Kolbecast

230 A Multi-Pronged Approach to College Prep

AMDG. Applying to college is no easy feat. From PSATs to transcripts, college visits, and gap years, it can feel like the decisions are endless. In this episode of the Kolbecast, we break down every stage of the college application process, from building a strong transcript to choosing the right college for you. Returning guest Erica Treat and academic adviser Cecilia Byers join the Kolbecast to share their insider expertise and easy hacks you can implement now to set yourself or your child up for success in the college world.  
Timestamps  
7:45 college visits 
12:10 the college planning you should do BEFORE high school   
15:20 signing up for the PSATs 
16:40 how to organize your college planning approach 
21:33 building a well-rounded transcript  
26:20 advice for those who are not going to college; how to optimize your gap year for your future  
35:05 help center & college resources  
38:27 action items for high school seniors  
44:50 better questions to ask at college visits 
Links mentioned & relevant: 
Kolbecast page on the Kolbe Academy website with filters for sorting through the catalog of episodes  
College Planning landing page on the Kolbe Academy website 
Sections of the kolbe.org Help Center: 
College Planning  
Career Guidance & Discernment 
College Planning Timeline 
Kolbe’s college partners 
Register here to view recordings from the Newman Guide/Kolbe Academy College Fair 9 Oct 2024 
 
Related Kolbecast episodes: 
118 Odysseys in Catholicism in which Steven shares his conversion story 
59 The Secret Whiteboard discussing discernment for life after Kolbe 
175 A Both-And Approach with Dr. Jonathan Sanford of The University of Dallas, one of Kolbe Academy’s college partners  
77 The Road Less Traveled 
40 Windshield Time 
Have questions or suggestions for future episodes or a story of your own experience that you’d like to share? We'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to podcast@kolbe.org and be a part of the Kolbecast odyssey.  
We’d be grateful for your feedback! Please share your thoughts with us via this Kolbecast survey!  
The Kolbecast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most podcast apps. By leaving a rating and review in your podcast app of choice, you can help the Kolbecast reach more listeners. The Kolbecast is also on Kolbe's YouTube channel (audio only with subtitles).  Using the filters on our website, you can sort through the episodes to find just what you're looking for. However you listen, spread the word about the Kolbecast! 

229 Take a Note from Homer

AMDG. Wishing you could engage with your kids on their Greek literature course? Or trying to read the Iliad for the first time yourself? Bonnie, Jordan, and Steven are here to help. In this installment of the humanities series, the group unpacks the first six books of the Iliad and breaks down the essential takeaways, including the role of the gods; how fate acts in the story; the view of women in Ancient Greece; why the real hero might not be who you think; and why we should read the Iliad in the first place. This episode will walk you through everything you need to know to have a deep, meaningful discussion with your children about one of the greatest works of literature in the Western World.  
*This recording contains some spoilers.* 
previous Kolbecast episodes in this series: 
220 Decoding Mythology to Reveal Christianity 
225 On the Same (Greco-Roman) Page 
15 Asparagus Moments 
226 Habits of Excellence with Dr. Andrew Abela 
111 What Treasures Remain 
212 Portable Treasure 
Texts & resources referenced: 
Werner Jaeger’s Early Christianity and Greek Paideia 
The Iliad 
The Histories by Herodotus 
The Scapegoat by René Girard 
Fr. Laux’s Introduction to the Bible 
The Catechism of the Catholic Church 
Kolbe Classics Conference - Greek Era 
Catechism in a Year by Fr. Mike Schmitz and Ascension Press 
Have questions or suggestions for future episodes or a story of your own experience that you’d like to share? We'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to podcast@kolbe.org and be a part of the Kolbecast odyssey.  
We’d be grateful for your feedback! Please share your thoughts with us via this Kolbecast survey!  
The Kolbecast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most podcast apps. By leaving a rating and review in your podcast app of choice, you can help the Kolbecast reach more listeners. The Kolbecast is also on Kolbe's YouTube channel (audio only with subtitles).  Using the filters on our website, you can sort through the episodes to find just what you're looking for. However you listen, spread the word about the Kolbecast! 

228 No Holding Back

AMDG. When COVID-19 broke out, Kathleen decided to enroll her daughter in Kolbe Academy until the pandemic ended. Four years later, Kathleen’s daughter is still a Kolbe student and almost two years ahead of her peers in school— and she’s not slowing down any time soon. Kathleen discusses how she navigates being a homeschooling parent while maintaining her full-time job; adjusting the course plan to meet her daughter’s interests; maximizing the flexibility of Kolbe’s program; the benefit of sports for competitive students; and gives an intimate look at what day-to-day life can look like for a Catholic homeschooling family.  
 
