The Truth about College Admission

The Truth About Deferrals - Heath Einstein Feb 25, 2025

Rick and Brennan are joined by Heath Einstein, the Vice Provost of Enrollment Management at Texas Christian University, to go over what a deferral means in the admissions process, what students should do in response to the decision and while they wait for the next decision to come, and the mentality to take on when your top school sends a deferral decision.

Links:

Deferred Admission - Georgia Tech

Heath Einstein Named Vice Provost for Enrollment Management - TCU

Truth About College Admissions Newsletter Signup

Grown and Flown Free Trial Offer

Hosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick Clark

Guest: Heath Einstein

Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About the College Search - Sacha Thieme Feb 04, 2025

Brennan and Rick are joined by Sacha Thieme, Assistant Vice Provost and Executive Director of Admissions at Indiana University, to talk about best practices for visiting colleges, the preparation that is useful before going for a campus visit, and what college visits can do as for high schoolers evolving their thinking in the college search process.

Links:

Ask The Same Questions, again and again… - Clark

Throw a Dart, Drop a Pin - Truth About College Admissions Workbook

Don’t Waste Your College Visit: Ask The Right Questions - Forbes

Grown & Flown Free Trial Offer

Truth About College Admissions Newsletter

Hosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick Clark

Guest: Sacha Thieme

Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth about Navigating the Application Process - Dr. Ramon Blakley Jan 21, 2025

Rick is joined by the interim Director of Admissions at UT Austin, Dr. Ramon Blakley, to talk about UT Austin's Percentage Plan and how that impacts how they recruit + admit applicants. Then, a conversation about how juniors can best navigate the various schools that have a range of test optional to test mandatory policies, plus advice for parents of seniors who are receiving application decisions this month.
Links:
Hues of Leadership Podcast - Blakley
The College Admissions Process Podcast - Blakley
Grown and Flown Free Trial Offer
Host: Rick Clark
Guest: Dr. Ramon Blakley
Production: Jack Purdy

2025 Preview Show Jan 09, 2025

Rick and Brennan are back from holidays and are here with their hopes for 2025 in college admissions, what they're looking out for in the industry, and their timely tips for the January portion of the admissions calendar.
Links:
Admission Leaders Share Resolutions For College Applicants - Forbes
Immunity to Change - Kegan and Lahey
College Uncovered - NPR
"Ask The Same Questions" - Clark
Truth About College Admissions Newsletter
Hosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick Clark
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About 2024: TACA's Year in Review Dec 19, 2024

Rick and Brennan close out the 2024 calendar year to discuss their favorite guests and what they drew from those conversations. Then, a review of the big issues in college admission that stuck out to them in 2024 with a look ahead to what they're hopeful to see in 2025. Hopefully no more holiday deadlines for applications!
Links:
Fewer race-based scholarships and a new culture of fear follow the end of affirmative action - The Hechinger Report
Ask Lisa Podcast: Getting into College with Rick Clark - Damour
The Truth About Family and College Admission - The Truth About College Admission w/Lisa Damour
The Truth About Admission and Parenting - The Truth About College Admission w/Lisa Heffernan
Scoir Halftime Report
Hosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick Clark
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About Leading a College - Dan Lugo Dec 10, 2024

In one of our favorite episodes yet, Dan Lugo, current President of Queens University of Charlotte and future President at Trinity College in Hartford, CT, joins Brennan and Rick to talk about his unique admissions journey, how a college president can impact a campus positively, and how parents can best approach helping their child seek the transformative experience college can provide.
Links:
The Truth About College Admission Newsletter
Postelection Uncertainty Looms Large For Presidents - Inside Higher Ed
Hosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick Clark
Guest: Dan Lugo
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About Admission at the Holidays - Dianne Campbell Nov 26, 2024

