Academic Survival Trailer

Academic Survival

When your dreams of a better future are tied to a college degree, the struggle to achieve that dream becomes an epic tale of courage and determination, especially if you're a 1st generation college student.

"So going to college, I was really excited because at first, you're just building up. Oh, you're going to go to college! But then I was also like, okay. Now I'm on my own. Now what?"

"When I think of my own journey, when it comes to my mental health in college, college was a tough time."

"Every problem that I had came down to a lack of preparation. I was the 1st person in my family to go to college, totally unaware of what would be required to complete college. I mean, there's pitfalls for everybody, but there's extra ones if you're a first timer."

The majority of students who drop out of college do so their freshman year. Hi. I'm Doctor Shandra L. McDonald, and I know what it's like to struggle doing your 1st year of college. It wasn't until I used simple strategies to improve my grades that the journey looked promising. In fact, I went from feeling academically inferior and overwhelmed to graduating with honors. Academic Survival is a podcast about surviving your freshman year and beyond. This podcast delves deep into the experiences of college students, their fears, and the resilience that propels them forward. I interview current and former college students about their freshman year experiences, and I invite guests who share topics relevant to college life.

"There’s going to be external factors that are going to push against you, that are going to tell you you're not good enough, you're not smart enough, you don't have what it takes, all of that is BS."

"You’ve got to have Purpose. What is my purpose? It's the driving force of everything that I hold a value."

"With the NIL (or Name, Image, and Likeness), is my focus more on deals and money, or is it on staying eligible and making sure my academic success is taken care of."

Join me as I discuss how to survive, thrive, and graduate.

Academic Survival: The Podcast That Gets Freshmen to Graduation.

College just got easier. Jump into any episode right now to get started.