Podcasts about college counselors

We shared an episode for students about requesting letters of recommendation, now we're sharing our pro tips for counselors and teachers as they write letters of recommendation on behalf of their students! In this episode, you'll hear from Julie Kampschroeder, College Counselor with 31+ years of experience, and Peter Van Buskirk, former Dean of Admission as they share advice from both sides of the desk. We hope you enjoy this episode and feel free to check out our episode for students on the same topic here!Follow us on Instagram!Learn more about Scoir

The latest episode is with Jenny Rickard, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Common App, a not-for-profit membership organization committed to the pursuit of access, equity, and integrity in the college admission process. Each year, more than one million students, one-third of whom are first-generation, apply to college through Common App's online application. Ms. Rickard was a pleasure to interview, it was fun conversation with lots of great details about her personal journey coupled with great insights and advice for our listeners. Ms. Rickard has shown a strong commitment to college access as evidenced by her accomplishments as the chief enrollment officer at both the University of Puget Sound and Bryn Mawr and in admission roles at Swarthmore and New York University School of Law. Her extensive service within the national higher education community includes a wide range of roles with the College Board, Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS), US Department of Education, and The Common Application Board of Directors — serving as Board President from 2007 to 2008. Within the corporate field, Ms. Rickard was a vice president responsible for higher education product strategy at PeopleSoft. She was also a consultant for the higher education software company Datatel and started her career on Wall Street at J.P. Morgan & Co. Since she joined Common App in August of 2016, the organization has developed a long-term strategic plan and roadmap and has expanded its access initiatives, including the acquisition of Reach Higher, the college access and success campaign founded by former First Lady Michelle Obama during her time in the White House, and the development of a new application system for transfer and adult students. Ms. Rickard serves on the board of directors for the Posse Foundation and College Possible. She is an advisory board member for the National Education Equity Lab and Liaison GradCAS, a centralized application for graduation admission, and she currently sits on the American Council on Education's Washington Higher Education Secretariat. She received a doctorate in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania; a Master of Business Administration degree from New York University, Stern School of Business; and a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Swarthmore College. This interview was extra special for Eli and Jordana due to the common connection of Swarthmore College. It was an fun interview for them, especially connecting on all things Swarthmore. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Wondering how to ask for a letter of recommendation — and actually get a strong one?In this episode, we break down everything students need to know about recommendation letters: when to ask, how to ask, and what to share with your teacher or counselor to help them write a compelling letter.

In this episode of Mission Admissions, host Jeremy Tiers chats with Bethanne Bialy, a former college admissions counselor turned high school college and career advisor. With firsthand experience on both sides of the desk, Bethanne gives a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to support high school students—and what college admissions teams can do to build stronger, more effective partnerships with counselors. This candid conversation unpacks the persistent challenges, communication gaps, and actionable strategies for cultivating real trust between high schools and colleges.Guest Name: Bethanne Bialy, College Counselor, Divine Savior AcademyGuest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethanne-b-777973183/Guest Bio: Bethanne Bialy worked as an Admission Counselor at Lynn University in Florida for a little under a year and a half before moving into her current role as a College Counselor at Divine Savior Academy. Bethanne, who is currently working on her doctorate in education, is passionate about growing relationships with students and helping them throughout the college application process. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Jeremy Tiershttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/https://twitter.com/CoachTiersAbout The Enrollify Podcast Network:Mission Admissions is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you'll like other Enrollify shows too!Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com. Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

This Week: The right wing onslaught continues. Since we last recorded, the federal government cut $400M in funding from Columbia University for allegedly failing to respond to “relentless antisemitism,” and the USDOE released its “End DEI” website, with the hopes of getting the public to report schools/educators doing DEI stuff and engaging in the mythology of reverse racism. Thankfully, there are good folks out there helping us understand the landscape of these attacks, and strategize on how to resist. Plus, we dig into a fascinating story about the effort to have AI fill in for the shortage of college counselors in the nation's high schools. What could possibly go wrong? Manuel and Jeff discuss!Also, some good news to share -- actor Steve Carell announces funding of prom tickets for students in Altadena affected by the Eaton Fire.   WAYS TO HELP WITH THE EATON FIRE IN ALTADENA/PASADENA -- Please consider giving what you can! Here are links to GoFundMe pages set up by Altadena families, links to GoFundMe pages supporting Black families devastated by the Eaton fire, and the Pasadena Educational Foundation's page set up to benefit Manuel's school community, which has been devastated by the fire. Thanks for your support!MAXIMUM WOKENESS ALERT -- get your All of the Above swag, including your own “Teach the Truth” shirt! In this moment of relentless attacks on teaching truth in the classroom, we got you covered. https://all-of-the-above-store.creator-spring.com Passing Period is an AOTA podcast extra that gives us a chance to check-in, reflect, and discuss powerful stories in between our full episodes. Watch, listen and subscribe to make sure you don't miss our latest content!Website: https://AOTAshow.comStream all of our content at: linktr.ee/AOTA  Watch at: YouTube.com/AlloftheAboveListen at: apple.co/38QV7Bd and anchor.fm/AOTAFollow us at: Facebook.com/AOTAshow and Twitter.com/AOTAshow

This week, Tokyo Academics Lead Admissions Consultant Jennifer Liepin sits down with Ryan Klohr, an experienced Admissions Reader at University of California Irvine and the prestigious QuestBridge organization, which partners with elite universities to provide substantial financial aid to high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds. Ryan also serves as a College Counselor at IMG Academy, where he guides aspiring college athlete recruits. IMG hosts NCSA College Recruiting, the world's largest college athletic recruiting platform.In this first installment of our two-part conversation, Ryan shares his insider perspective on the UC admissions process. He reveals how undergraduate applications are evaluated, how international applicant reviews differ from domestic ones, and offers crucial guidance on approaching the Personal Insight Questions (PIQs). Whether you're considering applying to Berkeley, UCLA, or any UC campus, Ryan provides valuable advice to strengthen your candidacy.Join free webinars at www.tokyoacademics.com/eventsNeed help applying to college? Contact us for a free consultation where we'll discuss your strengths, weaknesses, and provide an initial assessment to optimize your success. If you want to maximize your chances of getting into your dream schools, we can help! Visit www.tokyoacademics.com/free-trial.

Subscribe to Receive Venkat's Weekly NewsletterMaking sense of the College News. Shveta Bagade, College Counselor gives us her take.Topics discussed in this episode:College Visits and Why you should do them []Our Guest: Shveta Bagade, College Counselor based in Silicon Valley California.Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode Transcript.Calls-to-action:Follow us on Instagram.Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations: Apple Podcasts, Spotify. For Podcast Transcripts, visitalmamatters.io/podcasts.

Subscribe to Receive Venkat's Weekly Newsletter In this series of episodes, College Counselors share their takeaways from College Alumni and Student stories featured in this Podcast. In this episode, Paula shares her takeaways from the Podcast episode with Emily Woodland, Drexel University. Topics discussed in this episode: Introducing Paula Dennis, Jenks High School, OK [] Emily's Story Takeaways [] A Question or Two to Reflect on [] Closing Thoughts [] Our Guest: Paula Dennis is a College Counselor at Jenks High School in Oklahoma. Memorable Quote: “...when Emily shared her own advice for students, it was even better, because a lot of times students would listen to someone that has just gone through the process, as Emily did last year.” Paula Dennis. Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode Transcript. Calls-to-action: Follow us on Instagram. To Ask the Guest a question, or to comment on this episode, email podcast@almamatters.io. Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations: Apple Podcasts, Spotify and others.

