College App 101

Interviews with Class of 2026 National Merit Students Part 4 (National Merit Finalist!)

Over the years, College App 101 podcasts have provided many tips on taking the Preliminary SAT, also known as the PSAT. Elite performance on the PSAT during junior year can result in arguably the most prestigious academic honor for high school students: National Merit status. In the present episode, Dr. Riley interviews Dharshan, a National Merit finalist from the high school class of 2026, giving special emphasis to the role of a classical, great books, liberal arts education in preparing testers for the PSAT. Episode topics include PSAT preparation tips, applying for scholarships and college with National Merit status, the role of parents in PSAT preparation, and more.

Interviews with Class of 2026 National Merit Students Part 3

Over the years, College App 101 podcasts have provided many tips on taking the Preliminary SAT, also known as the PSAT. Elite performance on the PSAT during junior year can result in arguably the most prestigious academic honor for high school students: National Merit status. In the present episode, Dr. Riley interviews Jack, a National Merit student from the high school class of 2026, giving special emphasis to the role of a classical, great books, liberal arts education in preparing testers for the PSAT. Episode topics include PSAT preparation tips, applying for scholarships and college with National Merit status, the role of parents in PSAT preparation, and more.

Interviews with Class of 2026 National Merit Students Part 2

Over the years, College App 101 podcasts have provided many tips on taking the Preliminary SAT, also known as the PSAT. Elite performance on the PSAT during junior year can result in arguably the most prestigious academic honor for high school students: National Merit status. In the present episode, Dr. Riley interviews Steven, a National Merit student from the high school class of 2026, giving special emphasis to the role of a classical, great books, liberal arts education in preparing testers for the PSAT. Episode topics include PSAT preparation tips, applying for scholarships and college with National Merit status, the role of parents in PSAT preparation, and more.

Interviews with Class of 2026 National Merit Students Part 1

College App 101 podcasts often provide tips on taking the Preliminary SAT, also known as the PSAT. Elite performance on the PSAT during junior year can result in arguably the most prestigious academic honor for a high school student: National Merit status. In the present episode, Dr. Riley interviews Noah, a National Merit student from the high school class of 2026, giving special emphasis to the role of a classical, great books, liberal arts education in preparing testers for the PSAT. Episode topics include PSAT preparation tips, applying for scholarships and college with National Merit status, the role of parents in PSAT preparation, and more.

Developing a Love for Learning Part 3

Highly selective colleges want to admit young scholars to their student ranks. A love for learning and intellectual curiosity characterize such scholars. These attributes flow naturally from some learners, but need to be cultivated in others. In today’s podcast, Dr. Riley (from collegeapp101.com) discusses these topics with special reference to the importance of March 15 in history. Indeed, today, Sunday, March 15, 2026 is the anniversary of a significant world event. Join Dr. Riley on a journey into the ancient world, as he explains March 15’s significance and, hopefully, inspires a love for learning.