The college application process is not as scary as you think

Listening to this podcast over the last six months helped calm my fears and give me the information my family needed as our oldest child was creating a college list and applying for college. Don’t let the scary commercial for their coaching services discourage you. The podcast itself tells you what admissions and financial aid officers are looking for as they read applications and how to avoid common pitfalls of that process. Their discussions of what colleges want to see on essays and writing supplements showed me that the common wisdom among parents was wrong. The interviewees and interviewers have frequently worked in admissions (& financial aid) offices and have also worked as admissions coaches or high school counselors so they have frequently seen the admissions process from both sides. This podcast is a great resource for *anyone* who is approaching or in the college search and admission process, it is not aimed solely at those applying to the most selective schools. Topics include whether or not to take a gap year, when college is not the right choice, what if my child is not in the top 10-20% of the class, what if my child’s test scores/grades are not the greatest.