Rick and Brennan are joined by Dianne Campbell, the Director of College Counseling at Liberty Common High School, where they talk about how to manage the conversations that are bound to come up for kids going through the college admissions process over the next month, how to frame the conversation in a healthy way for kids, and if necessary, ways to deflect the conversation to draw out stories from the adults in the room about their experiences.
Links:
The Truth about College Admission Newsletter
A College Admission Holiday: The Friends And Family Guide - Forbes
College Admission Indigestion: An Applicant's Guide to Nausea Free Holidays - Huff Post
5 Parent Tips For When College Admission Decisions Land - Forbes
Parenting The Disappointed College Applicant - Forbes
Dealing With College Admission Disappointment - Forbes
Handling College Admission Decisions: A Sidecar Parent’s Guide - Forbes
Hosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick Clark
Guest: Dianne Campbell
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About Early Decision - Adam Miller Nov 12, 2024

Rick is joined by Adam Miller from the beautiful Whitman College to give a rundown of the kinds of responses students may get for their early action/decision applications and what do to in each situation, whether it be admitted, deferred, or denied, or even alternative scenarios that may arise.
Links:
The Truth about College Admission Newsletter
Host: Rick Clark
Guest: Adam Miller
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About Application Review - Liz Cheron Oct 29, 2024

Brennan and Rick are joined by Liz Chreron, CEO of the Coalition for College Access and proud Boston College graduate, to go over what application review looks like, why it's done the way it's done, how it's done, and how to best approach this time of the admissions cycle for parents and students.
Links:
Coalition for College website
The Truth About College Admission Newsletter
Hosts: Rick Clark, Brennan Barnard
Guest: Liz Cheron
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About Value - Dan Porterfield Oct 15, 2024

Dan Porterfield, author and President + CEO of the Aspen Institute, joins Rick and Brennan to dive into the value of college from different perspectives (family, individual, societal, financial), some stories from Dan's time as a college president, and advice as to how to approach being at college and how to support people currently in college.
Links:
Mindset Matters - Dan Porterfield
The Parents Aren't Alright - The Daily
On Edge: Understanding and Preventing Young Adults’ Mental Health Challenges - Making Caring Common Project
Mission Matters - Rick Clark
"Georgia Tech and AMSC Collaboration to Boost STEM Pipeline"
The Truth About College Admission Newsletter sign up

Hosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick Clark
Guest: Dan Porterfield
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About Financial Aid - Jackie Copeland Oct 01, 2024

Brennan and Rick are joined by the Associate Provost and Director of the Office of Scholarships and Student Aid at UNC, Jackie Copeland, to talk through a primer of the FAFSA (both what it is and why to fill it out), the cost of college (and why it is so high), and the crucial roles that parents can fill for their kids navigating college for the first time.
LINKS:
How it feels to be a college student whose parents can’t let go - Slate
Education Department Delays FAFSA Launch for Most Students - Inside Higher Ed
U.S DoE Net Price Calculator
myintuition.org College Cost Calculator
The Cliff, the Pandemic and the Hurricane - Inside Higher Ed
The Truth About College Admission Newsletter signup
Hosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick Clark
Guest: Jackie Copeland
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth about Mission and AI - Juan Espinoza Sep 17, 2024

For the first interview of season 3, Rick and Brennan are joined by Juan Espinoza, the Vice Provost for Enrollment Management at Virginia Tech to discuss his admission journey from applying to schools to becoming Vice Provost, how the mission of Virginia Tech drives his work, and what he is excited about how AI can positively influence the admissions process.
Links referenced in the episode:
CGN’s AVA: Bringing 24/7 "Enhanced Expert AI" Guidance to College and Career Planning and Success - Yahoo Finance
College Admission: An AI Revolution - Forbes
Colleges are using AI in admissions. How can they do it right? - WBUR
Morehouse College’s TJ Snowden on Institutional Priorities - The Truth about College Admission

Truth About College Admissions Newsletter signup
Hosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick Clark
Guest: Juan Espinoza
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth about Season 3 Sep 03, 2024

We're back! Season three of The Truth about College Admission is here as we recap our summers and look ahead to what this season of the podcast will bring us.
Subscribe to our newsletter!
Books and essays mentioned in this episode:
Brave New Words: How Ai Will Revolutionize Education (And Why That's A Good Thing) - Salman Khan
Mindset Matters: The Power Of College To Activate Lifelong Growth - Dan Porterfield
I’m a College President and I Hope My Campus Is Even More Political This Year - New York Times
Third Place University - Chris Burke
Smile Because It Happened - Dr. Beth Cabrera
Hosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick Clark
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About College Admissions - Season 2 Finale Jun 11, 2024