Finding your best fit school requires a lot of smart research, so don't overlook one of the best sources of institutional information available. Amy and Mike invited independent counselor Jane Gabin to discuss how the common data set can help interpret what colleges tell you. What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is the Common Data Set? How can studying the CDS help with judging the value of a school? What does a school's graduation rate tell us about the school? How can the CDS be accessed and can anyone look at it? Are there schools that try to hide their data? MEET OUR GUEST Jane S. Gabin has been publishing articles on colleges' over-hiring of adjunct faculty since 2015, when she wrote about the problem in “Ask the College Counselor,” her regular column for InsideSchools.com. Her writing on this subject has also appeared in Inside Higher Ed (June 24, 2019), the Academe Blog (July 2, 2019 and May 21, 2020), and The College Prep Guide (college-prep-guide.com). A member of NACAC, SACAC, and the International ACAC, as well as the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA), she currently works as an independent counselor, addressing groups such as the local NAACP Youth Council about educational opportunities, and speaking to parents and students at local public libraries.  Dr. Gabin has over 20 years in the college admissions profession. She worked for 10 years for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at UNC-Chapel Hill, where she was in charge of all international admissions and counselor relations. She followed this with 11 years in college advising at independent schools in the NYC area, primarily at the United Nations International School (UNIS).  She gave a talk at the SACAC 2020 conference on “Another Way of Looking at What Makes a College ‘Good'” when she addressed this issue (in addition to suggesting a close look at colleges' admission rate, retention rate, class size, and graduation rate).  Additionally, she has given or led sessions (primarily on the essay process) at the New Jersey ACAC, the New York State ACAC, NACAC, and for KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) in NYC. She received a Ph.D. in English at UNC-Chapel Hill and has published one novel and is working on another. As an independent scholar, she is currently researching the lives of women artists in the 19th century. Jane previously appeared on this podcast in episode 328 to discuss Concerns About College Staffing Trends. Find Jane at  janesgabin@yahoo.com. LINKS Common Data Set The Shortest Guide to College Admissions RELATED EPISODES USING THE COMMON DATA SET POWER DYNAMICS IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS HOW IMPORTANT IS GPA IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS? HOW ADMISSIONS COUNSELOR MORALE IS CHANGING ADMISSIONS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our past episodes on the show page and keep up with our future ones by subscribing to our email newsletter. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.  

Subscribe to Receive Venkat's Weekly Newsletter Making sense of the College News of the week, curated by Alma Matters. Shveta Bagade, College Counselor gives us her take on the news. Topics discussed in this episode: How Students, Colleges and Counselors are using AI in College Applications 2024[] Our Guest: Shveta Bagade, College Counselor based in Silicon Valley California. Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode Transcript. Calls-to-action: Follow us on Instagram. Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations: Apple Podcasts, Spotify.  For Podcast Transcripts, visit almamatters.io/podcasts.

Subscribe to Receive Venkat's Weekly Newsletter In this series of episodes, College Counselors share their takeaways from College Alumni and Student stories featured in this Podcast. Tom Stepkoski picked the 3 episodes from “College Vignettes Tell Tales”, my handbook for sophomores and juniors. In this episode, Tom shares his takeaways from Podcast episodes with Lorena of Davidson College, Aidan of UCLA, and Avinash of Princeton. Topics discussed in this episode: Introducing Tom Stepkoski, Westhill High School, CT [] 3 Podcast Stories and Takeaways [] A Question or Two to Reflect on [] The Process of Picking 3 Stories [] Closing Thoughts [] Our Guest: Tom Stepkoski is the Career and College Counselor at Westhill High School in Stamford, Connecticut. In addition, Tom also runs Tom Step Coaching for Personal Development. Memorable Quote: “And I'm sure that you know, you've heard me say before on your podcast, that kids love to listen to kids. And I say kids, you know, I'm referring to students of 16, 17, 18, years old, or primarily, they're juniors in high school, and they're starting to look at colleges.” Tom Stepkoski. Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode Transcript. Calls-to-action: Follow us on Instagram. To Ask the Guest a question, or to comment on this episode, email podcast@almamatters.io. Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations: Apple Podcasts, Spotify and others.

In this episode you will hear:   Mark shares his thoughts on the election and then he shares the great debate that is emerging about the requirement for students to submit a letter from their college counselor.   Mark interviews David Hawkins Link to the articles Dave and discuss Factors impacting admission decisions High School Students perceptions of the College Process     Part 3-Preview ·         David talks about the first ever high school NACAC has authorized to survey high school students about their experience in college admissions and college in general ·         Dave shares some of the main takeaways from the student survey when it comes to things like diversity and the value of college ·         Dave talks about a half dozen of the questions that they asked the students ·         Dave talks about whether they will do the survey again ·         Dave talks about who provided the funding for this survey ·         Dave talks about some of the key findings in the survey ·         David talks about one surprising finding that emerged from the survey       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:   Follow Mark Stucker on Twitter to get breaking college admission news, and updates about the podcast before they go live. You can ask questions on Twitter that he will answer on the podcast. Mark will also share additional hot topics in the news and breaking news on this Twitter feed. Twitter message is also the preferred way to ask questions for our podcast:   https://twitter.com/YCBKpodcast   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 subscribe to our podcast. It really helps us move up in 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:   Check out the college websites Mark recommends:   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:     If you want a college consultation with Mark or Lisa or Lynda, just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email Lisa at or Lynda at Lynda@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/

Subscribe to Receive Venkat's Weekly Newsletter Making sense of the College News of the week, curated by Alma Matters. Shveta Bagade, College Counselor gives us her take on the news. Topics discussed in this episode: Lower Acceptance Rates at the Top US Colleges [] Enrollment Decline [] Our Guest: Shveta Bagade, College Counselor based in Silicon Valley California. Resources referred to in this episode: Curated News at Alma Matters [0:11] EducationNext [] New York Times [] Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode Transcript. Calls-to-action: Follow us on Instagram. Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations: Apple Podcasts, Spotify.  For Podcast Transcripts, visit almamatters.io/podcasts.

Sign Up to Receive Venkat's Weekly Newsletter As a junior In High School, Heidi was intrigued about College. Although her College Counselor wasn't very motivating. And her parents were not College graduates. Her parents paid for a College Counseling program at a local community college. Heidi found this exciting and inspiring. Today, Heidi is the Director of College Counseling at Catholic Central High School in Michigan. Heidi joins us on our podcast to talk about her background, Catholic Central, Counseling Approach, Challenges, Information Overload and her continued passion for Counseling. Check Out: The College Application Workbooks for Juniors and Seniors In particular, we discuss the following with her:  Heidi's Background Approach to College Counseling Challenges Staying Excited Topics discussed in this episode: Introducing Heidi Clark-Smitley, Catholic Central [] Hi Fives - Podcast Highlights [] Professional Background [] Why Counseling? [] Catholic Central [] The Role [] Approach to Counseling [] Enticing Students to meet Application Deadlines [] The Challenges [] Information Overload [] Reflecting on the 2 decades [] Students' Self-Awareness [] Staying Excited [] Our Guest: Heidi Clark-Smitley, Director of College Counseling at Catholic Central High School, MI. Memorable Quote: “I look at the student, and I go, you probably got your driver's license recently, or about to get your driver's license. So here's the deal, you are in the driver's seat of this college exploration and planning, and the rest of us are passengers. And although we might be backseat drivers at times, we are simply passengers.” Heidi Clark-Smitley. Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode's Transcript. Recommended Episodes: College Experiences, College Application Workbook  Calls-to-action: Follow us on Instagram. To Ask the Guest a question, or to comment on this episode, email podcast@almamatters.io. Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations:Apple Podcasts, Spotify.

