Episodes

While applying to college can be long and arduous and figuring out the financial piece is often just as challenging, it's really just a precursor to the biggest hurdle of all: going to college. In this week's show, we're talking about making a successful transition. Kennon Dick and Laurie Peltier, College Coach experts who also went through this process themselves just last year, will share tips for both parents and students about how to transition to college as painlessly and successfully as po...

Securing a nomination. Passing the physical fitness test. Taking the appropriate coursework. If the idea of attending West Point, Annapolis, or another service academy in preparation for serving your country appeals to you, then tune in to hear College Coach expert Lisa Albro's tips on when and how to go about this often confusing application process. Alex Bickford will discuss how to best use your college savings when it's time to pay for college. All set with your summer plans? If not, don't m...

Ask any high school junior how they're feeling, and the almost inevitable reply will be, Stressed. The root of much of that stress these days is college. Whether students are overloading themselves with coursework, overbooking themselves with extracurricular commmittments or simply worrying about it, the looming spectre of college is what can push them over the edge on a regular basis. Former teacher and Barnard admissions rep Kara Courtois will be with us to talk about some things students and ...

There are a lot of numbers involved in the admissions process: GPAs, standardized test scores, admit rates, class rankings, etc. Although in general numbers are a fairly black and white matter, the fact is that there is a lot of gray area when it comes to numbers and college admissions. Julia Jones, former senior admissions officer at Brandeis University and College Coach's list guru, will explain how students can evaluate their numbers and use them to help craft a college list. College finance ...

Ever wonder how you or your child can stand out in the ultra-competitive Ivy League admissions process? The answer is developing a distinguishing excellence. In a continuation of a discussion begun in our last episode of Getting In, we will be answering your questions about what a distinguishing excellence is, and how students can both identify and work towards developing one. For those students aspiring to a professional field of study such as veterinary medicine, pharmacy, or physical therapy,...

Do you or your child aspire to the Ivy League or similarly highly selective colleges? Don't miss this episode of Getting In, when former Yale admissions officer Amy Alexander will join us to discuss the basics of admission to the Ivies, including curriculum choices, extracurricular activities, standardized test scores, and more. We'll also welcome Lisa Albro to the show to go over the importance of demonstrated interest in the admissions process and how to most effectively, well, demonstrate int...

Worried about the college admissions essay? Unclear about how to use the prompts provided on the Common App? Wondering what changed about the Common App prompts this year? We've got answers! Elyse Krantz, former senior admissions officer and Common App expert, will share information about the new prompts and how to best use them in the essay process. If you're concerned about college loans, you won't want to miss college finance expert Beth Feinberg Keenan's tips on how much debt parents and stu...

College decisions are in, and with them, financial aid packages have arrived as well. Wondering how to fully understand the financial implications of those awards for your family? Former senior financial aid officer Laurie Peltier will be here to walk you through tips for evaluating those packages and avoiding award traps. Speaking of those decisions, we'll be talking about them all--admit, deny, waitlist, whether or not you can appeal a deny and how to go about the process of choosing your fina...

Wondering what it means to be waitlisted and, more importantly, what the likelihood is that your application will actually get switched from waitlist to admit? We'll get some answers from former Swarthmore senior admissions officer Kennon Dick, who will also discuss what students can do to improve--or decrease--those odds. Greg Grauman, assistant vice provost of undergraduate admissions at American University, will join us to share what test optional really means at the institutions that practic...

What happens when the modern family--divorced, remarried, stepparents, stepchildren and all--applies for financial aid? What do you do if your ex doesn't want to be involved? Will your new spouse be expected to pay tuition for your child from a previous marriage? Join us for the March 19 episode of Getting In, when we'll discuss these issues and more with financial aid expert Beth Feinberg Keenan. We'll also talk through the potential impact of Facebook, Twitter, and other social media outlets o...

Visiting colleges can be time consuming and expensive. On this episode, we'll welcome college visit expert Bill Ruben to talk about getting the most out of those visits, from when to go to what to see and do while you're there. We'll also dig into searching for private scholarships with Stacey MacPhetres, former financial aid offices at Emerson College and Elms College. Got a budding athlete in your house?Alex Santiago, a college athlete and former senior admissions officer at the University of ...

Can you really reposition family assets to create more financial aid eligibility? Are there ways to hide assets and lower your expected family contribution? Is it possible to get colleges to consider your child financially independent of you? Former Tufts and Boston University senior financial aid officer Shannon Vasconcelos will stop by to address college finance myths and offer real, ethical tips that everyone can use to maximize financial aid eligibility. Kathy Ventura, who heads up the guida...

Standardized tests are a key component of most college applications. But when should students start taking the SAT or ACT, and how far in advance should they begin to prepare for the tests? We'll talk through these questions with Jake Neuberg, CEO of Revolution Prep. We'll also welcome College Coach finance expert Kathy Ruby to discuss putting together a college list that factors finances and the ability to pay into the equation. For those students and parents who are starting to think about the...

Ever wondered what activities colleges most want to see on a student's application? Curious about whether or not community service or sports are required or if a job counts? Former Georgetown admissions officer Karen Spencer will join me to talk about whether or not there are right or wrong things for students to get involved in. In our second segment, Kyra Tyler, former admissions officer at Brandeis, will offer some great suggestions about the nuts and bolts of researching colleges and putting...

In this week's Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, host Elizabeth Heaton will talk to college finance expert Laurie Peltier to cut through all the misinformation floating around and find out more about who actually qualifies for financial aid.The answer may surprise you! She'll also welcome former admissions officer and current College Coach colleague Steve Brennan to discuss getting started on the college list, and dig into making the most of summer break. The episode will wrap up with a ...

Join us for the inaugural episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, where Elizabeth Heaton and colleague Sally Ganga will discuss high school curriculum choices and attempt to answer the eternal question of whether it is better to get an A in the college prep course or a B in the honors level. Beth and guests Jake Neuberg of Revolution Prep and Mary Sue Youn of College Coach will also examine the new SAT, including what's changed, when it will debut, and how it might impact admissions...