College Parent Central Podcast

Searching for meaningful summer reading that might transform your relationship with your college student? Look no further than this curated collection of parent-focused book recommendations from higher education professionals Vicki Nelson and Lynn Abrahams.

The hosts dive deep into six powerful books that address crucial aspects of the college parenting journey. "Sleep Deprived Teen" reveals the shocking impact o...

Vicki and Elizabeth were excited in the episode to welcome college admission experts Rick Clark and Brennan Barnard to talk about their book, “The Truth About College Admission: A Family Guide to Getting In and Staying Together.” This book cuts through the noise, misinformation, and unhealthy pressure surrounding college admissions. While acknowledging the admission system system isn't perfectly "fair," Rick and Bren...

The summer between high school and college isn't just busy—it's a profound transition that transforms both students and parents. This emotional crossroads, where students are "no longer" in high school but "not yet" in college, demands navigation through unfamiliar territory. We did a bit of a turn for this episode as Lynn interviewed Vicki about her new E-book, The Summer Before College: A Parent&apos...

What happens when bright, capable students seem completely unmotivated about their future? Dr. Ellen Braaten, author of Bright Kids Who Couldn’t Care Less  joins us to unpack this phenomenon that can leave you feeling frustrated and worried. We talked about motivation - how it's not just about "trying harder" but rather a delicate interplay between initiation (the spark), persistence (the ability to continue), and in...

You send your student off to college and you’re already anticipating that Commencement Ceremony four years later. But traditional four-year college timelines are becoming less common as students forge their own unique educational paths. In this episode, Vicki and Lynn explore the various ways students navigate higher education today – from gap years that build maturity and purpose to mid-college breaks and an extra fifth year colle...

Elizabeth and Vicki were joined in this episode by Jane Thierfeld-Brown and Lorraine Wolf,  important experts in disability services in higher education. Jane and Lorre shared their insights into the complexities that autistic students face as they transition from high school to college. They shared their personal journeys as well as the work they’ve done together, including their new book, Neurodiversity in College: A Parent’s Gui...

Vicki and Lynn were thrilled to be joined in this episode by Jay Gonzalez, president of Curry College, to learn more about what college presidents do and why it matters.  With his background in business, politics and law, Jay brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective on what it means to lead a higher education institution today. Jay also described the groundbreaking Curry Commitment, a job guarantee program that is the...

In this episode, Elizabeth and Vicki are joined by education experts Ned Johnson and Bill Stixrud, authors of the book The Self-Driven Child and of the new workbook for parents, 7 Principles for Raising the Self Driven Child  for a thought-provoking discussion on how to empower your child to become self-driven, allowing them to navigate their own educational journey with confidence and independence. We tackled the intricate dynamic...

Almost all colleges have a set of required courses for all students – sometimes called General Education or Distribution courses. They’re designed to expose students to a variety of different subjects and disciplines. But what happens when that particular area or course is especially challenging for a student? How do they face this mandatory course that can seem so daunting?  Some students may assume or wish that they might receive...

If you are in the midst of the college search and admission process, financing this college education is likely top of mind. Merit aid is an important part of many financial packages and there’s no one better to talk to about the topic than Ron Lieber, financial columnist for the New York Times.  It’s so important that we decided to share this episode again. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear Ron talk about his Merit Aid course, a ...

Nearly half of recent college graduates are finding themselves back in their childhood bedrooms, and it’s not just nostalgia pulling them home. Financial pressures are nudging this generation towards a new developmental stage of life. These shifting family dynamics come with their own set of challenges and opportunities. In this episode, Vicki and Lynn explore the concept of "boomerang students" and share their personal j...

The transition to second semester of college is so important – and often hidden – that we’ve decided to share this episode again. You and your student may be taken by surprise when the start of the second semester of college seems so difficult. In this episode, Vicki and Lynn explore why some students may experience the “second semester blues” and why some parents feel they need to increase their involvement. We share strategies yo...

This is the time of year when we reflect on the year and another season of the College Parent Central podcast. It’s been a busy year for all of our cohosts, Vicki, Lynn, Elizabeth and Sarah. It’s always fun to get all of us together to share thoughts and stories, but our schedules just wouldn’t allow that to happen this year. So Vicki had a conversation with each of our cohosts and we share those conversations in this episode. We t...

We were excited to have a chance to talk to Lindsey Cormack for this podcast episode. Lindsey is the author of the book How to Raise a Citizen (and why it’s up to you to do it.) Most of us don’t spend much time thinking about how our students learn about how the government works, how government affects our lives, how to register to vote, and why it matters. In our conversation, Lindsey helped us understand why schools often avoid t...

Once your child steps into the world of college – even if it is in the next room – both parents and students begin experiencing a new stage in development. Students are exploring the academic and social world of college; parents are exploring the experience of stepping back and watching them do it.  But, it is also part of the parenting package to worry.  In this episode, Lynn and Vicki highlight some of the signs that parents can ...

So many mysterious terms and acronyms to understand when your student heads off to college! You’ll understand how college works better when you understand the strange terms they use. In our fourth installment of our College Lingo series, Vicki and Lynn define and discuss more of the insider terms that colleges use that may not always be clear to parents. In this episode we cover Blue Light Phones, Articulation Agreements, Federal W...

Just about anyone who has a student in school knows there are school counselors, but many of us don’t have any idea what they do. We know they provide guidance and assistance with college and career planning, but that’s just one part of the career that also includes social and emotional counseling and addressing academic needs – and for a national average of 250-400 students per counselor! With that much to do, for that many studen...

Most of us probably know that getting enough sleep makes us feel better, but there’s so much more to it than that – especially for our teens. In this episode, Vicki and Elizabeth talk with Lisa Lewis, author of the book The Sleep Deprived Teen: Why Our Teenagers Are So Tired, and How Parents and Schools Can Help Them Thrive about why our students aren’t getting enough sleep, the dramatic effect that can have on them, and how to hel...

Zachary DesJardins and John Martinez are Academic Advisors at the State University of New York at Albany, and they work with students every day. In this conversation we learned how important it is for all of us to recognize that we are in a constant state of change and how crucial it is to be present in the moment. Zachary and John, both First Generation students themselves, shared some of the challenges these students face, but mo...