Your College Bound Kid | Admission Tips, Admission Trends & Admission Interviews

Latest Episodes:

YCBK 690: What To Do When Parents Disagree About The College Process Nov 09, 2026

Show notes

In this episode you will hear: (04:50) Mark and Hillary discuss what to do when parents disagree with each other about the college process. Mark and Hillary explore some of the key areas where this disagreement may occur. (19:48) Mark interviews Steven Antonoff and Jay McCann about the most recent 800-page edition of their book, "College Finder". This book is indispensable when it comes to college list building. Part 1 of 3 ¢ Steven Antonoff has developed a cool that is indispensable when it comes to college list building; it is called the College Finder and we are going to discuss it over the next 3 episodes ¢ Dr. Steven Antonoff shares his background ¢ Jay McCann gives his backstory, and he explains how Jay and Steven met ¢ Steven shares the history of the book, "College Finder" and he tells us why he originally wrote it ¢ Steven gives an overview of the various editions of the book, College Finder ¢ Jay talks a lot about how Jay and Steven do the research to select the colleges that are included in the book, and he goes into some depth about some of the types of searches you can do to learn about lists of colleges ¢ I share a few things that I think make College Finder unique and special Recommended Resources JG Talks: Helping prospective and current college students achieve success Colleges that allow self-reporting of test scores Colleges that Allow Self-Reporting of SAT and ACT Scores Great source for questions about finances and college Edvisors: Financial Aid, Student Loans, Scholarships and Money Management FAFSA Walkthroughs Mark recommends Kentucky Higher Ed Association (short version) HB 257 FAFSA Walkthrough for 2027-2028 College Aid Pro (short version) 2027-2028 How to Fill Out Your FAFSA Tutorial Utah System of Higher Ed (medium length) (44) 2027-28 FAFSA Deep Dive - YouTube University of the Pacific (medium length)-If you only watch one, watch this one How to Fill Out the 2027-28 FAFSA: Step-by-Step for Students & Parents Road to College (longer version) How to Fill Out the 2027-28 FAFSA: Step-by-Step Guide CSS PROFILE Walkthroughs If you only watch one-this Mark's my favorite MEFA Institute: A Deep Dive into the CSS Profile-Gail Holt-Dean of Financial Aid-practitioners How to Fill Out the 2027–28 CSS Profile Step by Step Walkthrough-Road to College College Aid Pro-Peg Keo How do I fill out my 2027-28 CSS Profile? College Aid Pro Speakpipe.com/YCBK is our method if you want to ask a question and we will be prioritizing all questions sent in via Speakpipe. Unfortunately, we will NOT answer questions on the podcast anymore that are emailed in. If you want us to answer a question on the podcast, please use speakpipe.com/YCBK. We feel hearing from our listeners in their own voices adds to the community feel of our podcast. You can also use this for many other purposes: 1) Send us constructive criticism about how we can improve our podcast 2) Share an encouraging word about something you like about an episode or the podcast in general 3) Share a topic or an article you would like us to address 4) Share a speaker you want us to interview 5) Leave positive feedback for one of our interviewees. We will send your verbal feedback directly to them and I can almost assure you, your positive feedback will make their day. To sign up to receive Your College-Bound Kid PLUS, our new monthly admissions newsletter, delivered directly to your email once a month, just go to yourcollegeboundkid.com, and you will see the sign-up popup. We will include many of the hot topics being discussed on college campuses. Check out our new blog. We write timely and insightful articles on college admissions: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/blog/ 1. To access our transcripts, click: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/transcripts/ 2. Find the specific episode transcripts for the one you want to search and click the link 3. Find the magnifying glass icon in blue (search feature) and click it 4. Enter whatever word you want to search. I.e. Loans 5. Every word in that episode when the words loans are used will be highlighted in yellow with a timestamps 6. Click the word highlighted in yellow and the player will play the episode from that starting point 7. You can also download the entire podcast as a transcript We would be honored if you will pass this podcast episode on to others who you feel will benefit from the content in YCBK. Please follow our podcast. It really helps us move up in Spotify and Apple's search feature so others can find our podcast. If you enjoy our podcast, would you please do us a favor and share our podcast both verbally and on social media? We would be most grateful! If you want to help more people, find Your College-Bound Kid, please make sure you follow our podcast. You will also get instant notifications as soon as each episode goes live. Check out the college admissions books Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-books/ Check out the college websites Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-websites/ If you want to have some input about what you like and what you recommend, we change about our podcast, please complete our Podcast survey; here is the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCauBgityVXVHRQUjvlIRfYrMWWdHarB9DMQGYL0472bNxrw/viewform If you want a college consultation with Mark just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email at mark@schoolmatch4u.com. All we ask is that you review their services and pricing on their website before the complimentary session; here is link to their services with transparent pricing: https://schoolmatch4u.com/services/compare-packages/

YCBK 689: Tips to Help Your Student Get a Higher ACT or SAT Score-3 of 3 Nov 05, 2026