To close season 2, we have a role reversal with producer Jack Purdy interviewing Rick and Brennan to talk about learnings from this season's guests, their work outside the podcast, some thoughts on AI afterApple's big WWDC announcements, and what to expect for season 3.
THE TRUTH ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSION HOMEPAGE -- to learn more about our books, speaking engagements, podcast, and other resources
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Hosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick Clark, Jack Purdy
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About the College Transition - Harlan Cohen May 29, 2024

For our final guest of season 2, Rick and Brennan are joined by Harlan Cohen, author of multiple books including WIN or LEARN: The Naked Truth About Turning Every Rejection Into Your Ultimate Success. The trio goes over lots of Harlan's story of going to and transferring colleges, how to build resilience during these transformative years, and the main takeaways from WIN or LEARN.
Links:
Harlan's website
The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College - Cohen
THE TRUTH ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSION HOMEPAGE -- to learn more about our books, speaking engagements, podcast, and other resources
Grown and Flown Admission -- free trial offer
Hosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick Clark
Guest: Harlan Cohen
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About the College Admission Landscape - Michael Horn May 14, 2024

Rick and Brennan are joined by Michael Horn (author of multiple books, Forbes contributor, host of multiple podcasts, and writer of the Substack newsletter The Future of Education) to discuss making dual enrollment class choices, evaluating intellecutal safety on campuses, and how he likes to approach evaluating a college when deciding where to go.
Links:
Michael Horn's website
Future U Podcast
From Reopen to Reinvent: (Re)Creating School for Every Child - Horn
Michael's Twitter account
THE TRUTH ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSION HOMEPAGE -- to learn more about our books, speaking engagements, podcast, and other resources
Grown and Flown Admission -- free trial offer
Hosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick Clark
Guest: Michael Horn
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About College Admission and Wellness - Dr. Beth Cabrera Apr 30, 2024

With finals season approaching at colleges across the country, Rick and Brennan are joined by Dr. Beth Cabrera, an organizational psychologist and author specializing in positive psychology and well-being, to go through her admission journey, her advice on how to maintain healthy relationships during the college application process, and practical ways to make that process smoother for kids and families.
Links:
Beth's TEDx Talk at George Mason
Beth Cabrera's website
Beth's Twitter Page
Where You'll Go Is Not Who You'll Be- Frank Bruni
David and Goliath - Malcolm Gladwell
THE TRUTH ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSION HOMEPAGE -- to learn more about our books, speaking engagements, podcast, and other resources
Grown and Flown Admission -- Free Trial Offer
Hosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick Clark
Guest: Dr. Beth Cabrera
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About College Admission and Athletics - Tony Altimore Apr 16, 2024

Rick and Brennan are joined by experienced strategy consultant and master of college sports data graphics on Twitter, Tony Altimore, to discuss the landscape of college athletics in relation to admission, how the transfer portal can help or hurt students in their academic journey, and what the oncoming demographic cliff can mean for schools that rely on athletics.
Links:
Tony Altimore's Twitter page
Demographic Cliff chart - Tony Altimore
THE TRUTH ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSION HOMEPAGE -- to learn more about our books, speaking engagments, podcast, and other resources
Grown and Flown Admission -- Free Trial Offer
Hosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick Clark
Guest: Tony Altimore
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About the Admissions Landscape - David Hawkins Apr 02, 2024

With Brennan on vacation, Rick gets his first one on one interview of season 2, talking with David Hawkins from NACAC about his admission experience, the lastest effects from the FAFSA delay, and how to frame to the general public why college is an important piece to a functioning community.
Links:
David Hawkins' profile
Just Equations
THE TRUTH ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSION HOMEPAGE -- to learn more about our books, speaking engagements
Grown and Flown Admission -- Free Trial Offer
Hosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick Clark
Guest: David Hawkins
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About Family and College Admission - Dr. Lisa Damour Mar 19, 2024

