Episodes

One of your biggest allies in the college process is your school counselor. Whether writing a letter of recommendation, sending out a transcript or directing you to local scholarship resources, there are many, many ways in which they will support you. We have advice from a former school counselor on how you can be a better partner. We’ll also take a look at the costs associated with applying to college and walk you through some goal setting suggestions for underclassmen.

Love watching blooper reels for your favorite TV shows? We’re offering our own blooper reel of mistakes we saw students and parents making when we were admissions officers. Don’t be them! We’re also welcoming the associate director of admissions for Bard College at Simon’s Rock to share more information about early college programs, including what they are and who would most benefit from these opportunities. Finally in Learning to Live Like a Student, we’ll focus on how small and large financial...

If you’ve been staring at a blank computer screen wondering how to craft an answer to the supplemental writing prompts for Johns Hopkins and UC Boulder, you’ve come to the right place! We’ll talk through appropriate approaches to all on today’s show. We’ll follow that by answering all of your burning college finance and admissions questions.

There are many, many myths floating around out there about college admissions, and in this new regular segment, we’re going to try to replace the myth with some facts. Last week we shared everything you need to know about completing the FAFSA, and this week we’re tackling the CSS Profile, which is required by about 400 colleges and universities. Finally, we’ll let you in on the who, what, where, when, and how of submitting standardized test scores.

It is almost October 1, commonly known as FAFSA time around here, and we have guidance for those completing the form this fall. We also have advice for teacher recommendations, from how they are used to who to ask to how to ask for them. In Office Hours, we are working through the supplemental questions for Haverford, Swarthmore, and Bryn Mawr, three colleges on the outskirts of Philadelphia.

Many of the most selective colleges in the country rely on alumni interviewers to get some additional perspective on applicants. We are excited to welcome one of our regular listeners, who also happens to be an alumni interviewer for her alma mater, to the show to offer some perspective on how the process works and tips for interviewees. We will also discuss FERPA, including what it is and how it impacts students and families. And finally, in Office Hours we have got insight on how to maximize t...

It is application season, and application season means supplemental essays In this weeks show, we will dissect the supplemental questions for Vassar and University of Rochester. We will also answer your college admissions and finance questions in our Listener Q and A segment.

When it comes to financing your college education, there are a lot of options. We are going to tell you about them and give you the information you need to make the best choice for your family. Landing on a college campus can be a daunting experience. We have some suggestions about the staff members every college student should get to know. Finally, we will walk you through what you need to know about the Apply Texas application.

Michelle Jones, founder of Wayfinding Academy, joins this weeks show to offer her thoughts on how Wayfinding is approaching college from a different perspective. We will also discuss this years changes to the Common App and talk about how you can prepare your college bound student for the financial challenges ahead.

There are a lot of early admissions deadline options, early action, early decision one and two, priority admissions, restrictive early action, etc. How do you know which, if any, is the right choice for you? We will help you figure that out. We will also help you figure out the college bill that is coming your way, and discuss what makes a college a safety, i.e., a school where you have a better than 90 percentage chance of being admitted.

Ever wonder if what your high school does not do, like offer many (or any) AP or IB courses or rank students, might actually hurt you or your student in the college admissions process? We will share our thoughts on how this works. We are also answering your college finance and admissions questions in our Office Hours segment.

Now that the dust has settled on the 2018-2019 admissions season, we’re looking at the changes we’re seeing in college admissions that will likely impact the upcoming year. We’ll also explore the differences between federal work study and student employment, and discuss what subject tests are, how to decide which ones to take, and who actually needs to take them.

Dear Debt’s Melanie Lockert paid off $81 thousand in student debt in just a few years. She’ll join us to talk about how she got to $81 thousand in the first place, what she would do differently if she could do it all again, and what led to the creation of her Dear Debt blog (now also a book). We’re also discussing how to choose your Common App prompt and what Common App supplemental essays are all about.

Taking a mindful approach to the college application process can help students have a healthier, happier, and more fulfilling high school experience. Rachel Simmons, author of Enough As She Is, which focuses on helping girls move beyond impossible standards of success, joins the show this week to help us take just this approach. In another in our Kindness Matters series, we’ll look at ways in which kindness can have financial benefits to students in the form of merit awards.

Owning your own business can impact the financial aid process. Tune in to learn more about how that works. We’ll also help rising seniors evaluate where they are in the testing process and determine whether or not they need to take any more of those tests at this point. Finally, we’re taking a closer look at how institutional priorities can impact admissions decisions.

Contemplating a liberal arts degree but concerned about how that will translate into your career? Convinced that your child must major in a pre-professional area if they’re ever going to make a living? We get it: college—and life—are expensive, and these are important concerns. That’s why we’re exploring the value of a liberal arts degree when it comes time to actually get a job. We’re also talking through the impact of owning real estate on the financial aid process.

Its summer! Time for ice cream, blockbuster movies, and college visits and essays! Join us for insight into making the most of your college visits in preparation for writing supplemental essays in the fall. Speaking of essays, we’re taking you through the Common App essay prompts for fall 2019. And finally, we have suggestions for how to research information about paying for college on those institutions’ websites.

Heard about The College Board’s new adversity score that will be accompanying test results at a pilot group of colleges this fall? We’ll share our thoughts about the score, including information about what it’s based on, why it was created, and what the impact will be for applicants this year. We’re also offering suggestions for getting the most out of your summer experience, whether a job, internship, course, or something else, and we’re answering your questions in Office Hours.

In the second in our Kindness Matters series, we’ll tackle the question of service work: what qualifies, why students might want to do it, and whether or not it’s truly important in the admissions process. We’ll also devote most of today’s show to helping students make a successful transition to college.

One of the most popular majors in recent years is business, and more colleges are offering programs in this area. If you’ve ever wondered what students actually study or whether or not you should major in business if you want a career in business, you’ll want to listen to this week’s show. For those looking to spend a semester in another country, we’ll take a closer look at the financial side of study abroad and offer some tools and resources for high school students hoping to discover and explo...

More and more students are considering universities in other countries. Today we’re welcoming a representative from University College in Dublin to discuss studying in Ireland. We’ll also take you through tips for using your 529 or prepaid tuition plan to pay for college. Finally, in Office Hours we’re helping students get started on an activity list (otherwise known as a resume) for their college applications.

The environment, from questions around global warming to plastic in our oceans to single-stream recycling, is very much in the news on a seemingly daily basis. Many colleges now offer some form of an environmental studies major, and we’ll offer thoughts on the options available to students pursuing degrees in that area. We’re also answering your college admissions and finance questions.

If you would consider yourself “not-rich” and are headed to a campus that could very well be filled with lots of students who are, don’t miss today’s show. We’re welcoming Lauren Schandevel, who encountered this challenge at the University of Michigan and created a guide to help other not-rich students survive and thrive at the university. Perhaps her advice will be useful to you. We’ll also cover next steps for students who have made their final college choice and sent in their deposit. And las...

Help—it’s almost May 1, and we can’t agree on a college! You won’t be the first student and parent not to be on the same page when it comes to college choice, and we’re pretty sure you won’t be the last. Tune in for our advice on how to navigate what can be a challenging decision. We’ll also look into the latest trends in micro scholarships, and, in Office Hours, we’re discussing AP exams and their role in the college admissions process.