Show notes

In this episode you will hear: Nathan Grawe and Mark discuss how demographic changes are impacting colleges-3 of 3 Mike Bergin is the founder of Chariot Learning in Rochester, NY. We discussed changes going on in the ACT-3 of 3 Recommended Resources JG Talks: Helping prospective and current college students achieve success Colleges that allow self-reporting of test scores Colleges that Allow Self-Reporting of SAT and ACT Scores Great source for questions about finances and college Edvisors: Financial Aid, Student Loans, Scholarships and Money Management FAFSA Walkthroughs Mark recommends Kentucky Higher Ed Association (short version) HB 257 FAFSA Walkthrough for 2027-2028 College Aid Pro (short version) 2027-2028 How to Fill Out Your FAFSA Tutorial Utah System of Higher Ed (medium length) (44) 2027-28 FAFSA Deep Dive - YouTube University of the Pacific (medium length)-If you only watch one, watch this one How to Fill Out the 2027-28 FAFSA: Step-by-Step for Students & Parents Road to College (longer version) How to Fill Out the 2027-28 FAFSA: Step-by-Step Guide CSS PROFILE Walkthroughs If you only watch one-this Mark's my favorite MEFA Institute: A Deep Dive into the CSS Profile-Gail Holt-Dean of Financial Aid-practitioners How to Fill Out the 2027–28 CSS Profile Step by Step Walkthrough-Road to College College Aid Pro-Peg Keo How do I fill out my 2027-28 CSS Profile? College Aid Pro Speakpipe.com/YCBK is our method if you want to ask a question and we will be prioritizing all questions sent in via Speakpipe. Unfortunately, we will NOT answer questions on the podcast anymore that are emailed in. If you want us to answer a question on the podcast, please use speakpipe.com/YCBK. We feel hearing from our listeners in their own voices adds to the community feel of our podcast. You can also use this for many other purposes: 1) Send us constructive criticism about how we can improve our podcast 2) Share an encouraging word about something you like about an episode or the podcast in general 3) Share a topic or an article you would like us to address 4) Share a speaker you want us to interview 5) Leave positive feedback for one of our interviewees. We will send your verbal feedback directly to them and I can almost assure you, your positive feedback will make their day. To sign up to receive Your College-Bound Kid PLUS, our new monthly admissions newsletter, delivered directly to your email once a month, just go to yourcollegeboundkid.com, and you will see the sign-up popup. We will include many of the hot topics being discussed on college campuses. Check out our new blog. We write timely and insightful articles on college admissions: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/blog/ 1. To access our transcripts, click: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/transcripts/ 2. Find the specific episode transcripts for the one you want to search and click the link 3. Find the magnifying glass icon in blue (search feature) and click it 4. Enter whatever word you want to search. I.e. Loans 5. Every word in that episode when the words loans are used will be highlighted in yellow with a timestamps 6. Click the word highlighted in yellow and the player will play the episode from that starting point 7. You can also download the entire podcast as a transcript We would be honored if you will pass this podcast episode on to others who you feel will benefit from the content in YCBK. Please follow our podcast. It really helps us move up in Spotify and Apple's search feature so others can find our podcast. If you enjoy our podcast, would you please do us a favor and share our podcast both verbally and on social media? We would be most grateful! If you want to help more people, find Your College-Bound Kid, please make sure you follow our podcast. You will also get instant notifications as soon as each episode goes live. Check out the college admissions books Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-books/ Check out the college websites Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-websites/ If you want to have some input about what you like and what you recommend, we change about our podcast, please complete our Podcast survey; here is the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCauBgityVXVHRQUjvlIRfYrMWWdHarB9DMQGYL0472bNxrw/viewform If you want a college consultation with Mark just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email at mark@schoolmatch4u.com. All we ask is that you review their services and pricing on their website before the complimentary session; here is link to their services with transparent pricing: https://schoolmatch4u.com/services/compare-packages/

YCBK 688: Tips to Help Your Student Get a Higher ACT or SAT Score-2 of 3 Nov 02, 2026

