Do you listen to podcasts?
As technologies have brought many positive impacts on education – podcasts, along with audiobooks, become the emerging trend for students and even teachers to learn new things and update knowledge. Not only are they easy to use with an internet connection, but they are also creative, interesting, bursting with information and perfect for multitaskers, especially high school students.
High school is perhaps one of the biggest turning points of a person’s life. So while you’re all in the stage where you wonder who you really want to be in the years to come, why not try listening to Podcasts to give yourself some insights about life? Just by listening, students can learn a number of things from podcasts before entering the adult world, connect to broader discussions and gain new perspectives that will help inform your studies.
This article is our top picks of 5 podcasts any high school student should listen to, with topics ranging from academic-related stuff where you could be able to extend your knowledge, to inspirational ones which would give you some great things to think about how to live your life and how to enjoy what you have.
1. TED Talks Daily
This is essentially TED talks on the go. You know about TED Talks — the conference series on technology, entertainment, and design (“TED”) that morphed into a diverse, hugely influential media organization of online content, independent events, and fellowships. Their latest talks come in audio format, covering just about everything from every subject you could ever think of. These thought-provoking talks are given by the world’s leading thinkers and doers. If you like TED and TEDx conferences and videos, consider this as your audio plug.
TED Talks are short, impactful, and full of information straight from experts and world leaders. Every weekday, TED Talks Daily posts the audio from the best TED talks, both new and old. Rather than searching through YouTube or the TED website to find the best talks, you can now just open your favorite podcast app and find a curated list. The episodes can range from 5 to 30 minutes long, which makes them perfect to listen to before school or between classes.
- Average episode time: 10 mins
- Must-listen episode: “How vulnerability makes you a better leader” – Tracy Young
- Where to listen: Spotify, Apple Podcast,
2. Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders
Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders is a weekly seminar series on entrepreneurship, co-sponsored by BASES and the Stanford Technology Ventures Program. This podcast is incredibly rewarding for everyone, especially high school students and undergraduates interested in pursuing an entrepreneurial venture. This podcast serves as a platform for informed leaders who share their personal stories behind their success. Each week, experienced entrepreneurs and innovators come to Stanford University to candidly share lessons they’ve learned while developing, launching and scaling disruptive ideas. Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders is a candid exploration of the entrepreneurial journey where you can meet leaders from top companies and universities of the world sharing their personal stories of the secrets and setbacks behind reading success.
- Average episode time: 35 min
- Must-listen episode: David Rogier (MasterClass) – “Finding the Right Motivation”
- Where to listen: website, Spotify or Apple Podcast
3. Overheard at National Geographic
National Geographic is a household name, especially for those who love science and nature. Nat Geo might be best known for their magazine or their new shows on Disney+, but they also have a podcast!
Overheard at National Geographic is definitely one of the best podcasts for high school students, especially for those who are fascinated by the world around them. Each week, hosts Peter Gwin and Amy Briggs are joined by a scientist, photographer, or explorer to discuss a conversation they overheard at the National Geographic headquarters. Because National Geographic covers such a wide variety of issues, the podcast is very diverse. Some episodes cover more historical topics such as the judicial papyrus of Turin, some others will talk about science, music, or life on Mars.
Come dive into one of the curiously delightful conversations overheard at National Geographic’s headquarters, as you follow explorers, photographers, and scientists to the edges of our big, weird, beautiful world.
- Average episode time: 25~30 min
- Must-listen episode: “The Frozen Zoo”
- Where to listen: Spotify, Apple Podcast
Where learning meets joy
with friends and teachers who care
4. The College Investor Audio Show
Zoom in on college students’ most pressing financial topics with “The College Investor Audio Show” hosted by Robert Farrington. A “millennial money expert,” Farrington built the College Investor brand to help students get out of debt and start building wealth.
The College Investor Audio Show is a daily short-format podcast that highlights the best content from The College Investor blog. The podcast will cover personal finance and investing topics ranging from getting out of student loan debt, to side hustling and earning more money, to investing and building wealth. Learn common sense investing strategies alongside ways to reduce college costs and diversify your income streams.
5. Stuff You Should Know
No podcast recommendation list would be complete without Stuff You Should Know. This podcast covers topics in every area of interest, which makes it the perfect place to start if you’re new to podcasts.
Three times a week, Stuff You Should Know educates listeners on topics chosen by hosts Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant. Josh and Chuck do their own research and provide listeners with a basic, preliminary understanding of the topic.
Whether you’re just a curious person or you have a specific area that you’d like to learn more about, Stuff You Should Know is sure to fit that need. At once academic, funny, and mellow, “Stuff You Should Know” hashes out a staggering variety of obscure topics. The explanatory conversation between Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant covers historical curiosities, explores disarmingly simple questions (“How Coyotes Work”), and follows strange things to their odder ends. Take for example, “How Cult Deprogramming Works.”
“Stuff You Should Know” has been going strong for over 10 years and continues to release three new episodes a week, growing their 1,000-plus back catalogue.
5*. Chuyện Du Học
This list consists of 5 podcasts, but this is a special bonus for you! We couldn’t possibly recommend a list of the best podcasts for high school students without mentioning “Chuyện du học” – the podcast show produced by our College Compass program. Though you see “du học” (studying abroad) in the title, “Chuyện du học” is not just a great resource for you to listen before applying to colleges abroad, but also teach you so many meaningful things about self-reflection and understanding yourself.
Every other week, we will interview a College Compass or Everest Education alumni, who graduated from our programs and are now learning at top universities and colleges, or an admissions expert, professionals and entrepreneurs, to talk about succeeding in high school and the college admissions process. Our guest speakers pull from their own experiences as students and as evaluators of thousands of college applications to give advice to current high school students.
Episodes touch on not only admissions components like the personal statement or letters of recommendation, but also other various aspects of studying abroad, internships, higher education, and career growth.
College Compass is a College Advisory Program by Everest Education, where we offer personalized coaching and guidance to students from earlier years of high school. Our alumni have successfully applied to the most competitive schools in the world (Harvard University, Stanford University, Cornell University, Duke University, Williams College, Amherst College, NYU, Bates College, University of Southern California, Minerva…). The program is led by Co-founders and Senior Lead Counselor of Everest Education, who graduated from Stanford University, Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan School of Management, and have served as alumni interviewers for Stanford.
>> Learn more about College Compass here.
