Best Dartmouth Admissions Podcasts (2024)

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Let’s Talk College: Taking a Gap Year and Why the Admissions Process Has Gone Mad, featuring my daughter Caroline and Becky Sabky, Dartmouth’s former College Admissions Director 1:02:13

24d ago1:02:13

1:02:13

It wouldn’t be a series on college if I didn’t invite my high schooler to the conversation, along with a former Ivy League Admissions Director. Caroline and I are joined by Becky Sabky, who spent years as Dartmouth’s Director of Admissions and explains why she’s a fan of the gap year. Becky shares her insider insights into the admissions process (a…

1
LET'S TALK MENOPAUSE: The Shocking Reasons Your Symptoms are Dismissed with Dr. Mary Claire Haver 39:56

3d ago39:56

39:56

There’s a reason why your symptoms are getting dismissed, why you’re told: “Don’t blame it on your hormones.” Maybe you’ve been called “lazy” or been told that “it’s all in your head.” Today’s guest, Dr. Mary Claire Haver, is THE leading voice on menopause and wrote the #1 New York Times bestselling book, The New Menopause. Dr. Haver will join us f…

1
10 Ways To Build An Admissions Hook 2:06:16

7d ago2:06:16

2:06:16

Send us a text In this episode, we cover ten primary ways students can build their admissions hooks to differentiate their applications at top colleges, the pros/cons of each activity type, and several highly common activities that tend to contribute minimally to—and even potentially jeopardize—a student’s odds of acceptance. “The Game” is hosted b…

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LET'S TALK MENOPAUSE: Not Feeling Like Yourself Anymore 38:39

10d ago38:39

38:39

I haven’t felt like myself in almost 15 years. In my 30’s, I started noticing significant changes to and in my body, yet I’ve been told by just about every doctor that my blood work is normal and I’m “fine”. Here’s the thing: I don’t feel fine. And I bet you don’t, either. This is my most requested series to date: a conversation about menopause, pe…

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Episode 16 — Do The PSAT & National Merit Matter? 1:19:38

17d ago1:19:38

1:19:38

Send us a text In this episode, we break down the timeline and significance of the PSAT and various National Merit awards that are associated with strong PSAT scores: PSAT for students in grades earlier than 11th (e.g. PSAT 8/9 + PSAT 10) The PSAT/NMSQT exam in 11th grade Score ranges for juniors who might be in play for National Merit awards conne…

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Let’s Talk College: Why College Isn’t for Every Kid with Carlos Whittaker 40:11

17d ago40:11

40:11

I can’t think of a better way to close out our college series than with a conversation about WHO our kids want to be rather than WHAT they want to do. Our kids are more than their college degree if they even choose to go to college. Let’s face it: the conversation about college wasn’t even a thing until roughly 150 years ago. You’ve probably heard …

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Episode 15 — Should You Contact Admissions Officers? 1:21:55

22d ago1:21:55

1:21:55

Send us a text In this episode, we dive into the many different types of “demonstrated interest” and the particular case of contacting admissions officers: Why “demonstrated interest” is generally overrated and over-discussed compared to other candidacy-building factors for students targeting highly selective colleges “Strong” vs “weak” demonstrate…

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Let's Talk College: The Emotions of Dropping Your Kid Off At College with Comedian Chip Leighton of The Leighton Show 37:52

1M ago37:52

37:52

Every year around this time, we see or hear about parents dropping their kids off at college. Not sure about you, but it DOES ME IN. In this month-long series about college, I’m covering it from many angles, including whether or not it’s worth it, where to start and if it’s right for your kid, plus answering all the questions you sent me. This week…

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Let's Talk College: Making a Case For and Against College with New York Times Money Columnist Ron Lieber 55:22

1M ago55:22

55:22

Season 3 of the podcast is here and I’m honestly more excited about this season than any other. Because every single episode is a topic/conversation that YOU requested. We’re kicking it off with a month-long series on COLLEGE, where we’re talking to experts and parents about what one college specialist has called “The most emotionally fraught decis…

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Episode 14 — Application Red Flags To Avoid 47:00

