College Insight With UC Berkeley Alumni Nicky Certo
Demystifying College Admissions
Release Date: 10/17/2022
Do Science Competitions Actually Impress Colleges?
Demystifying College Admissions
Are you a student with a big passion for science, but you’re feeling totally overwhelmed by the college admissions process? Are you wondering if competitions like ISEF are actually worth your time, or how you can even get a busy professor to mentor your research project? In today’s episode, we’re doing one of my favorite things: pulling back the curtain on a real-life coaching call with one of our brilliant Passion Project Bootcamp students! She is so organized, and she had a ton of great questions about science competitions and how to find mentors. So, you’ll get to hear the...
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August 2025 College Admissions Checklist: What To Focus on This Month
Demystifying College Admissions
Is summer winding down and you're feeling the back-to-school jitters? Wondering how to navigate college admissions, whether you're a freshman just starting out or a senior facing big deadlines? We’ve got you covered! Today, we're diving into essential August checklists for every high schooler. Since it's already August, this episode is perfectly timed to give you a clear roadmap of what you should be working on as you prepare for the new academic year. We've divided the content into two key categories: a tailored checklist for 9th through 11th graders and a completely different game plan for...
info_outline![[PPBC COACHING CALL] Planning for Ivy League Starts Early: A Freshman Coaching Session show art](https://assets.libsyn.com/item/37517880?height=50&width=50)
[PPBC COACHING CALL] Planning for Ivy League Starts Early: A Freshman Coaching Session
Demystifying College Admissions
Are you a rising high school student wondering how to tackle the daunting college admissions process? Or perhaps you're a parent seeking insider strategies to help your child stand out? If so, you’re going to love this one! These are my favorite types of episodes to bring you, where I pull back the curtain on a live coaching session with a real Passion Prep student and share what happens when planning for Ivy League admission starts early. Today, you'll hear how I help students overcome the fear of starting high school, strategically selecting 9th-grade classes, and developing those...
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What I Wish I Knew In High School: Ivy League & Surgeon Life With My Husband
Demystifying College Admissions
This episode is an extra special one as I'm joined by my husband, a Brown University graduate and practicing oral surgeon! He's here to share what he wishes he knew back in high school, from navigating the Ivy League experience to thriving in the intense world of surgical training We've prepared questions that resonate with high school students and parents, including how to handle pressure and burnout, navigating doubt on your college admissions journey, exploring different oral surgery pathways, and how our definitions of success have evolved. Whether you're a high school student dreaming of...
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College Admissions Fear Is Real — Here’s How to Cope
Demystifying College Admissions
Do you ever feel that knot of anxiety tightening in your stomach just thinking about college admissions? Are you a student wrestling with the fear of rejection, the pressure to be perfect, or the daunting question of "what if I'm not good enough?" Today I want to talk about dealing with this fear and pressure, for both students and their parents when it comes to the college admissions process. In this episode, I share my own story and the reasons why I coach our students to set big goals, plus I reveal how I shifted my mindset to deal with the pressure and uncertainty - all while growing...
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How Kira Got Accepted Into University of Virginia (UVA) - Passion Prep Student Testimonial
Demystifying College Admissions
Have you ever felt like perfect grades and sky-high SAT scores were the only ticket to your dream college? What if you could defy those odds? Today, you’ll meet Kira, a Passion Prep student who just landed her spot at the University of Virginia, her dream college despite facing GPA and test score challenges. How did she do it? In this episode, Kira opens up about her journey and we dive into the strategies and insights that helped her stand out, even without "perfect" stats. If you're looking to demystify the path to Top-tier colleges and discover how to craft an application that truly...
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5 Proven College Admissions Strategies That Got My Students Accepted Into Ivy League & Top-tier Colleges In 2024
Demystifying College Admissions
Would you like to know how our students got accepted into Ivy Leagues & Top-tier colleges, especially in competitive fields such as Computer Science, Pre-Med, and Pre-Law? Or, learn why you are actually decreasing your chances of getting accepted into your dream colleges without even realizing it? If you find yourself asking these questions, and are left yearning for the most robust strategies to help you stand out in this competitive landscape, this episode is perfect for you. Today, I’m sharing the audio of the Free Live Training that I just hosted last week, where I revealed our...
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7 Traits of Students Who Got Accepted Into Their Dream Ivy League & Top-tier Colleges
Demystifying College Admissions
Ever wonder what truly sets apart students who achieve their Ivy League dreams? Or, more broadly, what the hidden traits are of those who conquer any goal they set their mind to? Over the last 14 to 15 years, I have been able to collect 7 common traits of highly successful people who have accomplished their goals & dreams. In this episode, I reveal what they are and how they play a pivotal role in your college admissions journey, and your future! I’m hosting a Free Live Workshop this Wednesday, March 5th + the following Wednesday, March 12th that I highly recommend you...
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When is the best time to take the SAT or ACT (For each grade level)?
Demystifying College Admissions
Are you not sure when is the right moment to dive into SAT or ACT prep? This is a question I get often, so I wanted to break it all down for you today based on each grade level. In our latest episode, I reveal the best time to start preparing for these standardized tests, how diagnostic scores work and the academic factors that really matter when it comes to college applications. You may find this episode a little bit more instructional in nature and requires more technical strategies, but I find it helpful to have one of these episodes every so often. Regardless of which grade you’re...
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Myth: You have to be a genius to get into Ivy League colleges
Demystifying College Admissions
Do you have to be a genius to get into Ivy League colleges? This is a question I get often, and I want to quickly debunk this myth for students (+parents) currently navigating their college admissions journey. More than ever, colleges now are looking for more than just quantitative factors, and in this episode, I discuss the often-overlooked qualitative factors that play a crucial role in the admissions decision-making process. So, if this is a myth that has been holding you back from aiming for Ivy League or Top-tier colleges that you had your eyes on, then this episode is going to be...
info_outlineToday we have a very special guest, Nicky, who is a graduate of UC Berkeley. Nicky majored in film and minored in computer science, and we invited him onto the podcast because he has a lot of useful insights and information about important things like selecting a major.
This is an area where many students and parents are stressing out about, and Nicky reveals how he was able to finally declare his major during his junior year. He also shares the pros and cons of UC Berkeley, specifically regarding the environment and the resources that were provided there, and much more.
We hope that you can gain some insight from Nicky’s journey, and after listening to this episode, you can decipher for yourself whether UC Berkeley would be a good fit for you!
I am hosting our final live workshop of the year, 3 Essential Steps To Getting Accepted Into Your Dream Colleges (Even if you think you're not unique or competitive enough), this coming Wednesday, October 19th. In this workshop, you can ask questions and learn the most updated college admission trends and strategies. You will also hear more about our college consulting program, Passion Project Bootcamp, as we’ll be opening enrollment to that during the live workshop. Head on over to https://passionprep.com/live/ to reserve your free seat now. Again, this is the last event of the year, and I do not want you to miss out on it!
You can register for our free training now at www.passionprep.com/masterclass!
As always, if you have questions, please reach out to our support team at [email protected]. Also I’d love to connect with you on Instagram – our new Instagram handle is: www.instagram.com/passion_prep.