer activity ideas, (4) essay brainstorming, (5) branding, etc.

If your child needs this type of guidance, enroll them in PrepWell Academy in 9th or 10th grade, where I provide them with weekly advice, recommendations, and inspiration via video lessons.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. I hope to see your son or daughter inside PrepWell Academy soon.

If you want a copy of the "College Admissions Snapshot" to use with your child or students, please contact me and I'll send you one.

Enroll in PrepWell Academy

Instagram

Keep Prepping,

Author: PrepWell Academy's Founder, Phil Black, has spent a lifetime cracking the code on the world's most competitive programs: Yale University, Harvard Business School, Navy SEALs, Goldman Sachs, Entrepreneurship, Shark Tank, etc.

Inside PrepWell Academy, Black teaches students everything they need to know about the college admissions process in a series of expertly-timed, 3-5-minute, weekly training videos starting in 9th grade and continuing through 12th grade [Note: this program can only be joined in 9th or 10th grade]. My specialties include military service academies, ROTC scholarships, Ivy League, and student-athletes.

Lesson From a Quitter Podcast | Guest: Phil Black

To listen to the full podcast, please visit:

Listen here: Episode 47

The path that many of us have been brought up to follow usually goes a little something like this: take the right classes, get the good grades, get into the prestigious school, graduate, and then find a high paying job. We're taught that it is a linear path that you stick to and climb to the top.Well, in today's episode, Phil Black teaches us why you should buck that wisdom.

Phil has one of the most interesting careers we've ever highlighted on this show. His story is a testament to following your curiosities and always re-evaluating what is most important. Among his many accomplishments, Phil played D1 collegiate basketball at Yale, worked as an investor at Goldman Sachs, was a Navy Seal Officer, went to Harvard Business School, is a firefighter, entrepreneur, father, and more. While it wasn’t clear to him during his journey, he was gaining an incredibly useful skill: the ability to find his way into really competitive positions. This is, as Phil calls it, his “superpower” which later led him to create his current business venture, PrepWell Academy. The academy is an innovative approach to preparing high school students (and their parents) for the rigors of the college admissions process.

His unique program is delivered online and focuses on the early preparation of students (freshman and sophomore year) interested in attending highly-selective colleges (e.g. Ivy League, Stanford, MIT, etc.), military service academies (e.g. Naval Academy, West Point, etc.), and those seeking athletic or ROTC scholarships. Visit our website to enroll your child in one of our custom programs (Pathway, Ivy, Military, Athlete). Phil’s story is mindblowing and is a real testament to the fact that we’re allowed to start over not just once, but as many times as we want!

Here is what we chat about in this episode:

Where to find Phil:  

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Follow along for more:

How to Be Strategic About your Teen's Summers

How teens spend their summers has become an increasingly important piece of the college admissions puzzle. Objective measures like GPA, SAT/ACT scores, and transcripts can quickly become lifeless numbers in a sea of sameness. (Yup, another 4.0 GPA, check).

Admissions officers are being forced to look elsewhere to find what differentiates students from each other. They often turn to letters of recommendation, alumni interviews, and, of course, summer experiences. 

Let's start with the tactics, then we'll move into strategy.

Here are some options to consider for the summer:

Volunteer Work (FT or PT):

Volunteer work is easy to find, affordable, and can be full-time, part-time, or project-based. Not only does volunteer work show that you care about someone other than yourself, but it also allows a teen to gain real-world experience in a field or industry they enjoy. 

Paid Work (FT or PT):

Colleges love to see applicants who have worked at a paying job - of any kind. Sometimes, students pass on work experience to pursue more exotic travel, education, or other enrichment programs. In the end, shift work at local fast-food restaurant or retail store may give your child more to talk about than a fancy, well-chaperoned trip to Guatemala.

Travel (domestic or international):

A trip overseas can be a particularly enlightening experience for a teenager. The different sights, sounds, language, culture, and lifestyle can alter their perspective in a material way. As parents, you will have to decide what style of overseas experience you think would benefit your child the most (highly-organized and scheduled or more free-flowing).