Show notes

In this episode you will hear: Nathan Grawe and Mark discuss how demographic changes are impacting colleges-2 of 3 · Nathan shares how parents need to be more attentive to which schools are struggling · Nathan talks about how much of a threat to college how public sentiment is has become more anti-college than ever before · Nathan explains why a lower percentage of college students are going students these days · Nathan weighs in on the topic, should students dismiss the humanities because the average starting pay is lower or are the humanities underrated and undervalued · Nathan talks about whether the us can address its demand for higher ed through immigration or increased international enrollment · Nathan talks about what else does higher ed need to be focusing on to help secure colleges financial health Mike Bergin is the founder of Chariot Learning in Rochester, NY. We discuss changes going on in the ACT-2 of 3 µ Mike continues discussing what a parent needs to think about when deciding between the ACT and the SAT to decide what is best for their student µ Mike answers the question, is it true that SAT reading passages are more difficult than the ACT µ Mike has a simple test that will let most people know which test is best for them, and he shares it with us µ Mike has advice for people who want to take the ACT with Writing µ Mike gives his advice for people who are not sure if they want to take the ACT with writing µ Mike shares how many times a student should take the ACT µ Mike gives his advice-one on one, small group or self prep-which test prep method is best for which type of kid µ Mike shares the times when small group is best µ Mike talks about how long, as in how many weeks a student should prep µ Mike has a controversial view about SAT or ACT homework between sessions, that he articulates and defends µ Mike tells us how many hours a week is best to meet with a test prep instructor Reasons Why Students Transfer to Another College Recommended Resources JG Talks: Helping prospective and current college students achieve success Colleges that allow self-reporting of test scores Colleges that Allow Self-Reporting of SAT and ACT Scores Great source for questions about finances and college Edvisors: Financial Aid, Student Loans, Scholarships and Money Management FAFSA Walkthroughs Mark recommends Kentucky Higher Ed Association (short version) HB 257 FAFSA Walkthrough for 2027-2028 College Aid Pro (short version) 2027-2028 How to Fill Out Your FAFSA Tutorial Utah System of Higher Ed (medium length) (44) 2027-28 FAFSA Deep Dive - YouTube University of the Pacific (medium length)-If you only watch one, watch this one How to Fill Out the 2027-28 FAFSA: Step-by-Step for Students & Parents Road to College (longer version) How to Fill Out the 2027-28 FAFSA: Step-by-Step Guide CSS PROFILE Walkthroughs If you only watch one-this Mark's my favorite MEFA Institute: A Deep Dive into the CSS Profile-Gail Holt-Dean of Financial Aid-practitioners How to Fill Out the 2027–28 CSS Profile Step by Step Walkthrough-Road to College College Aid Pro-Peg Keo How do I fill out my 2027-28 CSS Profile? College Aid Pro Speakpipe.com/YCBK is our method if you want to ask a question and we will be prioritizing all questions sent in via Speakpipe. Unfortunately, we will NOT answer questions on the podcast anymore that are emailed in. If you want us to answer a question on the podcast, please use speakpipe.com/YCBK. We feel hearing from our listeners in their own voices adds to the community feel of our podcast. You can also use this for many other purposes: 1) Send us constructive criticism about how we can improve our podcast 2) Share an encouraging word about something you like about an episode or the podcast in general 3) Share a topic or an article you would like us to address 4) Share a speaker you want us to interview 5) Leave positive feedback for one of our interviewees. We will send your verbal feedback directly to them and I can almost assure you, your positive feedback will make their day. To sign up to receive Your College-Bound Kid PLUS, our new monthly admissions newsletter, delivered directly to your email once a month, just go to yourcollegeboundkid.com, and you will see the sign-up popup. We will include many of the hot topics being discussed on college campuses. Check out our new blog. We write timely and insightful articles on college admissions: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/blog/ 1. To access our transcripts, click: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/transcripts/ 2. Find the specific episode transcripts for the one you want to search and click the link 3. Find the magnifying glass icon in blue (search feature) and click it 4. Enter whatever word you want to search. I.e. Loans 5. Every word in that episode when the words loans are used will be highlighted in yellow with a timestamps 6. Click the word highlighted in yellow and the player will play the episode from that starting point 7. You can also download the entire podcast as a transcript We would be honored if you will pass this podcast episode on to others who you feel will benefit from the content in YCBK. Please follow our podcast. It really helps us move up in Spotify and Apple's search feature so others can find our podcast. If you enjoy our podcast, would you please do us a favor and share our podcast both verbally and on social media? We would be most grateful! If you want to help more people, find Your College-Bound Kid, please make sure you follow our podcast. You will also get instant notifications as soon as each episode goes live. Check out the college admissions books Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-books/ Check out the college websites Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-websites/ If you want to have some input about what you like and what you recommend, we change about our podcast, please complete our Podcast survey; here is the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCauBgityVXVHRQUjvlIRfYrMWWdHarB9DMQGYL0472bNxrw/viewform If you want a college consultation with Mark just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email at mark@schoolmatch4u.com. All we ask is that you review their services and pricing on their website before the complimentary session; here is link to their services with transparent pricing: https://schoolmatch4u.com/services/compare-packages/

YCBK 687: Which Colleges Will Struggle as the Number of Students Declines-Part 1 Oct 29, 2026

Show notes

In this episode you will hear: (04:30) Nathan Grawe and Mark discuss how demographic changes are impacting colleges-1 of 34 (25:22) Mike Bergin is the founder of Chariot Learning in Rochester, NY. We discuss changes going on in the ACT-1 of 3 Recommended Resources JG Talks: Helping prospective and current college students achieve success Colleges that allow self-reporting of test scores Colleges that Allow Self-Reporting of SAT and ACT Scores Great source for questions about finances and college Edvisors: Financial Aid, Student Loans, Scholarships and Money Management FAFSA Walkthroughs Mark recommends Kentucky Higher Ed Association (short version) HB 257 FAFSA Walkthrough for 2027-2028 College Aid Pro (short version) 2027-2028 How to Fill Out Your FAFSA Tutorial Utah System of Higher Ed (medium length) (44) 2027-28 FAFSA Deep Dive - YouTube University of the Pacific (medium length)-If you only watch one, watch this one How to Fill Out the 2027-28 FAFSA: Step-by-Step for Students & Parents Road to College (longer version) How to Fill Out the 2027-28 FAFSA: Step-by-Step Guide CSS PROFILE Walkthroughs MEFA Institute: A Deep Dive into the CSS Profile Speakpipe.com/YCBK is our method if you want to ask a question and we will be prioritizing all questions sent in via Speakpipe. Unfortunately, we will NOT answer questions on the podcast anymore that are emailed in. If you want us to answer a question on the podcast, please use speakpipe.com/YCBK. We feel hearing from our listeners in their own voices adds to the community feel of our podcast. You can also use this for many other purposes: 1) Send us constructive criticism about how we can improve our podcast 2) Share an encouraging word about something you like about an episode or the podcast in general 3) Share a topic or an article you would like us to address 4) Share a speaker you want us to interview 5) Leave positive feedback for one of our interviewees. We will send your verbal feedback directly to them and I can almost assure you, your positive feedback will make their day. To sign up to receive Your College-Bound Kid PLUS, our new monthly admissions newsletter, delivered directly to your email once a month, just go to yourcollegeboundkid.com, and you will see the sign-up popup. We will include many of the hot topics being discussed on college campuses. Check out our new blog. We write timely and insightful articles on college admissions: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/blog/ 1. To access our transcripts, click: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/transcripts/ 2. Find the specific episode transcripts for the one you want to search and click the link 3. Find the magnifying glass icon in blue (search feature) and click it 4. Enter whatever word you want to search. I.e. Loans 5. Every word in that episode when the words loans are used will be highlighted in yellow with a timestamps 6. Click the word highlighted in yellow and the player will play the episode from that starting point 7. You can also download the entire podcast as a transcript We would be honored if you will pass this podcast episode on to others who you feel will benefit from the content in YCBK. Please follow our podcast. It really helps us move up in Spotify and Apple's search feature so others can find our podcast. If you enjoy our podcast, would you please do us a favor and share our podcast both verbally and on social media? We would be most grateful! If you want to help more people, find Your College-Bound Kid, please make sure you follow our podcast. You will also get instant notifications as soon as each episode goes live. Check out the college admissions books Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-books/ Check out the college websites Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-websites/ If you want to have some input about what you like and what you recommend, we change about our podcast, please complete our Podcast survey; here is the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCauBgityVXVHRQUjvlIRfYrMWWdHarB9DMQGYL0472bNxrw/viewform If you want a college consultation with Mark just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email at mark@schoolmatch4u.com. All we ask is that you review their services and pricing on their website before the complimentary session; here is link to their services with transparent pricing: https://schoolmatch4u.com/services/compare-packages/