With Rick out chauferring a youth soccer team, Brennan gets a one on one with Dr. Lisa Damour, clinical psychologist, 3x New York Times best seller, host of the Ask Lisa podcast to talk about the added stress the college search process brings, how to deal with that stress, and where families can potentially be freed up to be more happy during and after the process.
Links:
Lisa Damour's website
Lisa's early admission Instagram video
A panel on supporting youth mental health (feat. Lisa) - Harvard + Making Caring Common Project
CGN "Teenagers Decoded" Registration
THE TRUTH ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSION HOMEPAGE -- to learn more about our books, speaking engagements, podcast, and other resources
Grown and Flown Admission -- Free Trial Offer
Hosts: Rick Clark, Brennan Barnard
Guest: Dr. Lisa Damour
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About The College Search - Candice Mackey Mar 05, 2024

Rick and Brennan this week are joined by Candice Mackey, College Counselor at
Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies and Co-Chair of the National Association for College Admission Counseling’s Public School Counselor Group. They talk about her experience going through college, what keeping an open mind in the search process can do for a student, and going through important conversations with your family unit early to ensure everyone is on the same page during the entire college search process.
Links:
THE TRUTH ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSION HOMEPAGE -- to learn more about our books, speaking engagements, podcast, and other resources
Grown and Flown Admission -- Free Trial Offer
Hosts: Rick Clark, Brennan Barnard
Guest: Candice Mackey
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About Institutional Priorities - TJ Snowden Feb 20, 2024

TJ Snowden, the Chief of Staff for the President of Morehouse College in Atlanta, joins Rick and Brennan to go through his admissions experience when he was choosing a college, explaining what institutional prorities are and how to find them, along with advice for juniors and parents of juniors heading into their college application cycle.
Links:
THE TRUTH ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSION HOMEPAGE -- to learn more about our books, speaking engagements, podcast, and other resources
Grown and Flown Admission - Free Trial Offer
Hosts: Rick Clark, Brennan Barnard
Guest: TJ Snowden
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About College Interviews - Gloria Crawford Feb 06, 2024

Rick and Brennan are joined by one of Intialview's co-founders, Gloria Crawford, to discuss how the platform has been instrumental in the admissions space, how to approach their interviews, what to focus on, and advice for parents navigating the admissions space.
Links:
Initialview Home Page
Chinese Students and U.S. Universities Connect Through a Third Party (2016) - New York Times
College Admission Wrapped 2023 - Forbes
THE TRUTH ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSION HOMEPAGE -- to learn more about our books, speaking engagements, podcast, and other resources
Grown and Flown Admission - Free Trial Offer
Hosts: Rick Clark, Brennan Barnard
Guest: Gloria Crawford
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About Covering College Admission - Eric Hoover Jan 23, 2024

Eric Hoover, senior writer for the Chronicle of Higher Education, joins Brennan and Rick to talk about his first impressions of college counseling during his high school days, stories of how he's seen counseling impact people at the ground level, the varying levels of transparency in college aid, and some big admissions items to lookout for in 2024.
Links:
Articles by Eric
The Verification Trap - The Chronicle for Higher Education
Eric Hoover on College Admissions and Standardized Testing Changes - C-SPAN
Follow Eric on Twitter @erichoov
THE TRUTH ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSION HOMEPAGE -- to learn more about our books, speaking engagements, podcast, and other resources
Grown and Flown Admission - Free Trial Offer
Hosts: Rick Clark, Brennan Barnard
Guest: Eric Hoover
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About Admission and Parenting - Lisa Heffernan Jan 09, 2024

To open the spring 2024 episode slate, we welcome Lisa Heffernan, New York Times best selling author of Grown and Flown: How to Support Your Teen, Stay Close as a Family, and Raise Independent Adults, as well as the co-founder of Grown and Flown. Rick, Brennan, and Lisa cover how teenagers can navigate potentially toxic questions about their college future, what Grown & Flown can provide in terms of expert opinions about the college search, along with some current trends happening in the admissions space.
Links:
College Guidance Network
The Truth About Admission and Mattering - Jennifer Wallace
Stephanie Meade on Grown and Flown
THE TRUTH ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSION HOMEPAGE -- to learn more about our books, speaking engagements, podcast, and other resources
Grown and Flown Admission - Free Trial Offer
Hosts: Rick Clark, Brennan Barnard
Guest: Lisa Heffernan
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About Admission and Mattering - Jennifer Wallace Dec 12, 2023