Athletic Camps, Showcases, Invitationals:

If your child aspires to play a sport in college (at any level) and believes that these events will help them get the exposure they need, it might behoove you to spend time exploring these options. Before spending too much time and money, however, please think long and hard about what your goals are (e.g. exposure, scholarship, improvement, fun).

Internships (FT or PT):

Summer Internships (paid or unpaid) are a great way to get exposure to a field or career that your child is interested in. Think you might want to be a lawyer? Try a 4-week internship at a local law firm. Does marine biology sound cool because you like the beach? Spend a few weeks interning for a marine biologist to explore the intersection (if any) between your perception and reality.

Shadow Sessions (PT)

These are super easy, low investment, introductions to the real-world. No need to fill out a cumbersome "application" or find an established program. Simply reach out to friends and family who know someone in a line of work that your child has shown interest in. I have PrepWellers who have scheduled 15, 1-day shadow sessions with people from a wide variety of careers, fields, and jobs. 

Education & Enrichment (FT or PT):

If academics is your child's thing, there are plenty of academic programs to explore. However, please don't think that paying for a $1,200 summer program at Princeton will increase your child's chances of getting accepted.  If you can afford it and the program will further your child's academic interests and passions, go for it!

Demonstrated Interest (FT or PT)

You may want to use the summer to demonstrate interest in a particular school, program, or activity. This could mean visiting a particular college, meeting an athletic coach, or attending an event that signals great interest in a certain area (e.g. Naval Academy Summer Seminar).

Special Projects (FT or PT)

It might be important to carve out specific time to complete an important project, business, or initiative. A Boy Scout may dedicate 2-3 weeks to complete their Eagle Scout project, an artist may devote 3-4 weeks to complete their portfolio of paintings, or an engineer may want to finish building that drone from scratch. A rising Junior may want to carve out 3-4 weeks to prepare for a standardized test (SAT or ACT). 

How to Think Strategically About Each Summer

It's important to note that your child has a maximum of three summers to deal with - after freshman, sophomore, and junior years. Let's call them Summer 1, Summer 2, and Summer 3. If you child is older than a freshman, you have even fewer summers to work with.

I like to draw out the options out on a whiteboard and begin to move certain options into place under the most appropriate summers. For instance, "paid work" would likely be pushed to Summers 2 and 3 given the minimum age requirements for most jobs.

Now is the time to sit down with your child and brainstorm on how you think the summers will play out (see whiteboard video above).

One way to get started is to place all of the "mandatory" activities into their spots and see what's left.

In PrepWell Academy, here are our non-negotiables:

Once you begin to move these "must-haves" into place, you'll see that the summers starts to get pretty full - pretty fast.

Set it And Forget it

Once you map out a tentative plan for Summers 1, 2, and 3, you can breathe a sigh of relief. If you stick to the plan, you won't have to worry about missing anything big.

This is a far better strategy than waking up on June 15th after your junior year and realizing that you've wasted 2/3 of your summer opportunities due to poor (or non-existent) planning. That's not how we roll in PrepWell Academy.

Of course, this plan is fluid, but at least you have the architecture in place. If something changes, you can make an informed adjustment to the overall plan. No problem.

Summary

I know it's hard to step off the treadmill to do this type of strategic planning so far in advance - especially when we're often just trying to get through the day. It may be even more frustrating when you broach the topic with your teenager and they roll their eyes and start tapping away on their smartphone. Take a deep breath, and re-engage.

Importantly, this type of "future engineering" is not meant to pander to the college admissions process. Yes, a diverse set of impactful summer experiences will enhance your child's application, but it will also provide them with the perspectives and real-world experience that they will need no matter what they pursue post-high school.

This is the type of organization and forward-thinking that goes into everything we do at PrepWell Academy. If this doesn't intimidate you, but rather empowers you, consider enrolling in one of our programs.

