Chasing the Ivy League: Irena Smith on Redefining Success for Our Kids
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Host Cory Greenberg talks about highly selective colleges and the absolutely brutal world of college admissions. Irena Smith, whose book The Golden Ticket lays bare the effect the current system can have on families everywhere. She believes that the Ivy League acceptance letter can create a kind of tunnel vision that ignores real cracks in our kids’ well-being. We talk big-picture here: the need to redefine the idea of success, and for all of us parents to reflect on how we can support our kids through their school years and come out the other side in one piece.
Brought to you by Tutor Corps and Pacific Preparatory.
About our guest:
Irena is a college admissions expert and former Stanford admissions officer. She holds a BA in English and a PhD in comparative literature and taught humanities and composition at UCLA and Stanford before transitioning to college admissions and writing.
Find her at:
Website: https://www.irenasmith.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irena.smith/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088168355064
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irena-smith-1166a15/
Resources mentioned in the episode:
The Golden Ticket: A Life in the College Admissions Essays, Irena Smith
Hyperbole and a Half, Allie Brosh
