The College Info Geek Podcast: Study Tips & Advice For Students

Writing a college admissions essay can seem like an impossible task. But it doesn't have to be. Today's post will show you exactly what you should do. Read the full article here: https://collegeinfogeek.com/college-essay/

If you feel like everyone "gets" how to navigate college EXCEPT you, this episode will put those fears to rest with practical tips on being college-ready. Full show notes Things mentioned in this episode: The First Year College Experience survey The Unwritten Laws of Business Dr. Josh Klapow on homesickness A look at Iowa State's 800+ clubs Jeff Ma The House Advantage  (Jeff Ma's book) Hustling, Connecting, and Winning with Gary Vaynerchuk (Ep. 8) Shinrin yoku (forest bathing) Biophilia hypothesis Learned Helplessness (Ep. 99) How Exercise Improves Your Brain (Ep. 105) Finding a Part-Time Job in College (Ep. 67) Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal comic What if you have too many interests? Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page. You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll

When your energy and attention ebb and flow throughout the day, not every minute is created equal - and if you try to spend all of them working, you'll burn out. That's why taking breaks is essential; doing so will boost your productivity and health. Read the full article here: https://collegeinfogeek.com/breaks/

Loans, scholarships, grants, the FAFSA... paying for college can be complicated. This episode goes over all the details, as well as how to make it cheaper. Full show notes Things mentioned in this episode: Sunk cost fallacy Listen Money Matters (my other podcast) Do Elite Colleges Lead to Higher Salaries? Only for Some Professions Community college grads out-earn bachelor's degree holders 39 Ways to Cut the Cost of College ISU's monthly payment plan option FAFSA FAFSA Income Estimator What you need for the FAFSA FSA ID Are you independent or dependent on the FAFSA? Perkins vs. Stafford loan How To Win Scholarships (Ep. 34) FastWeb Scholarships.com BigFuture by The College Board Cappex - looking for Zinch? Looks like it got bought by Chegg, and is no more. Sorry! Confessions of a Scholarship Winner The True Cost of Student Loans Vsauce number video Bankrupting student loans with credit cards? Peace corp and student loans Deferring student loans Income-driven repayment plans Direct loan consolidation Sofi - st

Choosing a college and getting accepted can be complicated. We go through the whole process step by step, and provide tips based on our experience. Full show notes Things mentioned in this episode: Debt-Free U by Zac Bissonnette (the top pick on my Essential Books for Students list) The Happiness Equation by Neil Pasricha CollegeBoard's college application checklist CollegeBoard's detailed college application timeline Stop Trying to Find Your Passion How to win scholarships (Ep. 34) Resume and interview tips from Brad Karsh (Ep. 40) The power of storytelling in job interviews (Ep. 80) College interview don'ts Peterson's ultimate guide to getting into college Financial aid effect of early decision/early action ISU's minimum acceptance requirements and RAI formula The Superstar Effect Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page. You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Gee

Today's episode is a conversation with my friend Simon Clark - we cover what student life is like at Oxford University, the workload of a PhD student, and more. Full show notes Things mentioned in this episode: Simon's YouTube channel Follow Simon on Twitter Infinitesimal: How a Dangerous Mathematical Theory Shaped the Modern World The Swerve: How the World Became Modern Paradise Lost Crash Course on Atmospheric Physics PhD Watch Jake Wright OxVlog project Simon's Goodreads My Goodreads A History of the World in 6 Glasses Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page. You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!

We didn't know how to title this episode. Despite the dumb title I went with, this episode actually happens to be an analysis of "The Art of Loving", a book by the philosopher Erich Fromm which argues that love is an art, requiring active practice. Full show notes Things mentioned in this episode: The Art of Loving, by Erich Fromm Erich Fromm Mindware: Tools for Smart Thinking Strand bookstore Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page. You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!

