Episodes

One of the most frequent questions we get involves disclosing challenges that students have faced while going through high schools. We’ll touch on a few of these, including learning differences, ADD/ADHD, and Autism. In Offic...

Binding Early Decision, ED for short, isn’t for everyone. But it’s important to understand the trends in how colleges are using these programs and what that can mean for your chances at an institution that presents it as an o...

Last week we covered the FAFSA, and this week we’re diving into what you need to know about completing the CSS Profile, required in addition to the FAFSA by a number of colleges. We’re also going to explore what it means to s...

The FAFSA is out, and it’s time to get it done! We’re offering insight into the form and tips for completing it. A number of colleges and universities have begun to accept the Coalition Application, sometimes as the only way ...

We’re all about early action on today’s first segment. We’ll tell you what EA is, discuss the pros and cons, and help you figure out if it’s the right choice given your personal situation. A former financial aid officer at No...

As admissions professionals, we’ve seen students make lots of mistakes when it comes to college applications. We’ve selected our top 5 and are sharing them with you this week. In Office Hours, we’re answering your college fin...

The FAFSA can seem very daunting—where do you go if you have questions? We know, and we’re sharing those resources on today’s show. We’re also welcoming a small business owner and marketing professional who happened to major ...

Ever wonder how to determine which colleges will be the best investment? Edmit is a college comparison-shopping resource designed to help families better understand the value of their college investment, with proprietary soft...

While it’s important to use college applications as an opportunity to translate your accomplishments in the most impactful way, too much “packaging” can be problematic. We’ll share more about what the looks like and why it’s ...

Our podcast focuses on getting in to college, but what happens when it’s finally time to send your students off to school? A current college parent shares her thoughts on how to let go with grace. We’re also answering your co...

We’re excited to welcome a current college student to the podcast to share her reflections on her college admissions process—what went well, what went wrong, and how it all ended up. In Office Hours, we’re looking at the pros...

Timing is everything, especially when it comes to the college admissions process. This week we’re providing tips and suggestions on the best time to take standardized tests. We’ll also explain why merit-based scholarship awar...

There are a number of accelerated degree programs offering students the chance to complete advanced degrees in either fewer years than it would normally take or without the hassle of applying to graduate school. Tune in to he...

A handful of colleges have begun offering special programs in which students spend the first year studying abroad. If you’re wondering what they’re all about and whether or not they’re right for you, we’re sharing more about ...

If you aspire to the most selective colleges in the country and will need financial help to attend, don’t miss our segment on how financial aid works at the Ivies. For those getting ready to head to college in the fall, we’ll...

We often think of social media as a negative element of the college process, but what if there was a way to use it to your advantage? We’ll discuss this and some specific suggestions for using LinkedIn as part of your college...

College is expensive enough—you don’t want to spend what’s left of your money on books and dorm supplies. We’re offering tips for finding bargains on this new round of expenses. If you’re preparing to welcome your student bac...

If you’re considering traveling outside of the United States for college (or even if you’re not), you might want to include Canada in your college process. We’ll walk you through why Canada might be a good choice and offer re...

STEAM is a new acronym that has been tossed around quite a bit recently. In this week’s show, we’ll explain what it is and which colleges offer programs in this area. Sending a teenager off to college can be scary for many re...

One of the most important elements of the college process is making a plan and setting goals. This is the time of the year to review what was accomplished and write down some goals for the current year, and we’ll be discussin...

Summer is a very important time in the college process. Two very important items to focus on: planning and making the most of college visits, and getting started on your main essay. We’ll talk about both in this week’s episod...

If you’re considering Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC for short), don’t miss this week. We welcome a recent program graduate and her mom to discuss how she decided this was the right program for her, how mom felt about t...

In last week’s Getting In, we discussed the importance of a distinguishing excellence for those students hoping to be admitted to the most selective schools in the country. This week, we walk you through the best way to prese...

If you aspire to one of the most selective colleges in the country, you must have something that takes you from competitive to compelling. We discuss the concept of a “distinguishing excellence”—what it is and how you can get...