You’ve made it to the end of AP season—or you're just about to. So… what now? In this episode, I share what successful students actually do after their exams are over to prepare for college applications. These are the same strategies used by Ivy League, Stanford, and MIT admits—and they’re simple, clear, and powerful.

You’ll learn:

• Why the summer after junior year is a “bonus semester”
• The two questions your application must answer
• What aligned action looks like (with real student examples)
• How to recover, reflect, and move forward with purpose
• A simple 3-step plan you can start this week

Whether you’re feeling burned out or just unsure of your next step—this episode will help you reset your direction and use your time wisely.

💡 Want a personalized plan?
Book an Application Audit to identify your strengths, gaps, and strategy—while there’s still time to make your summer count.

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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website
To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
To join us on our Facebook group for parents

Are you feeling pressure to make the most of summer—but not sure what actually matters for college admissions? In this episode, Steve Gardner breaks down the three most common mistakes high-achieving students make when planning their summer... and shows you how to avoid them.

You’ll meet:

• Sophia, who overloaded her schedule trying to impress colleges
• Daniel, who created a meaningful project from a single question
• And Bryanna, a real student whose summer project led to research, grants, and scholarship offers

Whether you’re feeling behind or just overwhelmed, this episode will help you create a summer that builds not just a stronger application—but a stronger you.

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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website
To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
To join us on our Facebook group for parents

Steve sits down with Tessymol Jose — the inspiring mother of Erica, one of our incredible students — to tell the full, raw story of their college admissions journey.

This isn’t a sugar-coated success story. It’s a front-row seat to the overwhelming pressure, confusion, and heartbreak that so many ambitious students (and their families) experience when they follow the wrong roadmap to college admissions — the "just do more, be more impressive" roadmap that leads straight to burnout.

🔹 Tessymol shares how Erica — a top student involved in leadership, orchestra, tennis, and volunteering — still felt like she was falling behind. Despite all her accomplishments, despite the straight A's, despite the sleepless nights and sacrifice, she was left asking: "What more can I possibly do to stand out?"

🔹 You’ll hear how endless stress, migraines, ulcers, skipped meals, and emotional breakdowns finally led them to seek a different answer — an answer they found inside the Ivy League Challenge.

🔹 You’ll learn how Erica shifted from the Impressiveness Trap to aligning her college prep around her core values — and how that transformation (not overachievement) led to her acceptance at Dartmouth College, one of the most prestigious and life-changing undergraduate experiences in the world.

This conversation is emotional. It's honest. And it’s a powerful reminder that winning at college admissions — and more importantly, winning at life — doesn't come from sacrificing your health and happiness at the altar of "impressiveness."

It comes from clarity, core values, and smart, strategic action.

If you’re a parent or a student feeling the pressure, this is an episode you can’t afford to miss.

Key Topics:

• The dangers of the Impressiveness Trap
• How Tessymol and Erica realized they needed a different path
• The power of core values in college admissions
• Why top colleges care about who you are, not how many activities you can juggle
• How real transformation — not just more stress — leads to Ivy League success

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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website
To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
To join us on our Facebook group for parents

This episode is a special one — made especially for parents of Curiosity Lab students, but meaningful for anyone raising a curious preteen.

Inside, Steve shares:

• Why curiosity is a skill, not a personality trait — and why that matters
• The five core pillars of the Curiosity Lab (and how they work together)
• Three powerful ways parents can support curiosity at home
• A bonus mindset shift that will change how you respond when your child says, “This is hard.”

Whether your child is already enrolled in the Curiosity Lab or you're curious about what makes this program so unique, this episode will leave you inspired and equipped to support your 10–13-year-old in the most important learning window of their life.

Register for the Curiosity Lab at TILC.to/CL

https://www.globalimpactcouncil.org/gic-curiosity-labs

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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website
To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
To join us on our Facebook group for parents

Most teens today feel overwhelmed, burned out, or stuck in the race to be impressive — all while secretly wondering: “How do some students become so great, so young?”

