Episodes

We’re very excited for the return of Taryn Andrea, College Coach’s career expert. She’ll be talking with host Ian Fisher about alternatives to saturated and very popular majors in fields like healthcare, engineering, law, and computer science, some of which will not require a full four year or Bachelor’s degree. In addition, College Coach finance expert Michelle Smoley will join Ian to talk about financial resources for career, trade, and apprenticeship programs. Learn More About Bright Horizo...

Host Ian Fisher has the remarkable good fortune to welcome guest Jenny West Anderson, author of The Disengaged Teen. If you're a parent, this episode is a must-listen, especially if you've seen any indication that your student is losing their excitement for learning or is in danger of academic burnout. Our guest will help you identify your student's attitudes towards learning and give strategies to help them find their spark. In addition, College Coach Finance Consultant Chrissy Foran will join ...

What even is a liberal arts education? Hasn’t it gone the way of the dodo bird? Colleagues Zaragoza Guerra and Carrie Lewis will be joining host Sally Ganga to discuss both the demise of the liberal arts and, counterpoint, why they are as relevant as ever. College Finance colleague Beth Feinberg-Keenan will also be there to talk about the financial benefits of liberal arts colleges. Listen in to enjoy the debate!

Does it seem like the college admissions landscape has been changing particularly rapidly in recent years? Host Kyra Tyler will be joined by College Coach colleagues Tova Javetz, Karen Spencer, and Nicole Doyle to discuss those changes and how counseling students through the process has and has not changed as a result. On cold winter days have you considered attending college in Hawaii? Our colleague Steve Fernandez-Brennan is here to tell you about your options in the Aloha state! Last, remem...

Join host Kyra Tyler and Bright Horizons College Coach's Jennifer Simons as they delve into the unique traditions that define college and university campuses. From quirky rituals to time-honored ceremonies, discover what makes each institution special. Plus, tune in for listener-submitted questions answered by Bright Horizons College Coach colleagues Sara Calvert-Kubrom and Michelle Smoley, offering insights and advice on navigating the College process. Learn More About Bright Horizons College ...

Given the cost of college, many students are looking for scholarships. Some of the most generous include the Posse, Questbridge, Coca Cola, Taco Bell, and Gates scholarships. Host Ian Fisher will be joined by colleagues Geraldine, Blair, and Christine Kenyon for an overview of what those scholarships are and what it takes to win won. In addition, College Coach finance colleague Michelle Clifton will be there to talk about student loan repayment updates. Learn More About Bright Horizons College C...

Back on March 27th 2025, Host Ian Fisher talked with Taryn Andrea and Leigh Pinkston, College Coach colleagues in the career counseling space, about the connection between majors and careers; how that connection isn’t always linear and how a student might choose a major based on interests, skills, and desired lifestyle upon graduation. Well, Leigh and Taryn will be returning to continue this very valuable discussion with this episode’s host, Sally Ganga. Then, colleague Brian Swann will be join...

Have you ever wondered how accurate media portrayals of the college admission is? Pondered whether Legally Blonde is a real representation of the best way to make your application stand out? Host Kyra Tyler will be joined by College Coach colleagues Blair Dixon and Aysha Wong for a light hearted discussion of which well-known representations are Hollywood and which are true to life. Then College Finance expert Dina Birmingham will advise our listeners regarding what college students need to secu...

Rising seniors! Hopefully you’re already thinking about your college applications, and some of you may be asking just what kinds of essays you’ll need to write. College Coach colleague Karen Spencer will be joining host Shannon Vasconcelos to discuss the best prompt to answer for the Common Application essay. In addition to the Common Application essay, many schools require supplemental essays. And those essays are as important to the colleges, if not more so, than the Common Application essay....

Host Ian Fisher will be back again for the second show in a row to welcome colleague Abigail Anderson to discuss how to create the Common Application’s Activity List. You may think it is the same as a resume, but Abigail is here to tell you that it isn’t. Listen in so you can prepare. College Coach colleague Tova Tolman will be there to talk with Ian about which colleges do not accept the Common Application. There are some well-known ones, including the University of California schools. And Coll...

Are you considering a summer job? College Coach Finance Expert Zachary Gries will be joining host Ian Fisher to discuss the reasons why that can be important for young adults. Ian then has the great fortune to speak with Dr. Christie Fox, Assistant Provost for Student Success, and current college student Zack Nielson, both of Westminster University of Utah. They are pleased to talk about their institution in general and specifically how to approach college as a student with disabilities. Learn M...

First, we want to introduce Kyra Tyler, our brand new host! This is her inaugural show. Do you have plans to visit a college campus or attend a college admission reception? Concerned that you might put your foot in your mouth? Kyra will be interviewing colleague Mary Sue Youn about questions to ask, and NOT to ask, an admission officer. In addition, colleague Sara Calvert-Kubrom will join Kyra to discuss first year abroad programs. Sara formerly worked at two institutions famed for their study a...

Seniors and parents, you probably know that researching colleges is important when creating a list of colleges for your upcoming applications. But did you know that while there are many good resources for said research, there are bad ones as well? Listen in when host Shannon Vasconcelos interviews College Coach Colleague Elyse Krantz. Elyse is our expert among experts: the rest of us go to her for hard to find answers on colleges we are less familiar with. So this should be a very enlightening c...

Interested to know just who works at College Coach, and how they came to their roles as college admissions or finance educators? Host Sally Ganga will be interviewing three of our newest team members: admissions educators Geraldine Castenada, formerly of Pomona College, Marissa Dudley of Colorado College, and College Finance Educator Russell Seidelman of the University of Portland. Then, Sally will be discussing trends seen in the past admission cycle, which saw some of the biggest changes in re...

Is your plan to apply to all the Ivies plus some additional highly selective colleges because you think it will increase your odds of being admitted? Host Ian Fisher will be joined by College Coach colleague Landis Fryer to explain why it doesn’t, and why a carefully targeted list makes the most sense. For seniors, at this point you have likely received admission decisions from all your colleges. If you applied to many, you may be struggling to decide which college will be best for you. Listen i...

Join us today for a return of our parent panel! Learn more about how our team of college experts navigated the college process for their own students, what they learned, and what they found challenging when host Sally Ganga interviews College Coach colleagues Karen Spencer, Mary Sue Youn, and Jay Bonham. And to kick off the program, Laurie Peltier will be explaining to Sally when parents are borrowing too much to pay for college and how to avoid that. Learn More About Bright Horizons College Coa...