Chasing medals and certificates rarely tells the real story of a student’s growth. In this episode of Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You, Cathy and Meredith break down how to approach the activities and awards sections of college applications. They explain how some achievements, like character awards, stand out more than others, and why colleges care less about collecting trophies and more about demonstrating character, commitment, and impact. From deciding which awards to include to making sure each activity passes the “so what?” test, they share insider insights from years in admissions and coaching. Tune in for a clear, no-nonsense guide that can ease the stress of application season!

Key Points From This Episode:

• [0:00:44] Introducing today’s topic: Awards
• [0:03:08] Choosing which awards to highlight and where to list them.
• [0:05:00] Our thoughts on how to determine which awards are impressive.
• [0:05:56] Why kids shouldn’t try to win awards to be impressive.
• [0:07:21] The importance of showing meaningful impact.
• [0:08:36] Providing thoughtful answers during interviews.
• [0:11:10] Why we (and colleges) love a ‘coach’s award’ and character awards.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You

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It's the Conference of all Conferences in the world of admissions: the National Association of College Admission Counseling, or NACAC. As the primary governing body for all aspects of admission, NACAC sets the tone for the year. Today, Cathy and Meredith dive into Cathy’s latest experience at the NACAC Conference. They unpack the biggest takeaways from this year’s main event speaker, explore the emerging trends and patterns in admissions, and discuss how colleges are navigating and adapting to the use of AI. Plus, Cathy shares her infamous NACAC 2025 dress debacle and breaks down NACAC’s crazy session titled "The Plight of the Standard Strong Student." For all this, and a candid discussion on the organization's professionalism, start listening now!

Key Points From This Episode:

• [0:00:50] We introduce today’s topic of conversation.
• [0:02:00] Cathy sums up the conference in (roughly) four words.
• [0:04:00] The biggest takeaways from this year’s main event speaker.
• [0:10:40] What we’re hearing in terms of trends and patterns in admissions.
• [0:13:04] How colleges have adjusted applications as a result of AI.
• [0:15:00] We comment on the professionalism of the organization (NACAC).
• [0:19:30] The NACAC 2025 dress debacle.
• [0:21:30] The crazy session at NACAC 2025: the plight of the standard strong student.
• [0:23:00] A teaser for a future episode on a standard strong student.
• [0:26:10] Final thoughts on NACAC.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

NACAC

Brené Brown

Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You

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Nagging is a common tactic used by parents to get their teens to do what they’re told. But how effective is it really? And could it be doing more harm than good? In this episode of Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You, we are touching on the very relatable topic of nagging! Tuning in, you’ll hear all about why parents tend to nag their teens, how effective it is, the damage it could do, and more! We delve into some more positive behaviours you can engage in instead of nagging, before discussing the power of helping your kids take control of their own schedules and setting natural consequences instead of nagging. Finally, we discuss how to find a balance between nagging and having no expectations of your children. Thanks for listening!

Key Points From This Episode:

• [0:01:38] Today’s topic of discussion: nagging.
• [0:03:38] Why parents nag and why it sometimes works.
• [0:07:27] Nagging as a form of controlling behavior.
• [0:09:15] How effective nagging actually is.
• [0:13:42] What to do as a parent instead of nagging.
• [0:22:13] Empowering your kids to take control and setting consequences.
• [0:23:40] The danger of overcorrecting to the other extreme of nagging.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Sh*t Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You

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