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Episode Notes [01:14] Unexpected Email from Employer [05:49] The Deferred Resignation Program [06:34] Initial Reactions and Concerns [08:01] Evaluating the Offer [08:21] Enhanced Standards of Conduct [08:55] Personal Reflections and Concerns [12:21] Seeking Advice and Making a Decision [13:01] Option One: Do Not Resign [14:56] Option Two: Resign [16:44] Insights from Conversations [21:30] Making The Decision [23:51] Final Thoughts and Gratitude Resources Mentioned Sebastian Junger The Soul of Shame by Curt Thompson Donald Trump Elon Musk Steve Bannon Russell Vought Derek Sivers Sumner Crenshaw Brian Fretwell at Finding Good Chad Littlefield The Thought Leaders Practice by Matt Church Simon Cowell Beauty Pill Producer Ben Ford Questions Asked Is it legitimate, and can it be trusted? How are you feeling? What questions come to your mind? Where does your mind go? Are you seeking safety? Would this have been an adrenaline rush as you raced to send the resignation response? What an "enhanced standard" regarding loyalty and trustworthiness was? What are these new "enhanced standards?" Are they beyond what my Constitutional oath requires? If I don't resign, how bright will the target on my back glow? My leadership has supported all my work, but would termination direction come from higher up the chain of command? What would you recommend if we talked over coffee? What questions would you ask? How would you use listening? How would you use silence? How is this scenario playing out in your mind and body? What is coming to the surface for you? How might that influence what you are about to say to me? What are the chances of my name popping on a list and getting fired? How about the chances of being part of an official Reduction in Force and early retirement? Would the administration make a better offer? What do I know about the pending job market? What did I expect the workplace to be like and did I want to be there as the contractions took place? Will the administration pay me through the end of September or will they renege? Can I sufficiently build the Curated Questions business to transition by 1 October? - Do I have the faith or confidence to step into this future as a sole practitioner and grow Curated Questions into all I envisioned? Was this purpose calling? What would I expect the job market to look like at the end of summer if I hadn't developed the income streams to maintain our lifestyle? What is your recommendation? Did it change from your initial recommendation? Where in your body are you feeling the uncertainty? Are you processing this scenario in parallel with your decision as if you had received the email? What additional questions should I have considered? Who else should I have consulted with? How would you have changed my risk rating? What is the correct length of the pregnant pause before making an important announcement? What processes would you use in my circumstance, and what would be different? What questions are at the top of your list to get to a decision? Who would be the members of your pantheon you would counsel with to gain clarity? Apart from the heady analysis, what other key practices would you include in your journey through a similar situation?…
Content provided by Mattie Culkin. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Mattie Culkin or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.
Every week, Mattie Culkin and his co-host Michelle Martinez talk about everything you need to know about college admissions. How do top schools operate? What are they looking for? Tune in as they break down essential application aspects such as essay writing, extracurriculars, and letters of recommendation into their core elements. For students applying to college and their parents, College With Mattie is here to steer you to your goals.
Content provided by Mattie Culkin. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Mattie Culkin or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.
Every week, Mattie Culkin and his co-host Michelle Martinez talk about everything you need to know about college admissions. How do top schools operate? What are they looking for? Tune in as they break down essential application aspects such as essay writing, extracurriculars, and letters of recommendation into their core elements. For students applying to college and their parents, College With Mattie is here to steer you to your goals.
