Episodes
April 21, 2022
Next Steps for Seniors After Making Deposits; Consortium Schools
It’s late April, and most seniors are getting ready to make their final choice and deposit at the college they’ll attend next fall. We’re covering all the next steps they need to be thinking about. Many students with top choi...
April 14, 2022
Maximizing Naviance; Stories from Our Team; Athletic Scholarships
Student athlete hoping for a scholarship? In honor of National Student Athlete Day on April 6, we have everything you need to know about athletic scholarships for college. In another story from our team, Vanessa Garrido will ...
April 7, 2022
Should You Reapply?; AP & IB Classes; Saving for College Timeline
For all the seniors celebrating their acceptances and making their final selection, there are a few unhappy with their results and contemplating a different path. If you are thinking about taking a gap year and reapplying, we...
March 31, 2022
How to Use LinkedIn for College Admissions; Listener Q&A
Students have been warned about cleaning up their social media presence, but many don’t realize that some sites can be beneficial to high school and college students. Andrew Cohen, senior enterprise account executive for the ...
March 24, 2022
Borrowing for College; Preliminary College List; Sports Academies
Many families will take out loans to help pay for college. We’re exploring the good, bad, and ugly of parents borrowing money to fund this big expense. We’re also discussing sports academies and how to determine if this is th...
March 17, 2022
Admitted Student Events; Summer Programs; Qualifying for PSLF
Many students with top choice colleges feel like they should attend a summer program at that college. We’ll talk about the pros and cons of that decision and share our bottom line on this. We will also cover admitted student ...
March 10, 2022
Regular Decision Results; Women’s Colleges; Listener Q&A
Regular decision results are coming out, and we can help! We have advice about how to decide and what to do if you are waitlisted. In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re discussing what makes a someone a good candidate for ...
March 3, 2022
The Price You Pay for College
New York Times columnist Ron Lieber published The Price You Pay for College: An Entirely New Road Map for the Biggest Financial Decision Your Family Will Ever Make in early 2021. Our team is sharing their thoughts on the book...
Feb. 24, 2022
Starting College Abroad; FinAid Awareness; College Visit Planning
What does it mean when your college of choice accepts you and then asks you to spend your first year in another country? We’ll share more about starting college abroad, from why these programs exist to what to expect to wheth...
Feb. 17, 2022
Test Optional and Public Unis; SAT Changes; FinAid Awareness
Test optional policies driven by limited access to testing during the pandemic have made that part of the process more confusing, especially at colleges that rely heavily on grades and testing alone when making admissions dec...
Feb. 10, 2022
Biz Career Paths; FinAid Awareness; School Counselor Com.
February is Financial Aid Awareness Month, and we’re celebrating by covering the basics of financial aid, from the definition to available options to funding sources. We’re also welcoming a guest to the show to share his jour...
Feb. 3, 2022
The Nursing Profession; Listener Q&A
We regularly speak to students with an interest in the medical field and the different paths available to them. This week, a working nurse will join the show to discuss his journey to becoming a nurse and offer insight into h...
Jan. 27, 2022
Education Tax Breaks; Reflections from a former Dean of Admission
Today, we are fortunate to have former University of Chicago Dean of Admission, Ted O’Neill, offer a retrospective of his 30+ years serving in admissions. We will wrap up the show focusing on tax season, and we have informati...
Jan. 20, 2022
SAT/ACT Myths; Asking for More Merit Money; Good Fit Colleges
Did you know that you can ask for more merit money? Well you can, and we have some information about when and how to do this. We’re also looking at the myths that surround the SAT and ACT, and digging into what we mean when w...
Jan. 13, 2022
2021 Admissions Reflections; Income-Driven Repayment Options
2021 was the year when we were supposed to emerge from beneath the COVID cloud. It didn’t exactly pan out that way, but we did emerge! We’re sharing insight into what went well for our students in the college admissions proce...
Jan. 6, 2022
Summer Programs; Listener Q&A
Is it too early to start thinking about the summer? Of course not! Early winter is the perfect time to think about what you want to do and where you want to do it—we have tips for getting started. We’re also answering college...
Dec. 30, 2021
Now What?; New Year’s Resolutions: Admissions & Finance
Your applications are in. Now what?! We’ll tell you! As the New Year approaches, and with it, resolutions, we’re offering some suggestions for you to consider on both the admissions and personal finance front. Start the New Y...
Dec. 23, 2021
Preparing for the CARES Act To End; The Transfer Conversation
Graduates with student loans need to prepare: the CARES Act and loan payment accommodations are scheduled to come to an end early in the new year. We’re sharing what you need to know and do next. Some students will return hom...
Dec. 16, 2021
Next Steps for Students Getting Early Answers
As colleges offering Early Decision and Early Action deadlines start rolling out their decisions, students will soon have to act on those decisions. We have next steps for everyone getting acceptances, deferrals, and denials ...
Dec. 9, 2021
An AO Shares Her Pandemic Admissions Experience; Listener Q&A
Last year was a whole new world for college admissions, both for admissions officers and for the applicants and their families. One of our educators shares her experiences as an admissions officer that cycle, including how th...
Dec. 2, 2021
Stories from Our Team: Internships; Financial Aid Eligibility
Historically, having multiple children in college at the same time has meant more financial aid eligibility. That may change with the new FAFSA changes coming in the next few years. We’ll explain what that means for you. In a...
Nov. 18, 2021
Writing Your Best Essay; Gap Years; Student Loan Servicers
If you’ve taken out any student loans, you may recently have received notice that your student loan servicer is changing. We’ll explain what a student loan servicer is and why they’re making changes. If you haven’t yet starte...
Nov. 11, 2021
Tips for Seniors Just Getting Started; USC Supplemental Essays
Any seniors out there just getting started on the college process? We have advice on what to do now in terms of applying to college and paying for it. We’re also walking you through the supplemental essays required by USC as ...
Nov. 4, 2021
Villanova Supplemental Essay Prompts; Listener Q&A
Applying to Villanova? They have two required supplemental essays, one that everyone writes and then a choice from a list of five prompts. We have advice on how to approach each of them. In Office Hours, we’re answering your ...