All Episodes
Episodes
Ep. 11 | The importance of public speaking
The pursuit of a service academy appointment or ROTC scholarship is replete with interviews (e.g. congressional nomination panels, military liaison representatives, ROTC Officers, college alumni, etc.). For this...
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Ep. 10 | Which extracurricular activities matter?
Not all extracurricular activities (ECAs) are created equal. Which ECAs should your child pursue to get the most bang-for-their-buck when it comes to service academies and ROTC scholarships? Scouting, Boys/Girls...
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Ep. 9 | The difference in ROTC programs
In this episode, I discuss differences in ROTC programs across branches (e.g. Navy ROTC vs. Army ROTC) as well as within the same branch (e.g. Navy ROTC at Texas Tech vs. Navy ROTC at Brown). As your child gets closer...
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Ep. 8 | Service academies vs. ROTC programs
In this episode, I walk through the similarities and differences between the two related (but not the same) programs: service academies vs. ROTC programs. I cover aspects of academics, lifestyle, leadership...
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Ep. 7 | What to expect in sophomore year
What should your child expect in their sophomore year? Apart from increased expectations, accountability, and maturity, they should also be prepared to be ignored. Sophomore year is known as the “ghost year” because...
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Ep. 6 | The power of early preparation
“Early preparation” is a key tenet of ServeWell Academy’s mission, and I do my best to convince your child that it’s worth the effort. There are countless reasons why early preparation redounds to the benefit of the...
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Ep. 5 | How to prepare for interviews
Service academy and ROTC candidates will participate in several high-stakes interviews. Instead of stressing about these encounters, your child should think of them as opportunities to make their mark on their...
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Ep. 4 | Overview of ROTC
Learn all about ROTC programs, how they work, what they offer, how they differ from service academies, and why they’re so competitive. Which branches of the military offer ROTC programs and as part of which colleges?...
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Ep. 3 | How to “pre-study” over the summer
Junior year will be your child’s most challenging “academic” year. Beyond academics, they will also face high expectations, leadership demands, standardized tests, AP exams, and extracurricular commitments. One way...
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Ep. 2 | Overview of the 5 service academies
Learn about the 5 service academies, how they work, what they offer, how they differ from ROTC programs, and why they are so competitive. This is the perfect introduction to the world of military-based college...
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Ep. 1 | Welcome to the ServeWell Podcast - Meet your host, Phil Black
Phil Black shares why he created the ServeWell Podcast and how it grew out of a lifetime of pursuing challenging goals, including: Yale University, Harvard Business School, Navy SEAL Officer, D-1 college athlete,...
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