If you want to become a programmer or developer, or just learn how to code, this episode will get you started and point you to lots of learning resources. Full show notes Things mentioned in this episode: Codecademy Code Combat Treehouse Lynda Codecourse CodingBat Sublime Text Brackets Atom Vim Emacs JS Beautifier JS Fiddle CodePen Github Stack Exchange Dream in Code Martin's Twitter Martin's cool Linux desktop Descent GeoCities Zao (my old website is dead and gone) CIG v3.5 The ultimate guide to building a personal website How to develop new skills quickly AMpanic WordPress The Millionaire Real Estate Investor Game jam Startup weekend Unreal engine Unity A complete course on Unity game development The Motivation Hacker How I learned to build iPhone apps Hour of Code GameSalad BuildBox 16 tools for making video games How not to be afraid of learning programming Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page. You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Aweso

In this episode, Dr. John Ratey, author of "Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain", explains how exercise improves your brain's functions. Full show notes Things mentioned in this episode: Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, by Dr. John Ratey Discuss this episode in the community Dr. Ratey's website 7 Minute Workout app (iPhone) 7 Minute Workout app (Android) Tabata app (iPhone) Tabata app (Android) BDNF Neurotransmitters HPA axis GABA Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page. You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!

Finals are coming up in a few weeks, so we basically just wanted to dump as many tips for acing them on you as possible. This episode goes over study schedules, effective review, test anxiety, catching up on homework near finals, and more. Full show notes Things mentioned in this episode: College Info Geek Test Prep Videos Prisoner's dilemma (video) Good, fast, cheap - pick two Study on writing down fears before the start of a test How to get better test scores through confidence tracking (interview with Justin Couchman) How to get to bed on time and stop losing sleep StayFocusd Anki StudyBlue Memrise Supermemo Spaced repetition Directed Attention Fatigue Inhibition Theory Koofers Cortex Strict Workflow Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page. You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It

It's easy to let your nutrition go on autopilot when you're in college, but look man - food is important. In this episode, we'll dig into how to eat a healthier diet. We'll also discuss strategies for making meals quickly and saving money on groceries. Full show notes Things mentioned in this episode: A College Guide to Eating Healthy - my guest post at Nerd Fitness Actual Poor Student Cookbook Staci Ardison's Choose-Your-Own-Adventure meals Rice cooker - lots of options out there; this one seemed like the best combo of cheap price + good reviews CGP Grey - Star Trek transporter Existential Comics - transporter problem Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain r/slowcooking r/eatcheapandhealthy Kicking a soda-drinking habit Good Eats - best cooking show ever If-then habits WTH effect Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page. You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less)

T. Michael Martin (author of Mr. Fahrenheit and The End Games) guides me through the process of becoming an author - dealing with publishers, editors, etc. Full show notes Things mentioned in this episode: Mr. Fahrenheit (comes out April 19th) The End Games (Mike's first novel) Mike's website Mike's YouTube channel Follow Mike on Twitter How to Adult Patrick Rothfuss John Green Joshua Ferris Then We Came to the End S.A. Bodeen Sara Zarr AgentQuery Stronger Faster Better Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page. You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!

My friend Ransom is currently studying abroad in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and today he's going to give you all the details you need about embarking on your own study abroard adventure. Also, I'm insanely jealous that he's part of a caving club. Full show notes Things mentioned in this episode: Ransom's site Ransom's study abroad blog How I traveled to Japan cheaply The United Kingdom Explained - CGP Grey Geoguessr My live stream with Simon, Sally, and Dan If It Were My Home House on the Rock pictures Ruby Falls Skyscanner Kayak Airbnb HostelWorld Tortuga Study Abroad Scholarship How to find study abroad scholarships Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page. You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposur

Episode 100! Today, I'm talking with Cal Newport once again, this time about how to build your ability to do "deep work" - work that's focused, cognitively challenging, and free of distractions. Full show notes Things mentioned in this episode: Deep Work Why You Should Embrace Boredom and Learn to Do Hard Things - Ransom's post on Deep Work Randall Munroe's (xkcd author) method of avoiding internet distractions Freedom (site and app-blocking app for Mac) SelfControl (free alternative, but doesn't block applications) FocalFilter (similar, but for Windows) Gary Vaynerchuk ScheduleOnce Calendly Why "Follow Your Passion" is Bad Advice (Ep. 35) So Good They Can't Ignore You In Defense of Boredom - a great related article at Brain Pickings Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page. You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter. If you enjoyed this episode, subscri