YCBK 686: Practical Tips to Help Students Who Are Struggling with Poor Grades Oct 26, 2026

Show notes

In this episode you will hear: Chis joins Mark to discuss an article that appears in the NY Times entitled, "Trump Moves to Strip Tax Exemption From Schools That Aid Minority Students". The article was written on September 3rd by Andrew Duehren and Michael C. Bender Tara Williams-Advice for Students who Struggle in School because of learning differences-1 of 3 Part 3 of 3 µ Tara talks about how important it is that students do what they love µ Tara talks about what advice she has for college counselors who have kids who struggle with ADHD, Autism, and executive functioning µ Tara talks about the pros and cons of AI for students who struggle in school due to learning differences µ Tara talks about her book, "The Neurodivergent Student Journey" which is on Amazon and the Amazon audio book is about to be released µ Tara shares her website innnovativecollegiateconsultants.com and the social media platforms are also here. Tara talks about how she offers a free consultation to see if she may be a good fit for a student Recommended Resources JG Talks: Helping prospective and current college students achieve success Colleges that allow self-reporting of test scores Colleges that Allow Self-Reporting of SAT and ACT Scores Great source for questions about finances and college Edvisors: Financial Aid, Student Loans, Scholarships and Money Management FAFSA Walkthroughs Mark recommends Kentucky Higher Ed Association (short version) HB 257 FAFSA Walkthrough for 2027-2028 College Aid Pro (short version) 2027-2028 How to Fill Out Your FAFSA Tutorial Utah System of Higher Ed (medium length) (44) 2027-28 FAFSA Deep Dive - YouTube University of the Pacific (medium length)-If you only watch one, watch this one How to Fill Out the 2027-28 FAFSA: Step-by-Step for Students & Parents Road to College (longer version) How to Fill Out the 2027-28 FAFSA: Step-by-Step Guide CSS PROFILE Walkthroughs MEFA Institute: A Deep Dive into the CSS Profile Speakpipe.com/YCBK is our method if you want to ask a question and we will be prioritizing all questions sent in via Speakpipe. Unfortunately, we will NOT answer questions on the podcast anymore that are emailed in. If you want us to answer a question on the podcast, please use speakpipe.com/YCBK. We feel hearing from our listeners in their own voices adds to the community feel of our podcast. You can also use this for many other purposes: 1) Send us constructive criticism about how we can improve our podcast 2) Share an encouraging word about something you like about an episode or the podcast in general 3) Share a topic or an article you would like us to address 4) Share a speaker you want us to interview 5) Leave positive feedback for one of our interviewees. We will send your verbal feedback directly to them and I can almost assure you, your positive feedback will make their day. To sign up to receive Your College-Bound Kid PLUS, our new monthly admissions newsletter, delivered directly to your email once a month, just go to yourcollegeboundkid.com, and you will see the sign-up popup. We will include many of the hot topics being discussed on college campuses. Check out our new blog. We write timely and insightful articles on college admissions: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/blog/ 1. To access our transcripts, click: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/transcripts/ 2. Find the specific episode transcripts for the one you want to search and click the link 3. Find the magnifying glass icon in blue (search feature) and click it 4. Enter whatever word you want to search. I.e. Loans 5. Every word in that episode when the words loans are used will be highlighted in yellow with a timestamps 6. Click the word highlighted in yellow and the player will play the episode from that starting point 7. You can also download the entire podcast as a transcript We would be honored if you will pass this podcast episode on to others who you feel will benefit from the content in YCBK. Please follow our podcast. It really helps us move up in Spotify and Apple's search feature so others can find our podcast. If you enjoy our podcast, would you please do us a favor and share our podcast both verbally and on social media? We would be most grateful! If you want to help more people, find Your College-Bound Kid, please make sure you follow our podcast. You will also get instant notifications as soon as each episode goes live. Check out the college admissions books Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-books/ Check out the college websites Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-websites/ If you want to have some input about what you like and what you recommend, we change about our podcast, please complete our Podcast survey; here is the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCauBgityVXVHRQUjvlIRfYrMWWdHarB9DMQGYL0472bNxrw/viewform If you want a college consultation with Mark just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email at mark@schoolmatch4u.com. All we ask is that you review their services and pricing on their website before the complimentary session; here is link to their services with transparent pricing: https://schoolmatch4u.com/services/compare-packages/

