The Way to College Podcast

Adam Sarancik has spent decades coaching and mentoring young athletes, but his work goes far beyond sports. Through Elevate Sports Academy, he helps students think critically about college, career, identity, and what comes next when athletics is no longer the center of their world.
In this episode of The Way to College Podcast, Adam shares his own journey through adversity, law, real estate, teaching, coaching, and mentoring, and explains why young people need to understand their gifts, interests, and purpose before simply following the path everyone expects of them.
We talk about:
Why identity can become too closely tied to one activity
The question, “Who am I beyond this?”
Why students should reflect on their strengths and interests
The importance of work ethic and independence
How parents can help young people explore without over-directing them
Why college and career planning should begin with self-awareness
Adam’s question for every student: “What’s your why?”
Adam’s message is especially powerful for student-athletes, but it applies to anyone entering a new chapter of life:
You don’t have to abandon who you were, but you do need to give yourself room to discover who else you can become.
🎧 Listen now to this week’s episode of The Way to College Podcast and check out Adam's work:
Coaching site: https://www.coachingchampionsforlife.com/
Adam's books: http://amazon.com/author/adamsarancik

What happens when the path you imagined for yourself turns out not to be your path at all?
Laura Cortez grew up in San Benito, Texas, believing she might become a lawyer. Instead, her educational and professional journey took her from the Rio Grande Valley to Drake University, Spain, AmeriCorps, graduate school, a Ph.D. at UT Austin, community engagement, and eventually entrepreneurship. As Laura puts it, her story has had plenty of “windy roads.”
In this episode of The Way to College Podcast, Laura shares what it was like to leave South Texas for college, including the homesickness that almost led her to transfer after her first semester. She also explains how friendships, campus involvement, and finding a community helped her create a sense of belonging far from home.
We also talk about changing majors, studying abroad, learning to advocate for yourself, listening to your gut, recognizing when it's time to change direction, and paying attention to the people who see possibilities in us that we may not yet see ourselves.
Laura's journey is a powerful reminder that a closed door doesn't mean the journey is over. Sometimes you have to go looking for the next one.

🎧 Listen to Laura Cortez's story on this week's The Way to College Podcast.

Brian Eyster describes his professional journey as a “25-year internship.”It's a journey that has been filled with successes, failures, experimentation, and learning what he was good at. Today, Brian is helping families navigate one of their biggest financial challenges: paying for college.
In this episode of The Way to College Podcast, Brian and I cover everything from career exploration to allowing young people to fail safely, and why students shouldn't be expected to have everything figured out at 18 or 22.
We also get into college planning and funding, including financial aid, FAFSA, college savings, and why families should ask better questions before making major financial decisions about college.
Brian's final advice is one worth remembering:
It's okay to ask for help.
Whether you're a student trying to figure out what's next or a parent trying to figure out how to pay for it, there's something in this conversation for you.
🎧 Listen now to The Way to College Podcast.

In my conversation with Cesar Quezada, we discussed his experience as a first-generation college student and his remarkable academic turnaround, mentorship, career pivots, leaving his comfort zone, serving students, and learning to navigate uncertainty.
We also talk about something especially close to the mission of The Way to College: the power of sharing our stories.
Cesar eventually began speaking publicly about his own experiences so educators could better understand and support students. He then encouraged his students to share their stories at professional conferences as well. For Cesar, representation matters because hearing people's experiences can change how others think and act.
If you know a student or an adult whose plans aren't working out the way they expected, share this episode.

What if you don’t know exactly what you want to do with your life?
Rick Margo will tell you to keep going. Eventually you'll find out.
In this episode of The Way to College Podcast, Rick shares a career journey that was anything but perfectly planned. Growing up in Rio Grande City in a family with deep ties to Texas A&M, college was always an expectation, but Rick admits that even after arriving at A&M, he had no idea where his career would take him.
From federal service to college recruitment, helping launch Texas A&M’s presence in McAllen, and now serving his community through Texas A&M Health, Rick’s story is a powerful reminder that careers aren’t always linear—and they don’t have to be.
Along the way, we talk about:
Why you don’t need to have your entire career mapped out
The value of internships and real-world experience
Why attitude, customer service, and teamwork can matter as much as a 4.0 GPA
How your reputation can open—or close—future opportunities
Knowing when it may be time to make a career change
Why you should still give your best effort even when you’re ready to move on
The importance of relationships, trust, patience, and service
Rick also shares one of the lessons his father gave him growing up: “If you’re going to be a beach bum, be the best beach bum you can.”
It’s funny—but the lesson is serious: whatever you choose to do, do it well, treat people well, and become the person others know they can count on.
Whether you’re a student trying to choose a path, a recent graduate entering the workforce, or a professional wondering what comes next, this conversation is a reminder that you don’t have to know the final destination to keep building a meaningful life and career.