Podcasts for college students are a great source of information as there are a lot of non-stop exciting conversations from the best brains.
By listening, you can connect to broader discussions and gain new viewpoints that will help inform your studies and life.
This article contains a carefully selected list of the 15 best podcasts for college students. Let’s get started!
Do College Students Listen To Podcasts?
Podcast is a word coined from iPod and broadcast that incorporates audio and video files shared with individuals who subscribed to them. When college students set up a podcast client program on their digital devices (e.g., personal computers, tablets, smartphones), the program automatically receives and saves the newest podcast files on the device. Most automatic transmissions of podcast files are available for free.
According to research published by The National Association for Media Literacy Education, it was found 50.5% of college students use podcasts for less than one hour per day. 33.7% of the participants use them between 1 and 2 hours, 10.1% use them between 2 and 3 hours, 4.9% use them between 3 and 4 hours, and .8% use them for more than 4 hours.
The research further states that college students listen to podcasts to stay excited, gain educational information and get motivated.
Why You Should Listen To Podcasts As A College Student
Podcasts for college students can be an amazing source of inspiration, allowing you to come up with fresh ideas and broaden your knowledge on topics that interest you.
Receiving guidance from professionals via podcasts can also benefit your personal development and job path. Your first year of college might be challenging, but podcasts can keep you entertained while you adjust to your new surroundings.
Let’s take a look at a few benefits of podcasts for college students:
1. Podcasts are always available
One of the most significant benefits of education podcasts is their mobility and convenience. Podcasts can be downloaded to a mobile device, allowing students to access instructional resources at any time and location with minimal effort.
Free podcast subscription apps for every smartphone make the procedure even easier. In fact, iPhones come included with an amazing podcast app (Apple Podcasts).
2. Podcasts attract attention
Another benefit of podcasts for college students is that they draw attention faster than reading an article or watching video lectures. It’s challenging to persuade students to read an article or watch a video lecture for 30 minutes. This is because text and video require the student’s undivided attention – they must sit patiently and do only one thing. As you are probably aware, this is difficult, not least because of the variety of distractions waiting on the next browser tab.
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3. Students learn from podcasts
A student can make up for a missed class or knowledge gap by listening to podcasts on that particular topic.
For teachers, it will be nice to have podcast documentation of all your lectures as it can be highly beneficial to the students in the long run. By offering a podcast, your sick student who has missed a number of classes can easily download recordings of the lectures. As a consequence, they’re able to “fill in the gaps”.
On the flip side, a lecturer who is unavailable for his or her classes can create a podcast of the lecture instead and share them with students.
4. The use of podcasts is beneficial to visually impaired students
One of the greatest pedagogic attributes offered by educational podcasting is the chance to learn through listening. For many college students, learning through listening is enjoyable and less tedious than reading.
Additionally, students who struggle with reading through mental impairments will benefit from listening to podcasts. Podcasts are equally helpful when visual impairment makes traditional learning methods arduous.
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What Makes a Great College Podcast?
Here are a few things to look out for when making your choice of the best podcasts for college students:
1. Building engagement
One of the most challenging parts of podcasting is engaging an audience. Having a strong and specific subject matter that will target a specific demographic, as well as an exciting and entertaining host, is key for a podcast to gain a following and keep listeners coming back for more.
2. Clarity and consistency
Clarity of topic matter is vital for listeners to become acquainted with the substance of a podcast. A fantastic podcast will want to hire a well-articulated host who speaks easily with a wide range of themes.
3. Audio quality
Bad audio quality can be a big determinant to keeping listeners engaged and willing to come back. Background noises or the use of bad microphones can be distracting and a turn-off to listeners.
4. Authenticity
Authenticity is one of the most important aspects of any high-quality instructional podcast. Podcasting is a personal medium whose quality is frequently dictated by the interaction between the host and the audience. To establish this relationship, a smart podcaster embraces authenticity.
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5. Regular schedules
Useful podcasts should follow a consistent release schedule. Knowing when a new episode will be released keeps listeners eager for new releases. Much like TV programs, podcasts for college students should follow a routine schedule that audiences can trust.
Here are the 15 Best Podcasts For College Students
Here’s our list of the 15 best podcasts for college students:
1. The Career Growth Podcast
If you’re a college student about to enter the job market, you should listen to the Career Growth Podcast. The podcast, hosted by Capital Placement’s Employee Partnership Associate Lucie Morris, CEO Vinay Vimalan, and Digital Marketing Associate Julia Hurtado, informs all college students about what it’s like to graduate and enter the workforce.