YCBK 685: How Can I Know if a College Has a Strong Alumni Network Oct 22, 2026

Show notes

In this episode you will hear: (04:46) Hillary joins Mark to discuss a question from a listener: How can I know if a college has a strong alumni network. (22:38) Tara Williams-Advice for Students who Struggle in School because of learning differences Part 2 of 3 µ Tara talks about how important it is that students do what they love µ Tara talks about what advice she has for college counselors who have kids who struggle with ADHD, Autism, and executive functioning µ Tara talks about the pros and cons of AI for students who struggle in school due to learning differences µ Tara talks about her book, "The Neurodivergent Student Journey" which is on Amazon and the Amazon audio book is about to be released µ Tara shares her website innnovativecollegiateconsultants.com and the social media platforms are also here. Tara talks about how she offers a free consultation to see if she may be a good fit for a student Recommended Resources JG Talks: Helping prospective and current college students achieve success Colleges that allow self-reporting of test scores Colleges that Allow Self-Reporting of SAT and ACT Scores Great source for questions about finances and college Edvisors: Financial Aid, Student Loans, Scholarships and Money Management FAFSA Walkthroughs Mark recommends Kentucky Higher Ed Association (short version) HB 257 FAFSA Walkthrough for 2027-2028 College Aid Pro (short version) 2027-2028 How to Fill Out Your FAFSA Tutorial Utah System of Higher Ed (medium length) (44) 2027-28 FAFSA Deep Dive - YouTube University of the Pacific (medium length)-If you only watch one, watch this one How to Fill Out the 2027-28 FAFSA: Step-by-Step for Students & Parents Road to College (longer version) How to Fill Out the 2027-28 FAFSA: Step-by-Step Guide CSS PROFILE Walkthroughs MEFA Institute: A Deep Dive into the CSS Profile Speakpipe.com/YCBK is our method if you want to ask a question and we will be prioritizing all questions sent in via Speakpipe. Unfortunately, we will NOT answer questions on the podcast anymore that are emailed in. If you want us to answer a question on the podcast, please use speakpipe.com/YCBK. We feel hearing from our listeners in their own voices adds to the community feel of our podcast. You can also use this for many other purposes: 1) Send us constructive criticism about how we can improve our podcast 2) Share an encouraging word about something you like about an episode or the podcast in general 3) Share a topic or an article you would like us to address 4) Share a speaker you want us to interview 5) Leave positive feedback for one of our interviewees. We will send your verbal feedback directly to them and I can almost assure you, your positive feedback will make their day. To sign up to receive Your College-Bound Kid PLUS, our new monthly admissions newsletter, delivered directly to your email once a month, just go to yourcollegeboundkid.com, and you will see the sign-up popup. We will include many of the hot topics being discussed on college campuses. Check out our new blog. We write timely and insightful articles on college admissions: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/blog/ 1. To access our transcripts, click: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/transcripts/ 2. Find the specific episode transcripts for the one you want to search and click the link 3. Find the magnifying glass icon in blue (search feature) and click it 4. Enter whatever word you want to search. I.e. Loans 5. Every word in that episode when the words loans are used will be highlighted in yellow with a timestamps 6. Click the word highlighted in yellow and the player will play the episode from that starting point 7. You can also download the entire podcast as a transcript We would be honored if you will pass this podcast episode on to others who you feel will benefit from the content in YCBK. Please follow our podcast. It really helps us move up in Spotify and Apple's search feature so others can find our podcast. If you enjoy our podcast, would you please do us a favor and share our podcast both verbally and on social media? We would be most grateful! If you want to help more people, find Your College-Bound Kid, please make sure you follow our podcast. You will also get instant notifications as soon as each episode goes live. Check out the college admissions books Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-books/ Check out the college websites Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-websites/ If you want to have some input about what you like and what you recommend, we change about our podcast, please complete our Podcast survey; here is the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCauBgityVXVHRQUjvlIRfYrMWWdHarB9DMQGYL0472bNxrw/viewform If you want a college consultation with Mark just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email at mark@schoolmatch4u.com. All we ask is that you review their services and pricing on their website before the complimentary session; here is link to their services with transparent pricing: https://schoolmatch4u.com/services/compare-packages/

YCBK 684: Advice For Students Who Struggle in School Because of Learning Differences Oct 19, 2026