Subscribe to Receive Venkat's Weekly Newsletter Making sense of the College News of the week, curated by Alma Matters. Shveta Bagade, College Counselor gives us her take on the news. Topics discussed in this episode: FAFSA [] Our Guest: Shveta Bagade, College Counselor based in Silicon Valley California. Resources referred to in this episode: Curated News at Alma Matters [0:11] MSN [] SC Daily Gazette [] US News [] Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode Transcript. Calls-to-action: Follow us on Instagram. Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations: Apple Podcasts, Spotify.  For Podcast Transcripts, visit almamatters.io/podcasts.

Is this a podcast about ocean life, or college admissions? It might take you a few minutes into the episode to be sure. But, to end the suspense, this episode is about learning loss, and the impact to colleges hovering just below the surface of the demographic cliff. Ed Venit, Managing Director of Strategic Research at EAB shares with us the results of research and futuring work they've done to understand what's to come. Kate Massey, Academic and College Counselor at Ben Franklin High School in New Orleans, Louisiana then comes in as our influencer guest, helping us put the math shark fears into context of what she's seeing on the ground.

Subscribe to Receive Venkat's Weekly Newsletter Making sense of the College News of the week, curated by Alma Matters. Shveta Bagade, College Counselor gives us her take on the news. Topics discussed in this episode: College Rankings [] Our Guest: Shveta Bagade, College Counselor based in Silicon Valley California. Resources referred to in this episode: Curated News at Alma Matters [0:11] US News [] The Wall Street Journal [] Forbes [] Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode Transcript. Calls-to-action: Follow us on Instagram. Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations: Apple Podcasts, Spotify.  For Podcast Transcripts, visit almamatters.io/podcasts.

In today's episode, we invited Associate Director Brendan Kennedy to our podcast! Brendan is excited to return to Penn after serving as Penn Upward Bound's College Counselor. He enjoys the opportunity to connect with and support students in their career development, and he is here today to share his career journey with us!  Mentioned in this episode:MyPenn: Use Penn's Alumni Directory MyPenn (formerly QuakerNet) to search for fellow classmates or update your contact information.CareerShift: CareerShift was created to help job seekers to find career opportunities. With CareerShift‘s robust company and contact database, users can find current job connections and make meaningful new connections with Penn alum. Our theme music is “The Strip” by Mala, used under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

In today's deep dive, we’ll learn more about the experience of a high school counselor who helped students navigate college admissions last school year.

This week's friendship topic is the frenzy of college admissions and how it affects friendships between teens and how it potentially affects friendships between those teens' parents, too. Most importantly, we discuss how to approach the college admissions world with a level head!Meet Kate Proger:Kate Proger, is a college planning consultant and admissions expert. With degrees in both psychology and educational testing, as well as executive function coach training, Kate has helped hundreds of students find the university that is their perfect fit. (We discuss at length that there is more than one "right" fit.) Find Kate on her site: Kate Proger College Consulting.We discussed:Book mentioned---Where You Go Is Not Who You Will Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania by Frank Bruni Sharing information or not about where you're applying--privacy vs. intimacyUnderstanding that everyone has reasons for their list (budgets, distance, etc.). We cannot assume we know what's going on behind closed doors Being happy for your friends (or your friends' kids) when admissions decisions arriveThe potential for parents to make some new friends in this next stage of parentingNew social opportunities for college students to seek more of what you liked socially in high school and less of what you didn't enjoyThe reality of kids "soiling the nest" before they leave or sometimes the exact opposite happens (glorifying the next)And more!Send us a text* All transcripts are available on the main Buzzsprout "Dear Nina" site. Click on any episode and find the transcript tab. Let's connect over all things friendship! My Substack newsletter about friendship & more Dear Nina website with show notes and a guide to pitching yourself as a guest Instagram , TikTok, Twitter, Youtube, Threads JOIN the Dear Nina Facebook group Ask an anonymous question

Subscribe to Receive Venkat's Weekly Newsletter Making sense of the College News of the week, curated by Alma Matters. Shveta Bagade, College Counselor gives us her take on the news. Topics discussed in this episode: ACT is Offering Digital Version of the Test  [] State of Test Optional [] Our Guest: Shveta Bagade, College Counselor based in Silicon Valley California. Resources referred to in this episode: Curated News at Alma Matters [0:11] US News [] Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode Transcript. Calls-to-action: Follow us on Instagram. Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations: Apple Podcasts, Spotify.  For Podcast Transcripts, visit almamatters.io/podcasts.

Many of us know how stressful this time can be. One big challenge is to step back and let your teen take the lead. It's natural to want to be involved in all stages of the admissions process to selecting the college, having a heavier hand in the student college application essays, etc. How do we as parents let go of those rigid expectations and meet our teen where they are at and what is best for them. Stacy Hernandez is a College Admissions Advisor and has been working on admissions since 1999. Stacy served as an Undergraduate Admissions Counselor at Johns Hopkins University and Northeastern University where she reviewed applications and recruited students around the country. Additionally, she has worked as a College Counselor in high schools in Colorado. In 2014, she opened an independent college admissions advising business called The Best U Admissions Advising where Stacy and her partners serve families from all over the world. Also, Stacy has transformational leadership coaching and intuitive background which allows her to support students to find their authenticity. Help parents understand how they are influencing their teens and how that can impact their ability to self-discover Show up in curiosity for your teen and ask the important questions, allowing them to find their own answers Often times, parent's opinions are not helpful and can limit their teen's ability to explore what they truly want Parents need to be aware of their own fears in letting their teen go Helping your teen determine what they want in a school, their non-negotiables, goals, and interests Meeting their teens where they are at Tips to find ease in this process The college admissions process, what colleges are looking for, and what it takes to get into certain schools. Sponsored by EdGerety.com Resources Follow on Instagram Follow on Facebook Website: https://thebestu.net/ The Blog: https://thebestu.net/blogs/ 1-Month Free Membership: https://thebestu.net/membership/. Use code TBUWELCOME at checkout to receive your first month of TBU Membership free and register for the webinar at no additional cost.

