Podcast
Growing Good Humans Podcast
Hosted by Laura Barr · EN
Immerse yourself in the Growing Good Humans Podcast, featuring episodes with seasoned professionals covering various aspects of college admissions. Experience a continuous flow of knowledge that adapts to your schedule.
15episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Mapping the Journey: What Juniors and Families Should Know Before Senior Year
Nov 1100:40:00Tap to summarize🎓 Everything Juniors and Families Should Know Before Senior Year! Laura hosted a live session that broke down everything families need to know about navigating junior year with focus and calm. She covered what to do (and when), how to manage competing priorities, and what truly moves the needle in the college process. This interactive session, with live Q&A, answers parents' questions about timelines, motivation, and how to support students during a time when it's easy to feel overwhelmed and stuck. ✨ Topics Covered: The timeline for testing, essays, and college explorationHow to balance academics, activities, and downtimeThe critical role of executive function—organization, planning, and follow-through What to do when students procrastinate or feel stuckHow to stay supportive without creating extra pressure 🎯 Outcomes: Parents leave with a clear roadmap for the rest of junior year, a deeper understanding of their student’s readiness, and tools to keep the process steady, structured, and student-centered.
Transcribe →Making Sense of the New Test Prep Landscape with Bill Huston of Mindfish
Oct 2100:37:59Tap to summarize📍Hosted in Growing Good Humans Parent Community: Bill Huston, co-founder of Mindfish Test Prep, joined Laura Barr to bring clarity to one of the most confusing parts of the college process: testing.📌 Episode Recap:Together, in this conversation about the new test prep landscape, they explored the key questions families have been asking them the most:How do I decide which test to take—the SAT or ACT?When should I submit scores, and when is it better not to?How should my student approach test prep in a healthy, strategic way?Bill explained why starting with both SAT and ACT diagnostics helped students make informed choices, how results shaped college list building, and what factors mattered most when deciding how much time and support to invest in prep.This session offers a calm, practical approach to testing—helping families focus less on pressure and more on purpose.✨ Outcomes:By the end of this conversation, listeners understood:The key differences between the SAT and ACT—and how to determine which test best fit their student.How to use diagnostic results to plan a focused, efficient prep timeline.What colleges really meant by “test-optional,” and how to decide whether to submit scores.How to balance academics, activities, and test prep without overwhelm.What a healthy, sustainable approach to testing looked like for their family.💡Learn more:Explore the Mindfish/Emerging Practice Test Program Read more about Mindfish Test Prep & Academic Support
Transcribe →Across the Pond—Reasons Why You Might Want to Study Abroad In the UK or Ireland
Oct 1400:46:52Tap to summarize📍 Hosted in Growing Good Humans Parent Community: Across the Pond—Reasons Why You Might Want to Study Abroad In the UK or Ireland📌 Episode Recap:More and more students are asking about studying abroad—and with good reason! International universities offer academic rigor, shorter degree timelines, and rich cultural experiences that truly broaden students’ worlds.Thanks to Jennifer Koller, we hosted a special 45-minute session called Across the Pond, designed to help families explore whether studying in the UK or Ireland could be the right next step.👉 What we covered:Applications 101 – how to apply to schools in England, Ireland, and ScotlandTips & Common Pitfalls – what to watch for in the UCAS and Irish application systemsReal Talk for B Students – options for those not earning 4s and 5s on AP examsHidden Gems – incredible universities that flew under the radar but delivered world-class programs📝 Key Takeaways:Families left with a clear understanding of how UK and Irish universities evaluate applicants, the differences in structure and cost, and whether an international degree might fit their students’ goals and personality.#CollegeAdmissions #StudyAbroad #UKUniversities #IrelandUniversities #EmergingConsulting
Transcribe →Paying for College Made Simple: Q&A with Liane Crane and Laura Barr
Oct 1400:30:15Tap to summarize🎙️ Growing Good Humans Podcast Event: Paying for College Made Simple—Live Q&A with Liane Crane and Laura Barr📌 Episode Recap:We were so excited to welcome Liane Crane back to our podcast for a special College Finance Ask Me Anything edition! ✨ Liane was our featured college finance expert, helping families truly understand the cost of college and how to pay for it. With over a decade of experience in college consulting—plus certifications in College Finances (AFCPE) and Financial Aid (Scoir)—she brought both expertise and compassion to the process. As a parent of three college students herself, she knew firsthand the stress and excitement families face—and how to make the journey a little smoother.In this live AMA session, Liane answered parents’ biggest questions about college costs, FAFSA, scholarships, and student debt.🎙️ Listeners heard answers to questions like:How do you start a college budget?Should everyone submit the FAFSA and CSS Profile?What’s the best way to secure merit scholarships?What does “financially fit colleges” mean?Why is reviewing a tuition bill so important?…and more!
Transcribe →The Complete Guide to College Transfer
Oct 700:31:18Tap to summarize🎙️ Growing Good Humans Podcast Event: The Complete Guide to College Transfer — Jaime Smith on the Roadmap That Made the Complex Process of Transferring Colleges Feel Manageable:📌 Episode Recap:Transferring colleges once felt overwhelming, confusing, and—let’s be honest—totally exhausting. But Jaime Smith, transfer admissions expert and certified educational planner, showed us it didn’t have to be. In this episode, we sat down with the author of The Complete Guide to College Transfer to unpack the myths, roadblocks, and practical steps students faced when making the move to a new college.With over 25 years of experience supporting nontraditional learners, homeschoolers, and neurodiverse students, Jaime shared her compassionate, clear, and empowering approach to helping students find the college that truly fit—this time. Whether they were navigating credit transfers, financial aid, or just figuring out where to start, this conversation was filled with insight, encouragement, and hope.🎧 Listeners heard:Why over a million students transferred each yearHow to find a transfer-friendly schoolWays to maximize existing creditsWhat colleges really thought about transfer studentsAnd why the path to a degree didn’t have to be linear to be successfulThis episode was a must-listen for students, parents, educators, and anyone supporting a young person on their college journey.🧠 Learn more about Jaime and her book at TransferSavvy.comResources discussed in the podcast:Finding Community Colleges with dorms:collegexpressList of two-year colleges in the United States with campus housingFinding Community Colleges with sports:National Junior College Athletic AssociationCalifornia Community College Athletic AssociationStudy Abroad Opportunities:Verto Education
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