YCBK 626: Important Skills Students Need to Excel Academically In College
Introduction : Carter, Susan and Mark recorded a conversation for over 90 minutes on what standard strong students can do to excel once they get to campus
Part 1 of 5
o Susan describes the dilemma students face and she gives a preview of the content we are going to cover for the next 5 weeks
o Susan shares a few admissions vernacular words for us, what is a 3/3? What is “bread and butter”
o Susan defines Standard Strong for us
o We begin a conversation that will continue every Monday all the way through the end of April as we attempt to answer the question, what can a standard strong student do to stand out in the admission process at very selective colleges
o I chime in with my initial thoughts and then Carter shares a few of his thoughts on this topic
Lisa interviews Jennifer Gershberg on the topic of, “How students can excel academically once they get to college” : o Lisa gives an overview of Jennifer’s background
o Jennifer talks about the circuitous path she took in her career
o Jennifer talks about why so many students are not prepared for college
o Jennifer explains the value of writing handwritten notes and the value of reading paperback or hard copies over reading on the screen and the value of study guides
o Jennifer gives some great time management tips
o Jennifer discusses how students are responsible for establishing relationships with their college professors.
Recommended Resources : JG Talks: Helping prospective and current college students achieve success
Colleges that allow self reporting of test scores
Colleges that Allow Self-Reporting of SAT and ACT Scores
Great source for questions about finances and college
Edvisors: Financial Aid, Student Loans, Scholarships and Money Management
FAFSA Walkthroughs Mark recommends
Complete FAFSA 2026‑2027 Walkthrough | From Start to Submit
2023-2024 FAFSA Walkthrough Video English
CSS PROFILE Walkthroughs
CSS Profile Walkthrough
MEFA Institute: A Deep Dive into the CSS Profile
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