Shit Your Teenagers Won’t Tell You brings you candid conversations with experts in psychology, education, and college admissions — so you can better understand your teen and help them thrive. Hosts Cathy Chen and Meredith Herrera have coached thousands of teens and families, and they’re here to make this whole “parenting a teenager” thing a little easier. (Or at least, less bewildering.) Because parenting is hard AF.
Unpopular Opinions: Majors and Extracurriculars Matter Less Than You Think
Cathy and Meredith revive a recurring “unpopular opinions” episode focused on college admissions. They argue families overemphasize two things: having a fixed intended major and building a “perfect” activities résumé. They note many students enter college undeclared and many change majors, and most colleges prefer broadly rigorous high school coursework; major choice mainly matters for impacted or highly competitive programs (e.g., UC engineering, business, nursing, arts/film), where switching later isn’t guaranteed. On extracurriculars, they criticize clickbait rankings and “looks impressive” pay-to-play internships or research, emphasizing that admission officers can see through inauthentic choices. Instead, they encourage authentic interests, normal teen activities, sustained commitment, and demonstrating character and community contribution.
00:00 Podcast Intro
00:50 Host Catch Up
02:00 Unpopular Opinions Return
03:03 Major Pressure Myth
08:49 When Major Choice Matters
14:25 Undecided Is Okay
16:27 Activities Hype Backlash
18:09 Why Rankings Mislead
20:56 Why Families Fixate
21:38 Angular Kid Myth
22:32 Internships Are Fluff
23:56 Real Effort Example
25:46 Normal Teen Wins
28:48 Character Over Resume
30:56 Admissions Eye Rolls
31:52 Clickbait Stress Spiral
33:57 Let Teens Be Teens
35:56 Wrap Up And Song
Link to: Freshman admission by discipline | University of California
15 Oct 2026
College Transition: How Much Contact Is Normal and When Parents Should Worry
Hosts Cathy and Meredith discuss what’s developmentally normal when teens transition to college and how parents can support them without fostering overdependence. They contrast healthy check-ins and family closeness with anxious reassurance-seeking, decision-making dependence, and parents monitoring via tools like Life360 or parent Facebook groups. They advise parents to normalize first-semester discomfort, avoid catastrophizing or immediate problem-solving, encourage use of campus resources (RA, counseling/learning centers), set communication boundaries, and resist becoming a substitute for friends. They note special concerns for students with prior serious mental health issues and emphasize preparing supports before college. Warning signs include major, sustained mood/personality changes, not attending class, disruptions in sleep/eating, quitting activities, fatalistic/hopeless language, and problematic partying or self-medicating, underscoring the need for early conversations about stress, substances, and getting help.
00:00 Podcast Intro
00:51 College Move-In Season
02:46 Contact Expectations
04:15 Healthy Check-Ins
06:22 Helicopter Parent Panic
08:32 When College Feels Awful
10:58 How Parents Should Respond
13:07 Don't Be Their Bestie
16:45 Set Boundaries Early
19:49 When To Worry
20:54 Red Flags And Class
24:13 Partying And Substances
25:30 Wrap Up And Support
2 Oct 2026
College Admissions Are Changing: AI, Testing, Enrollment Cliff & What Parents Need to Know
Welcome back to Season Six! Cathy and Meredith kick off the new season with a deep dive into the rapidly changing landscape of college admissions. From AI's impact on application essays to the return of standardized testing, the enrollment cliff, direct admissions, and the soaring cost of tuition — they break down the biggest shifts parents need to know about right now. They also discuss why raising resilient, independent adults matters more than ever in an uncertain future, and share practical advice for families navigating this evolving process.
Chapters:
Season Six Kickoff — 0:57
Admissions Upheaval Overview — 1:27
AI and Essay Changes — 3:38
Testing Returns Debate — 5:27
Enrollment Cliff Reality — 10:02
Direct Admission Explained — 12:58
Cost and Value Crunch — 16:15
Raising College Ready Adults — 20:10
Resilience in Uncertainty — 22:23
Wrap Up and Listener Qs — 23:47
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.6 / 5
12 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
9 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 43 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
53
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
82
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