Before You Commit

I'm joined by my friend Justin and he walks me through his rather short study abroad experience. He was studying in London for the semester and as news broke out about the pandemic, Justin was recalled back home. He's currently under self quarantine for the next ~2 weeks and we talk about how he's feeling, and the rapid developments in this situation.

Yuxiao and I talk about the University of Michigan and how they've been impacted by the pandemic. She talks to me about her three jobs, her perspective as a public health student and the plans going forward, especially as a potential recession is looming.

Hey everyone. This time, I talk to my friend Sunjay during the COVID-19 pandemic and we discuss how our lives have changed as a result. For some the changes are minor, but for others it's their entire livelihoods. While we have to practice social distancing, we shouldn't forget about our friends. Hope you enjoy.

I gotta admit, Caleb is one of the most well-spoken people I've met in my life. He's polite, he's eloquent, and he's a pleasure to talk to. This week Caleb takes me through BME and AMS, two majors that I have zero experience with, and he gives me an overview of how they work at Stony Brook University. He also talks about his passions in 3Diatrics, and his plans for attending medical school. I do sincerely hope that Caleb succeeds. He'd make a great doctor.

This week, my buddy Ridwan joins me and tells me about the Georgetown experience. A Jesuit school, the experience there is a little different. Sometimes you gotta think about the Problem of God, but religion aside Ridwan tells me about his major, how he chose it and how he carved out a niche at Georgetown

Lucy joins me this week and tells me about a very different experience. Scripps College is an all women's institution and Lucy studies Art Conservation and Anthropology. Scripps felt like the right place from the get-go, but that doesn't come without certain struggles. We also talk about the Stuy experience and how we actually did it. Honestly, we don't even know how we did it. We normalized things and somehow got through it. A trial by fire to say the least.

Sometimes life hits you hard with a lot of things at once. I think it's hard to carve out your own path, especially when so much goes down. Yet Christian, figured it out for himself. Between entrepreneurship, transferring schools, personal struggles, and more, he's doing fine. After all, he grew up a bit.

This time we have Luna on the show. We talk about the competitive nature of admissions, the stress that comes with Cornell and the difficulty in getting internships. On the bright side, Cornell offers opportunity. Between AguaClara, dance, and sustainable development, there's a lot of good to be found. Ultimately it is what you make it, and this is Luna's take.

Another former teammate on the show. Henry used to get a lot of penalties for hitting kids too hard, but he's actually a really nice guy. We get into the details of Stony Brook, the struggles Henry has had, and how he manages to balance a difficult set of double majors, social life, and staying in shape. I think this is my favorite episode so far and I'm glad I had this experience

Now I've known Christine since the 6th grade, and we've seen each other through the good and bad (sometimes a lot of bad). She's definitely grown over time, but I've always seen her as someone who knows what she's doing. This week we go over her time at Cornell, and how she has grown as a person/what Cornell has given to her.

We face a lot of pressure in school. I always call it a trial by fire, and it can burn you. This week, Rhys and I discuss her particular journey with school, and it's okay to not fit the to fit the traditional mold of a student. Take your time, know what you want, and you don't have to conform to other people. We all do things at a different pace

So far, we've only talked about other schools, but now we hit my home turf. I went to elementary school and middle school with Jessica, and we catch up again in college. We shared a class here and there, and now we're in our final year at Brooklyn College. We give our thoughts on our institution and how far we've come.

The youngin is here! Shaikh, although she's in Florence at the moment, gives us the insight on her freshman year at NYU. She's about to declare for philosophy, and I'm about to declare my....appreciation for her advice. Jokes aside, we dive into commuter culture, and why we seek out our differing paths regarding philosophy.

Interviews are scary, but they're a two way street. Although that doesn't mean the interviewer is also afraid of you. This week, my buddy Matt takes me through the tech interview and how he almost got a triple major at Hunter. The man works hard, and his talents landed him a job in the tech sector. Attaboy Matt.

Woah! We're back again, and this time we're in familiar territory. USC? Check. Architecture? Sorta check. Join us as Sam and I talk about switching majors and the reasoning behind it. He talks about adjusting to a new place, his particular admissions situation, and why USC was top dog for him.

Oh boy, where to begin with this episode? This time around, we're joined by Joyce, an old friend from freshman year of high school. She's funky, she's quirky, and she'll give you the best damn tour of Hamilton. We talk about her jobs at school, the music groups she's in, and how the liberal arts campus environment has helped her grow.

It's a crazy working world out there. When you're looking to network, and enter the recruiting process, you need to stay on top of your game. Celine does just that, but she doesn't do it all alone. It's a team effort, and sometimes mooncakes can bring people together. Join the crew, and learn about how Celine manages her time and efforts in order to build a career.

A fellow CUNY student?!?! This time we go hands on with Macaulay at Hunter with Jenn. She doesn't pull her punches and gives us the scoop on what goes on at Brookdale and Hunter College. It's a great value education, but you've always gotta consider your options before you actually commit. And sometimes, it's okay to say it's not okay, cause college does get a little lonely from time to time.

Sean Chee, Schee, Sean Cheesecake. Whatever you want to call him, Sean has been a mentor and a long-time friend to me and it's always fun to catch up with a pal. Even though he's a mentor, he still makes mistakes. However, he always learns from them and keeps moving forward. Join us as we talk shop about resumes, good habits, dance, and the road to employment.

