Best Ivy League Admissions Podcasts (2024)

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

23h ago1:21:55

1:21:55

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” demonstrated interest: def…

1
Common App Workshop & a New Cohort Opening 11:23

5h ago11:23

11:23

If you are stressed about how to best fill out the Common App, I have good news for you. I'll be hosting a free workshop to help you understand how to fit all five pieces of the Common App together. You might recognize this from a few months ago-- we are repeating this training due to the high number of requests we received. Also, we will be adding…

1
Episode 14 — Application Red Flags To Avoid 47:00

18d ago47:00

47:00

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 entry.” We highli…

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

24d ago1:25:49

1:25:49

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 them fail to ac…

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

1M ago1:07:15

1:07:15

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, 1550/1600 SAT, top…

1
The Entrepreneur/Musician from Brown: Ben Hokenson 25:13

25d ago25:13

25:13

Born in New Jersey and raised in Mexico and Philadelphia, Ben is a senior at Brown University studying International and Public Affairs and Entrepreneurship. He also serves as a mentor and business advisor to graduate student founders in Harvard Business School's Field X and Field Y courses. Ben has experience building companies, including his own,…

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

1M ago1:35:46

1:35:46

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 colleges use? What a…

1
Essay Workshop Day 1 recording 1:14:33

1M ago1:14:33

1:14:33

For seniors-- it is time to get those essays done. Listen in to understand what role these essays play in your application, and how to avoid the most common mistakes. Also, stay tuned next week for part 2! ----- To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge To join us on our Facebook grou…

1
US Army Ranger turned Entrepreneur at Harvard : Andrew Steen 46:25

1M ago46:25

46:25

Andrew Steen is the Founder of Laptis, a tech-enabled platform that streamlines access to effective substance use treatment. Andrew started Laptis as an extension of his deep desire for public service and social impact after he left the military. Andrew is also a rising fourth-year JD/MBA student at Harvard University and a graduate of Vanderbilt U…

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

1M ago1:06:31

1:06:31

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 acceptance data is r…

1
Sathvic Interview-- Research with Harvard & MIT Professors 30:38

1M ago30:38

30:38

Sathvic has advice that is wise beyond his years. He has landed multiple research opportunities and internships, including with professors from Harvard Medical School and MIT. He discusses exactly how he began the outreach, as well as details about the work that he is doing. Sathvic also shares how younger teens can get started if they want to land…

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An Immigrant’s Journey to Rhodes & Knight Hennessy: Machmud Makhmudov 44:31

1M ago44:31

44:31

Machmud Makhmudov is a JD/MBA candidate at Stanford, Knight-Hennessy Scholar, political organizer, writer, and higher-ed admissions coach. Born in Uzbekistan, he grew up near Atlanta and played baseball at Oberlin College, where he studied Politics and earned both a Truman and Rhodes Scholarship. After reading for an MPhil in Political Theory at Ox…

1
Episode 9 — Rejected Premed Case Study 51:23

2M ago51:23

51:23

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 many would conside…

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

2M ago1:05:49

1:05:49

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 that offer bin…

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

2M ago1:37:15

1:37:15

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 specific, unique way…

1
Holistic Common App Overview Pt. 2 17:20

2M ago17:20

17:20

How do each of the five sections of the Common App come together tell your story to the admissions officers? What are the most common mistakes people make as they prepare for college? We address these issues in a two-part podcast. This is a recording from the masterclass I did in early May, 2024. Be sure to catch both parts of the masterclass -----…

1
Episode 6 — Rejected Valedictorian Essay Analysis 36:37

2M ago36:37

36:37

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 female applyin…

1
Holistic Common App Overview 43:04

2M ago43:04

43:04

How do each of the five sections of the Common App come together tell your story to the admissions officers? What are the most common mistakes people make as they prepare for college? We address these issues in a two-part podcast. This is a recording from the masterclass I did in early May, 2024. Be sure to catch both parts of the masterclass -----…

