Best Collegeadmissions Podcasts (2024)

1
YCBK 449: Enrollment Management: The Invisible Hand that Controls Admissions Decisions 1:12:54

10h ago1:12:54

1:12:54

In this episode you will hear: (02:25) In the News Mark and Lisa answer the question from a listener: How can you know if a college makes holistic admissions decisions or whether they admit students by the number (12:40) Question from a listener: Our roundtable is back (Hillary, Susan, Julia, Vince and Mark) and we discuss several questions from a …

1
YCBK 448: Wake Forest and U Chicago Offer Early Decisions Months Before Other Colleges 1:01:54

1h ago1:01:54

1:01:54

In this episode you will hear: o Mark and Julia discuss colleges that offer a binding early program months before their competitors, listen to learn about this unique way to apply to Wake Forest and to the University of Chicago. The two programs are similar in some ways but very different in other ways. o After 5 years, Colonel Robert Kirkland is b…

1
512: Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Counselor Perspective 59:01

2d ago59:01

59:01

Welcome to our special three-part series on mental health disclosures in college applications. To kick things off, Ethan interviews Chris Loo, Director of College Counseling at The Stony Brook School, where Chris has been working to help students navigate mental health disclosures in their applications for years. In this episode, they explore: Whic…

1
YCBK 447: The New Tactic Families are Using to Earn Scholarships and Pay Less For College-Part 2 1:23:46

2d ago1:23:46

1:23:46

In this episode you will hear: (03:45) In the News Mark and Julia discuss waitlists and then they discuss an article by Jeff Selingo entitled, “The New Trick Families are using to Lower Tuition” Part 2 of 2 (26:57) Question from a listener: Our roundtable is back (Hillary, Susan, Julia, Vince and Mark) and we discuss a question from a listener in N…

1
YCBK 446: Missed Opportunity: Not Getting All the Adults on The Same Page 53:56

5d ago53:56

53:56

In this episode you will hear: o Mark shares six different groups of parents where he has seen conflict. Mark explains eight or nine areas where conflict arises on the college process. o After 5 years, Colonel Robert Kirkland is back, Lynda interviews Rob on the Service Academies of West Point, the Naval Academy and the Air Force-Part 3 of 4 o Prev…

1
YCBK 445: The New Tactic Families are Using to Earn Scholarships and Pay Less For College 1:50:51

9d ago1:50:51

1:50:51

In this episode you will hear: (25:20) In the News Mark and Julia discuss waitlists and then they discuss an article by Jeff Selingo entitled, “The New Trick Families are using to Lower Tuition” Part 1 of 2 (49:28) Question from a listener: Our roundtable is back (Hillary, Susan, Julia, Vince and Mark) and we discuss a question from a listener in N…

1
YCBK 444: Is It Okay if My Student Only Applies To 5 or 6 Colleges 1:00:13

13d ago1:00:13

1:00:13

In this episode you will hear: o Mark shares one missed opportunity when it comes to the college admission journey o Lisa and Mark discuss an answer to a question from Kerry from suburban Chicago, she wants to know, in this age of students applying to 20 or so schools, is it okay if my student applies to only five or six schools if the college list…

1
511: Identity, Self-Care, and the Future of College Admission w/ NACAC CEO Angel Pérez 55:44

21d ago55:44

55:44

In today's episode, Ethan connects with Angel Pérez (CEO of the National Association of College Admission Counselors) to discuss identity, his personal journey with self-care, and where he sees the college admission profession heading. On the episode, you’ll hear Angel and Ethan discuss: Angel’s brainstorming work for his own imagined college essay…

1
YCBK 443: What Curriculum Gets Top Marks for Rigor at a Highly-Resourced High School 1:17:16

17d ago1:17:16

1:17:16

In this episode you will hear: (02:08) Question from a listener: Number 1 Mark and Julia answer a question, If a student attends a highly resourced schools, what does a student have to do to get top grades for rigor (31:28) Question from a listener: Number 2 Our roundtable is back (Hillary, Susan, Julia, Vince and Mark) and we are discussing severa…

1
YCBK 442: 50 Questions About Money To Talk to Your Student About When It Comes to College 48:14

23d ago48:14

48:14

In this episode you will hear: o Mark shares one missed opportunity when it comes to the college admission journey o After 5 years, Colonel Robert Kirkland is back, Lynda interviews Rob on the Service Academies-Part 1 of 4 o Preview Part 1-Preview § Rob was first on our podcast in August of 2019, but I interviewed him in June of 2019, so exactly, f…

1
YCBK 441: If a Student Does Something Meaningful For Only 3 Days, Does it Go in Their Application 58:40

24d ago58:40

58:40

In this episode you will hear: (04:28) Question from a listener: Number 1 We have two Questions from listeners today. Susan and Julia answer a question, If something really bad happened at your high school before you got there, should you discuss it? (11:52) Question from a listener: Number 2 Our roundtable is back (Hillary, Susan, Julia, Vince and…

1
YCBK 440: The Importance of “Fit” When Selecting a College-Michael Keaton Interview 43:37

28d ago43:37

43:37

In this episode you will hear: o Two of our listeners share advice from things they learned from going through the college process o Mark interviews Michael Keaton, the VP of Enrollment at Ursinus College on “The Importance of Fit” o Preview § Julia and I interview Michael Keaton for the third of a trilogy of interviews we did with Michael, the fir…