To wrap up the 2023 slate, Jennifer Wallace, award-winning journalist and author of the New York Times bestselling book Never Enough: When Achievement Pressure Becomes Toxic – and What We Can Do About It, joins Rick and Brennan to talk about achievement pressure, creating a haven within the home during important times in a child's life, and why mattering matters.
Links:
Jennifer Wallace's Website
The Mattering Movement
VIA Character Strength Survey
Brennan's Admission Guides
A Relative's Guide to Holiday Admission - Forbes
A College Admission Holiday: The Friends And Family Guide - Forbes
College Admission Indigestion: An Applicant's Guide to Nausea Free Holidays - HuffPost
THE TRUTH ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSION HOMEPAGE -- to learn more about our books, speaking engagements, podcast, and other resources
Grown and Flown Admission - Free Trial Offer
Hosts: Rick Clark, Brennan Barnard
Guest: Jennifer Wallace
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth about Course Choice, Access, Math, and More - Ashley Pallie Nov 28, 2023

Ashley Pallie, Executive Director of Undergraduate Admissions and Chief Admissions Officer at Caltech, joins Rick and Brennan this week to talk about her introduction to higher ed admissions, what she's done to help bring equitable admissions intiatives to the forefront, why they do holistic review at Caltech, and the early returns on doing test-free application reviews.
Links:
Why Calculus Remains a Math Flash Point - EducationWeek
No calculus? No problem at Caltech - Inside Higher Ed
THE TRUTH ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSION HOMEPAGE -- to learn more about our books, speaking engagements, podcast, and other resources
Grown and Flown Admission - Free Trial Offer
Hosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick Clark
Guest: Ashley Pallie
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About Learning Disabilities and Applying to College - Elizabeth Hamblet Nov 14, 2023

Rick and Brennan are joined by Elizabeth Hamblet learning disabilities Consultant and author of “Seven Steps to College Success: A Pathway for Students with Disabilities.” The trio discuss her college journey, what they would prioritize and seek out during a college search, and their recommendations for engaging with disabilities services at your campus.
Links:
Elizabeth's Website (Consulting, Books, etc.)
Seven Steps to College Success: A Pathway for Students with Disabilities ebook
TRUTH ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSION HOMEPAGE -- to learn more about our books, speaking engagements, podcast, and other resources
Grown and Flown Admission -- Free Trial Offer
Hosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick Clark
Guest: Elizabeth Hamblet
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About Artificial Intelligence and Applying to College - Jeff Neill Oct 31, 2023

Rick and Brennan are joined by Jeff Neill, Director of College Counseling at Graded, the American School of São Paolo, to discuss how he has begun to interweave AI into his work life, what it's meant for how he manages his time, and how others can approach AI as a thought partner.
Links:
Tech-Neill-ogy Newsletter
How to use an AI chatbot to help you get into college - Khan Academy
How to use an AI chatbot to help you draft a college admissions essay - Khan Academy
TRUTH ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSION HOMEPAGE -- to learn more about our books, speaking engagements, podcast, and other resources
Grown and Flown Admission - Free Trial Offer
Hosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick Clark
Guest: Jeff Neill
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth About The Price You Pay For College - Ron Lieber Oct 17, 2023

Rick and Brennan this week welcome Ron Lieber, the bestselling author of “The Price You Pay for College: An Entirely New Roadmap for the Biggest Financial Decision Your Family Will Ever Make,” and New York Times “Your Money” columnist. The trio discuss how Ron got into the world of college financial aid, the secret of merit aid, and how he would approach defining success parameters for those making a college selection.
Links:
Ron Lieber's Website
"How Do I Pay for College?" - NYT
Merit Aid Course Website