Say hello to our special guest, Justin Bridges! While he started his professional career in the financial sector at Goldman Sachs, he took a leap of faith to pursue his passion. Justin is a fashion & lifestyle photographer who has worked with brands such as KITH, GQ, Barneys, and Levi's. These days, Justin tells stories and captures moments through photography. On this episode, he takes me back to his roots in Georgia, his growth at American University, and the conversations he's had with his mentors. After all, everyone could use a mentor. Even if they did just get their first billboard. So join us and learn about being a freelancer, and following your dreams.

Frat secretary Dante brushes off his internship at a viral vector core as if it were nothing, but supplying viruses for genetic therapy is far from nothing. Coopting coops, studying Cellular and Molecular biology, Dante talks to us about campus life in Boston, the best ways to get around Northeastern, and how to thrive in college. #NortheasternU#college #admissions #podcast #advice #collegeapplications #SAT #CommonApp

Ever wanted to be a Trojan? This week we're joined by Justin who is more than ready to share his experiences as an east coast boy turned west coast student. Whether it's being a dancer, tossing around a football, skating around campus, or trying to get into a surfing class, it's all part of the USC experience for our guest. Join us as we embark on a journey to the west!

Can you learn through osmosis? Aimee has tried, sleeping in the library in the hopes of absorbing information. At Cornell, Aimee studies Industrial Labor Relations. Juggling high school expectations of being a big fish, to becoming a very very small one, we run through all the challenges Cornell has to offer.

Chemical and Bio-molecular Engineering major (dare you to say that five times fast!), Laolu the lax bro walks us through what life is like at Johns Hopkins as an undergraduate student, the trials and tribulations for those not in pre-med and life hacks to make it through successfully.

Not an Aerospace Engineer (Yet!). Toured Europe singing classical music. Currently living and studying in a university the size of a small city, Rutgers University; ask Bhowmik anything about rocket propulsion, we're confident he'll know the answer. If he doesn't? Give him a week, he'll read up and hit you with all the facts you could want.

What's more out of your comfort zone than traveling from New York to study in Japan? Specializing in Sports Management, Dean walks us through life as an American student in Japan, how the MTA stacks up against the Tokyo train system, and the difference between American and Japanese baseball.

Stop being so damn indecisive and just make some mistakes! That’s what our guest Shuhei would tell his younger self if he could. To be fair though, he has made a few mistakes and learned along the way, whether it be rooming with a high school friend and expecting it to go swimmingly, or the fact that having connections with upper years does get you into a nicer dorm. Don’t let the shoulda-woulda-coulda’s haunt you.

Arys, president of his fraternity at Cornell, built a phallic rocket ship in high school. I guess what we’re trying to say is that there’s hope for everyone. When he’s not watching competitive bloon tower defense videos or spray painting his bathroom door, he’s switching majors and enjoying his non-twin XL bed.

Winston may be our most dramatic guest yet! Currently undecided (but leaning towards studying Computer Science) at Yale, Winston spends his days between A Cappella and theater and his nights searching for good pizza on and around campus. While there are some cool courses to take, notably Mind of Dogs, campus life seems to operate more like summer camp; we think that’s alright though, “If that’s your style!”

Let’s do some free association. Pittsburgh: Steelers, steel, bridges… Architecture! Episode 6 brings us Rachel, currently studying Architecture at Carnegie Mellon (although you wouldn’t know it, since she’s trying to serve her models with a little tomato sauce on top). Although she denies that there’s any culture shock between high school and college, she deadass can’t say “It’s brick” to her classmates; they’d look at her as if she’d just landed on Earth.

This week I’m talking to Paolo, a physics major currently attending McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, in the Great White North. He walks us through his hazy first day, the cultural differences that come with studying abroad, and why the ultimate freedom to fail is such a liberating experience.

We have a question for you. Oh, you haven’t heard? Sarah from vanilla Villanova wants to know whether you’re a SpongeBob or Patrick in your friend group, how you feel about puns, and your thoughts on greasy poles. You’ll have to listen to episode 4 to find out what she thinks!

Angel, studying at UAlbany, gives us her pearls of wisdom. What do you want to know about? She accidentally rushed a sorority. She had a wild first day. And the walls are so thin you can hear canoodling.

This week, I spoke with Jake (a former teammate of mine) about his experiences at the University of Vermont, be it dealing with food on campus, or with freezing temperatures. From long-distance relationships to Kendrick Lamar, we discuss it all on this episode.

For our first episode, we’re talking to Di! From both sides of the aisle, he gives us his insights as a student at NYU, as well as a guidance counselor who’s currently sending teenagers off to college. He explains how he dealt with rejection, a story about hand holding in college, and the competition (or lack thereof) between him and his peers.

Before You Commit was created to help you navigate your college decision, by providing real experiences from real people. There are certain things that a college rep just won’t be able to tell you, and that’s where we come in. This podcast will focus around conversations with college students all around the country, be it at Cornell or at USC. We’ll take our time exploring the pros and cons of each school, and what you should expect before your first day on campus. We’ll also give you an in-depth look about different majors & concentrations, demographics and more. This podcast is run by students-for students, after all we’re in this together. Be on the lookout for new episodes coming soon.