Episodes

In previous shows we’ve covered how to negotiate for more merit money and appeal financial aid packages. We thought it might be interesting to look at the trends we’re seeing in this year’s student packaging. In Office Hours, we’re answering your college admissions and finance questions.

Students with no acceptances will want to tune in to this week’s show, in which we will help you best handle an admissions season gone awry and offer suggestions for moving forward with your college plans. For those getting started on their college process, we have advice for creating a college list that takes ability to pay into consideration, since having options that you can’t afford is basically like having no options at all. Finally, we’ll look at the challenges and opportunities facing thi...

In the world of college admissions, nothing may be more frustrating than the waitlist offer. “Thanks so much for applying. I know you were expecting an answer, but we need you to wait for yours just a little bit longer than everyone else.” We’ll offer some perspective by reviewing the waitlist trends we saw last year and offering suggestions for how to approach your own waitlist status. On the finance side, we’re talking about summer jobs and establishing some savings goals for that work.

Devastated about not getting into your dream school? There’s no doubt this is a tough time, but you can’t abandon college just because your top choice didn’t come through. Tune in for tips on choosing the best colleges from those eager to welcome you to campus. Older parents have a unique set of challenges in sending students off to college while contemplating imminent retirement. We have college finance advice for this demographic. Finally, we have advice for students applying to public institu...

We interrupted our regularly scheduled programming to focus an entire episode on the scandal rocking the admissions world involving wealthy parents, corrupt coaches and standardized test proctors, and a villain for the ages in the form of Rick Singer. Singer broke the law and lined his pockets with illicit funds for years before getting caught, at which point he promptly turned around and implicated a whole host of others, including, gasp, some celebrities. It’s been nothing short of a tsunami i...

Last episode we talked about how and when to arrange college financing, and this week we’re tackling the bigger question of how much is too much to borrow. For those about to start researching and visiting colleges, we have tips on how to start developing a preliminary college list. Finally, if you’re interested in the University of California system, you’ll want to be up-to-date on the system’s A through G course requirements for high school students—we’ve got everything you need to know.

Graduating seniors and their families have one more college decision looming: whether or not to spend more money to visit college campuses where the students were accepted for admitted student events. We’ll talk about what to expect, whether or not it’s worth it to attend, and what to do when you’re there. Those same families also are about to face a big college bill in a few months, one that might require some loans. We’ll cover how and when to arrange that financing and how to determine the be...

Ever wonder how many AP courses colleges want to see—or if colleges even do expect to see them? Tune in to our segment on course selection for answers to these questions and insight into how to make the best curriculum choices for you and your journey to college. If you’ve already been accepted and plan to meet with the financial aid office during an upcoming accepted student day on campus, we have suggestions for the questions you should ask during that meeting. Finally, our experts will share ...

Some high schools and colleges offer a unique way to earn college credit prior to graduation through dual-enrollment coursework. Learn more about this option, how it stacks up against AP and IB programs, and whether or not it’s the right choice for you or your student. We’ll spend the rest of the episode answering your college admissions and finance questions.

Last week we talked about appealing your financial aid awards, and this week we’re covering how to negotiate for more scholarship money. If you didn’t even know that was a possibility, you’ll want to tune in to learn more. You may have heard about senioritis but don’t know much about the impact. Can it truly be harmful to your college acceptances? In a word—yes. Finally, for those juniors eager to get a jump on application season, it might be time to start thinking about your essay. We’ll offer ...

It is financial aid award season, and we’re here to guide you through it. First up is how to appeal a financial aid award, from determining whether or not you have grounds for an appeal to how to approach the appeals process. We’ll also discuss demonstrated interest, including what it is and how you can use it to positively impact your college application process. Finally, we’ll talk you through the best ways to communicate with colleges.