1M ago47:00

47:00

Send us a text Admissions Masterclass Registration (8/7 via Zoom) In this episode, we cover the much more strategic attitude—versus a purely “instructions-following” mindset—students should take into the application process for each and every piece of information admissions officers will view, including components that might seem like pure “data en…

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SEASON 3 : Talking About The Things You Want To Talk About! 1:58

2M ago1:58

1:58

You’ve probably heard or watched your fair share of podcasts… Let me tell you why this one is different: because I’m only talking about the things you want to talk about. This season—Season 3…every single episode and conversation, something YOU requested… If you’re talking about it in your home, at your dinner table, with your friends…at work, or m…

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Episode 13 — The Truth About Summer Programs 1:25:49

2M ago1:25:49

1:25:49

Send us a text Admissions Masterclass Registration (8/7 via Zoom) Think college summer programs are helping your case for admission to highly selective schools? Think again. In this episode, we pull back the curtain on the widely popular—and vastly overrated—college summer programs in which so many high school students enroll and why almost all of …

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TREY KENNEDY “SCHOOL’S OUT FOR PARENTS–Why baby gear is impossible to assemble 16:13

2M ago16:13

16:13

We’re wrapping our “School’s Out For Parents” series on a comedic note, with comedian Trey Kennedy. John and I had the chance to see Trey perform on his comedy tour and so much of his material is about being a new dad. We’re recapping what Trey says about how fatherhood has changed his life, what it’s like marrying your opposite and how impossible …

1
Episode 12 — An Extraordinary Applicant? 1:07:15

2M ago1:07:15

1:07:15

Send us a text Admissions Masterclass Registration (8/7 via Zoom) In this episode, we dissect the candidacy of a student from the Wall Street Journal piece, "To Get Into The Ivy League, Extraordinary Isn't Always Enough These Days." The piece spotlights Kaitlyn Younger, a Texas high school senior with a 3.95/4.0 unweighted GPA in 11 AP courses, 155…

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JESSE PALMER : SCHOOL’S OUT FOR PARENTS–How Jesse Palmer Has Prepped For Fatherhood 20:11

2M ago20:11

20:11

John has been a Jesse Palmer fan for a long time and can testify to what a great human being he is. I worked with Jesse during one of his many TV stints (he worked at Good Morning America while I was there), and he’s genuinely one of a kind…he’s also a new dad. We’re bringing you our favorite part of this Season One episode, where Jesse talks about…

1
Episode 11 — “What Are My College Chances?” & Other Student Qs 1:35:46

2M ago1:35:46

1:35:46

Send us a text In this episode, we respond to real questions in the popular online forum Reddit from students across the country. In particular, we cover answers to the following: Which letters of recommendation do I send? How important is course rigor freshman and sophomore year? How do you come up with your college essay topic? Which GPA do colle…

1
JAMES CLEAR : SCHOOL’S OUT FOR PARENTS–James Clear’s Top Habit For Raising Kids 19:09

2M ago19:09

19:09

One of John’s all-time favorite books is Atomic Habits, by James Clear. And, he says it wasn’t until my conversation with James from Season Two that he realized how those principles translate to parenting. Want your kids to be on fewer screens this summer? We’re bringing you our favorite parts of that episode and how you can build strong habits (an…

1
Episode 10 – How To (Actually) Interpret Acceptance Data 1:06:31

2M ago1:06:31

1:06:31

Send us a text Many students and families heavily rely on the college acceptance data (GPA/test scores vs. college outcomes) of past applicants from their high school to make high-stakes decisions about their school list, selection of early decision colleges, and likely overall college outcomes. In this episode, we break down how past college accep…

1
WHOOPI GOLDBERG : SCHOOL’S OUT FOR PARENTS–How Whoopi Got Her Nickname! 20:12

2M ago20:12

20:12

John can testify firsthand how far Whoopi Goldberg and I have come in our friendship. Rocky, at first, we were dear friends despite our many differences. But our most memorable part of this conversation with Whoopi is when she talks about the many odd jobs she worked to get her break in acting, her journey as a single mom, and how she got the nickn…