Many students and people suffer from learned helplessness - an ingrained mindset that prevents them from solving problems themselves. In this episode, we'll talk about the science behind it, how it affects your optimism, and how to cure yourself of it. Full show notes Things mentioned in this episode: Learned Helplessness at Wikipedia My tale from tech support Dog study The chimp study... didn't actually happen. This is why I fact-check! The Art of Loving, by Erich Fromm Optimism/Pessimism test Jake Roper of Vsauce3 So you failed a test... now what? Episode with Matt Ringel The Corson Technique Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page. You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave

On this 5 questions episode, we go over how to make study fun (including some detail on "interest links"), unlearning bad techniques and habits, the value of honors programs, break/rest structures, and more. Full show notes Things mentioned in this episode: Why I killed my standing desk 9 life-changing books That fan-fiction article The Last Ring-Bearer Temporal motivation theory Subjunctive The Discoverers Superstar effect BJ Fogg's Tiny Habits Yoga with Tim Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page. You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!

Ever wondered how freelance writers get accepted to write for huge sites - and get paid for it? Today I'm talking with Aja Frost, who has done exactly that - as a student (and paid off all her loans in the process). Full show notes Things mentioned in this episode: Discuss this episode in the community Connect with Aja on Twitter Aja's website All of Aja's freelance writing The Prospect 4 Super-Common Interview Questions The controversial frat article QUIC G-Eazy Boosted board Inboard M1 Casey Neistat My 14,000-word post Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page. You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!

Martin and I talk about some of the books that have shaped our beliefs and the directions of our lives. Full show notes Things mentioned in this episode: If This Isn't Nice, What Is? by Kurt Vonnegut The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey (here's a summary) Zen Habits by Leo Babauta Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality by Eliezer Yudkowsky Essentialism by Greg Mckeown The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg (watch my 5 Lessons video on this book) The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut 5 Questions: Setbacks, Tiredness, Dream Job Selection Be Mindful of Your Path Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin (and my interview with her about it) LessWrong Sequences (if you want a book version of this: Rationality: From AI to Zombies) Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman Influence by Robert Cialdini Loss aversion Hell Yeah! or No Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page. You can also get a

So you want to quit your job: maybe you've got a business idea, maybe you want to freelance, or maybe you just hate it and don't really have a plan. How do you go about it? How much do you need in savings? Today's episode is all about that. Full show notes Things mentioned in this episode: DIY Video Guy Caleb Wojcik Films Caleb's YouTube channel Connect with Caleb on Twitter My interview on the DIY Video Guy podcast - earning 150,000 YouTube subscribers in a year The Fizzle Show Smart Passive Income Startup Podcast (listen from the beginning - I loved Season 1. Season 2 is unrelated and of lower quality IMO) The Personal MBA - one of my essential books for students The Dip What Do You Want To Do When You Grow Up? Virtual Freedom Chris Guillebeau Gear Doesn't Matter Casey Neistat - Maxing out credit card Stop Trying to Find Your Passion Jetpack Joyride Helicopter game (procrastination warning) Health Insurance fee Dustin Hoffman - Acting Masterclass Social Network soundtrack Can Music Help You Study More Effe

Hoping to go to med school and become a doctor? This episode is ALL about that process. Today I'm talking with my friend Ryan Gray, who is a doctor and the founder of Medical School HQ. Full show notes Things mentioned in this episode: Medical School HQ The Premed Playbook - Ryan's book on acing medical school interviews The Premed Years podcast Connect with Ryan on Twitter Study Advice from a Medical Student (ep. 26) Post-baccalaureate programs HPSP scholarship MCAT details MMI interview Medical school board exams Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page. You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!