TRUTH ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSION HOMEPAGE -- to learn more about our books, speaking engagements, podcast, and other resources
Grown and Flown Admission - Free Trial Offer
Hosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick Clark
Guest: Ron Lieber
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth about Early Action and Rankings - Eric Maguire Oct 03, 2023

Rick and Brennan are joined by Eric Maguire, the Vice President for Enrollment at Wake Forest University to discuss the initiatives Eric has undertaken to expand early decision options for first generation students, how he approaches college rankings, and gives his advice about diving into the college selection process.
Links:
Wake Forest's new First Gen Early Action Option
GT Blog on Admission DEADlines
I'm First- resources for First Gen students.

TRUTH ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSION HOMEPAGE -- to learn more about our books, speaking engagements, podcast, and other resources

Grown and Flown Admission - Free Trial Offer
Hosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick Clark
Guest: Eric Maguire
Production: Jack Purdy

The Truth about the Common App and Applying - Jenny Rickard Sep 19, 2023

This week, President and CEO of the Common Application, Jenny Rickard, joins Rick and Brennan to talk about how her career path lead her into admissions, what the Common Application is doing to identify trends in their data sets, expanding direct admissions standards to more colleges, and how they plan to address AI.
Links:
https://www.diverseeducation.com/reports-data/article/15543809/new-study-explores-the-25-of-students-who-start-but-never-finish-the-common-app

Common App Blog
Common App Research Papers and Insights

TRUTH ABOUT COLLEGE ADMISSION HOMEPAGE-- to learn more about our books, speaking engagements, podcast, and other resources.

Hosts: Rick Clark, Brennan Barnard
Guest: Jenny Rickard
Production: Jack Purdy
Grown and Flown Admission- Free Trial Offer

The Truth about AI and Admission-- Sal Khan, Khan Academy Sep 06, 2023

To open season 2 of The Truth about College Admission, Brennan Barnard and Rick Clark are joined by Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy, to discuss the current state of how AI is impacting the college admissions process, how currently it is being implemented in admissions reading rooms, how it can be effectively used to improve essays, and what the future might hold with better trained AI.
Links:
https://www.khanacademy.org/khan-labs

https://www.truthaboutcollegeadmission.com/

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/aug/27/chatgpt-ai-disadvantaged-college-applicants-affirmative-action

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/01/business/college-admissions-essay-ai-chatbots.html
Georgia Tech's Statement on AI
Hosts: Rick Clark, Brennan Barnard
Guest: Sal Khan
Production: Jack Purdy

Grown and Flown Admission - Free Trial Offer

The Truth about College Admission Season 2 Trailer Sep 05, 2023

Season 2 of The Truth about College Admission podcast is here! This season, our hosts Brennan Barnard and Rick Clark bring on another great roster of guests to discuss many of the current topics dominating the college admissions space, from AI to testing to the recent Supreme Court case. Along with those topics, this season will once again bring insight from working face to face with high school students and counselors, advice on how to understand what colleges are thinking and doing when they recruit prospective students, and guidance on how to have healthy conversations for families going through the admissions process.
On September 5, 2023, the second edition of the Brennan Barnard and Rick Clark's book, The Truth about College Admissions, is available to purchase at Johns Hopkins University Press, Amazon, or wherever you buy your books.
The Truth about College Admission website includes details about speaking engagements, books, podcast, other writing, resources, and more.
The Truth about College Admissions is exclusively sponsored by Johns Hopkins University Press, and in partnership with Grown and Flown.
Hosts: Rick Clark, Brennan Barnard
Production: Jack Purdy
https://www.truthaboutcollegeadmission.com/

The Truth About Using AI in Academics and Admission - David Joyner Jun 08, 2023

Join hosts Rick and Brennan in an engaging episode of "The Truth About College Admission" as they're joined by David Joyner to delve into the fascinating and ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) and its use in academics and college admission.
David Joyner is Executive Director of Online Education & OMSCS in Georgia Tech's College of Computing. | https://www.davidjoyner.net/
Read David's recent tweet thread about the language he's adopting in his course syllabi regarding AI assistants | https://twitter.com/DrDavidJoyner/status/1657569489330876417