Prep On,

Author: PrepWell Academy's Founder, Phil Black, has spent a lifetime cracking the code on the world's most competitive programs: Yale University, Harvard Business School, Navy SEALs, Goldman Sachs, Entrepreneurship, Shark Tank, etc.

Inside PrepWell Academy, Black teaches students everything they need to know about the college admissions process in a series of expertly-timed, 3-5-minute, weekly training videos starting in 9th grade and continuing through 12th grade [Note: this program can only be joined in 9th or 10th grade]. My specialties include military service academies, ROTC scholarships, Ivy League, and student-athletes.

Why I Co-Read with my 8th-grader

In my opinion, a love of reading is the single biggest academic skill a child can develop prior to high school. A child's relationship to reading impacts their academic trajectory more than any other single factor. 

In a prior blog post, I offer 10 Tips on how to raise an avid reader.

Today, I have to admit that I have failed to achieve this goal for my 8th grader. He will read when he has to, but there is no spark - there is no love of reading.

I have tried many of the techniques and failed. Maybe I wasn't disciplined enough, or I assumed he'd be like his brothers, or I was just too tired to follow-through on the technique.

As a former Navy SEAL, giving up is not in my playbook, so I began looking for more options.

Here are some things I considered:

  1. Bribery: I'll pay you $10 for every book you read
  2. Punishment: If you don't read a book every month, you're grounded
  3. Negotiation: No IG time until you read 20 pages
  4. Fear: If you're not a good reader, you won't get into a good college
  5. Comparison: Don't you want to read as well as your brothers?

None of these ideas resonated with me. Each had its own drawbacks.

After months of thinking, I came up with another option that I call "co-reading".

Co-reading is when you and your child both read the same book at the same time (not literally at the same time). For instance, each of you read one chapter per day of the same book. Then, that night, you both discuss the plot, characters, literary techniques, action scenes, etc. 

So far, this technique has shown promise. We each read one chapter per night (about 10-12 pages) and then have a nightly discussion about it.

We both feel some obligation to each other to have the chapter read by the time we connect. It's almost like a mini book club. You want to be a contributor.

I have no idea how long this experiment will last or if it will bear fruit. So far, we're only on our third book. But, that's better than no books. 

If you want to try co-reading, here are some tips:

What are some drawbacks:

Obviously, the training wheels will have to come off eventually. This isn't a long-term solution. This technique will likely end when your child enters high school.

The idea is to create a habit of reading that will eventually become self-directed. Sometimes, kids just need a few months of focused reading before they get comfortable with the practice. 

I give myself five more months of co-reading with my son. If, he hasn't caught the reading bug by the beginning of 9th grade - it will be over. He'll be on his own. 

Yes, this is a labor-intensive strategy for a parent. I don't necessarily need (or want) this on my daily to-do list. However, I believe that giving our children the gift of reading is worth the effort.

Have you come up with any other strategies to help build a habit of reading into your child?

Keep Prepping,

Author: PrepWell Academy's Founder, Phil Black, has spent a lifetime cracking the code on the world's most competitive programs: Yale University, Harvard Business School, Navy SEALs, Goldman Sachs, Entrepreneurship, Shark Tank, etc.

Inside PrepWell Academy, Black teaches students everything they need to know about the college admissions process in a series of expertly-timed, 3-5-minute, weekly training videos starting in 9th grade and continuing through 12th grade [Note: this program can only be joined in 9th or 10th grade]. My specialties include military service academies, ROTC scholarships, Ivy League, and student-athletes.

What is ROTC and Why Should I Care?

If your child has any inclination to serve their country, consider two compelling paths that lead to graduating from college as a military officer (at little-to-no cost).

What are the options?

If your child wants to serve as a military officer in any of the branches, service academies and ROTC programs are two great places to start.

What do these programs have in common?