Show notes

In this episode you will hear: Tara Williams-Advice for Students who Struggle in School because of learning differences-1 of 3 µ Lisa gives an overview of Tara's background and Tara adds some additional details about how she helps students be more organized µ Tara talks about the difficulties that neurodivergent students have when they transition to college; she shares the academic challenges and the social challenges µ Tara talks about a few of the accommodations that are approved for college, but many of them are not requiring student self-advocacy µ Tara talks about what her company does to help students who are struggling with organization and floundering with their grades in college µ Tara talks about specific strategies she employes to time management tactics µ Tara explains what body doubling is and why it can be so helpful. Chris Gruber, Dean of Admissions, Davidson College-Why Davidson College is Special Preview for Part 3 ¢ Chris talks about some of the most popular academic programs at Davidson and then he talks about some smaller programs that fly under the radar ¢ Chris talks about how Early Decision 1 differs from Early Decision 2 ¢ I ask Chris if they are feeling pressure from the current administration that impacts academic freedom ¢ Chris talks about how Davidson was the first liberal arts college in the country to offer generous financial packages without loans ¢ I ask Chris if there is more attention on AP scores for test optional students ¢ Chris talks about why so many colleges are getting rid of their required essays, beyond the Personal Statement ¢ Chris talks about why Davidson is now waving application fees ¢ Chris shares her thoughts on the role of the resume in the application ¢ Chris tells us what he has not shared about Davidson College ¢ Chris tells why Davidson and Dartmouth have a peer recommendation which is rare for colleges to ask for Recommended Resources JG Talks: Helping prospective and current college students achieve success Colleges that allow self-reporting of test scores Colleges that Allow Self-Reporting of SAT and ACT Scores Great source for questions about finances and college Edvisors: Financial Aid, Student Loans, Scholarships and Money Management FAFSA Walkthroughs Mark recommends Kentucky Higher Ed Association (short version) HB 257 FAFSA Walkthrough for 2027-2028 College Aid Pro (short version) 2027-2028 How to Fill Out Your FAFSA Tutorial Utah System of Higher Ed (medium length) (44) 2027-28 FAFSA Deep Dive - YouTube University of the Pacific (medium length)-If you only watch one, watch this one How to Fill Out the 2027-28 FAFSA: Step-by-Step for Students & Parents Road to College (longer version) How to Fill Out the 2027-28 FAFSA: Step-by-Step Guide CSS PROFILE Walkthroughs MEFA Institute: A Deep Dive into the CSS Profile Speakpipe.com/YCBK is our method if you want to ask a question and we will be prioritizing all questions sent in via Speakpipe. Unfortunately, we will NOT answer questions on the podcast anymore that are emailed in. If you want us to answer a question on the podcast, please use speakpipe.com/YCBK. We feel hearing from our listeners in their own voices adds to the community feel of our podcast. You can also use this for many other purposes: 1) Send us constructive criticism about how we can improve our podcast 2) Share an encouraging word about something you like about an episode or the podcast in general 3) Share a topic or an article you would like us to address 4) Share a speaker you want us to interview 5) Leave positive feedback for one of our interviewees. We will send your verbal feedback directly to them and I can almost assure you, your positive feedback will make their day. To sign up to receive Your College-Bound Kid PLUS, our new monthly admissions newsletter, delivered directly to your email once a month, just go to yourcollegeboundkid.com, and you will see the sign-up popup. We will include many of the hot topics being discussed on college campuses. Check out our new blog. We write timely and insightful articles on college admissions: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/blog/ 1. To access our transcripts, click: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/transcripts/ 2. Find the specific episode transcripts for the one you want to search and click the link 3. Find the magnifying glass icon in blue (search feature) and click it 4. Enter whatever word you want to search. I.e. Loans 5. Every word in that episode when the words loans are used will be highlighted in yellow with a timestamps 6. Click the word highlighted in yellow and the player will play the episode from that starting point 7. You can also download the entire podcast as a transcript We would be honored if you will pass this podcast episode on to others who you feel will benefit from the content in YCBK. Please follow our podcast. It really helps us move up in Spotify and Apple's search feature so others can find our podcast. If you enjoy our podcast, would you please do us a favor and share our podcast both verbally and on social media? We would be most grateful! If you want to help more people, find Your College-Bound Kid, please make sure you follow our podcast. You will also get instant notifications as soon as each episode goes live. Check out the college admissions books Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-books/ Check out the college websites Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-websites/ If you want to have some input about what you like and what you recommend, we change about our podcast, please complete our Podcast survey; here is the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCauBgityVXVHRQUjvlIRfYrMWWdHarB9DMQGYL0472bNxrw/viewform If you want a college consultation with Mark just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email at mark@schoolmatch4u.com. All we ask is that you review their services and pricing on their website before the complimentary session; here is link to their services with transparent pricing: https://schoolmatch4u.com/services/compare-packages/

YCBK 683: Why Davidson College Is Unique and Special: an Interview with Chris Gruber Oct 15, 2026

Show notes

In this episode you will hear: (11:40) Chris Gruber, Dean of Admissions, Davidson College-Why Davidson College is Special Preview for Part 2 ¢ Chris talks about where Davidson is going over the next 5 years ¢ Chris talks about Richmond and Davidson are different ¢ Chris explains how fraternities and sororities and Eating houses are different at Davidson versus other colleges ¢ Chris talks about how the change from the Southern conference to the Atlantic 10 conference, a much more competitive athletic conference, has impacted Davidson ¢ Chris talks about what Davidson needs to do to become an even better college ¢ Chris talks about what are some things that Davidson is looking for in their admission process (28:41) Roshan Fernandez of the Wall Street Journal discusses two articles he wrote recently about cheating in college and how hard it is to get off the waitlist. Part 2 of 2 µ Roshan and I discussed two different articles he wrote about Harvard µ The first article we discuss is an article wrote on how Harvard is changing their policies to crack down on grade inflation µ We also talk about Roshan's article about how complex and byzantine Harvard's school was structed and how they did a complete overhaul of their administration to become more efficient but also to address a 365-million-dollar structural deficit µ The last article we talk about is how colleges juice their application numbers by dropping their essays Recommended Resources JG Talks: Helping prospective and current college students achieve success Colleges that allow self-reporting of test scores Colleges that Allow Self-Reporting of SAT and ACT Scores Great source for questions about finances and college Edvisors: Financial Aid, Student Loans, Scholarships and Money Management FAFSA Walkthroughs Mark recommends Kentucky Higher Ed Association (short version) HB 257 FAFSA Walkthrough for 2027-2028 College Aid Pro (short version) 2027-2028 How to Fill Out Your FAFSA Tutorial Utah System of Higher Ed (medium length) (44) 2027-28 FAFSA Deep Dive - YouTube University of the Pacific (medium length)-If you only watch one, watch this one How to Fill Out the 2027-28 FAFSA: Step-by-Step for Students & Parents Road to College (longer version) How to Fill Out the 2027-28 FAFSA: Step-by-Step Guide CSS PROFILE Walkthroughs MEFA Institute: A Deep Dive into the CSS Profile Speakpipe.com/YCBK is our method if you want to ask a question and we will be prioritizing all questions sent in via Speakpipe. Unfortunately, we will NOT answer questions on the podcast anymore that are emailed in. If you want us to answer a question on the podcast, please use speakpipe.com/YCBK. We feel hearing from our listeners in their own voices adds to the community feel of our podcast. You can also use this for many other purposes: 1) Send us constructive criticism about how we can improve our podcast 2) Share an encouraging word about something you like about an episode or the podcast in general 3) Share a topic or an article you would like us to address 4) Share a speaker you want us to interview 5) Leave positive feedback for one of our interviewees. We will send your verbal feedback directly to them and I can almost assure you, your positive feedback will make their day. To sign up to receive Your College-Bound Kid PLUS, our new monthly admissions newsletter, delivered directly to your email once a month, just go to yourcollegeboundkid.com, and you will see the sign-up popup. We will include many of the hot topics being discussed on college campuses. Check out our new blog. We write timely and insightful articles on college admissions: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/blog/ 1. To access our transcripts, click: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/transcripts/ 2. Find the specific episode transcripts for the one you want to search and click the link 3. Find the magnifying glass icon in blue (search feature) and click it 4. Enter whatever word you want to search. I.e. Loans 5. Every word in that episode when the words loans are used will be highlighted in yellow with a timestamps 6. Click the word highlighted in yellow and the player will play the episode from that starting point 7. You can also download the entire podcast as a transcript We would be honored if you will pass this podcast episode on to others who you feel will benefit from the content in YCBK. Please follow our podcast. It really helps us move up in Spotify and Apple's search feature so others can find our podcast. If you enjoy our podcast, would you please do us a favor and share our podcast both verbally and on social media? We would be most grateful! If you want to help more people, find Your College-Bound Kid, please make sure you follow our podcast. You will also get instant notifications as soon as each episode goes live. Check out the college admissions books Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-books/ Check out the college websites Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-websites/ If you want to have some input about what you like and what you recommend, we change about our podcast, please complete our Podcast survey; here is the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCauBgityVXVHRQUjvlIRfYrMWWdHarB9DMQGYL0472bNxrw/viewform If you want a college consultation with Mark just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email at mark@schoolmatch4u.com. All we ask is that you review their services and pricing on their website before the complimentary session; here is link to their services with transparent pricing: https://schoolmatch4u.com/services/compare-packages/