The Truth About Return on Investment in College and Major Choice - Jeff Selingo May 03, 2023

This week, Jeff Selingo joins Brennan and Rick to discuss return on investment and value across types of colleges, degrees, and skill-building opportunities in college.
Burning Glass Report, Making the Bachelor's Degree More Valuable.
College Scorecard

See more from Jeff here

The Truth About Understanding and Discussing Financial Aid Packages - John Leach Apr 13, 2023

John Leach, Associate Vice Provost for Enrollment and University Financial Aid at Emory University, joins Rick today to break down college financial aid. He discusses financial aid terminology and the basic calculations that go into determining a package, as well as how and when students and families can discuss and anticipate cost of attendance. Additionally, John shares what students can anticipate when appealing financial aid or receiving a package after admission from a waitlist.

The Truth About Focusing on What You Can Control in College Admission - Jon Boeckenstedt Mar 22, 2023

This week, Rick and Brennan are joined by Jon Boeckenstedt, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management at Oregon State University. Jon shares thoughts and data on test optional policies as well as behind the scenes insights on admission decision making, that put into perspective why it's so important to focus on the things you can control in your college application and decision.
https://jonboeckenstedt.net/2022/12/13/why-you-were-denied/

@JonBoeckenstedt

https://www.highereddatastories.com/

Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz

The Truth About Burnout and Finding Joy Again - Angel Pérez Mar 08, 2023

This week Angel Pérez, CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), joins Rick and Brennan for a conversation about his personal journey of experiencing burnout and a discussion of his article where he shared how he found personal and professional joy again. Angel shares insights for college applicants, parents, and professionals who may also be experiencing burnout, and important reminders and resources (see below) for those learning to put themselves first again as they find their way out of the "fog".
Resources:
Angel Pérez's Article: One CEO's Story of Executive Burnout
More about Angel Pérez
NACAC
NACAC Committee on Mental Health and Equity in the Transition to Postsecondary Education
American School Counselor Association
SchoolSafety.gov

The Truth About Mindful Communication Between Families and Their Students - Allison Slater Tate Feb 22, 2023

This week, Allison Slater Tate joins Rick and Brennan to gives tips on supportive messaging and expectation setting between families and their students, as well as reminders about reprioritizing student contentment in college selection.
Allison Slater Tate is a college counselor and a freelance writer and editor in Florida specializing in parenting and college admissions. Check out these pieces on Grown & Flown and MSNBC for more from Allison.

The Truth About Character Development for College Applicants - Angela Duckworth Feb 01, 2023

In this episode, Rick and Brennan are joined by Angela Duckworth, co-founder, chief scientist, and a board member of Character Lab and Rosa Lee and Egbert Chang Professor at University of Pennsylvania. Angela shares insights on character development for high school students and finding inner confidence in times of self-doubt, as well as important reassurances for students in the midst of receiving college admission decisions.
Learn more about Angela's work

The College Admission Year Ahead In Songs and Stereograms Jan 18, 2023

This week, Rick and Brennan discuss their goals and priorities for the year, as well recent pieces on priorities juniors might have as they prepare for their admission experience ahead.
College Admission Year In Preview: A Playlist
Juniors, College Admission Is A Stereogram
email your questions: holisticadmission@gmail.com

The Truth As We Each See It, AKA Admissions Festivus '22 Dec 26, 2022

Happy Festivus 2022!
In our final episode of 2022, we walk through a few of the issue as we see them in college admission, including:

College Search
Grade Inflation
Self- Reported Grades

More on our two different perspectives on a variety of issues:
Forbes 2022
HuffPost 2017

The Truth about a Family College Admission Experience- Tim Fields and Shereem Herndon-Brown Nov 30, 2022

Co-authors Tim Fields (Senior Associate Dean, Emory University) and Shereem Herndon-Brown (CEO and Founder, Strategic Admissions Advice)
join the podcast to discuss their new book: The Black Family's Guide to College Admission: A Conversation about Education, Parenting, and Race.
Shereem and Tim have extensive experience working with families on the high school side, and making admission decisions in colleges and universities. In this conversation, they do a phenomenal job laying out good questions for families to ask, practical insight about the admission process, as well as tips for students and parents on essays, making the college choice, and much more.