Welcome to another episode of the Sole Sisters Podcast. Today, we're thrilled to introduce a new chapter in our mission to provide top-notch college preparatory services. Jenna has recently hired Jennifer Severini-Kresock to work with her rising senior, Lucas, discovering a level of guidance she didn't even know they needed. Jennifer brings over twenty years of experience as a high school guidance director and counselor in the public school system. Recognizing the increasing need for individualized college preparatory services, she founded NEPA Career and College Counseling Associates in 2012. With ongoing budget cuts in education, Jennifer's expertise ensures that students receive the personalized guidance they need to reach their highest potential. Regardless of a student's level or ability, NEPA Career and College Counseling Associates is dedicated to achieving the best possible outcomes. Jennifer's passion for helping students become ideal college candidates is evident in her approach. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree cum laude in clinical psychology and a Master of Science degree in secondary counselor education from Marywood University. Her professional development includes countless hours of conferences, college visits, and web-based learning. Jennifer has lectured at the university level and received multiple citations for her professional excellence. She is excited to bring her enthusiasm and expertise to help students like Lucas achieve their educational and career dreams. We're also thrilled to invite our listeners to participate in a special Scholarship Party, hosted by Jennifer Severini-Kresock, Career and College Counselor, and owner of NEPA Career and College Counseling Associates. It will held on Sunday, August 11, 2024, from Noon-1:30 PM via ZOOM. Jennifer will discuss the countless scholarships available to all students in all grades and share her recommended strategies for applying for and winning them. The "party" will be open to ALL STUDENTS in all grades and their PARENTS. This is a unique opportunity to learn about all available scholarship opportunities. Our individual meetings will be focused on specific scholarships and the scholarship application process. Plus, all students who attend will be eligible to win prizes throughout the webinar. Learn more and register for Free Scholarship Party -https://nepacareerandcollegecounseling.com/ Follow on Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/NEPACareerandco Connect with Jennifer on LinkedIN -https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-severini-kresock-ms-aa736055/

 Jessica Cuevas, is the Founder and Creator of Viva la Mami, LLC, is a podcaster, coach, and community builder. Once Jessica became a mom in 2021, she noticed that there was a lack of representation of Latinas in the motherhood space. She created this platform after seeing negative stereotypes of the Latina mom online and on social media. Coming from an educational background, Jessica felt the need for Latina moms to share their stories and for Latina professionals to share their expertise so that moms can be better informed about the nuances of Latina motherhood. Since 2022, Jessica has created a podcast and community of modern Latina moms who are reclaiming or following their culture all while mothering in a modern world. She's on a mission to help moms redefine the meaning of madrehood through education and storytelling from a culturally-relevant lens. Jessica helps modern moms find their own path of madrehood and is striving to change the narrative of what the internet and the media perceives Latina moms to be. Jessica resides in Chicago with her high school sweetheart and two boys who are currently 3 and under. Not only is she a mompreneur and stay-at-home mom, but she continues her passion in college access where she works part-time as a College Counselor at a non-for-profit organization in Chicago.  

Do you have a high schooler who is getting ready to apply for college? You won't want to miss this episode of Conversations with Seven Sisters! This week, Jen speaks with Brooke Stengel (Bryn Mawr ℅ ‘91), an Independent College Counselor with over 30 years of experience. Brooke believes that the college process isn't about finding the "best"​ college -- it's about finding the "right"​ college. Brooke helps students through the process of determining what they are hoping to gain from their college experiences, finding institutions that fit their preferences and then helping them to show the colleges, through their essays and applications, how they will be active members in their future college communities. Be sure to sign-up below for our Zoom in September with Brooke: Application Myths Dispelled: The Ins and Outs of Applying to College.  Resources for getting in touch with Brooke and for more college admissions information: College Admissions Related Websites: https://yourcollegeapps.com/admissions-websitesTest optional colleges: https://fairtest.org/   Brooke can be found at www.yourcollegeapps.com  If you are looking for help in the college admission process, email Brooke at:  YourCollegeApps@gmail.comSIGN UP FOR OUR ZOOM WITH BROOKE: Application Myths Dispelled: The Ins and Outs of Applying to CollegeWednesday, September 18 @7pm EST: click here Sign up for our Seven Sisters newsletter to make sure you don't miss any Seven Sisters Alum news. Seven Sisters Colleges are Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Vassar and Wellesley.

Subscribe to Receive Venkat's Weekly Newsletter The 2023-24 College Application Season is almost in the books. It is a good time to step back and reflect for the benefit of the next set of high school seniors and parents. And who better to help us than the College Counselors who guided the current graduating seniors through the college process. I talked to over half-dozen High School College Counselors from across the US to put together this episode. Check Out: The College Application Workbooks for Juniors and Seniors Topics discussed in this episode: Introducing The Look Back Episode [] FAFSA Impact [] No of Selective Colleges is Growing [] Fashioning College Lists - Deliberately [] About Majors [] Standardized Testing [] Advice for Rising Seniors [] Our Guests: Sean Kennedy of Ravenscroft High School Bill Hancock of Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School Jodi Foxx of Charlotte Christian Sandra Foy of Seattle Prep Colleen Koppes of Dowling Catholic High School Tom Stepkoski of Westhill High School, and Shveta Bagade, Private Counselor. Memorable (& Prescient) Quote: “I think the FAFSA, the opening of the application period being delayed to December[2023] is really a kind of sleeping giant…”, Sean Kennedy of Ravenscroft School, June 2023. Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode Transcript. Calls-to-action: Follow us on Instagram. To Ask the Guest a question, or to comment on this episode, email podcast@almamatters.io. Subscribe or Follow our podcasts wherever you get your podcasts.

Now that we're moving back to more of a test-required college admissions paradigm, the pressing question for most students regards which test to take. In some cases, the answer is not as binary as you might expect. Amy and Mike invited counselor Becky Priest to explore who should take the CLT? What are five things you will learn in this episode? What is a classical education? What is the Classic Learning Test? What schools currently accept the CLT as an admissions test? What kind of student does well on the CLT? What are the best ways to prepare for the CLT? MEET OUR GUEST Becky Priest is the founding College Counselor at The Cambridge School, a Pre-K-thru 12th grade Christian classical school, in San Diego, California. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, she attended Washington University where her college work study job was in the Financial Aid Office. She was later employed full-time in the FAO, processing financial aid awards for incoming freshmen. Now, as a high school counselor at a classical school, her students were test-takers for the very first public administration of the Classic Learning Test and, over the years, several have earned scholarship money as a result. She has served on the CLT Academic Board of Advisors. Becky can be reached on LinkedIn. LINKS The Classic Learning Test (CLT) SAT/ACT/CLT Concordance RELATED EPISODES WHAT IS THE CLT? WHY TESTS MATTER: STUDENT PERSPECTIVES FIVE MYTHS ABOUT ADMISSIONS TESTS ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.  

In this episode, host Kaila Brown, former high school counselor, and guest Aaron Fulk, Director of College Counseling at the University School of Nashville, offer insightful strategies for counselors in supporting students and families through the college decision-making process. They emphasize the importance of asking the right questions to encourage exploration, navigate financial considerations, and foster open communication between students and their parents/guardians. You'll hear practical advice on managing application season as well. The discussion highlights the crucial role of counselors in guiding families with empathy, expertise, and practical support.Follow us on Instagram!Learn more about Scoir

Subscribe to Receive Venkat's Weekly Newsletter This admissions season, FAFSA delays have cast a huge shadow. Jodi Foxx of Charlotte Christian and Tom Stepkoski of Westhill High School have different perspectives based on the experiences at their school. In this episode, the two Counselors share the FAFSA Impact on their students, How Colleges have been Responding, the New FAFSA features, and Learnings from this experience. Topics discussed in this episode: FAFSA Delays Impact [] Current Status [] Is New FAFSA Simpler? [] The Learnings [] Our Guests: Jodi Foxx is the Director of College Counseling at Charlotte Christian School, North Carolina. Tom Stepkoski is the Career and College Counselor at Westhill High School in Stamford, Connecticut. In addition, Tom also runs Tom Step Coaching for Personal Development. Memorable Quote: “...we have found out that if you personally are having a problem, you can call and most universities will actually talk to you about the deadline and actually work with you.” Tom Stepkoski. Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode Transcript. Calls-to-action: Follow us on Instagram. To Ask the Guest a question, or to comment on this episode, email podcast@almamatters.io. Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations: Apple Podcasts, Spotify and others.