There’s snow on the ground and more to come, but believe it or not, summer planning starts now! We’ll be talking through some things to think about as you get started. We’re also exploring D3 athletics and how being a recruited athlete can impact admissions opportunities. Finally, as financial aid and merit award letters start to come in, you may find it difficult to figure out who is offering the best deal. We have tips for comparing awards in order to make the best decision.

If you or your student are interested in a career in the arts, you might be concerned about your ability to earn a living in such a difficult field. We’ll talk about suggestions for students facing long odds in the creative field that will hopefully allow them to pursue their dreams while putting food on the table. We’ll also be answering your college finance and admissions questions.

For most families, the ability to pay for college is as important as getting in. We welcome Edmit co-founder Sabrina Manville to the show to discuss how to build a college list with value in mind to help families develop a list that is more affordable while distinguishing when it might make sense to pay a little more. We’re also doing part 2 in our Tax Breaks for Higher Education series, discussing options available when you are paying for college. Finally, in Office Hours, we’re discussing what...

Seniors are now in what can be the toughest part of the process: waiting to get an answer from colleges. Is there anything you can do now that the applications are in? We have some thoughts that we’ll share with you. Paying for higher education can mean tax breaks come April. Part One of a two part series will look at options if you are saving for college and repaying education loans. Finally, you or your student may be receiving invitations to join some honor societies or “nominations” to expen...

Colleges do not consider retirement savings in their financial aid calculations, but you can use a Roth IRA to pay for college. We’ll share more about who can take advantage of this option and factors to consider. If you’re faced with a group and/or faculty interview in the admission or scholarship process, we have tips for navigating these trickier conversations. Finally, it’s not the new year if you don’t make resolutions, and we have some thoughts on how to make some related to college admiss...

If you’re about to submit all of your applications or your last few, we’ll take you through the nuts and bolts of submitting your applications and necessary follow up. Students recently accepted or considering applications to out-of-state state schools often wonder if there is a way to establish residency and pay in-state tuition rates. Sounds too good to be true: is it? We’ll let you know! In Office Hours, we’ll offer tips about how to handle updates and changes to applications after submission...

As students and families look to get more work experience while they’re in college, co-ops are becoming a more popular option. We’ll share more details about co-ops, including what they are, and the financial aspects of the programs that you need to consider before committing to them. In Office Hours, we’ll go through the supplements for Washington University in St. Louis and Barnard College.

You applied early in the hopes that you’d have some decisions before the end of the year, and you got…deferred. What now? We’ll tell you all about how to best handle this non-decision. We’re also answering your questions in a two-segment Q&A featuring your burning concerns.

The results from early decision, early action, and priority admissions programs are starting to come in, and we’re here to help! We’ll discuss what to expect, how to prepare, and how to handle whatever comes your way. We’re doing the second segment in our two-part series on getting ready to repay your students loans. And finally, in Office Hours, we’re offering tips for writing the supplement requirements for Boston College and Colgate.

Students who excel in math and science are often pushed to consider engineering. Conversely, students who love science or math might be considering a degree in one of those disciplines, overlooking the possibilities available in engineering. We’ll look at the differences between these majors so that you or your student can determine their best path forward. In part one of a two-part series, we’re offering insight into getting started on repaying student loans. And in Office Hours, we’re taking a...

While most parents will be thrilled to have their college students home for the holiday season, what happens if the main topic of conversation is around transferring? Listen in as we talk through the reasons behind this phenomenon, and how to determine whether or not this is something to act on or wait out a bit longer. In Office Hours, we’re answering your questions.

Come learn more about all things UC application, as one of our resident California experts breaks down what you need to know. We’ll also look at state financial aid programs in California and offer advice about approaching the Carnegie Mellon and Syracuse University supplemental essay questions.

Students who have been suspended, expelled, or been subject to disciplinary action of some kind will likely need to address this infraction in their college applications. Tune in to learn more about the potential consequences and, more importantly, how to handle these in the application. If you have considered using life insurance as a college savings vehicle—or been advised to do so by someone else—join us to get more information about the positives and negatives of this option. Finally, we’ll ...