Do you want to study computer science in college? Mattie breaks down the best way to get into your school of choice by helping you frame your knowledge and passion so that you assemble the best application you can. What should your essay really say? Applying to college soon? You can get help from Mattie and Michelle at https://www.collegewithmattie.com/services/…
From a niche science degree to the most popular major, Mattie and Michelle tackle the evolution of Computer Science as a college major. How have students shaped their goals and how have schools responded? Applying to college soon? You can get help from Mattie and Michelle at https://www.collegewithmattie.com/services/…
One of the most debated and discussed topics relating to college: prestige. Mattie and Michelle unpack what college prestige really means and whether or not it’s actually important. Related Links https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities?_sort=rank&_sortDirection=asc https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/how-ivy-league-schools-tilt-your-odds-in-the-lottery-of-life-590f8ec1 https://opportunityinsights.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/CollegeAdmissions_Nontech.pdf Applying to college soon? You can get help from Mattie and Michelle at https://www.collegewithmattie.com/services/…
Mattie and Michelle tackle AI and college admissions again, but this time they talk about how colleges use it - not students. How does this affect your college application strategy? Applying to college soon? You can get help from Mattie and Michelle at https://www.collegewithmattie.com/services/
Writing about sports in your college essay seems like the obvious thing to do when you are a student athlete, but in this episode, Mattie and Michelle tackle all the reasons to avoid that, whether or not you are being recruited. Learn what to write about instead and why in this episode of College With Mattie. Applying to college soon? You can get help from Mattie and Michelle at https://www.collegewithmattie.com/services/…
When you tell a college what you want to major in, should you be honest? Or should you lie to give yourself a better chance of acceptance? Mattie and Michelle talk about the moral issue of lying in your college application and whether or not it actually works - as well as how to do it right! https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/15/magazine/academic-interests-college-application-ethics.html Applying to college soon? You can get help from Mattie and Michelle at https://www.collegewithmattie.com/services/…
Every year college admissions change, but what really drives these changes? Mattie and Michelle talk about the Ivy League admissions trends for 2025 and break down what they mean for new applicants, if they are real shifts or just hypes, and how college-bound students need to respond. Articles discussed: https://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherrim/2025/01/01/top-5-ivy-league-college-admissions-trends-to-watch-in-2025/ https://www.applerouth.com/blog/the-demographic-cliff-what-it-means-for-college-admissions-and-higher-education Applying to college soon? You can get help from Mattie and Michelle at https://www.collegewithmattie.com/services/…
Results season is coming up! Mattie and Michelle talk about when you hear back from different schools and what your acceptance status at certain schools means as you wait for other results. Applying to college soon? You can get help from Mattie and Michelle at https://www.collegewithmattie.com/services/…
Mattie breaks down the concept of institutional priorities and the part they play in college admissions. Applying to college soon? You can get help from Mattie and Michelle at https://www.collegewithmattie.com/services/
Mattie and Michelle examine a real student application. In this second part, Mattie breaks down and critiques Sarah’s personal statement and Yale supplements. Learn what works, what doesn’t and why!
Mattie and Michelle examine a real student application, including the personal statement and supplements, and then share the results. In this first part, learn about the student’s background, stats, and personal statement. Tune in for the next episode, where Mattie breaks down the personal statement sentence by sentence and comments on the same student's Yale supplements.…
My Central Jersey released an article titled “5 red flags for college admissions officers”. This week Mattie and Michelle are reviewing those red flags and providing solutions for students who see them in their applications. https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/education/college/2024/12/08/5-red-flags-for-college-admissions-officers/76798269007/…
Applying to college is a lengthy and complicated process. Knowing what to do and when is confusing and overwhelming, so in this episode Mattie and Michelle break down the timeline students need to follow. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/complex-applications-create-barriers-to-college-some-are-trying-to-change-that/…
Aside from your education, your high school influences the college you’ll go to in other ways. In this week’s episode, Mattie introduces Michelle to Polaris List, talks about feeder schools, why they seem to matter, and who your competition really is.
Rick Singer is out of prison and it’s time to revisit the Varsity Blues scandal and how the world of college consulting responded. Mattie and Michelle discuss what Rick Singer is doing now and what you need to look for in a college consultant. Read more about Mattie’s thoughts at the time: https://www.collegewithmattie.com/my-take-on-operation-varsity-blues-the-college-admissions-scandal-as-a-fellow-college-admissions-consultant/…
In this week’s episode, Mattie breaks down college essay writing and the main elements a successful essay incorporates. These tips can teach you how to craft a compelling essay that resonates with the reader and improve your overall writing.
The Supreme Court banned college admissions based on race and ended affirmative action programs in higher education. Mattie and Michelle discuss how this has changed the landscape of admitted students and how universities are responding to the situation. When is race still relevant? When and how should you bring it up in your application?…
One of the basic principles of Mattie’s FLL strategy is to back up your major. This helps potential colleges get a clear idea of the place you’d have at their campus. In this episode, Mattie breaks down how this works and how you can use your goals to earn a spot at the college of your choice.
As California bans legacy admissions, Mattie and Michelle discuss what this means for legacy students and non, as well as how they predict this unfolding. Tune in to see how this affects you and how to adapt your strategy for getting into college.
Mattie breaks down his method: F*cking Love Learning. FLL forsters intellectual vitality and academic enthusiasm to make your essay stand out and get you into college. How do you apply it? Why does it work?
Michelle and Mattie delve into the impact of AI tools like ChatGPT on college admissions and essay writing. Is it cheating? Is it a tool? Does it do a good job? As students turn to AI tools more and more, the question of how appropriate that is rises.
Mattie dives into the most common pieces of bad advice students receive when they begin the college admissions process. Learn how to seek out the advice that is best for you and how to recognize the so-called tips that may be holding you back.
Michelle chooses some essays used by students who got into Harvard and Mattie analyzes the elements that work and the problems they present to surface vital essay writing tips. The essays are found on The Crimson: https://www.thecrimson.com/topic/sponsored-successful-harvard-essays-2024/
Mattie breaks down college essays and the most common reason most of them fail: omniscient narration. Learn to recognize the ways fiction writing can surface in your college essay, why it damages your authenticity, and how to fix it.
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