The Truth about Expressing Character in Application Essays - Whitney Soule Nov 17, 2022

This week University of Pennsylvania's Vice Provost and Dean of Admissions, Whitney Soule shares insights on the intentions behind schools' carefully crafted essay prompts, and how students can approach those essays as a way to introduce their character.
She discusses Penn's new short answer prompt that invites students to express gratitude to someone that they haven't thanked, an exercise intended to provide Penn a glimpse of how the student relates to others, and to provide students a feel-good reflection on the impact of others in their lives.
The Daily Pennsylvanian article featuring Whitney Soul.
More on the University of Pennsylvania here.

The Truth about Admission by Major - Andy Borst Nov 02, 2022

This week, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Director of Admissions, Andy Borst shares insights on how academic major plays into the review of an application, the shaping of an incoming class, and a Kung Fu Panda spoiler.
He points students to the importance of asking their questions of the schools they are considering- and encourages colleges to display more detailed and differentiated data. One of the best in the business, we hope you will enjoy this one.
Inside Higher Ed article featuring Andy Borst
More on the University of Illinois here.

The Truth about Belonging in College - Miya Walker Oct 19, 2022

This week, Agnes Scott College's Director of Admissions, Miya Walker shares insights on how students can think about not only where they will succeed, but more importantly where they will thrive.
She helps students and families focus on getting a sense of belonging by pausing to ask what is most important to them-- and looking for a true community, i.e. a place where they will find clubs, organizations, faculty, and other support.
And some truly phenomenal advice for parents and supporting adults on how to support and advocate for their students without driving the process.
Inside Higher Ed article featuring Miya Walker.
More on Agnes Scott College here.

The Truth about "Safety Schools" - Rachelle Hernandez Oct 12, 2022

Rachelle Hernandez, vice provost for student affairs at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, joins the podcast to discuss helping students think about colleges where they will be "excited to go."
In addition to her work in higher education over the last 25 years, Rachelle's own son is currently a senior in high school, so this conversation, and the terms often used in college admission, are personal.
Rachelle discusses the concept belonging, and focuses on the importance of choices and options for students in their search. Additionally, she talks about the term "safety" schools and why that label is not accurate, or helpful. She suggests great questions for students and families to ask as they look for good matches in their college search and selection experience.
Rachelle's professional accomplishments are too extensive to capture here, but suffice it to say she brings a wealth of experience, including prior roles at University of Minnesota and University of Texas.
She is committed to and focused on student success and access as well as "fostering and supporting an engaged student educational experience and cultivating student connection and belonging in co-curricular and academic spaces."
It's always a pleasure to spend time with the inimitable Rachelle Hernandez, so we hope you'll enjoy this one.

The Truth about College Rankings Oct 12, 2022

In our kickoff episode, Brennan and Rick discuss the annual college rankings. What factors go into creating them? What do they and do they not indicate about the quality of a college? To what extent should students and families consider rankings in their admission experience?
They also provide a few resources for further consideration:
Listen: Revisionist History, "Lord of the Rankings" Malcolm Gladwell
College Guidance Network, Best Rankings Webinar EVER!
Read: Top Three Reasons NOT to Trust Rankings, 5 Best Tips For Responsibly Using College Rankings
Try This: Create Your Own Rankings System
More about your co-hosts:
Brennan Barnard, Director of College Counseling, Khan Lab School
Rick Clark, AVP and Executive Director of Undergraduate Admission- Georgia Tech

Introducing The Truth about College Admission Podcast Sep 20, 2022

We are excited to launch our new podcast, which will air every other week.
In each episode, along with national experts in the field of college admission and enrollment, we'll bring you insight from working directly with high school students, an understanding of what is happening in colleges around the country as they recruit students, make admission decisions, and build their new class, as well as timely advice for your family so you can have healthy conversations about searching for, applying to, and ultimately making a college choice.
The Truth about College Admission is exclusively sponsored by Johns Hopkins Press.

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