ServeWell Podcast

Ep. 111 | Which military branch suits you best?

In this week's podcast, I suggest how to pick the branch of service that suits you best. Part of the analysis has to do with what you are optimizing for: undergraduate

Ep. 110 | Financial Literacy Maxxing

In this week's podcast, I encourage students to open up an individual brokerage account and a ROTH IRA. For students who aspire to a service academy or ROTC program, thi

Ep. 109 | DoDMERB: A cautionary tale

In this week's podcast, I review what DoDMERB is and how to avoid the pitfalls it may present. When your child applies to a service academy or ROTC program, they will ev

Ep. 108 | 5 Nothing-Burger Activities to Avoid

In this week's podcast, I review the 5 biggest nothing-burger extracurricular activities that you should not include in your applications - unless you have no choice. Yo

Ep. 107 | Ethan vs Roman

In this week's episode, I compare the trajectory of two similar students as they transition into college. [Though inspired by real-world stories, these students are ficti

Ep. 106 | The service academy interview

In this week's episode, I review how to prepare for a service academy interview. Last week, my youngest son sat down with his Blue & Gold officer for his official USNA i

Ep. 105 | Shouldn't every student consider the service academies?

In this week's episode, I wonder why every high school student doesn't apply to a service academy and/or ROTC program.

Ep. 104 | Is an SAT tutor worth it?

In this week's episode, I discuss whether it's worth it to invest in an SAT or ACT tutor.

Ep. 103 | 3 Critical Habits

In this week's episode, I reflect on the last few months of 1-on-1 consulting sessions I've had with several ServeWellers. With few exceptions, many students were guilty

Ep. 102 | Work-Life Balance

In this week's episode, I react to a comment left on one of my Instagram reels suggesting that maritime academies weren't ideal because they often required long stretches

Ep. 101 | TED Talk Roulette

In this week's episode, I review the origin story of "TED Talk Roulette" and how it can be implemented in your child's life. This activity is designed to help students w

Ep. 100 | What makes college students successful (Part 3)

This week, I offer the third and final installment of our 3-part series that tries to answer the question: What makes college students successful? In review: - Part I

Ep. 099 | No more "easy" button

This week, I try to explain why my phone is ringing off the hook with students interested in service academies and ROTC programs. I review six different potential reason

Ep. 098 | How to get the most out of SWA

This week, I review the 3 different plans available at ServeWell Academy.  Basic Plan VIP Plan Private Plan I hope this helps those families thinking about enrolling in

Ep. 097 | The importance of structure in the college experience

Two weeks ago, I highlighted the importance of feedback when it comes to the development of 18-22 year-olds. This week, I dig into the importance of structure. The two

Ep. 096 | The new ServeWell year begins tomorrow...

Tomorrow (June 1st) marks the migration from one year to the next... eager 8th-graders can now become freshman ServeWellers (2030) freshman ServeWellers (2029) become so

Ep. 095 | Accelerated Feedback Loops

In today's episode, I cover the topic of feedback. In order to mature, young adults need to know what they are doing right and what they are doing wrong. And the sooner

Ep. 094 | Feedback from the field

In today's episode, I share insights and perspective from a former ServeWell Academy graduate who went on to attend Vanderbilt University on a Marine Option Navy ROTC sch

Ep. 093 | Why do service academies care so much about academics?

In today's episode, I review why the service academies care so much about: SAT/ACT GPA Rigor of coursework Why did all the service academies continue to require standar

Ep. 092 | How to maximize flexibility and minimize cost

In today's episode, I redefine what your child's #1 priority should be when planning for college. Years ago, the priorities were: How do I get into an Ivy League, Top 1