The podcast discusses less-discussed themes in career development, such as what to do if you lack relevant job experience, how to interact with leaders to open doors to new and exciting prospects, and, of course, how to deal with fear or imposter syndrome in the workplace.
The Career Growth Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.
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2. College Info Geeks
Getting access to practical and unscripted college information can be hard to come by nowadays. However, with the help of the College Info Geeks podcast, college students can now easily navigate the tertiary education world. The hosts, Thomas Frank and Martin Boehme, raise discussions on topics that help contribute to every student’s educational development.
The podcast is more than just a how-to guide for achieving academic achievement. Both anchors also provide practical advice on the finest studying tools to become acquainted with in order to achieve the greatest results.
Thomas and Martin occasionally share their opinions on practical techniques for the ideal reading positions for efficient study time. More crucially, the podcasting platform provides learning resources for college evaluation preparation.
You can listen to them on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and YouTube.
CHECK OUT THEIR LATEST PODCAST
3. Ted Talks Daily
Ted Talks Daily, hosted by writer Elise Hu, is a platform that promotes new ways of thinking and ideas on any topic imaginable, including economics, literature, science, politics, innovation, discoveries, and philosophy, as well as inspirational speeches.
The ideas shared on the podcast are delivered by creators and thought leaders across the world inspiring you to think differently, form an opinion and stay curious about the world we live in.
On Ted Talks Daily you can debate with your professors and friends about the things that matter, making college a lot more interesting.
This podcast for college students is for those willing to learn something new every day.
You can listen to Ted Talks Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Radio Public, Stitcher, TuneIn, Castbox, and iHeartRadio.
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4. Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders
Next on our list of the best podcast for college students is Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders.
If you want to become an entrepreneur, this podcast is for you. Each episode, hosted by Stanford University, features industry experts such as Mark Zuckerberg, Marissa Mayer, and Guy Kawasaki, who discuss how to establish a business from the ground up.
The podcast is a lot of fun; all of the speakers are open and honest, sharing their experiences and laughing at the mistakes they’ve made on their entrepreneurial journey. The podcast is filled with sarcasm, wit, inspiration, motivation, and all you need to know about starting your own business.
Check out their latest episode here.
5. Stuff You Should Know
“Stuff You Should Know” podcast dishes out various obscure topics. The explanatory conversation between Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant bordering around historical curiosities explores disarmingly simple questions (“How Coyotes Work”), and follows strange things to their odder ends. Take, for example, “How Cult Deprogramming Works.”
This podcast has been available for over 10 years and has continued to release new episodes weekly.
6. All Things Money
One of the biggest challenges for college students and adulthood at large is managing our finances – suddenly, you are supposed to figure out how many taxes you should pay, mortgages, student loans, and credit card payments.
All Things Money is a podcast for college students that focuses on money and how you should manage it. This podcast hosted by Ola is a savior for all college students struggling with concepts like universal credit, credit scores, investing, and living on a budget.
This podcast is live every Monday where it shares information about financial literacy.
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7. Life Kit
A podcast like this should be full of clichéd episodes on life in general. Interestingly, the “Life Kit” podcast includes episodes aimed at assisting university students in adjusting to the heavy academic demands.
The podcast’s hosts give practical advice on how freshmen might quickly adapt to university life. They also share exciting hacks from the tools to make tertiary education enjoyable and worthwhile.
Life kit also provides undergraduates with informational analysis about current events. Allison Aubrey coaches her kids on using the correct information to make a complete turnaround from the previous school year. She also possesses the characteristics of a good student required to excel in school and extracurricular activities.
8. The Sporkful
The Sporkful, one of the best podcasts for college students, has won Best Food Podcast at the James Beard Awards and Webby Awards and has been named one of the New York Times 10 Best Podcasts of 2021. Dan Pashman, the founder, and host, talks about food and all we love about eating.
Dan handles food in a unique way, which adds to the intrigue of his podcast. He relates food to culture, history, race, science, and even economics, teaching us everything we need to know about the world we live in through the art of cuisine.
If you enjoy all things food and learning new things while arguing the best method to consume a sandwich or a bowl of instant noodles, listen to The Sporkful. It’s hilarious and innovative, and it’s everything the college doesn’t teach you. It’s a must-listen!