1
Episode 9 — Rejected Premed Case Study 51:23

2M ago51:23

51:23

Send us a text In this episode, we review the profile and applications of a premed student who was rejected from both of their early decision schools, roughly top-25 to top-35 national universities. This student attended a top-1% US high school, possessed a 3.9 unweighted GPA, 99th percentile test scores, took 15 AP/honors courses, and had what man…

1
ROB THOMAS : SCHOOL’S OUT FOR PARENTS–MatchBox 20’s Rob Thomas Gives His Best Life Advice, But Worst Parenting Advance 19:24

3M ago19:24

19:24

John and I are recapping the very first episode of this podcast, with MatchBox 20’s Rob Thomas, where he talks about his son (yes, he has a kid!), how they came up with the name MatchBox 20 and according to him, his “best life advice, but worst parenting advice.” Episode1 Apple Podcasts URL (link to original episode): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/…

1
SCHOOL’S OUT FOR PARENTS! 1:07

3M ago1:07

1:07

It’s summer, and SCHOOL IS OUT FOR PARENTS. Join John and I every week in July as we talk about our favorite moments from the podcast…and recap our most memorable episodes. We’re giving you an inside look into the guests and conversations…from their best (and worst) parenting advice, how to get kids off screens this summer….to the stories of them b…

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Episode 8 — School List Mistakes & Myths 1:05:49

3M ago1:05:49

1:05:49

Send us a text In this episode, we cover many factors—including costly mistakes, myths, and traps—related to students’ school selection. In particular, we address the following: School Visits Why it doesn’t make sense to visit highly selective colleges before mid-11th grade Prioritization of best and best-fit colleges for visits, especially schools…

1
Paula and John ASK US ANYTHING Part 2 - Moving to a Small Town and How We Get Through Tough Times 29:03

3M ago29:03

29:03

John and I are back to answer your questions, which ranged from how we got through our tough times to why we moved from NYC to small-town South Carolina and how we disagree in a healthy way. As always, we’re talking about the things YOU want to talk about. Listen in to learn more: (00:00) Navigating Family Disagreements and Life Transitions (11:05)…

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Episode 7 — Building An Admissions “Hook” 1:37:15

3M ago1:37:15

1:37:15

Send us a text In prior episodes, we’ve determined that top colleges seek not only students with excellent grades, course rigor, and test scores but also students with compelling admissions “stories” or “hooks” related to their academic/intellectual passions and how they will contribute to their future college—and hopefully, the world—in some speci…

1
Paula and John ASK US ANYTHING Part 1 : Toxic work, saving our summer and advice for our kids 37:40

3M ago37:40

37:40

John is always surprised by how many questions we get when we do these ask us anything episodes. And not just that, they’re almost always our most popular episodes! So much so, that we are doing a two-parter! Today, we’re answering your questions about toxic work environments, whether we’re done having kids, our best life advice for our kids and wh…

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Episode 6 — Rejected Valedictorian Essay Analysis 36:37

3M ago36:37

36:37

Send us a text She was the Valedictorian of her high school. Perfect GPA in over twenty advanced classes, taking Calculus BC by 10th grade and college math courses by 11th grade. All perfect or near-perfect test scores, tennis captain, multiple leadership positions, a scholarship to a prestigious math program, and state math champion. To boot, as a…

1
Shawn Johnson and Andrew East: The Olympics, Life with Littles and Youth Sports 46:58

3M ago46:58

46:58

This was such a fun conversation catching up with Olympic Gymnast Shawn Johnson and her husband, Andrew East, as we talked about The Olympics, life with littles, and youth sports. Because the Olympics start NEXT MONTH, we had to park there for a bit and Shawn shared something about the Olympics and the athletes that truly shocked not just me, but A…

1
Episode 5 — The Biggest College Essay Mistake 56:32

3M ago56:32

56:32

Send us a text Summer is upon us, and many rising seniors—if they haven’t already—are turning their attention to college applications. Among the most important components they will be tackling is the Common Application “Personal Essay”, often simply called “the college essay.” For almost all students, this will be the most important essay colleges …

