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, and what actually separates students who get admitted from those who don’t.

Drawing on recent early-decision results (including acceptances to Yale, Dartmouth, Cornell, and Vanderbilt, plus $100,000 scholarships) I explain the hidden trap families fall into when they chase what they think admissions officers want.

You’ll learn:

• Why “doing more” often makes applications weaker, not stronger
• The two questions admissions officers are really trying to answer
• How the Impressiveness Trap creates noise instead of clarity
• What successful students do differently to become “obvious admits”
• Why starting earlier (8th–11th grade) dramatically reduces stress and increases options
  
  

I also share details about the upcoming live workshop, Hacking College Admissions, where you can learn how to build a clear, strategic plan that actually works. Register for free at TILC.to/janworkshop

If you want your teen to have real options. Confidence instead of panic, this episode is for 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

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 speaker and Ivy League Challenge alum Ava DiNapoli, to pull back the curtain on the parent side of an extraordinary student journey.

Karen shares:

• What it felt like when Ava first came home with an overwhelming, world-scale project idea
• Why seeking outside guidance was essential—for both parent and child
• How Ava’s first projects weren’t the final answer, and why that mattered
• The moment Karen realized Ava had found her own core values, not her parents’
• How internal motivation changed everything—from reminders and resistance to self-driven action
• Why parents must learn when to step in—and when to step back

This conversation is a powerful reminder that:

• You don’t need a perfect plan to start
• Growth comes from action, reflection, and course-correction
• The right support system helps teens become drivers of their own lives

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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 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 a meaningful impact aligned with those values… that’s the kind of leadership colleges simply cannot ignore.

But today, I want to zoom in on something even more foundational:

What does it actually mean to make an impact?

When adults talk about impact, it often sounds abstract, almost mysterious.

And for teens who are used to classroom projects that stay theoretical, the idea of solving real problems in the real world can feel overwhelming… even scary.

The students you’re about to hear from — Ava Dinapoli and Aavi Patel — felt all of that.

They ran into roadblocks.

They doubted themselves.

They had to figure things out step by step.

But they stayed committed to making the most meaningful impact they could.

And because of that persistence… their work is literally saving lives.

I hope you listen to their stories and feel as inspired as I am, not only because of the size of their impact, but because of the way they achieved it.

They didn’t leap into greatness.

They moved forward one step at a time, exactly the way any young person can.

Let’s listen 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