Subscribe to Receive Venkat's Weekly Newsletter College Campus Visits are a crucial part of the College Process. It is a great way to get a feel for College in general, and certainly can help you, if that college is of particular interest to you. Paula Dennis joins our podcast to share her insights into College Campus Visits, The Benefits, How to Plan for them, Senior Shilpi Bardhan on her Fly-in Experiences and Advice for Juniors. In particular, we discuss the following with them:  The Importance of College Campus Visits What should students look for on these visits Shilpi Bardhan's Experiences Advice for Juniors Topics discussed in this episode: Introducing Paula Dennis, Jenks High School [] Counselor College Visits  [] Why Students should visit colleges [] Things to look for on a college visit[] Red Flags [] Visits Timeline; [] Shilpi's Fly-in Visits [] Shilpi's Questions [] Impact of the Visits [] Advice for Juniors [] Shilpi's Likely Letter [] Our Guests: Paula Dennis is a College Counselor at Jenks High School in Oklahoma. Shilpi Bardhan, Senior Jenks High School, OK. Memorable Quote: “...the current students can give you the best idea of what is available on campus, how the students are and how you can be very well engaged in the school and the campus. And what opportunities there are.” Shilpi Bardhan. Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode Transcript. Calls-to-action: Follow us on Instagram. To Ask the Guest a question, or to comment on this episode, email podcast@almamatters.io. Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations: Apple Podcasts, Spotify and others.

Jennifer Tabbush shares her insights and advice on the college application process to help guide students find the best "fit" for their educational needs.  Jennifer founded Headed For College to help families in need of expert educational consulting, college and graduate school counseling, and academic planning.  In this podcast episode, Jennifer discusses many of the questions parents think about as their kids prepare for college. How does a child find the right fit for them? How can colleges be the most cost effective, or is that even possible? What does a GPA mean anymore? Does a student have to be very well rounded to be accepted to college? And what about the personal essay--does it have to be a "sob story" ?!?  Jennifer answers all of these questions and more, overall emphasizing the importance of fit and happiness in college choice.About Jennifer Tabbush: She received her B.A. in Economics/Business from UCLA, graduating Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude.  Jennifer earned her MBA from the UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management, graduating Summa Cum Laude. Ms. Tabbush began her admissions career in 1990 as a volunteer student reader of applications to the MBA program at UCLA Anderson. From 1990-2008, Ms. Tabbush worked in graduate admissions for the UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management where she was Associate Director of MBA Admissions. She read thousands of essays, interviewed hundreds of candidates, and represented UCLA Anderson at events in the U.S. and abroad. Jennifer was also a member of the UCLA Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with Schools admissions read team and read applications for UCLA's freshman class for three years.To learn more about Headed for College:www.headedforcollege.comDr Jessica Hochman is a board certified pediatrician, mom to three children, and she is very passionate about the health and well being of children. Most of her educational videos are targeted towards general pediatric topics and presented in an easy to understand manner. Do you have a future topic you'd like Dr Jessica Hochman to discuss? Email Dr Jessica Hochman askdrjessicamd@gmail.com. Follow her on Instagram: @AskDrJessicaSubscribe to her YouTube channel! Ask Dr JessicaSubscribe to this podcast: Ask Dr JessicaSubscribe to her mailing list: www.askdrjessicamd.comThe information presented in Ask Dr Jessica is for general educational purposes only. She does not diagnose medical conditions or formulate treatment plans for specific individuals. If you have a concern about your child's health, be sure to call your child's health care provider.

Considering how exponentially complex the college admissions process has become in the last decade, the decision to work with an independent college counselor makes sense. The bigger question is, “Which one?” Amy and Mike invited educational consultant Julie Kim to explore considerations on how to choose a college counselor. What are five things you will learn in this episode? 1. How do you know if you need a college counselor? 2. What are some of the most important traits to look for in an IEC? 3. What can a small or solo practice provide that big box solutions cannot? (accountability and consistency) 4.  Is specialization desirable or even necessary in an IEC? 5. What do students and families need to bring to make college counseling successful? MEET OUR GUEST Immigrating from Korea in her youth, Julie Kim is a graduate of USC and Harvard (Ed.M). She founded Passion Prep after years of working in larger consulting firms, hoping to establish a new way of approaching college admissions. Julie offers a unique perspective as the first in her family to navigate the American college admissions process, and works with students of similar backgrounds to develop their own stand-out factor among thousands of other Ivy League applicants. Julie is the host of the "Demystifying College Admissions" podcast and the "Conquer College Admissions" YouTube channel. Julie previously appeared on this podcast in episode #196 to discuss Creating a Passion Project and in episode #262 in an IEC PROFILE. Find Julie at passionprep.com. LINKS IEC Profile Playlist RELATED EPISODES OVERWORKED SCHOOL COUNSELORS HOW SCHOOL AND PRIVATE COLLEGE COUNSELORS CAN WORK TOGETHER ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.  

Subscribe to Receive Venkat's Weekly Newsletter Making sense of the College News of the week, curated by Alma Matters. Shveta Bagade, College Counselor gives us her take on the news. Topics discussed in this episode: The Dartmouth Decision  [] What Should Students Do? [] How Colleges Use Test Scores[] Closing Thoughts [] Our Guest: Shveta Bagade, College Counselor based in Silicon Valley California. Resources referred to in this episode: Curated News at Alma Matters [0:11] The Hill [] The New York Times [] Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode Transcript. Calls-to-action: Follow us on Instagram. Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify.  For Podcast Transcripts, visit almamatters.io/podcasts.

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Episode Title: The Meaning of The FAFSA Delays, in College News Fit to Digest. January 5, 2024. Subscribe to Receive Venkat's Weekly Newsletter Making sense of the College News of the week, curated by Alma Matters. Shveta Bagade, College Counselor gives us her take on the news. Topics discussed in this episode: The Background [] Soft Launch [] Glitches and Changes [] End of January Delivery [] Limited Application Availability [] How Colleges Will Deal With the Delay [] Our Guest: Shveta Bagade, College Counselor based in Silicon Valley California. Resources referred to in this episode: Curated News at Alma Matters [0:11] NPR [] NBC Bay Area [] Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode Transcript. Calls-to-action: Follow us on Instagram. Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify.  For Podcast Transcripts, visit almamatters.io/podcasts.

Our mini-series focusing on a spirit of service begins, now. We start with a virtual visit to Los Angeles, California. Press Play to join Karli's conversation with Abby McCrate (Academic Counselor, College Counselor, and AP coordinator) at Immaculate Heart High School. Even during the winter, the sun shines brightly in southern California. Join the heart-warming conversation here on… Coordinated.Learn more about Immaculate Heart High School and Middle School.Mark your calendar for Feb 8: Livestreamed on YouTube is the Release Party – AP Coordinator's Manual, Part 2.Bookmark the AP Coordinator Experience webpage.Chat with colleagues in Chat with a Coordinator.Plus, extra sessions for those who are new to the role of AP coordinator.Watch the OnDemand video of the 2023 Back-to-School Workshop for AP coordinators who are new to the role.And here is a customized video of the workshop for experienced AP coordinators.Download and print the all-new Academic Calendar for AP coordinators.Join the AP Coordinator Community. Read up at the AP Coordinator Resource Library. Download the AP Coordinator's Manual, Part 1. Podcast music courtesy of former AP Music Theory student, Jackie Rae.