1
Our Ongoing Journey to Being Equal Partners At Work and At Home 36:42

3M ago36:42

36:42

It’s the most vulnerable John and I have ever been about our 25+ year relationship, as we talk about the tensions we’ve navigated in our marriage and how we’ve fumbled our way to being equal partners, at home and at work. The journey to true partnership hasn’t been easy and, at times, has been clumsier than clean. In this conversation, you’ll hear …

1
Episode 4 — What Top Colleges Look For & How To Build It 45:35

4M ago45:35

45:35

Send us a text College admissions has never been more competitive: high GPAs, strong test scores, and a well-rounded resume—once sufficient for an acceptance—are now common features of most applications to highly selective colleges. In this episode, we reveal what top colleges nowadays seek: students with compelling admissions stories centered arou…

1
Answering Your Questions About Tween and Teen Boys, PT 2 40:41

4M ago40:41

40:41

Therapist David Thomas is back, answering all your questions about TWEEN and TEEN boys! Your questions ranged from gaming, discipline, ragey hormones, and phone use to porn, substance use, and body image. Phew! We covered so much. David, the host of the Raising Boys and Girls podcast and the Executive Director of Daystar Counseling, will help you n…

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Episode 3 — Why College Outcomes Vary 26:26

4M ago26:26

26:26

Send us a text When many parents applied to college around three decades ago, college lists and outcomes assumed a fairly predictable, linear order. You had your “safeties,” schools to which you were almost certain to be admitted, your “targets,” schools to which you could reasonably expect to be admitted, and “reaches,” schools to which you would …

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Finishing Strong: Year-End Thoughts and Summer Homework for Rising (and Graduating) Seniors 39:18

4M ago39:18

39:18

As the school year ends, Admissions Beat host Lee Coffin holds his final “office hours” with listeners for this podcast season. For graduating seniors, he advises them to “finish strong” and check their inboxes as pre-matriculation communications arrive from their chosen college. For parents preparing to say goodbye as seniors head to college in th…

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Making Sense of Tween and Teen Boys (with author and counselor David Thomas) Part One 41:06

4M ago41:06

41:06

To be honest, I’ve had a difficult time connecting with my boys. At times, I’ve wondered, and you may have, too, “Is anything connecting?” On top of that, my teen son recently told me that I don’t understand him. I know so many of you are right there, too. That’s why we’re talking about it. David Thomas, the Executive Director of Daystar Counseling…

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Episode 2 — Breaking Down Single-Choice & Restrictive Early Action 21:07

4M ago21:07

21:07

Send us a text You’ve probably heard of Early Action, but do you know what Single-Choice and Restrictive Early Action are? Seven of the top colleges (Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, CalTech, Georgetown, and Notre Dame) offer one of these unique sub-types of Early Action that place significant restrictions on the other colleges to which students…

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Three Steps to Creating the Life You LOVE 35:47

4M ago35:47

35:47

One of the scariest, yet best things our family did was moving from NYC to a small town in South Carolina in 2020. Has there been a lot of GAIN in our life because of it? Absolutely. But, there’s also been a lot of things we’ve GIVEN UP because of it. We’ve created a life we love and my guest today, Stephanie May Wilson, is going to take us through…

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“I’m good at math…” 47:28

4M ago47:28

47:28

What if math was a fundamental skill you could develop, rather than something you were simply good or bad at? Engineering programs are designed to blend theory with practice—analysis with practical problem solving. But engineering also spans organically across disciplines into the humanities and social sciences. This week on AB, host Lee Coffin div…

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Should You Give Your Kids A Safe Space To Drink? 42:08

4M ago42:08

42:08

We’re answering your questions about teen drinking and substance abuse because it’s a topic that you’re asking us to talk about and a topic that is causing a lot of tension in your homes. I remember taking my first drink when I was five. My dad gave me a sip of his beer, and I loved it but never abused it growing up. Conversely, John distanced hims…