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

3M ago56:32

56:32

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 read, and for s…

1
6 Lessons I learned growing up as an Asian American in the United States (College Admissions Edition) 25:51

2M ago25:51

25:51

I immigrated with my family to the United States from South Korea in third grade, and I’ve lived through what it feels like to navigate life and education in this country. My parents sacrificed so much to give me this opportunity to live, study and start my own business here, so in this episode, I wanted to share some of the big lessons that I’ve l…

1
Restricting or Driving Change? 17:15

3M ago17:15

17:15

How can we use business principles I learned at Harvard to improve our mentoring and increase our impact? I go over how to use Lewin's Force-field Analysis as mentors in the Global Impact Council. Mentors can use this to encourage mentees to take action that will create change, and might help everyone to clarify first steps. ----- To register for t…

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

3M ago45:35

45:35

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 around a focused ac…

1
Essay Workshop-- Get it Written! 12:12

3M ago12:12

12:12

Now that exams have finished up, it is time to shift your focus to your college application essays. I will be hosting a workshop to help you get started, and to make sure that you avoid the biggest mistakes most people make in these essays. Participation in the workshop is free, but you need to register. you can register at TILC.to/BestEssay ----- …

1
Episode 3 — Why College Outcomes Vary 26:26

3M ago26:26

26:26

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 most likely not…

1
Finishing Strong: Year-End Thoughts and Summer Homework for Rising (and Graduating) Seniors 39:18

3M 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…

1
Dealing with Disappointment 17:23

3M ago17:23

17:23

What do you do when both of your children work hard for an audition, and then one is chosen to perform, but the other is not selected? How should they each deal with the news? I find that musicians develop a unique ability to handle criticism, and also to handle rejection. I hope this episode helps teens everywhere (musicians and non-musicians alik…

1
A Diamond in the Rough 49:36

3M ago49:36

49:36

It’s the episode you’ve all been waiting for. Ellie Lebenthal Diamond is on the podcast and, boy, is this one a banger. Yes, her mom’s a socialite. Yes, she’s a DJ with moxie. No, she doesn’t know German…yet. Welcome to this season’s second episode and also its season finale (we’re sorry). This is The Bechdel Test. Follow/Subscribe! Instagram: @the…

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

3M ago21:07

21:07

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 under these pl…

1
Academic Considerations in the College Application 24:58

3M ago24:58

24:58

Is an A in a regular class, or a B in an honors/AP class more valuable for me? How do I decide how many APs to take? How do I schedule my classes in order to be as competitive as possible for college? Which high school should I attend? These are a few of the questions that should be straightforward, but end up being quick difficult to decide, becau…

1
Let's Be Honest. Is An Ivy League Education Worth It? 20:42

3M ago20:42

20:42

Today, we will be talking about a controversial topic - is an Ivy League/Top-tier college education actually worth it? Recently, DailyMail.com published a report detailing the links between Ivy League degrees and future earnings, and this immediately prompted me to pick up my microphone and voice my honest opinions. Sit back, grab a refreshing drin…

1
“I’m good at math…” 47:28

3M 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…

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

4M ago40:04

40:04

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 top colleges. And…

1
Your Common App Audit-- urgent! 9:00

4M ago9:00

9:00

Are you stressed about what is coming when you fill out the Common Application? Do you worry that you might have gaps in your story that need to be filled, but don't know how to find them ahead of time? I will be hosting a masterclass on May 8th in order to help you answer these questions, and give you clarity about what is important vs activities …

1
Admissions Beat Live: Parents and Seniors Take the Mic 56:16

4M 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…

1
Your Holistic College Application Audit 17:20

4M ago17:20

17:20

What gaps might exist in your future application? How can you find those gaps so you can fill them before it is too late? We go through each element of the Common Application to identify how to prepare for every section. ----- To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website To follow on Instagram: @TheIvyLeagueChallenge To join us on ou…