On today's episode, Ethan is joined by Amanda Miller, who got her start in financial aid through the College Advising Corps at Davidson College in 2014. A few thousand students, several resources, and dozens of financial aid presentations later, Amanda's an independent financial aid specialist and college adviser who also serves as the financial aid go-to lady for the Matchlighters program and someone we consider to be a part of the extended College Essay Guy family.  Ethan and Amanda discuss:  How do people identify the best ways to pay for college? What are some things that people who win scholarships do differently? What's the most important thing a student can do to make college affordable and avoid going into tons of debt? How can you learn which colleges are likely to be affordable to you? Myths on topics ranging from financial aid appeals to applying out of state   Play-by-Play 1:45 - Intro 2:49 - How do people pay for college? 4:39 - Where does most of the money come from when it comes to paying for college? 5:28 - What are the three types of scholarships? 7:28 - How do students win scholarships? 10:38 - How does the FAFSA help students pay for college? 15:21 - How do students avoid taking on too much debt? 19:23 - How do students figure out what kinds of colleges will be affordable? 27:30 - What are some of Amanda's favorite affordability tools for students and parents? 29:43 - Amanda busts some college affordability myths 37:33 - How can families determine if college is truly worth the cost? 41:42 - What is the difference between “cost of attendance” and “net cost”? 44:04 - Why should most people still complete the FAFSA? 47:57 - What is a reasonable amount of debt to graduate with? 50:21 - What steps should students take to figure out their financial plan for college? 51:52 - Closing thoughts Resources Crash Course on How to Pay for College (check back soon for the link!) How to Make College Affordable Mini-Course for U.S. Students and Families How to Make College Affordable Mini-Course for College Counselors and Educators College Scorecard – US Department of Education TuitionFit – Mark Salisbury  CollegeXpress The College Finder: Choose the School That's Right for You! Fourth Edition – By Steven R. Antonoff, Ph.D. Podcast Episodes: 121: Which Schools Are the Most Generous With Financial Aid? (US Version) – Jeff Levy, financial aid expert 122: Which Schools Are the Most Generous With Financial Aid? (International Version) – Jennie Kent, international financial aid expert 411: Finding Your Why, What a Liberal Arts Education Really Is, and How to Figure out What You Actually Want – Ann Marano (Colleges That Change Lives)

In this episode, Lisa, Rebecca, David, and Becky discuss:A critique of the information and misinformation of the latest NACAC Annual Survey of Colleges. The role of ACT and SAT scores even beyond the admissions process. The impact of Institutional Priorities in the admission of students.Colleges have differing expectations for various majors, including highly competitive majors. Whether the ability to pay affects students' admission rates.Key Takeaways: To understand what schools seek for admissions, the common data set is more important than the NACAC survey for the colleges your student is considering.The survey does not reflect admission by major but is critical for your student to understand.College is more than just getting in; it is also about affording college. Test-optional admissions help the most wealthy students and the least wealthy students. It hurts those in the middle class the most. Institutional priorities, like the ability to pay, influence admission but are not covered in the survey. “We always have to take these surveys with a grain of salt. I encourage families to do their homework, to work with professionals, or to work closely with their school counselor to really understand the nuances of college admissions because until things change, it continues to be very opaque.” – Rebecca Stuart-OrlowskiAbout Becky Priest: Becky Priest is the College Counselor at The Cambridge School, where she has overseen the design and build-out of their college counseling program. She also has over 20 years of college financial aid experience at all levels. She is currently serving on the Classic Learning Test's Board of Academic Advisors.About David Blobaum: David Blobaum is a nationally recognized expert on standardized exams and college admissions. He graduated from the University of Chicago with honors. He co-founded and runs 1Summit Prep and he is the Director of Outreach for the National Test Prep Association. About Rebecca Stuart-Orlowski: Rebecca Stuart-Orlowski has been an educational consultant specializing in profoundly gifted, 2E, advanced STEM, and homeschooled students for 11 years. She has a Specialized Certificate in College Counseling, a BA in Communicative Disorders, and 2 teaching credentials, Multiple Subjects w/ a Multicultural Emphasis & Communicatively Handicapped. She taught deaf, deaf/blind, LD, and 2E students for 4 years. She's a member of IECA, cochair of the IECA Homeschool Affinity Group, and a member of NACAC and WACAC. Get Lisa's Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career...(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret). flourishcoachingco.com/videoConnect with Rebecca:Facebook: facebook.com/OrlowskiCollegeConsulting LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rebeccastuartorlowskiEmail: r.orlowski.consulting@gmail.com Connect with David:Website: davidblobaum.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/david-blobaum/X: twitter.com/David_Blobaum Connect with Becky:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/becky-priest-458b204b Website: cambridgeclassical.org Connect with Lisa:Website: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flourishcoachingcoInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/flourishcoachingco/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-coaching-co

Subscribe to Receive Venkat's Weekly Newsletter Making sense of the College News of the week, curated by Alma Matters. Shveta Bagade, College Counselor gives us her take on the news. Topics discussed in this episode: What is Rolling Admissions? [] Which Colleges Offer RA? [] Is there a Good Time or Best Time to Apply? [] Are Rolling Admissions Binding? [] Are there any Downsides? [] Closing: Great Honors Programs too! [] Our Guest: Shveta Bagade, College Counselor based in Silicon Valley California. Resources referred to in this episode: Curated News at Alma Matters [0:11] USNews [] Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode Transcript. Calls-to-action: Follow us on Instagram. Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify.  For Podcast Transcripts, visit almamatters.io/podcasts.

Subscribe to Receive Venkat's Weekly Newsletter In the Spring of 2023, Tom conducted a special workshop at Westhill High School. In this episode, we talk to Tom & 3 Students, Melissa, Anne and Chelsea, from the Workshop, Motivated by his experiences and based on our discussions, Tom decided to pilot a workshop for rising seniors using episodes from this Podcast to build college lists. On our podcast, Tom talks about Why he created the Workshop, its structure, the content, Classroom discussions, and 3 Students share their experience with the Workshop. (If you would like the Podcast-based Workbook, please email podcast@almamatters.io.) In particular, we discuss the following with them:  Need for the Workshop Workshop Details Use of Podcast Stories Students' Feedback Topics discussed in this episode: Introducing Tom Stepkoski & Seniors, Westhill High School [] Hi Fives - Podcast Highlights [] Workshop Objectives [] 4 1-Hour Sessions [] Prepping for the Workshop [] Selecting Students [] Classroom Setup [] Student Interactions  [] Enhancements for Next Workshop [] Calibrating/Tracking Students Progress [] 3 Students Share Their Feedback [] Closing Thoughts [] Our Guests:  Tom Stepkoski is the Career and College Counselor at Westhill High School in Stamford, Connecticut. In addition, Tom also runs Tom Step Coaching for Personal Development. 3 Current Seniors from Westhill High School - Melissa, Ann, and Chelsea. Memorable Quote: “And they [students] take advice from their peers a lot faster and a lot quicker and absorb it a lot better than they would when they get the advice from a parent, a teacher or an educator. So the fact that you have students on, talking about their experiences on College Matters [Alma Matters], I think it resonates with that. Would you say that ladies?” Tom Stepkoski. Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode's Transcript. Recommended Episodes: College Experiences Calls-to-action: Follow us on Instagram. To Ask the Guest a question, or to comment on this episode, email podcast@almamatters.io. Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations:Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify.