Kolbecast episodes mentioned & relevant: 
82 Move & Groove with Eileen Duryea & Sarah Lee 
124 In This Together and 125 Call the Advisor 
61 Middle Ground 
99 Gifted, Graced, and Formed 
164 This Is Not a Kolbe Infomercial 
Have questions or suggestions for future episodes or a story of your own experience that you’d like to share? We'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to podcast@kolbe.org and be a part of the Kolbecast odyssey.  
We’d be grateful for your feedback! Please share your thoughts with us via this Kolbecast survey!  
The Kolbecast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most podcast apps. By leaving a rating and review in your podcast app of choice, you can help the Kolbecast reach more listeners. The Kolbecast is also on Kolbe's YouTube channel (audio only with subtitles).  Using the filters on our website, you can sort through the episodes to find just what you're looking for. However you listen, spread the word about the Kolbecast! 

227 Sensory Awareness & Problem Solving

AMDG. Why do my kids always fidget during school? Why am I always overstimulated by loud noises? Why does my house feel tense right now? Occupational therapist and mom of five Caitlin Russ has the answers to these questions and more. Caitlin breaks down occupational therapy and emotional regulation; easy steps to optimize your homeschool environment for learning; how to emotionally regulate yourself as a parent; how to help your child understand and reframe their own behavior; and why you need to see an occupational therapist right now. 
Throughout the episode we reference This Whole Life episode 50 Senses & Regulation. 
Caitlin mentions the below resources: 
Raising a Sensory Smart Child by Lindsey Biel and Nancy Peske 
The Whole Brain Child by Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson 
Balanced and Barefoot by Angela J Hanscom 
Sensory Integration and the Child by A. Jean Ayres 
Zones of Regulation the concept of labeling regulation levels at green, yellow, red, blue 
The OT Butterfly, a website for a pediatric OT who has great resources for families to try 
The Sensory Connection Program another helpful website talking about sensory 
American Occupational Therapy Association,  helpful for any aspiring OTs 
Related Kolbecast episodes: 
167 Sanity & Sanctity with Johanna Seagren of Interior Kingdom 
176 The Agenda Is to Grow with Art & Laraine Bennett 
188 Challenges as Opportunities and 219 The Upside of Anxiety with Dr. Kevin Majeres 
Have questions or suggestions for future episodes or a story of your own experience that you’d like to share? We'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to podcast@kolbe.org and be a part of the Kolbecast odyssey.  
We’d be grateful for your feedback! Please share your thoughts with us via this Kolbecast survey!  
The Kolbecast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most podcast apps. By leaving a rating and review in your podcast app of choice, you can help the Kolbecast reach more listeners. The Kolbecast is also on Kolbe's YouTube channel (audio only with subtitles).  Using the filters on our website, you can sort through the episodes to find just what you're looking for. However you listen, spread the word about the Kolbecast! 

226 Cultivating Habits of Excellence with Andrew Abela

AMDG. Do you want to build your own “super habits”? Founding dean of CUA business school and Forbes contributing writer Dr. Andrew Abela promises that “super habits” are the secret to a successful—and happy— life. He reveals the three steps to building “super habits;” highlights the connection between neuroscience and virtue; argues that good ethics are the most effective business practices; and paints an entirely new picture of classic virtues and success. Stay tuned to the end to hear details about Dr. Abela’s upcoming book, Super Habits: The Universal System for a Successful Life. 
Links mentioned & related: 
Dr. Abela’s book Superhabits: The Universal System for a Successful Life 
Catholic University of America  
Dr. Abela references Pope Saint John Paul II’s encyclical Centesimus Annus  
St. Thomas Aquinas on the virtues 
A Latin-English Dictionary of St. Thomas Aquinas by Roy J. Deferrari 
Follow Dr. Abela on Forbes.com, Substack, and Linkedin 
 
Relevant Kolbecast episodes 
188 Dr. Kevin Majeres Sees Challenges as Opportunities and 219 The Upside of Anxiety with Dr. Kevin Majeres 
176 The Agenda Is to Grow -- Art & Laraine Bennett and the Temperaments 
84 The Essence of Catholic Education and 157 Renewal, Revival, Variety, and Unity with Patrick Reilly of the Cardinal Newman Society, publisher of the Newman Guide 
Have questions or suggestions for future episodes or a story of your own experience that you’d like to share? We'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to podcast@kolbe.org and be a part of the Kolbecast odyssey.  
We’d be grateful for your feedback! Please share your thoughts with us via this Kolbecast survey!  
The Kolbecast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most podcast apps. By leaving a rating and review in your podcast app of choice, you can help the Kolbecast reach more listeners. The Kolbecast is also on Kolbe's YouTube channel (audio only with subtitles).  Using the filters on our website, you can sort through the episodes to find just what you're looking for. However you listen, spread the word about the Kolbecast! 