1
Dialogue 7:40

4M 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…

1
Student Panel 2024: Accepted into Cornell, UNC Chapel Hill, and many more 23:38

4M ago23:38

23:38

To kick off another new episode, I will be sharing a recent Student Panel hosted with several of our Passion Project Bootcamp students. In this episode, our students share their unique college admissions journey and how they were able to find success throughout this process ultimately leading to acceptances to colleges such as Cornell University, U…

1
NHS & Volunteering 17:24

4M ago17:24

17:24

Should you sign up for NHS? Is it worth the effort? What about volunteering in general? How much should I volunteer? How many hours is enough? Which type of volunteering is best for my application? Listen in to learn the answers to these questions and more. ----- To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website To follow on Instagram: @T…

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

4M 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…

1
So, Which College Should You Choose? 11:38

4M ago11:38

11:38

April for high school seniors can be a stressful time-- instead of worrying about which schools might admit their application, many seniors now have multiple acceptances, and are anxious to make sure that they make the right decision. Listen in to learn my advice about how to best make that decision, and to make sure that you end up loving your cho…

1
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…

1
New College Admissions Trends to Watch in 2024 and 2025 15:13

5M ago15:13

15:13

The college admissions landscape is undergoing significant changes for the first time in history. For students to have a successful college application season, they must stay informed and be prepared for the latest policy changes in the world of college admissions. To kick off our new season for Demystifying College Admissions, I’ll take you throug…

1
Begin Essay Prep Now (You'll Be Glad You Did) 19:47

5M ago19:47

19:47

If you are willing to spend a few minutes listening to this podcast now, you'll be equipped to save most of the stress coming your way when it comes time to write your essays. You'll need a notebook and a few minutes of time. Watch for these meaningful moments as they occur, and just keep track of them. By the time you need to write your essays, in…

1
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…

1
Multiple Personalities 53:27

5M ago53:27

53:27

Today on the podcast, we chop it up with Tyler Wilson, a gentleman who grew up in the streets of Greenwich, Connecticut. We talk freckles, frats, family, film, and Fuzzy Dice. We’re also joined (bothered) by various guests. Back? We are so that. This is The Bechdel Test. Follow/Subscribe! Instagram: @thebechdeltest_ Shoot us an email at thebechdelt…

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Info Session Ahead of March 2024 Ivy League Challenge Cohort 1:07:32

5M ago1:07:32

1:07:32

Join us to hear how to avoid the major mistakes most teens make in their college prep so you can gain an advantage in future college admissions. Registration is now open and will close before class begins on Saturday night. Register at TILC.to/register ----- To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our website To follow on Instagram: @TheIvy…

1
Studying English at University | Oxford Undergrads Discuss 30:34

5M ago30:34

30:34

Join Chenrui Zhang, an English Literature student at the University of Oxford, as she delves into the nuances of student life at one of the world's most prestigious universities. This interview covers a range of topics from overcoming loneliness and adapting to the Oxford way of life, to the unique tutorial system that challenges students to defend…

1
How She Got into Oxford for History: Undergrad Interview 34:09

5M ago34:09

34:09

Join us in an enlightening conversation with Penny, who shares her successful journey of getting into Oxford for a history degree. This video provides key insights into the Oxford University admissions process, including invaluable Oxford application tips and what it takes to study history at Oxford. Penny breaks down the steps of preparing for Oxf…

1
Interpreting Testing: Your Scores May Be Stronger Than You Think 43:30

5M ago43:30

43:30

What constitutes a strong SAT or ACT score? What do admissions officers mean when they say they consider scores in context? If a college is test-optional, should you submit your scores, or if it requires testing, are your scores strong enough to apply? The answers may surprise you. To talk through these and other questions, AB host and Dartmouth De…

1
From Dysfunction to Impact; Productivity for Teens 19:20

5M ago19:20

19:20

Do you ever feel like you don't have enough time? It is common for stressed teens and adults to say "I wish I had more time!" But actually, you don't need more time. You actually need more energy and better clarity. Listen in to discover why clarity and energy are more important that time. ----- To register for the Ivy League Challenge, visit our w…

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Ivy League Admissions Podcasts

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