My guest is Katie Andersen, a former NCAA Division 1 Women's Soccer player at Duke University, who now advises student-athletes through her organization, College Fit OC. She's also the co-founder of The Student-Athlete Advisors, which focuses on educating and mentoring educational consultants who advise college-bound student-athletes. Our conversation turned into a veritable crash course in college athletic recruiting. We get into, among other things: How a student can know if they can realistically play their sport at the college level When students should start their athletic recruiting process Can a college coach actually help a student get accepted to a university? How college-list building is different for student athletes Recent rule changes families should be aware of Tips for social media Tips for recruiting videos And lots more!   Play-by-play 0:00 - Intro / Who is Katie Anderson? 1:37 -  Katie shares a little bit about her journey as a student athlete 4:29 - How can a student know if they can realistically play their sport at the college level? 9:00 - When should students start their athletic recruiting process? 12:45 - Should student athletes visit campus?  15:36 - How do students know if a coach is serious about recruiting them?  18:11 - How can students be proactive in their recruiting process?  21:30 - What influence do coaches have on the admissions process?  25:05 - What are coaches looking for in student athletes?  29:51 - How is building a college list different for student athletes? 35:50  - How do early decision applications impact the students' athletic recruiting journey? 39:03 - Are there any recent shifts in athletic recruitment that students should know?  42:18 -  How can social media be used to help a student in the recruiting process? 47:04 - What are some tips for creating recruiting videos?  50:32 - What are some of the misconceptions that students and families have about this process? 52:46 - Advice to families who are considering hiring somebody to help them with this process? 54:46  - What resources are available for families throughout this process?  54:43 - Wrap-Up   Resources Blog for Student Athlete Advisors (Katie's organization) College Athletic Recruiting Playbook NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete How to Choose a College: A Step-By-Step Guide Podcast 121: Which Schools Are the Most Generous With Financial Aid? (US Version) - Jeff Levy, financial aid expert Podcast 122: Which Schools Are the Most Generous With Financial Aid? (International Version) - Jennie Kent, international financial aid expert Podcast 123: Should You Apply Early Decision or Regular Decision? (And the Chart That Can Help You Decide) - Jennie Kent and Jeff Levy

November 1st is Priority Deadline for college admissions.  Former guest from Ep. #69 joins again!  This is a definite download and must listen too.  Have you submitted your applications by the priority deadline?  If not, it's not too late.  Stucker communicates amazing information on the college search and admission process.  He emphasizes continue to research and make a master calendar of admitted school dates.  Do you know about WUE?  Do you know about FAFSA?  Or how about college admissions are admitting students?  He discusses what is "yield protection", demonstrated interest and demonstrated understanding.  Are you debating to submit ACT/SAT score?  Stucker will recommend what to do and what not to do.  Mark Stucker is one of the top counselors in the nation and kids love him.  Contact Mark (404) 664-4340.

It's a daunting prospect for many families of high schoolers: the college search process. Is college the right choice for your child? What type of college will suit them best? How should they go about choosing a major? What if they don't know what career field they want to pursue? How big of a deal are standardized tests? And, of course, how will your family afford the college of your choice? So many questions and big life decisions surround this process, and our School Counselor and College Counselor Rachel Kiehl has some simple, practical, and hopefully even soothing advice for parents who are starting to think about those next steps beyond high school. Rachel talks with our Head of School Ty Fischer about common pitfalls she has seen parents and students encounter in the college and career search, answers common questions, and provides advice on how and when they can start shoring up resources for this investment. Even if you have younger children, this episode will be insightful and give you food for thought, with plans you can put into action now to save you later stress. For families with high schoolers, you will surely find this episode useful on many fronts to help you navigate the college and career search process with your child.

Ever grappled with the circus act of balancing home, career and an ADHD diagnosis? Our guest, Jo from Gifted Gabber, is here to share her own personal journey with ADHD and how she elegantly maneuvers the whirlwind of family life and task management. She generously spills her secrets, including a game-changing strategy of taking a sweet 30 minutes before reacting to sparks that could potentially ignite a family flare-up. Jo is an ardent advocate of self-care for busy moms, and she stresses the importance of learning to delegate tasks that contribute to stress. We discuss how teaching kids responsibility and displaying vulnerability are crucial life skills that can fundamentally shift the family dynamics. And remember, it's not only okay but vital for moms to seek help and outsource tasks that become overwhelming - a team effort always ensures a smoother sail!Towards the final stages of our conversation, Jo emphatically circles back to the power of effective communication – a crucial tool in maintaining a healthy, happy household. Get ready for an enlightening and engaging ride that promises to arm you with strategies to better juggle the many balls in your life.About Jothsna Kethar  Known by her students as  Coach Jo, she is a UC Berkeley alum, wearing  many hats—Educational Consultant, Study Skills and ADHD Coach, and College Counselor. She is on a mission to help parents and students simplify the complicated college admissions.Find out more here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pioneerparents Thanks for listening! For more organizational motivation, support and free resources visit my website www.caroline-thor.com, or come and say 'hi' on Instagram @caro.thor, or on Facebook @carolineorganizer

Subscribe to Receive Venkat's Weekly Newsletter Making sense of the College News of the week, curated by Alma Matters. Shveta Bagade, College Counselor gives us her take on the news. Topics discussed in this episode: Why Apply to FAFSA? [] What Kind of Financial Aid Can You Get By Filling FAFSA? [] When is FAFSA Due? [] Will I still be Eligible, if my parents don't provide their financial info? [] Do I reapply for FAFSA every year of college? [] Our Guest: Shveta Bagade, College Counselor based in Silicon Valley California. Resources referred to in this episode: Curated News at Alma Matters [0:11] Bankrate.com [] Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode Transcript. Calls-to-action: Follow us on Instagram. Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify.  For Podcast Transcripts, visit almamatters.io/podcasts.