Listen to the most recent episode of Dan’s podcast here.
9. The Lazy Genius
Another fantastic podcast that all college students should listen to is The Lazy Genius. The host, Kendra, is a wife and mother of three who has mastered the art of smart work over hard work—hence the creation of the audio show, The Lazy Genius.
Kendra’s philosophy is to be lazy about the things that don’t important while being brilliant about the ones that do. It is about focusing on the important things in life while letting go of the things you can’t control in order to make chaotic adult life a little bit simpler.
In each 20-minute episode of the podcast session, you will learn a lot about adulting and you will see how everyone is just like you- a bit lazy, a bit genius, and a bit confused about well, a lot of things in the adult life.
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10. Brain Science
Understanding how your brain processes information would be really beneficial to college students as some students struggle for years with focusing in class and coping with distractions when studying.
If individuals understood and accepted that the human brain worked differently, they would take the time to understand their own. While some scholars are able to effortlessly relive their photographic memories while studying, others are unable to.
Brain Science’s podcast host, Dr. Ginger Campbel, discusses and educates his listeners on the cognitive ability of the brain when it comes to learning. Listening to Dr. Ginger and his guests discuss their latest discoveries on neuroscience would help you figure out the best studying and assimilation strategy.
Additionally, Dr. Ginger also shares fun facts about the human brain, and we are the only species that are intrigued about self-development. The host still makes the episodes as engaging and fun as possible without completely deviating from the topic of discussion.
11. The Trend Reporter
The Trend Reporter podcast, hosted by four-time Emmy-winner TV personality Mara Shiavocampo, discusses everything that is happening right now that you should know about.
Learn about the latest wellness, beauty, fitness, and style trends to help you step up your game. After all, college is about more than simply classes, studying, and taking countless notes; it is also about improving one’s quality of life.
The podcast is entertaining, new, and full of positive energy that is nearly contagious. Learn about the latest fashion trends, and Mara will help you decide which ones are worth attempting.
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12. The College Bound Kid
The program was inspired by Mark Stucker’s book, 171 Answers: to the Most-Asked College Admissions Questions, inspired by the questions Stucker receives as a college admissions counselor.
Stucker co-hosts the Your College Bound Kid podcast with Anika Madden, a writer, blogger, and mother of three who has experienced the college admissions process with her own children.
13. My Favorite Murder
Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark co-host this bi-weekly true crime comedy podcast. Each of them chooses a true crime story or historical event to discuss. This highly entertaining podcast has been described by both hosts and listeners as a short therapy session that helps them deal with their anxieties.
14. The History Of The World In 100 Objects
For those interested in archaeology and history, this informative podcast is the perfect way to start your day!
This podcast, as the name implies, explains the history of the planet by presenting stories about important artifacts from all over the world.
It imagines the globe as a large museum packed with various hints and unwritten stories of human growth and history, and it takes listeners on an intriguing virtual tour and brings to light many interesting and informational details about key historical creations.
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15. Stuffs Mom Never Told You
Chrissy Conger and Caroline Ervin are the girls next door who decode the biology, psychology, and sociology of men and women. Stuff Mom Never Told You covers a wide range of issues, from PMS to why women join cults to mansplaining. If you’ve ever had any questions about women or being a woman, this is the place to ask them.
FAQs On Podcasts For College Students
Podcasts allow students to practice their listening comprehension of complex texts that are both conversational and formal, and the corresponding transcripts enable students to confirm their success.
Podcasts are a great way to teach new content and it is well suited for passive learning. Podcasts afford students the leisure to listening on their own, freeing up valuable classroom time for more active learning.
You can listen to podcasts at any time, anywhere: while commuting, while doing chores, or running errands, while waiting or shopping, at lunch (if eating alone), or at your desk while working.
Listening to podcasts can help you become smarter. Listening to interesting and instructional audio broadens your thinking and expands your knowledge.
Conclusion
As a college student, listening to podcasts increases your knowledge and makes you smarter. You can listen to podcasts anytime, even while trying to sleep.
References
- capital-placement.com -Top podcasts for college students
- creditkarma.com – The Top Podcasts for College Students to Follow
- digitalcommons.uri.edu – College Students’ Motivations for Using Podcasts
- leverageedu.com – Top 30 Podcasts for Students
- spoonuniversity.com – 9 Podcasts Every College Student Should Be Listening To
- thepodcasthost.com – Podcasting in Education: What Are the Benefits?