Episodes

Inside the University of Pennsylvania Admissions Office - Office Hours: College Finance and Admissions Listener Questions
April 13, 2017

Inside the University of Pennsylvania Admissions Office - Office Hours: College Finance and Admissions Listener Questions

Curious about what holistic admissions means and how it’s practiced at different colleges and universities? In the second in our series on this topic, two former Penn admissions officers will offer some insight into how it wo...
Office Hours: Making a Final College Choice Based on Finances, Research Resources for College Admissions Questions, Impact of Sports on Campus Culture
April 6, 2017

Office Hours: Making a Final College Choice Based on Finances, Research Resources for College Admissions Questions, Impact of Sports on Campus Culture

Many students come to us looking for a “rah rah” environment in their college—or convinced that a sports culture will negatively impact their college experience. We’ll be discussing the impact of sports on campus culture, inc...
Evaluating Campus Safety -  Office Hours: Waitlists and Appealing a Denial,  Finding Scholarships in Spring of Senior Year
March 30, 2017

Evaluating Campus Safety - Office Hours: Waitlists and Appealing a Denial, Finding Scholarships in Spring of Senior Year

Waitlisted? Curious about what this means and why this happened? Tune in to the show as we use our Office Hours segment to discuss this and offer a little advice around whether or not you can appeal a denial. We’re also talki...
Making Your Final College Choice - State System Spotlight: Texas, Education Tax Breaks
March 23, 2017

Making Your Final College Choice - State System Spotlight: Texas, Education Tax Breaks

Acceptances are in, and perhaps you are one of many students (or the parent of one) who has a few options to consider. If so, don’t miss our segment on how to make your final college choice by May 1. We’ll do another in our s...
State System Spotlight: State University of New York, Answering Listener Questions
March 16, 2017

State System Spotlight: State University of New York, Answering Listener Questions

In the second segment of our State System Spotlight, we’re exploring the different campuses of the SUNY system, including the differing levels of selectivity, specific strengths and focuses, and the culture and feel of the sc...
New Common App Essay Prompts, Scholarship and Financial Aid Renewability: Office Hours: Starting Your Common App Essay
March 9, 2017

New Common App Essay Prompts, Scholarship and Financial Aid Renewability: Office Hours: Starting Your Common App Essay

One of the most important things you need to understand about your financial aid and/or scholarship packages is whether or not they are renewable for all four years. Tune in to this week’s episode for more information about h...
A Day in the Life of an Admissions Officer; How to Financially Plan for all Four Years
March 2, 2017

A Day in the Life of an Admissions Officer; How to Financially Plan for all Four Years

Ever wonder what life is like as an admissions officer? Understanding what they’re doing on a daily basis can be especially valuable in understanding who will be reading your application. This segment will specifically focus ...
How to Negotiate a -Better- Scholarship: State System Spotlight: University of California
Feb. 23, 2017

How to Negotiate a -Better- Scholarship: State System Spotlight: University of California

Maybe you got some merit-based money from one college, but not from the one you most want to attend. Or perhaps you got a scholarship to one of your top choices but were hoping for more. In this week’s episode of Getting In, ...
Everything You Need to Know About the National Merit Scholarship Process and Awards: Applying to College: How Can Parents Help?
Feb. 16, 2017

Everything You Need to Know About the National Merit Scholarship Process and Awards: Applying to College: How Can Parents Help?

It’s that time of year again: National Merit Scholarship finalists have been announced, and students are scrambling to update schools with their new status. How did those students qualify? Does it even matter in the admission...
Financial Aid Appeals: What If College is Not the Right Next Step? Office Hours
Feb. 9, 2017

Financial Aid Appeals: What If College is Not the Right Next Step? Office Hours

As financial aid awards start to come in, families can be thrilled and disappointed at the results. If your award isn’t what you expected or, more importantly, isn’t enough to allow you or your child to attend their chosen sc...
The Ivy League Admissions Interview, Comparing Financial Aid Offers: Women's Leadership and Mentoring Programs
Feb. 2, 2017

The Ivy League Admissions Interview, Comparing Financial Aid Offers: Women's Leadership and Mentoring Programs

Preparing for your interview at an Ivy or similarly selective institution and wondering what it’s all about? We’ll share information on why these are offered, what to expect, and the role your interview will likely play in th...
Scholarships with February and March Deadlines: Community College to Four Year Institution: Office Hours
Jan. 26, 2017

Scholarships with February and March Deadlines: Community College to Four Year Institution: Office Hours

You may have heard that if you want to apply for scholarships to help pay for college, the key is to start early. But if you procrastinated, you’re in luck, because in this week’s show we’re going to share information about s...
Office Hours: Answering Listeners' Admissions and College Finance Questions: High School Plan: Pre-Vet Students
Jan. 19, 2017

Office Hours: Answering Listeners' Admissions and College Finance Questions: High School Plan: Pre-Vet Students

