PrepWell Podcast with Phil Black

In this week's podcast, I discuss a strange phenomenon that I witnessed a few weeks ago. For context, I was asked to give a presentation on "college admissions-related" topics to a group of 30 teenage boys (ages 15-16) -- something I have done hundreds of times over the last 10 years. To kick things off, I asked a series of anodine questions that I thought would ease

In this week's podcast, I discuss whether it makes sense for your child to double-down on sports, or diversify into other areas of interest. There will come a point in time when your child has to answer this fateful question: "Am I committed to becoming a recruited college athlete or not?" Listen to this week's episode to learn when this decision should be made, w

In this week's podcast, I make a pitch for summer school. All four of my sons took classes over the summer (for different reasons) and many motivated PrepWellers have done the same. Listen to this week's episode to learn why summer school has become a "thing". Follow us: Enroll in PrepWell Academy Follow on Instagram Follow on Facebook Follow me on Instagram or

Several years ago, I created a 1-page worksheet that laid out the 7 categories that determine how well a student will be prepared for the college admissions process. In this podcast, I walk through this worksheet and discuss how it reveals your child’s competitiveness.

Last week, I emailed a link to my private calendar offering PrepWell families an opportunity to book a consulting session with me. College admissions is so off the rails that I thought it might be nice to give families a chance to ask questions. I was overwhelmed with the response. With the craziness going on with college admissions these days, who could blame them? In today's

In this week's podcast, I dive into this year's crazy admissions results. Take a look at the admit rates of a sampling of popular colleges: Amherst 9% Bowdoin 7% Brown 5% Colby 6% Columbia 4% Dartmouth 5% and the list goes on... What exactly is going on here? Single-digit acceptance rates as far as the eyes can see. I walk through an example of how an unhooked student has

Researching colleges at the right time and with the appropriate intensity is an important part of the college admission process. The sooner your child (and you) begin to follow a plan - the better. Especially for students with “specialty aspirations”. In this episode, I walk you through how, when, and why you should begin your research. Here is what I discuss in this episode:0

In today's episode, I review the new digital SAT.If you are a parent, or a 9th, 10th, or 11th grader, this is a must-listen.What are the big 4 changes, and how do you set yourself up for success? Follow us: Enroll in PrepWell Academy Follow on Instagram Follow on Facebook Follow me on Instagram or Facebook Give us a review Share this episode with a friend Join our mailing l

In today's episode, I confront the cost of today's college education. In fact, I highlight 14 distinct case studies of PrepWellers whom I have worked closely with. Here's what they are paying for college every year: Case Study #1: $100K/yr Case Study #2: $80K/yr Case Study #3: $77K/yr Case Study #4: $70K/yr Case Study #5: $60K/yr Case Study #6: $50K/yr Case Study #7: $

In today's episode, I discuss Duke's recent announcement that they will no longer assign points to the college essay. They used to grade essays using a point system (1 - 5). Strong essays received high scores. Weak essays received low scores. Not anymore. Students no longer get credit for using proper punctuation, grammar, spelling, syntax, diction, etc. None of that matter