Yes, a free (or nearly free) education. With the rising cost of college, these programs are becoming more and more competitive.  And with options like attending Harvard and Princeton on an ROTC scholarship, people are paying attention.

What are service academies?

Military service academies are 4-year colleges rich in military tradition, culture, and training. Their goal is to educate, train and inspire the future leaders of the U.S. military.

There are five service academies:

To learn more about the specifics of applying to service academies, check out this blog post.

What is ROTC?

ROTC, on the other hand, stands for the Reserve Officer Training Corps. This program awards scholarships to students who want to become military officers, but do not necessarily want to attend one of the service academies. I talk to many parents and students who have never heard of ROTC before.

Instead of attending the Naval Academy or West Point, ROTC candidates can attend traditional colleges like Notre Dame, Northwestern, and Harvard - but with the same goal of serving as military officers upon graduation. A comprehensive list of colleges and universities that offer ROTC programs can be found here.   

I often refer to ROTC candidates as full-time college students and part-time aspiring military officers.  As such, ROTC candidates do have requirements that regular college students do not.

ROTC programs often attract students who prefer the ROTC college experience over the more intense "academy life" experience.

What to expect with ROTC programs:

ROTC or service academy? I recommend that most of my PrepWellers apply to a service academy as well as several ROTC programs. It's so competitive, I prefer them to cover all their bases. While the "campus experiences" between service academies and ROTC programs can be quite different, the end result is very similar. Your child will have received a top-notch education, leadership training, and real-world experience at little-to-no financial cost to you. In both cases, there is a 5-year service commitment after graduation (aka "guaranteed job"). 
Interested?

My Specialty

Helping students (and families) navigate the admissions process for service academies and ROTC programs is my specialty. There are countless steps and nuances that can only be learned in the trenches. 

To receive weekly online videos that walk your child through every step of the process, enroll in PrepWell Academy. Starting this education in 9th and 10th grade is even more important than in the traditional college admissions process. Imagine the ROI of PrepWell Academy if it helps your child get admitted into a $400-500K college experience for free.

Enroll in PrepWell Academy

PrepWell Private Mentorship Program

Keep Prepping,

Author: PrepWell Academy's Founder, Phil Black, has spent a lifetime cracking the code on the world's most competitive programs: Yale University, Harvard Business School, Navy SEALs, Goldman Sachs, Entrepreneurship, Shark Tank, etc.

Inside PrepWell Academy, Black teaches students everything they need to know about the college admissions process in a series of expertly-timed, 3-5-minute, weekly training videos starting in 9th grade and continuing through 12th grade [Note: this program can only be joined in 9th or 10th grade]. My specialties include military service academies, ROTC scholarships, Ivy League, and student-athletes.

How to Narrow Your College List from 4,000 to 14

Due to popular demand, I have posted this webinar as a blog post (with video) for those who missed it the first time around.

In this training, I walk you through a strategy to build (or refine) your child's college list. Many times, this is one of the biggest challenges during the college admissions process.

  1. What are the 4 critical steps and what sequence should they be done
  2. 3 case studies of high school students interested in engineering, science, and history
  3. A click-by-click tutorial that you can follow-along with to build your list

In a follow-on webinar, I'd like to address what comes next in the process. Namely, making sure that your list is "balanced" and that you can afford the colleges on the list. This is no small chore, either.

Please provide feedback or comments below with your experience with this process. 

Enroll in PrepWell Academy

Prep On,

Author: PrepWell Academy's Founder, Phil Black, has spent a lifetime cracking the code on the world's most competitive programs: Yale University, Harvard Business School, Navy SEALs, Goldman Sachs, Entrepreneurship, Shark Tank, etc.

Inside PrepWell Academy, Black teaches students everything they need to know about the college admissions process in a series of expertly-timed, 3-5-minute, weekly training videos starting in 9th grade and continuing through 12th grade [Note: this program can only be joined in 9th or 10th grade]. My specialties include military service academies, ROTC scholarships, Ivy League, and student-athletes.