Getting In: A College Coach Conversation

Latest Episodes:

The Deposit; Not-Rich Students; Do Colleges Care if You're Kind? May 02, 2019

Show notes

If you would consider yourself "not-rich" and are headed to a campus that could very well be filled with lots of students who are, don't miss today's show. We're welcoming Lauren Schandevel, who encountered this challenge at the University of Michigan and created a guide to help other not-rich students survive and thrive at the university. Perhaps her advice will be useful to you. We'll also cover next steps for students who have made their final college choice and sent in their deposit. And last but certainly not least, we'll take a look at the question, "Do colleges care if you are kind?" and try to offer some answers.

Disagreeing on College Choice; Micro Scholarships; AP Exams Apr 25, 2019

Show notes

Help—it's almost May 1, and we can't agree on a college! You won't be the first student and parent not to be on the same page when it comes to college choice, and we're pretty sure you won't be the last. Tune in for our advice on how to navigate what can be a challenging decision. We'll also look into the latest trends in micro scholarships, and, in Office Hours, we're discussing AP exams and their role in the college admissions process.

Trends in Merit and Financial Aid Packages; Listener Questions Apr 18, 2019

Show notes

In previous shows we've covered how to negotiate for more merit money and appeal financial aid packages. We thought it might be interesting to look at the trends we're seeing in this year's student packaging. In Office Hours, we're answering your college admissions and finance questions.

No Acceptances?; Financially Smart Lists; Third Culture Kids Apr 11, 2019

Show notes

Students with no acceptances will want to tune in to this week's show, in which we will help you best handle an admissions season gone awry and offer suggestions for moving forward with your college plans. For those getting started on their college process, we have advice for creating a college list that takes ability to pay into consideration, since having options that you can't afford is basically like having no options at all. Finally, we'll look at the challenges and opportunities facing third culture kids.

Waitlisted? What to do and recent trends; Summer jobs and savings Apr 04, 2019

Show notes

In the world of college admissions, nothing may be more frustrating than the waitlist offer. "Thanks so much for applying. I know you were expecting an answer, but we need you to wait for yours just a little bit longer than everyone else." We'll offer some perspective by reviewing the waitlist trends we saw last year and offering suggestions for how to approach your own waitlist status. On the finance side, we're talking about summer jobs and establishing some savings goals for that work.

Applying Out of State. Choosing a College. College and Retirement Mar 28, 2019

Show notes

Devastated about not getting into your dream school? There's no doubt this is a tough time, but you can't abandon college just because your top choice didn't come through. Tune in for tips on choosing the best colleges from those eager to welcome you to campus. Older parents have a unique set of challenges in sending students off to college while contemplating imminent retirement. We have college finance advice for this demographic. Finally, we have advice for students applying to public institutions from out of state.

College Admissions Scandal: What Happened and What Can You Do Now? Mar 21, 2019

Show notes

We interrupted our regularly scheduled programming to focus an entire episode on the scandal rocking the admissions world involving wealthy parents, corrupt coaches and standardized test proctors, and a villain for the ages in the form of Rick Singer. Singer broke the law and lined his pockets with illicit funds for years before getting caught, at which point he promptly turned around and implicated a whole host of others, including, gasp, some celebrities. It's been nothing short of a tsunami in terms of media coverage, and we're, I suppose, not immune to the desire to share our own thoughts about what happened and why. But most importantly we want to help all of our listeners understand how best to move forward.

UC A-G Requirements; How Much to Borrow; Starting a College List Mar 14, 2019

Show notes

Last episode we talked about how and when to arrange college financing, and this week we're tackling the bigger question of how much is too much to borrow. For those about to start researching and visiting colleges, we have tips on how to start developing a preliminary college list. Finally, if you're interested in the University of California system, you'll want to be up-to-date on the system's A through G course requirements for high school students—we've got everything you need to know.

Admitted Student Events; College Consultants; College Financing Mar 07, 2019

Show notes

Graduating seniors and their families have one more college decision looming: whether or not to spend more money to visit college campuses where the students were accepted for admitted student events. We'll talk about what to expect, whether or not it's worth it to attend, and what to do when you're there. Those same families also are about to face a big college bill in a few months, one that might require some loans. We'll cover how and when to arrange that financing and how to determine the best loan for your individual situation. Finally, for those students and families contemplating hiring an independent counselor, we'll offer tips for what to look for and what to avoid.

How Many APs Do I Need?; Accepted Student Days; Visiting Colleges Feb 28, 2019

Show notes

Ever wonder how many AP courses colleges want to see—or if colleges even do expect to see them? Tune in to our segment on course selection for answers to these questions and insight into how to make the best curriculum choices for you and your journey to college. If you've already been accepted and plan to meet with the financial aid office during an upcoming accepted student day on campus, we have suggestions for the questions you should ask during that meeting. Finally, our experts will share some ideas for getting in college visits during your upcoming spring break.