In this episode, we break down the real process of building passion and achieving meaningful success — not by performing for approval, but by discovering purpose and leaning into long-term growth.

You’ll learn:

• Why passion isn’t found — it’s built
• How over-scheduling and screen time quietly close the curiosity window
• The dangers of the Impressiveness Trap and how to escape it
• Why real growth happens in the Goldilocks Zone of just-manageable challenge
• How teens like Corey are solving real problems and becoming the kinds of leaders the world needs — and colleges are eager to recruit

This episode is a roadmap for teens who want to rise above burnout and build a life of purpose, impact, and excellence. It’s also a powerful guide for parents who want to support their kids the right way — with clarity, not more pressure.

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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website
To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
To join us on our Facebook group for parents

What if the real test in college admissions isn’t the one you think it is?

In this episode, we unpack “The Hidden Test”—the one that’s not on any syllabus and can’t be studied for with flashcards. Drawing from a powerful psychological experiment, wisdom from Ivy League deans Lee Coffin (Dartmouth) and Logan Powell (Brown), and real insights from the admissions process, we reveal how selective colleges are not just looking for the most impressive applicants. They're looking for the ones who live with purpose, character, and impact.

You'll learn:

• Why authenticity beats strategy in college prep
• How admissions officers “investigate” your values through your application
• Why students who stop chasing prestige often stand out the most
• How to align your high school experience with what actually matters

This episode is a must-listen for students, parents, and educators who want to understand what selective colleges really value—and how to focus on becoming, not just getting in.

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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website
To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
To join us on our Facebook group for parents

In this episode, I’m thrilled to introduce something brand new — Curiosity Lab, a program designed to ignite the minds of 10–13-year-olds through real-world learning, led by inspiring high school mentors.

Our very first teacher is Ava, a passionate and thoughtful high school student who’s teaching the first Curiosity Lab unit on public speaking. Ava shares how she discovered her love for speech and debate, why she wanted to teach younger students, and what it’s been like to design a unit that’s engaging, age-appropriate, and deeply meaningful.

We talk about:

• Why peer-to-peer learning is so powerful
• How Ava planned her lessons to spark curiosity in middle schoolers
• What makes Curiosity Lab different from school
• How younger students benefit from seeing older teens as role models

Whether you're a parent of a curious preteen or just someone who believes in the power of inspired teaching, this episode will give you a behind-the-scenes look at something truly special.

To register for the Curiosity Lab, to go TILC.to/CL

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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website
To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
To join us on our Facebook group for parents

What if your child’s future success—especially with college admissions—hinges on how curious they become before they even get there?

In this episode, I break down the Curiosity Window, the critical developmental phase between ages 10 and 13, when your child’s brain is primed for identity formation, exploration, and deep learning. If curiosity is nurtured now, it becomes a foundation for confidence, motivation, and impact later. If ignored, that spark often fades—leading to disengaged, uncertain teens.

You'll also hear why I created Curiosity Lab, a live weekly program designed specifically for 10–13 year-olds to build curiosity, critical thinking, and communication skills through hands-on learning.

🔍 What You’ll Learn:

• Why ages 10–13 are a critical phase for curiosity and identity
• How this period affects motivation, confidence, and future college prep
• What parents can do now to set their kids up for long-term success

📅 Join Curiosity Lab:

Enrollment is open now for Curiosity Lab, our live Zoom-based exploration program for students ages 10–13.
📍 Start Date: April 2nd
🕗 When: Wednesdays at 8:00 PM Eastern
🧠 What: New topics every 4–6 weeks, guided reflection, hands-on projects, and final presentations
💬 Led by: Outstanding high school students who model curiosity and leadership
🎥 Miss a class? All sessions are recorded for flexibility

Whether your child is 10 and just starting to explore or 13 and ready to take charge, this is the time to shape their curiosity and set them on the path toward a meaningful, successful life.

Register now: TILC.to/CL

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To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website
To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge
To join us on our Facebook group for parents