In this episode you will hear:   (04:28) Mark and Julia and Susan discuss the hot topics that admissions officers and college counselors discuss at the annual NACAC conference in September in Baltimore. Susan picks two workshops that stood out to her and Julia picked two workshops that she thought were enlightening and all three of them discuss these four topics.      (56:14) Mark and Lisa discuss a Speakpipe question from an anonymous listener who wants to know if her daughter should take an online French course for credit or whether to take it pass fail.   (01:09:50) Mark interviews Ron Lieber, author of the book, “The Price You Pay for College” and the author of the “You Money” column   Preview of Part 4 Part 4-Preview   v  Ron and I discuss, it is worth it to pay top dollar for an elite college? v  Ron discusses the power of the regional network certain state schools have v  Ron discusses a new initiative he is launching to help families find merit scholarship money v  Ron goes on the hotseat in the lightning round       (01:21:24) Recommended Resource: Jeffery Selingo's newsletter, “Next” looks at pivotal issues in Higher Ed.    Speakpipe.com/YCBK is our method if you want to ask a question and we will be prioritizing all questions sent in via Speakpipe.   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. If you have a question for one of our upcoming interviews with admissions professionals, here is a list of admissions professionals who we will interview in 2023 or 2024 Confirmed interviews not yet completed Bard-Mackie Siebens Rice University-Tamara Siler American University-Andrea Felder Pitzer College-Yvonne Berumen Chapman University-Marcela Meija-Martinez Connecticut College-Andy Strickler* Trinity College-Anthony Berry* College of the Atlantic-Heather Albert* Spelman College-Chelsea Holley* Scripps College-Victoria Romero* Saint Louis University-Daniel Wood-(Interview is about transfer admissions, Daniel is a transfer counselor) Colby College-Randi Arsenault* University of Georgia-David Graves* University of Minnesota-Keri Risic Cornell University-Jonathon Burdick Oberlin College-Manuel Carballo Carleton College-Art Rodriguez Swarthmore-Jim Bok Joy St. Johns-Harvard Duke-Christoph Guttentag Florida State-John Barnhill Southern Methodist University-Elena Hicks Johns Hopkins-Calvin Wise Cornell University-Shawn Felton Haverford College-Jess Lord UAspire-Brendan Williams Yale University-Moira Poe Bard College Baylor University Butler University California Institute of Technology-Ashley Pallie Colorado School of Mines Creighton University University of Puget Sound- Robin Aijian Belmont University University of Tennessee-Knoxville Law School Admissions interview-Lydia Emory University-Sarbeth Fleming   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.   Check out our new blog. We write timely and insightful articles on college admissions:   Follow Mark Stucker on Twitter to get breaking college admission news, and updates about the podcast before they go live. You can ask questions on Twitter that he will answer on the podcast. Mark will also share additional hot topics in the news and breaking news on this Twitter feed. Twitter message is also the preferred way to ask questions for our podcast:   https://twitter.com/YCBKpodcast   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 subscribe to our podcast. It really helps us move up in 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:   Check out the college websites Mark recommends:   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:     If you want a college consultation with Mark or Lisa or Lynda, just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email Lisa at or Lynda at Lynda@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/

Sign Up to Receive Venkat's Weekly Newsletter Education was always important to Paula's family. So, she did her Master's in School Counseling and became a School Counselor. Over the years Paula has worked as a Counselor in 4 states, both, in private and public schools.  Today, she is a College Counselor at Jenks High School, which she calls the “very best” Oklahoma. On our podcast, Paula talks about her background, about Jenks High School, her Counseling Approach and Challenges, Success Stories, and her Advice for High School students. In particular, we discuss the following with her:  Paula Dennis' Background Approach to College Counseling Students over the Decades Advice for High Schoolers Topics discussed in this episode: Introducing Paula Dennis, Jenks High School [] Hi Fives - Podcast Highlights [] Background [] Career Journey [] Jenks High School [] Counseling Approach [] Survey of Students [] The Challenges [] Applying Early [] Test Optional [] Impact of the SC Decision [] Counseling Timeline [] Students over the Decades [] Success Stories [] Advice for High Schoolers [] Staying Excited [] Our Guest: Paula Dennis is a College Counselor at Jenks High School in Oklahoma. Memorable Quote: “I feel my role as the college counselor is to find what those colleges want to know about that student that they don't find any place else in their application.” Paula Dennis. Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode's Transcript. Recommended Episodes: College Experiences, College Application Workbook  Calls-to-action: Follow us on Instagram. To Ask the Guest a question, or to comment on this episode, email podcast@almamatters.io. Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations:Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify.

In this episode we're talking about the Supreme Court's recent decision to strike down race-conscious admission and what the implications might be for colleges, students applying to those colleges, and the counselors who advise them. And what better person to talk about it with than Jay Rosner, whose entire career has been devoted to the intersection of law and college admissions. This is the first in a series where we'll be exploring the impacts of the SCOTUS decision from a variety of perspectives.   Jay Rosner and I get into:  What the affirmative action ruling practically means  How it might impact college admissions, including for underrepresented students We address some students' fears about whether or not they should mention their race, or share experiences directly related to their race or culture in their college applications I ask Jay: “Who is the burden on here—students or the colleges themselves?”  We also talked about how counselors should advise students   For those of you who have never met Jay: As the Executive Director of The Princeton Review Foundation, he has developed programs jointly with such organizations as the NAACP, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, College and Graduate Horizons (serving Native American students) and the Asian Pacific Fund. Jay's career has combined education and law, with an emphasis on student advocacy. He has testified before state legislative committees in California, Texas, Illinois and New Jersey, and as an expert witness in cases involving testing. Before attending law school, Jay was a public high school math teacher. Jay holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania, a JD from Widener University, and is the proud father of two grown daughters.   Play-by-play: [0:53] Intro [1:30] Who is Jay Rosner?  [2:25] A brief history of race-conscious admission [4:52] Why is the Supreme Court decision such a big deal?  [6:22] What does the ruling actually mean?  [7:31] What colleges can and can't consider after the ruling related to race [9:49] How might diversity and inclusivity be affected on college campuses? [13:00] Should students even mention race at all in their applications? [15:39] Is the burden really on the students or on the colleges? [17:20] How can students speak to the ways race has impacted their lives? [18:50] Advice to counselors on guiding students on their college applications [21:38] Do colleges still want to enroll a diverse population of students?  [23:36] What might colleges learn from the University of California, where race-conscious admission was banned in 1996? [26:45] Jay's thoughts about and hopes for the future  [28:28] What are folks not talking about? [31:03] Final takeaways for students and counselors Resources:  Example of How to Explain (Briefly) Context on Your Testing in the Additional Info Section of Your Common App AP Physics I I was the first student at my school to ever pass the AP Physics I exam. There were two issues during the test: 1) the test began late because the previous test (AP Spanish) ran long and 2) during the AP Physics I exam, the fire alarms went off and continued for about an hour (the second half of the test). Unfortunately, this was the only time the test was offered and I was nonetheless proud of my score. Highest SAT Score in My Class Scored a 1910 on old SAT (570 CR, 730 Math, 610 WR), which was the highest overall test score in my grade.

Hello August! A new school year is quickly approaching and we're excited to share some advice for our counselor community. In this episode, we're joined by previous college counselor with experience working in both private and public schools, Kelly Weber. During our conversation, we share ways counselors can prepare for back-to-school season, tips for each class year, how to manage large caseloads, and even advice for newer counselors as they begin their career!Follow us on Instagram!Learn more about Scoir

We are talking about a topic that can be shrouded in mystery: How does a GPA work? GPA, or Grade Point Average, is crucial when applying to college. Let's unravel the secrets to help you understand how it works! This show is for the confused college applicant and family to learn simple and effective strategies to help you find the BEST college for your student while having positive conversations.  This will turn you into the College Ready applicant and family so you can be confident with your next steps and your choice of college! Please subscribe so you don't miss any episodes!  Here are a few episodes you might be interested in:Episode 6: Does College Searching Have to be SO Stressful?Episode 12: 5 Organization Strategies for College SearchesEpisode 58: Is College Right for Me?Episode 59: Is a Four-Year College Worth the Cost?Episode 61: How to Find Colleges For MeEpisode 62: 7 Most Important Things to Create Your List of Colleges Part 1Episode 63: 7 Most Important Things to Create Your List of Colleges Part 2You can also download our free guide on How to Start or Expand Your College Search here. I'm Courtney Kountz and I'm looking forward to serving you and your student!