225 On the Same (Greco-Roman) Page

AMDG. Join Bonnie, Steven, and Jordan for the next installment in their continuing conversation about the humanities, sprinkled with fascinating tidbits of history and their best advice on reading The Iliad with your children or even on your own! The group discusses their own progress reading The Iliad with their families; the benefit to seeing a time before Christ; why we approach the gods differently than early Christians; the relationship between ancient history and myth; what to look for when reading The Iliad and what to talk about with your children. Whether you’re a student, homeschooling parent, or just a history buff, there is something in this conversation for you.  
Kolbecast episodes mentioned & relevant  
220 Decoding Mythology to Reveal Christianity (the first episode in this series)
196 Adaptable Asynchronous & Dynamic Digital Homeschool Options 
102 A Great Commission, featuring former Kolbe teacher Ellen Finnegan 
Texts referenced 
Fr. Laux’s Introduction to the Bible 
The Catechism of the Catholic Church 
The Iliad 
Greek Reader 
Other relevant links: 
Dr. Mary Mumbach on Reading Big Books 
The Pillar Post 27 Aug 2024 discussing (among other things) the pronunciation of St. Augustine’s name 
Have questions or suggestions for future episodes or a story of your own experience that you’d like to share? We'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to podcast@kolbe.org and be a part of the Kolbecast odyssey.  
We’d be grateful for your feedback! Please share your thoughts with us via this Kolbecast survey!  
The Kolbecast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most podcast apps. By leaving a rating and review in your podcast app of choice, you can help the Kolbecast reach more listeners. The Kolbecast is also on Kolbe's YouTube channel (audio only with subtitles).  Using the filters on our website, you can sort through the episodes to find just what you're looking for. However you listen, spread the word about the Kolbecast! 

224 Msgr. James Shea: Forming Apostolic Hearts

AMDG. Monsignor James Shea, president of the University of Mary, spoke to Kolbe supporters and friends at the Leaders in Catholic Education event the night before 2024 commencement. Listen in to Msgr. Shea’s speech in this episode, where he describes the apostolic work on the forefront of Catholic secondary education as we live in the first post-Christian society, the scheme of self-initiated salvation, and the way we can be converted even more deeply. 
Relevant Kolbecast episodes: 
123 A Change of the Ages with Msgr. Shea 
213 This Is a Beginning, speeches from Commencement 2024 
Monsignor Shea’s books: 
From Christendom to Apostolic Mission: Pastoral Strategies for an Apostolic Age 
The Religion of the Day 
Other books and works published by U Mary Press 
Related links: 
Support Kolbe Academy and our families  
The Synthetic Impulse in Catholic Life by Most Rev. Daniel E. Flores 
Tolkien quotes:  
https://aleteia.org/2018/03/25/j-r-r-tolkien-turned-to-this-during-his-darkest-hour  
https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/jrr-tolkien-three-amazing-quotes  
Have questions or suggestions for future episodes or a story of your own experience that you’d like to share? We'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to podcast@kolbe.org and be a part of the Kolbecast odyssey.  
We’d be grateful for your feedback! Please share your thoughts with us via this Kolbecast survey!  
The Kolbecast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most podcast apps. By leaving a rating and review in your podcast app of choice, you can help the Kolbecast reach more listeners. The Kolbecast is also on Kolbe's YouTube channel (audio only with subtitles).  Using the filters on our website, you can sort through the episodes to find just what you're looking for. However you listen, spread the word about the Kolbecast! 

223 Pick Up the Pen and Write featuring Master Penman Jake Weidmann

Jake Weidmann knows the science behind his art. With a background in psychology, Jake is now a professional artist and calligrapher. On today's episode, he shares the history of calligraphy and why it is so important to human beings; explains why you should turn off autocorrect; breaks down the psychological impact of sending hand-written letters; advocates for starting handwriting young; and divulges his best tips and favorite resources for calligraphy beginners. 
More information about Jake & the resources he mentions: 
Jake’s website 
The International Association of Master Penmen, Engrossers, and Teachers of Handwriting (IAMPETH) 
3.5 minute penmanship video 
Penmaking video 
Why write? Ted talk
A Craftsman's Legacy TV episode 
Michael Sull 
Brian Goulet of The Goulet Pen Company 
John DeCollibus 
F. B. Courtney and Louis Maderasz 
Kolbe Academy bookstore penmanship offerings  
Spencerian Handwriting Course  
Writing Our Catholic Faith instructional series 
Relevant Kolbecast episodes: 
216 Searching for Something We’ve Forgotten with Trae Bailey 
143 Partners in a Liberal Arts Renewal with CLT’s Soren Schwab 
Have questions or suggestions for future episodes or a story of your own experience that you’d like to share? We'd love to hear from you! Send your thoughts to podcast@kolbe.org and be a part of the Kolbecast odyssey.  
We’d be grateful for your feedback! Please share your thoughts with us via this Kolbecast survey!  
The Kolbecast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and most podcast apps. By leaving a rating and review in your podcast app of choice, you can help the Kolbecast reach more listeners. The Kolbecast is also on Kolbe's YouTube channel (audio only with subtitles).  Using the filters on our website, you can sort through the episodes to find just what you're looking for. However you listen, spread the word about the Kolbecast!