Episodes

The University of California application differs from other platforms in that it requires students to respond to four out of eight personal insight questions with four essays no longer than 350 words each. This week, we will ...

In another in our series of stories from our team, Sai Samboon will share his decision to apply to and attend college in the United States despite growing up in Thailand. We’re also offering tips for the Georgetown applicatio...

In theory, applications like the Common App, The Universal Application, and the Coalition App allow students to write one essay for all colleges. In practice, many colleges also require supplemental essays. We’ll tell you wha...

In terms of the college application process, almost nothing has been impacted quite as significantly by COVID-19 as standardized testing. A testing expert joins us to share her insights into what to expect when it comes to th...

This week is all about applications! Our Top 5 Series is back, and we have two top 5’s for listeners: advice for seniors heading into application season (especially in the age of COVID) and for getting organized and ready for...

Southern New Hampshire University President Dr. Paul LeBlanc joined the show this week to offer his thoughts on how SNHU is responding to COVID-19, tips for online learning, and what he sees as the overall disruption to highe...

UCLA Senior Associate Director, Evaluation and International Admission Ffiona Rees joins the show this week to share information on how the UC-specific changes brought about by COVID-19 are shaping the UCLA admissions process...

For most people, writing a check for the tuition bill is a frightening prospect. What if you could spread those payments out? We have information on tuition payment plans offering an installment plan. We’ll also take a close ...

Many students enter their undergraduate years with their sights set on medicine. We have suggestions for pre-med activities that can positively impact med school applications. In our second and third segments, we’re answering...

One of the most important parts of the Common App is the section in which students list their activities. Involvement outside the classroom is a major selection component for many universities, and this is the primary opportu...

COVID-19 looms large for all of us this year, including high school students. For many, it might be tempting to write their essays about their experiences—but should they? We’ll talk through this question and offer our perspe...

There are some executive functioning skills that are essential to student success. Michael Delman, founder of Beyond BookSmart, joins us to go over those skills and share tips for how to develop them. We’ll also look at how t...

For some students, one of the biggest challenges of transitioning from high school to college is adjusting to the expectations of college level writing. Cassie Hemstrom of the UC Davis University Writing Program joins the sho...

With the pandemic disrupting in-person classes and raising the question of whether or not students will be on campus this fall, some families are investigating distance learning. Join us to learn more about who might flourish...

COVID-19 has disrupted many things in our world this year, including many high school students’ summer plans. We’ll be talking through how to adjust your activities with social distancing and cancellations in mind. For all th...

News articles, parents, and college themselves can often focus on the importance of earning As in high school classes. But the reality is that many, many of the students applying to college every year are earning Bs and Cs. W...

With next fall’s plans pretty a giant question mark, many families are trying to understand what online study versus on-campus study will do to their costs. We’ll share what you need to know about funding an online education....

This week’s show is all for the underclassmen, from mapping out a plan for your high school coursework to understanding the what and why of participating in extracurricular activities throughout your secondary school years. F...

With schools closing and COVID-19 impacting high school instruction across the country and world, some secondary schools are moving to a pass/fail grading scale for the second half of the year. We will discuss the impact of t...

While many seniors are still trying to figure out their final college choice for the coming fall, many in this year’s graduating class have committed to their institution. In our first segment, we’ll look what you need to do ...

Already know that you’d like to defer your enrollment for next year, whether for a specific reason or just to take a break? We have guidance on the who, what, where, and when of requesting a deferral. We’ll continue our Top 5...

Interested in participating in Reserve Officer Training Corps—ROTC for short—in college? We’re welcoming Rob Kirkland, author of The Insider’s Guide to the Army ROTC Scholarship for High School Students and Their Parents, to ...

While some colleges have pushed back their reply date from May 1 to June 1 or even later (we see you, Iowa State!), many students will need to commit to their college of choice within the next few weeks. We have suggestions f...

COVID-19 has had a significant impact on high school seniors and underclassmen, and on college finance. In today’s show, we’ll be tackling the question of how to get a feel for a college campus without visiting in person, and...