YCBK 682: Wall Street Journal Reporter Discusses Cheating and Complicated Waitlists Oct 12, 2026

Show notes

In this episode you will hear: (06:40) Roshan Fernandez of the Wall Street Journal discusses two articles he wrote recently about cheating in college and how hard it is to get off the waitlist. µ Roshan Fernandez gives his journalism background, and he explains why he loves being a journalist µ Roshan explains how he comes up with his stories µ Roshan and I discussed one of the articles he wrote about how The Fraud Squad at Cal Tech will catch you if you lie on your application µ Roshan talks about the VIVA software that Cal Tech uses to help them identify fraud µ We discuss another article Roshan wrote entitled, "the only thing harder than getting into college is getting off the wait list" and we talk a lot about how complicated admissions has become (49:00) Chris Gruber, Dean of Admissions, Davidson College-Why Davidson College is Special Preview for Part 1 ¢ Chris shares the two colleges that he has worked, each one for 20 years ¢ Chris gives an overview of Davidson College ¢ Chris tells us what Davidson College's mission statement is and he explains why the mission statement is central to the core of who Davidson is ¢ I share a few experiences my own daughter Karis had at Davidson that makes Davidson ¢ Chris talks about how the Honor Code at Davidson shapes the Davidson experience ¢ Chris talks about the biggest changes he has seen in his 21 years at Davidson College Recommended Resources JG Talks: Helping prospective and current college students achieve success Colleges that allow self-reporting of test scores Colleges that Allow Self-Reporting of SAT and ACT Scores Great source for questions about finances and college Edvisors: Financial Aid, Student Loans, Scholarships and Money Management FAFSA Walkthroughs Mark recommends Kentucky Higher Ed Association (short version) HB 257 FAFSA Walkthrough for 2027-2028 College Aid Pro (short version) 2027-2028 How to Fill Out Your FAFSA Tutorial Utah System of Higher Ed (medium length) (44) 2027-28 FAFSA Deep Dive - YouTube University of the Pacific (medium length)-If you only watch one, watch this one How to Fill Out the 2027-28 FAFSA: Step-by-Step for Students & Parents Road to College (longer version) How to Fill Out the 2027-28 FAFSA: Step-by-Step Guide CSS PROFILE Walkthroughs MEFA Institute: A Deep Dive into the CSS Profile Speakpipe.com/YCBK is our method if you want to ask a question and we will be prioritizing all questions sent in via Speakpipe. Unfortunately, we will NOT answer questions on the podcast anymore that are emailed in. If you want us to answer a question on the podcast, please use speakpipe.com/YCBK. We feel hearing from our listeners in their own voices adds to the community feel of our podcast. You can also use this for many other purposes: 1) Send us constructive criticism about how we can improve our podcast 2) Share an encouraging word about something you like about an episode or the podcast in general 3) Share a topic or an article you would like us to address 4) Share a speaker you want us to interview 5) Leave positive feedback for one of our interviewees. We will send your verbal feedback directly to them and I can almost assure you, your positive feedback will make their day. To sign up to receive Your College-Bound Kid PLUS, our new monthly admissions newsletter, delivered directly to your email once a month, just go to yourcollegeboundkid.com, and you will see the sign-up popup. We will include many of the hot topics being discussed on college campuses. Check out our new blog. We write timely and insightful articles on college admissions: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/blog/ 1. To access our transcripts, click: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/transcripts/ 2. Find the specific episode transcripts for the one you want to search and click the link 3. Find the magnifying glass icon in blue (search feature) and click it 4. Enter whatever word you want to search. I.e. Loans 5. Every word in that episode when the words loans are used will be highlighted in yellow with a timestamps 6. Click the word highlighted in yellow and the player will play the episode from that starting point 7. You can also download the entire podcast as a transcript We would be honored if you will pass this podcast episode on to others who you feel will benefit from the content in YCBK. Please follow our podcast. It really helps us move up in Spotify and Apple's search feature so others can find our podcast. If you enjoy our podcast, would you please do us a favor and share our podcast both verbally and on social media? We would be most grateful! If you want to help more people, find Your College-Bound Kid, please make sure you follow our podcast. You will also get instant notifications as soon as each episode goes live. Check out the college admissions books Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-books/ Check out the college websites Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-websites/ If you want to have some input about what you like and what you recommend, we change about our podcast, please complete our Podcast survey; here is the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCauBgityVXVHRQUjvlIRfYrMWWdHarB9DMQGYL0472bNxrw/viewform If you want a college consultation with Mark just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email at mark@schoolmatch4u.com. All we ask is that you review their services and pricing on their website before the complimentary session; here is link to their services with transparent pricing: https://schoolmatch4u.com/services/compare-packages/