Have an aspiring veterinarian in your household? In another segment in our High School Plan series, we’ll review the best courses and extracurricular activities for potential pre-vet students. We’re also answering your listen...
Steps to Take Now if You Want to Get Your MBA: Applying to Medical School, Financial Aid for Mid-Year Transfers
Jan. 12, 2017

Steps to Take Now if You Want to Get Your MBA: Applying to Medical School, Financial Aid for Mid-Year Transfers

Lots of students head to college with a goal of earning a million dollars—or finding a cure for cancer—before age 30. If you anticipate applying to business or medical school, you’ll want to tune in this week, when we’ll talk...
Can an Average Student Get Into a Top-Tier School? Options if You Can't Pay the Spring College Bill- Office Hours: Avoiding the Rumor Mill: Our 100th Show!
Jan. 5, 2017

Can an Average Student Get Into a Top-Tier School? Options if You Can't Pay the Spring College Bill- Office Hours: Avoiding the Rumor Mill: Our 100th Show!

We answer a lot of listener questions on the show, and one that we get asked fairly frequently is “Can an average student get into a top-tier school?” Tune in to find out. We’re also looking at options for families who find t...
School's In Application Workshop: My Applications are Submitted-Now What? Listener Questions
Dec. 29, 2016

School's In Application Workshop: My Applications are Submitted-Now What? Listener Questions

It can be tempting to take an extended break once you finally submit your last application. Guess what? Not a great idea! We’ll offer some advice about what not to do now that apps are in, and how to best approach the remaind...
School's In Application Workshop - What to Do About Those Early Decision and Early Action Decisions; Trends in College Pricing
Dec. 22, 2016

School's In Application Workshop - What to Do About Those Early Decision and Early Action Decisions; Trends in College Pricing

Most colleges have released their decisions for the early round, whether that is Early Decision or Early Action. We’ll be discussing how to handle all possible outcomes in terms of what to do if you were admitted, deferred, o...
School's In! Application Workshop: Countdown to January 1 and Listener Questions on College Finance and Admissions
Dec. 15, 2016

School's In! Application Workshop: Countdown to January 1 and Listener Questions on College Finance and Admissions

The last big deadline is approaching and we’ll be offering tips and suggestions for making sure applications are ready to go. We’ll also take another shot at answering your college finance and admissions questions.
School's In! Application Workshop: Princeton, Yale, and Dartmouth Supplements: To Transfer or Not to Transfer
Dec. 8, 2016

School's In! Application Workshop: Princeton, Yale, and Dartmouth Supplements: To Transfer or Not to Transfer

To transfer or not to transfer—that is the question! Meet Brooke, who came home from college after a few months determined to transfer. She’s going to share why, what her research uncovered, and whether or not she ultimately ...
School's In Application Workshop: Supplements for Penn, Brown, Columbia, Harvard, and Cornell: Keeping Track of Your Student Loans
Dec. 1, 2016

School's In Application Workshop: Supplements for Penn, Brown, Columbia, Harvard, and Cornell: Keeping Track of Your Student Loans

If you’ve taken out a new student loan every year or even every semester, keeping track of them can be a herculean task. Tune in for tips on how to best do this. In this week’s School’s In Application Workshop session, we’re ...
School's In! Application Workshop: Countdown to January 1 and Listener Questions on College Finance and Admissions
Nov. 17, 2016

School's In! Application Workshop: Countdown to January 1 and Listener Questions on College Finance and Admissions

With Thanksgiving only a week away, New Year’s Day is fast approaching. The holidays may mean gifts and family gatherings, but here at College Coach ‘tis the season for regular decision application deadlines. We’ll spend a li...
The Pros and Cons of Not Applying for Financial Aid When Applying to College, School's In! Application Workshop: New University of California Essay Prompts
Nov. 10, 2016

The Pros and Cons of Not Applying for Financial Aid When Applying to College, School's In! Application Workshop: New University of California Essay Prompts

One of our most frequent questions revolves around whether or not to apply for financial aid when applying for acceptance. There are many factors to consider here, and we’ll try to cover as many as possible during today’s sho...
School's In Application Workshop: What to Do After the Nov. 1 ED and EA Deadlines; Religion in Essays and Essays for Religious Colleges, The Benefits of a Part-Time Job
Nov. 3, 2016

School's In Application Workshop: What to Do After the Nov. 1 ED and EA Deadlines; Religion in Essays and Essays for Religious Colleges, The Benefits of a Part-Time Job

It’s November 3, and that can only mean one thing: all of the ED and EA applications with November 1 deadlines have been submitted. In this week’s show, we’re going to discuss what to think about and do next. We’re also going...
'School's In' Application Workshop: Listener Questions
Oct. 27, 2016

'School's In' Application Workshop: Listener Questions

As we get closer to the fall and winter deadlines, we know you have lots of questions. We have lots of answers, and we’ll devote this week’s show to sharing them with you!