Getting In: A College Coach Conversation

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What 9th, 10th & 11th Graders Can Do to Prepare for Admissions Nov 09, 2023

Show notes

Are you a 9th, 10th, or 11th grader in high school, or the parent of one? We've got you covered in this episode! College Coach colleague, and parent of high school students, Kara Courtois, will be talking with host Ian Fisher about what 9th and 10th graders should be preparing for in the upcoming months, and Nicole Doyle, another colleague and parent will be covering the same topic with Ian but about high school juniors. Alex Bickford, college finance expert, will be covering the financial side of things for us.

Gap Years; High School Resumes; Aid Timeline for Early Applicants Nov 02, 2023

Show notes

Have you ever thought about gap year, or even another year of high school? Host Beth Heaton will be discussing who and why should consider those options with colleague Zaragoza Guerra. Then, Jen Simons, formerly of the admission offices of Tufts, Northeastern, and more, will address whether applicants should create a resume. Hint: in most cases, no! Also, Beth will be joined by college finance expert Zachery Gries to talk about financial aid notification timelines for early admission applicants.

Public University VS Liberal Arts College; Student Visa Holders Oct 26, 2023

Show notes

Today's battle: public universities versus liberal arts colleges! We kid; each institution type has its pluses and minuses, and on today's podcast, host Sally Ganga interview guests representing both. Our colleague Brittany Preston, formerly of the University of Colorado at Boulder and Oregon State University-Cascades, shares her experience at public universities, and our colleague Nial Rele, formerly of Middlebury College, relates his experience at a small liberal arts college. In addition, if you are an international student in the US on a visa, listen in as finance expert Robyn Stewart discusses how this may affect what you pay for college.

College Essay Tips: Overcoming Writer's Block; Listener Questions Oct 19, 2023

Show notes

Are you struggling to write those essays? Dismissing every idea as bad, or just staring at a blank screen? College Coach admissions expert Steve Brennan shares advice on how to overcome writer's block. So, tune in, and know that you aren't alone. In addition, host Shannon Vasconcelos and our very own admissions vet Jen Simons answer listener questions.

Senior Grades; Financial Impact of Early Decision; Stress Tips Oct 12, 2023

Show notes

Students: Have your older friends, or even your parents, told you that your senior grades don't matter? Well, they're wrong! Tune in to today's episode to hear host Ian Fisher and colleague Brian Swann discuss how senior year grades can impact admission to colleges. In addition, finance expert Alexander Gonzalez weighs in on the financial implications of applying Early Decision. Finally, as we enter peak stress time in the college application process, College Coach Karen Spencer helps us remember to take a deep breath and relax.

Supplemental Essays; Activity Lists; FAFSA Updates Oct 05, 2023

Show notes

What in the world are supplemental essays? Unfortunately, many colleges require these additional short essays alongside the Common and Coalition Application personal statement. Tune in to this episode as host Beth Heaton talks with College Coach admissions counselor Lisa Albro about how to approach these supplements. In addition, admissions counselor Brittany Preston explains the activity list that's part of many college applications, and Chrissy Foran, college finance expert, provides an overview of the Free Application for Federal Student aid (FAFSA) changes for 2024-2025.

Race Conscious Admissions; University of Florida; Loan Repayment Sep 28, 2023

Show notes

We first addressed the Supreme Court's decision on affirmative action in undergraduate admissions in our July 13 podcast episode. This week, College Coach admissions expert Kyra Tyler returns with the additional perspective of three months having passed since that episode. Host Ian Fisher then welcomes colleague Aysha Wong to fill us in on the University of Florida, where she previously worked as an admissions officer, and later gets an update on the Federal Student Loan Repayment policy from finance expert Michelle Clifton.

Deadlines; Parents Role in Admissions; Financial Aid Timeline Sep 21, 2023

Show notes

Host Beth Heaton talks with college admissions counselor Becky Leichtling about the assortment of application deadlines. For everyone confused about the difference between early decision, early action, and regular decision, this is for you! College consultant Lisa Albro also joins Beth to discuss what role parents should play in the application process. (Hint: It's not your job to write the essays, but there are other ways you can help!) In addition, college finance expert Beth Feinberg-Keenan talks when and how to apply for financial aid.

What are Honors Colleges & Should I Apply?; Listener Questions Sep 14, 2023

Show notes

During this episode of the Getting In podcast, host Shannon Vasconcelos fields listener questions alongside admissions expert Sally Ganga. (Don't forget to submit your questions to be included in a future episode!) Julia Jones then joins Shannon to discuss honors colleges, which are a great option if you're looking for the relative affordability of a public university alongside smaller classes, more faculty interaction, and rigorous coursework.

Application Docs; Finalizing the College List; Tuition Discounts Sep 07, 2023

Show notes

In the college admission process, most students know about the importance of essays and the application, but what they might forget are all the supporting documents that make up an application. For example, the vast majority colleges can't make a decision without your transcript! Host Ian Fisher is joined by colleague Abigail Anderson to discuss what these documents are, why they are important, and most crucially, who is responsible for making sure they are submitted. Ian is also joined by colleague Zaragoza Guerra to discuss how to finalize your college list, and our finance colleague Aimee Yorsaner is here to discuss the two kinds of tuition discounting: merit and need-based.

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