1
Episode 1 — One Thing Every Junior Must Do Now 40:04

4M ago40:04

40:04

Send us a text While many students and parents are caught up with AP exams, senior course selection, college visits, college essays, requesting teacher letters of recommendation, in this episode, we reveal the one thing that absolutely every high school junior must do right now if they want to ensure they are on the path to admissions success at to…

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Admissions Beat Live: Parents and Seniors Take the Mic 56:16

5M ago56:16

56:16

What advice do this year’s high school seniors and their parents have for those who will follow in future college application cycles? AB host Lee Coffin and Jacques Steinberg, co-author of “The College Conversation,” recently put that question to an audience gathered on the Dartmouth campus for admitted students’ programming. We also asked them wha…

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The Sandwich Generation: What To Do When You’re Caring For Your Kids and Your Parents 35:29

5M ago35:29

35:29

I’ve been pretty open about caring for my aging mother while juggling a family of five. There’s actually a term for this stage of life-- when you’re caring for your kids and your parents. It’s called ‘The Sandwich Generation’ when you’re sandwiched between caring for your kids and your parents. When I heard your similar stories and learned that so …

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Dialogue 7:40

5M ago7:40

7:40

The conversations, debates and diverse voices that animate a college campus are essential elements of an undergraduate experience. As seniors visit campuses for accepted student open houses and as juniors follow tour guides for introductory visits, AB host Lee Coffin shares an essay he wrote on the importance of assessing campus dialogue as part of…

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The #1 Reason Your Kid Should Play Youth Sports with Husband John 42:29

5M ago42:29

42:29

I’m not sure we’ve had more interest in any other topic than the one we’re going for today. We’re talking YOUTH SPORTS: the #1 reason your kids should play, how to NOT be one of those crazy sports parents, and whether youth sports have gone too far. It’s a big topic to tackle (no pun intended), for sure. But one that we’re all very passionate about…

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Choosing Your Senior Year Courses and Why That Matters 50:59

5M ago50:59

50:59

“’How will this look for colleges…?’ is the most common question I get from juniors as they select senior year courses,” reports longtime college counselor Eric Monheim. For sure, the quality of an applicant’s senior year program—and the grades achieved in that course of study—is a foundational element of the academic assessment of every applicatio…

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Why Mario Lopez is a Strict Parent 25:08

5M ago25:08

25:08

Mario Lopez joins me to talk about parenting, marriage, and how turning 50 really messed with him. The “Saved By The Bell” alum and Access Hollywood host says his favorite role is family man. I was honestly a little surprised, in a good way, to hear he’s a strict and hands-on parent. I loved getting to know Mario and hearing how much he adores his …

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A Degree In Thinking 45:07

5M ago45:07

45:07

For centuries, the liberal arts have been foundational to the mission of higher education. But trying to explain the concept of this course of study — and the multifaceted roadmap a liberal arts degree provides for one’s life and work in the 2020s and beyond—can be challenging. And so AB host Lee Coffin called in a specialist: Cecilia Gaposchkin, a…

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Dan Harris on What to Do When Your Career Conflicts with your Family 41:29

5M ago41:29

41:29

He’s one of my favorite humans, and I refuse to censor him; that’s why this conversation is spicier than usual. Dan Harris was my "work husband" for a long time at Good Morning America, where we co-anchored the weekend edition of GMA. A few years ago, Dan made a bold and scary decision. One that caused him much anxiety. He walked away from ABC News…

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Navigating April: Thoughts for Seniors and Juniors 46:32

5M ago46:32

46:32

Admissions Beat host Lee Coffin considers April the “13th month” of the college admissions calendar. For many high school seniors, April brings a sense of closure, as they move from receiving their admissions decisions to weighing (and deciding) where to enroll. For many high school juniors, April represents a beginning – the official start of thei…

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How To Ditch The Guilt Of Being A Working Parent with Jon Acuff 38:07

6M ago38:07

38:07

This may have been one of the biggest AHA moments I’ve had as a parent. So much of the guilt I’ve carried as a parent has been regarding work and missing important moments. My dear friend Jon Acuff, an author/speaker and one of the quippiest humans you’ll meet, will tell us how we can DITCH THE GUILT of being a working parent. Even if our job stink…

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