College Parent Central Podcast

You don’t stop parenting the day you drop your student off to college on Move-in Day. Your role simply changes. (Actually, it’s not simple at all, but it changes.) You’re a parent for life. Join Lynn Abrahams and Vicki Nelson, higher education professionals and former college parents, as they explore the topics that can help you be a more effective and supportive parent to your college bound student. Whether you already have a child in college, college is still a year or more away, or your student is about to step out, start now to gather the information that empowers you to be an effective college success coach to your student.

College Parent Central Podcast is a education podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 161 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts College Parent Central Podcast, a education show with 161 episodes published.

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  Episode #162

  #162 - Catching Up: Does Your Student Need Remedial Classes?

  Aug 19, 202652 minS7

  Your student gets accepted, pays the deposit, and then a placement email lands like a surprise bill: developmental math, remedial writing, foundational reading. What does that actually mean, and is it going to slow graduation down? We unpack the real purpose of developmental education and why colleges use it as a bridge to college-level work, not a punishment. We also talk through the most common misunderstandings families have about credit, transcripts, tuition, and financial aid when a course may or may not count toward the degree. We walk through how colleges decide placement, from high school GPA and specific course grades to SAT/ACT scores, placement exams like Accuplacer, and even surveys about study habits and motivation. If your student is taking assessments in the chaos of senior year, we explain why effort and timing matter, how to ask for a retest, and why talking with an advisor early can prevent a bad fit that ripples into prerequisites and major requirements. You’ll also hear what’s changing across higher education: co-requisite support models that pair the regular credit-bearing class with a smaller lab for extra feedback, plus smarter math pathways aligned to majors like social sciences or STEM. We end with a practical checklist of questions to ask on college tours and during onboarding, including success rates after developmental courses, summer bridge options, and the hidden financial aid risks of taking catch-up classes elsewhere if it changes first-year status to transfer. If this helped you think more clearly about college readiness, placement tests, and academic support, subscribe, share the episode with another parent, and leave a quick review. What’s one question you want your student to ask before classes start? Thank you for listening! Much more information for college parents can be found on our website, College Parent Central Find us on Twitter at @CollParCentral Find us on Bluesky at @CollParCentral.bsky.social Sign up for our newsletter for ongoing information

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  Episode #161

  #161 - My Student Wants to Go to Law School - Now What?

  Aug 5, 202647 minS7

  Law school can look like a straight line from college to a JD, until you learn how much hinges on one quiet detail: timing. We sit down with Jennifer Balboni, a criminal justice professor and long time pre law advisor, to map the real law school admissions process in plain language so parents and students can plan early and avoid expensive surprises. We unpack why law school applications have surged, what draws students to the law in the first place, and why many students pivot once they arrive and discover new areas like contracts, torts, or estates. Jennifer explains how rolling admissions works, why applying in September or October can dramatically improve both acceptance odds and merit based scholarship offers, and why waiting until late winter can leave fewer seats and little money on the table. We also talk frankly about debt and why “getting in” is not the only goal. Then we demystify the LSAT: what it tests, why it feels unlike other exams, and how to treat prep like marathon training. You will hear practical guidance on building a study timeline, choosing a test date that keeps retake options open, strengthening GPA, earning meaningful academic recommendations, and finding ABA accredited programs that fit a student’s goals and learning style. We close with advice for parents on staying supportive, keeping perspective, and helping a student choose the next right step if they do not get the result they hoped for. If you found this helpful, subscribe, share it with a parent or student weighing law school, and leave a review so more families can find it. What part of the law school process feels most confusing right now? Thank you for listening! Much more information for college parents can be found on our website, College Parent Central Find us on Twitter at @CollParCentral Find us on Bluesky at @CollParCentral.bsky.social Sign up for our newsletter for ongoing information

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  Episode #160

  #160 - Encore - The Addiction Inoculation: An Interview with Author Jessica Lahey

  Jul 15, 202654 minS7

  We were honored to be able to spend some time talking with Jessica Lahey, author of The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed, about her new book The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence. Jessica’s new book weaves together her personal story about addiction with a tremendous amount of information about topics such as brain development, drinking culture, substance use disorder, and ways both parents and schools can approach this sensitive topic. The book contains suggestions and scripts for conversations with your kids from pre-school through elementary, middle and high school as well as college. With this book, parents will be armed with the information they need to talk to their kids about alcohol and drugs. Thank you for listening! Much more information for college parents can be found on our website, College Parent Central Find us on Twitter at @CollParCentral Find us on Bluesky at @CollParCentral.bsky.social Sign up for our newsletter for ongoing information

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  Episode #159

  #159 - Unpacking the Admission Process for First Generation Families with Sacha Thieme

  Jul 1, 202650 minS7

  The college admission process can be daunting for everyone, but maybe a little more overwhelming for first generation students and their families. In this episode, we talk with someone who knows the ins and outs of admission as an admission director, but who was also a first generation student. Elizabeth and Vicki are joined by Sacha Thieme, Associate Vice Chancellor of Enrollment and Executive Director of Admissions at Indiana University Bloomington, who breaks down a practical division of labor for the college admissions process: students keep the agency, voice, and decisions, while parents provide boundaries, honest expectations, and gentle accountability. For first-generation families, we cover what to ask on tours and what challenges can show up after arrival. Our conversation with Sacha Thieme will help and reassure all families that they can weather the college admission process. Thank you for listening! Much more information for college parents can be found on our website, College Parent Central Find us on Twitter at @CollParCentral Find us on Bluesky at @CollParCentral.bsky.social Sign up for our newsletter for ongoing information

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  Episode #158

  #158 - Summer Reads 2026

  Jun 17, 202642 minS7

  Chasing the “dream school” can quietly turn college admissions into a stress contest, and it doesn’t have to. We’re sharing our annual summer reading list for college parents, with books that help you step back, ask better questions, and support your student without getting pulled into rankings anxiety. If you’ve been wondering how to talk about fit, finances, and what your child actually needs to thrive, these reads give you a calmer, clearer way in. We start with Jeffrey Selingo’s Dream School: Finding the College That’s Right for You, plus the bigger perspective his work brings to the college search. We talk about why the most famous schools aren’t automatically the best schools, how rankings can distort decisions, and how to reframe “What’s your dream school?” into questions about learning environment, outcomes, and support. We also touch on Selingo’s “buyers and sellers” idea, a practical way to understand recruiting, merit aid, and why some colleges compete hard for students. From there, we widen the lens to what’s happening emotionally for both students and parents. Brad Stolberg’s Master of Change introduces “rugged flexibility,” a useful mindset for major life transitions. Jennifer Breheny Wallace’s Mattering explores belonging and purpose as real needs, not buzzwords, and we connect that to the college transition. We also recommend a striking poem that captures what neurodiversity can feel like from the inside, a hands-on guide to rekindling motivation when a bright kid seems checked out, and a fascinating look at how the arts can support mental health and brain function, even for students who swear they’re “not artistic.” If you want a summer reading list that’s practical, humane, and full of conversation starters, come listen, then share this with a fellow college parent and leave us a review so more families can find the support. Which book are you adding to your list first? Thank you for listening! Much more information for college parents can be found on our website, College Parent Central Find us on Twitter at @CollParCentral Find us on Bluesky at @CollParCentral.bsky.social Sign up for our newsletter for ongoing information

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