Episodes 305
Avg. Duration 18m
Activity Active
Since May 2020
Latest Episode Jun 2026

Publishing Details

Schedule
Weekly
Format
Episodic
Consistency
51%
Hosting
rss.buzzsprout.com

About This Podcast

Equipping you to successfully pursue the college of your dreams. I believe that the world needs every student to reach their full potential. College admittance shouldn't hold you back. I'm an educator and Harvard grad who has been in your shoes. I designed this podcast to accompany the Ivy League Challenge (my online course) to support my listeners. I've met with graduates, admissions officers, and professors to identify the criteria used to select candidates. I've crafted a road map for success and can share it with you. 

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Recent Episodes

S2E264 She Chose Stanford Over Yale & Notre Dame-- Here’s How She Got There

Jun 02, 2026 1h 3m

Lizzie had every reason to choose Notre Dame.Her parents went there. She grew up loving the school. She was admitted early. For most students, that would have been the dream ending.But then Stanford…

S2E263 A fun exercise for making the most of your summer

May 19, 2026 27m

Summer can either become a missed opportunity, or a powerful season of growth.In this episode, I share a clip from a class for students who have already completed the Ivy League Challenge. After…

S2E262 Before You Start Writing College Essays, Listen to This

May 12, 2026 15m

Most students start their personal statement by asking, “What should I write about?”That’s the wrong starting point.In this episode, Steve explains why the topic is not the essay-- and why strong…

S2E261 How Admissions Teams Actually Evaluate Applications

May 04, 2026 21m

Most students believe the way to stand out in college admissions is simple:Do more.Achieve more.Be more impressive.But at the highest levels, that strategy is exactly what makes applications blend…

S2E260 What To Do with Your Summer

Apr 28, 2026 13m

In college admissions, summer serves a very important purpose.It’s one of the only times of year where your time is truly your own… and that makes it one of the clearest signals of who you are, what…

S2E259 Athletics & College Application Strategy

Apr 14, 2026 21m

Does playing a sport actually help you get into a top college?The answer is more nuanced than most families realize.In this episode, we break down when athletics is a powerful advantage, when it…

S2E258 How Musicians Get Into Ivy League+ Colleges

Apr 08, 2026 24m

If your child spends hours practicing music each day, you may wonder: "is this actually helping with college admissions?"From a strategic perspective, music can feel like a poor return on investment,…

S2E257 College Admissions Playbook Full Training Recording

Mar 29, 2026 1h 15m

Today is Ivy Day, and the results are in.This year:5 out of 6 of my 1:1 students who applied to Yale were admittedOthers were accepted to Cornell, Dartmouth, Princeton, and UPennOne student was…

S2E256 Getting to the Top Tier

Mar 23, 2026 16m

Internships. Summer programs. Camps.Most students assume these are the key to standing out in college admissions.But what if some of the hardest opportunities to get… are actually some of the least…

S2E255 Why Strong Students Still Miss the Mark in Supplemental Essays

Mar 18, 2026 32m

If you’ve been following this podcast, you already know that college admissions isn’t about being the most impressive student.But what does a truly strong essay actually look like?In this episode,…

S2E254 Inside Yale Admissions: How to Stand Out

Mar 10, 2026 21m

What actually helps a student stand out to Ivy League admissions officers?In this episode, Steve Gardner sits down with Bilal, a Yale student and student ambassador in the Yale Undergraduate…

S2E253 Emerging Researchers Incubator with Saisha Pal

Mar 02, 2026 32m

Saisha Pal joins me to discuss her journey through the Emerging Researchers Incubator and how she transformed an interest in mental health and criminal justice into meaningful, real-world…

S2E252 Bottlenecks to High Performance in Teens pt. 3: Fear

Feb 26, 2026 22m

You’ve committed to aiming high.You’ve accepted the hard work.So why does something still feel tense beneath the surface?In this final episode of the series, we uncover the third bottleneck to high…

S2E251 Bottlenecks to High Performance in Teens pt. 2 Time Management

Feb 16, 2026 20m

Most teens don’t need more hours in the day, they need to stop losing the hours they already have.In Part 2 of this 3-part series, we tackle the second bottleneck to high performance: time…

S2E250 Bottlenecks to High Performance in Teens pt. 1

Feb 09, 2026 25m

Why do some teens seem to effortlessly rise to the top—winning scholarships, earning Ivy League acceptances, and excelling in everything they do—while others with similar stats struggle to stand…

S2E249 How My Students Got Into Yale and Other Top Schools

Jan 13, 2026 22m

What if college admissions isn’t about being more impressive, but about being more clear?In this episode, I break down why so many hardworking, high-achieving students are rejected from top colleges,…

S2E248 Supporting an Ambitious Teen with Karen DiNapoli

Jan 05, 2026 35m

What does it actually look like to support a highly driven teenager—without controlling, pushing, or burning them out?In this episode, I sit down with Karen DiNapoli, mother of nationally ranked…

S2E247 How can I Make an Impact?

Dec 29, 2025 20m

In the last few episodes, we’ve explored the many ways students can lead through innovation, dialogue, and action.We’ve seen, again and again, that when teens identify their core values and then make…

S2E246 High School Leadership Case Studies

Dec 22, 2025 37m

Leadership isn’t about titles as it’s about noticing what matters and taking action.In this episode, three students show how real impact often begins close to home.Scarlett worked with her city to…

S2E245 Social Media & Teen High Performance

Dec 15, 2025 21m

Is social media silently sabotaging your success?In this episode, Steve Gardner — founder of The Ivy League Challenge and Harvard Summer School instructor — shares the mindset and strategies that set…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Ivy League Prep Academy Podcast have?

Ivy League Prep Academy Podcast has published 305 episodes since May 2020, covering topics in Education, Self-Improvement.

Is Ivy League Prep Academy Podcast still active?

Ivy League Prep Academy Podcast is currently active with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 18m.

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