5 Podcasts to Help Get Your Teen Psychologically Ready for College

My family recently spent the week on the road, touring colleges. My daughter is 17 and about to enter the maelstrom of the college admissions process. We were enchanted by the bucolic campuses and charismatic guides full of enthusiasm about student-focused learning experiences and extracurriculars.

But as a professor myself, I’m well aware that college can be a socially and emotionally challenging time for young people. These podcasts are guaranteed to prompt discussion about the admissions process and campus life, increasing your teen’s emotional readiness for the college years.

1. The College Tour Has Been Cancelled/This American Life

The pandemic transformed college admissions, potentially in lasting ways. Most colleges stopped requiring the SAT and ACT during the pandemic, and many are planning to remain test-optional for the foreseeable future. This episode of This American Life, a long-running radio show called the most influential precursor to narrative podcasting today, takes a close look at the impact of standardized testing on college admissions, particularly on low-income students and underrepresented minorities. It's a deep dive into what it takes to thrive in college when you’re smart and work hard, but haven’t had the same advantages as your peers.

2. The New Norms of Affirmative Consent/The New Yorker Radio Hour and no/The Heart

A number of college campuses have implemented policies of affirmative consent, requiring sexual partners to clearly communicate willingness at each stage of a sexual encounter. But, quietly, many people find affirmative consent awkward to practice and don’t do it. The episode includes an interview with the facilitator of nonsexual “cuddle parties” and an illuminating discussion with two legal scholars about the more elusive elements of consent.

If your teen wants more great listening on this topic, I also highly recommend the four-part no series from The Heart. The series, produced in creator Kaitlin Prest's sonically intimate style, will challenge everything you thought you knew about desire and consent. I listened to the series with my daughter, but the explicit nature of the episodes may mean your teen (and you) might be more comfortable listening solo.

3. The Ivy League/Stuff You Should Know

Teens may romanticize the Ivy League, believing it offers the best education and opportunities. The insanely low acceptance rates of Ivy League schools make getting in a high-pressure endeavor. Stuff You Should Know gives the lowdown on the history of the Ivy League and how it got to be so competitive, unpacking the not-so-impressive foundations of its prestige.

4. The Right to Speak/TED Radio Hour

Controversies over invited speakers and free speech have rocked colleges across the country. Should all speech be allowed on campus, even when it’s deeply offensive? This episode of the TED Radio Hour features speakers discussing limits to hate speech, the importance of hearing out views we find offensive, and what happens when different viewpoints are silenced.

5. Our Student Loan Secrets/Death, Sex & Money

College can be expensive. Very expensive. An 18-year-old choosing a college may be lured in by the prestige of a pricey campus, with little idea of the impact huge student loans could have on their adult life. This episode of Death, Sex & Money portrays the shame, fear, confusion, and economic strain people experience as they struggle to pay back loans, sometimes for decades after graduation.