YCBK 681: Advice for a Parent Who Is Having a Hard Time Missing Their College Student Oct 08, 2026

Show notes

In this episode you will hear: (04:28) Lisa and Lynda give advice to a parent who is having a hard time missing their student who is away at college (18:06) Andy joins Mark to answer a Frequently asked question, "How do colleges actually find students". This is the deepest dive we have ever done on Student Search. Part 3 of 3 Preview for Part 3 q Andy explains how Slate is used by admissions officers and how Slate helps Search q Andy discusses the three different models that are out there when it comes to how a college implements Student Search that he referred to in part 1 of our interview but now he talks about the pros and the cons of each of these three approaches q Andy and Mark discuss how colleges are no longer only using the College Board and the ACT to buy lists of names from, and Andy talks about how colleges are always examining the ROI on their different sources of feeder lists for q Andy drops a big demonstrated interest tip on our listeners about what colleges can learn from when a student adds their name to Big Future or to the Common App Recommended Resources JG Talks: Helping prospective and current college students achieve success Colleges that allow self-reporting of test scores Colleges that Allow Self-Reporting of SAT and ACT Scores Great source for questions about finances and college Edvisors: Financial Aid, Student Loans, Scholarships and Money Management FAFSA Walkthroughs Mark recommends Kentucky Higher Ed Association (short version) HB 257 FAFSA Walkthrough for 2027-2028 College Aid Pro (short version) 2027-2028 How to Fill Out Your FAFSA Tutorial Utah System of Higher Ed (medium length) (44) 2027-28 FAFSA Deep Dive - YouTube University of the Pacific (medium length)-If you only watch one, watch this one How to Fill Out the 2027-28 FAFSA: Step-by-Step for Students & Parents Road to College (longer version) How to Fill Out the 2027-28 FAFSA: Step-by-Step Guide CSS PROFILE Walkthroughs MEFA Institute: A Deep Dive into the CSS Profile Speakpipe.com/YCBK is our method if you want to ask a question and we will be prioritizing all questions sent in via Speakpipe. Unfortunately, we will NOT answer questions on the podcast anymore that are emailed in. If you want us to answer a question on the podcast, please use speakpipe.com/YCBK. We feel hearing from our listeners in their own voices adds to the community feel of our podcast. You can also use this for many other purposes: 1) Send us constructive criticism about how we can improve our podcast 2) Share an encouraging word about something you like about an episode or the podcast in general 3) Share a topic or an article you would like us to address 4) Share a speaker you want us to interview 5) Leave positive feedback for one of our interviewees. We will send your verbal feedback directly to them and I can almost assure you, your positive feedback will make their day. To sign up to receive Your College-Bound Kid PLUS, our new monthly admissions newsletter, delivered directly to your email once a month, just go to yourcollegeboundkid.com, and you will see the sign-up popup. We will include many of the hot topics being discussed on college campuses. Check out our new blog. We write timely and insightful articles on college admissions: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/blog/ 1. To access our transcripts, click: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/transcripts/ 2. Find the specific episode transcripts for the one you want to search and click the link 3. Find the magnifying glass icon in blue (search feature) and click it 4. Enter whatever word you want to search. I.e. Loans 5. Every word in that episode when the words loans are used will be highlighted in yellow with a timestamps 6. Click the word highlighted in yellow and the player will play the episode from that starting point 7. You can also download the entire podcast as a transcript We would be honored if you will pass this podcast episode on to others who you feel will benefit from the content in YCBK. Please follow our podcast. It really helps us move up in Spotify and Apple's search feature so others can find our podcast. If you enjoy our podcast, would you please do us a favor and share our podcast both verbally and on social media? We would be most grateful! If you want to help more people, find Your College-Bound Kid, please make sure you follow our podcast. You will also get instant notifications as soon as each episode goes live. Check out the college admissions books Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-books/ Check out the college websites Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-websites/ If you want to have some input about what you like and what you recommend, we change about our podcast, please complete our Podcast survey; here is the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCauBgityVXVHRQUjvlIRfYrMWWdHarB9DMQGYL0472bNxrw/viewform If you want a college consultation with Mark just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email at mark@schoolmatch4u.com. All we ask is that you review their services and pricing on their website before the complimentary session; here is link to their services with transparent pricing: https://schoolmatch4u.com/services/compare-packages/

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