1
YCBK 439: What is a book award from a college and should I list it in my application 1:09:55

1M ago1:09:55

1:09:55

In this episode you will hear: (03:05) Question from a listener: Number 1 We have two Questions from listeners today. Susan and Mark answer a question, How do colleges perceive it when a student does three years of high school instead of four years? (12:43) Question from a listener: Number 2 Julia and Mark answer a question from a student; the stud…

1
510: What Colleges Want (Part 9): A Crash Course in Standardized Testing 48:05

1M ago48:05

48:05

Today’s episode concludes our 9-part “What Colleges Want” series, where we’ve been walking through the results of the report released by the National Association of College Admission Counselors (NACAC) regarding the factors that colleges deem important. Ethan is joined by Jay Rosner (Executive Director of The Princeton Review Foundation) to talk ab…

1
YCBK 438: What is Scholarship Displacement and What Can You Do About It 1:23:28

1M ago1:23:28

1:23:28

In this episode you will hear: o Julia and I discuss Scholarship Displacement, what is it and is there anything you can do about it; are any states outlawing scholarship displacement o Julia and Mark discuss Stanford’s return to requiring the SAT or the ACT and Mark has his first grinding my gears in the last 6 months. o Mark interviews John Hoffma…

1
YCBK 437: How Much Weight To Put On Admitted Student Visit Days In Your College Decision 1:13:26

1M ago1:13:26

1:13:26

In this episode you will hear: (03:05) Question from a listener: Number 1 We have two Questions from listeners today. Lisa and Mark answer a question, How important should a student’s experience at an “Admitted Student Program” be when selecting a college? (16:10) Question from a listener: Number 2 Mark and Susan then answer a question about “Proje…

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

1M 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
YCBK 436: Three Opportunities Some Students Miss Out on Over The Summer 1:12:31

1M ago1:12:31

1:12:31

In this episode you will hear: o Mark shares three opportunities he sees too many students and parents missing out on over the summer. o Mark interviews John Hoffman: Reflections on 45 years doing college placement and school placement-Part 2 of 3 o Preview of Part 2 o John talks about the college process for his daughter that was just completed la…

1
YCBK 435: Is Enrollment Management Destroying Colleges-Part 2 of 2 1:29:05

2M ago1:29:05

1:29:05

In this episode you will hear: (02:28) Susan and Mark discuss an Inside Higher Ed article by Liam Knox, entitled, “Pulling Back the Veil” on Enrollment Management. The article is an interview with Stephen Burd on his new book that blames the multi-million-dollar field of enrollment management for much of higher education’s woes. Part 2 of 2 (36:50)…

151
509: What Colleges Want (Part 8): Extracurricular Activities Deep Dive: How Getting Involved In and Out of School Can Boost Your Application 56:57

2M ago56:57

56:57

On today’s episode, Tom Campbell (CEG’s Community Manager) is joined by Carolyn Starks, a former Pomona and Bates admissions officer and Associate Director of College Counseling at Oakwood School (North Hollywood, CA) at the time of recording, to talk about extracurricular activities and the activities list on college applications. They get into, a…

1
YCBK 434: Why are there so many more kids from the local area at very selective colleges 1:05:19

2M ago1:05:19

1:05:19

In this episode you will hear: o Mark and Lisa answer a question from Mary from South Dakota: Why are there so many kids from the local area at highly selective colleges o Mark interviews John Hoffman: Reflections on 45 years doing college placement and school placement-Part 1 of 3 o Preview of Part 1 o John shares his background o John shares why …

1
YCBK 433: Is Enrollment Management Destroying Colleges-Part 1 of 2 1:47:43

2M ago1:47:43

1:47:43

In this episode you will hear: (26:16) Susan and Mark discuss an Inside Higher Ed article by Liam Knox, entitled, “Pulling Back the Veil” on Enrollment Management. The article is an interview with Stephen Burd on his new book that blames the multi-million-dollar field of enrollment management for much of higher education’s woes. Part 1 of 2 (47:30)…

1
YCBK 432: Jeff Selingo Interview: Miscellaneous Topics 54:51

2M ago54:51

54:51

In this episode you will hear: o Mark shares some updates about upcoming webinars and YCBK meet and greets o Suan and Julia answer a question from a mom with three high school students that are 18 months apart in age; she wants to know of a good organizational tool to help with the college process o Mark interviews Jeff Selingo on a range of topics…

1
YCBK 431: Filling out the Activities Section of the Common App: Do’s and Don’ts, 3 of 3 1:29:47

2M ago1:29:47

1:29:47

In this episode you will hear: (02:08) We have a five-way conversation for the first time at YCBK. Our four regular (Julia, Susan, Vince and Mark) are joined by Hillary Dickman, (Assistant Director of Admissions, Colorado College) for a conservation about how to complete the Activities Section of the Common Application. We discuss the Do’s and the …

1
YCBK 430: Jeff Selingo Interview: How to know if a college is struggling financially 1:13:51

2M ago1:13:51

1:13:51

In this episode you will hear: o Mark shares a text he received that had an idea he thought could help the podcast o Mark shares a text message and a Speakpipe comment he thought was profound, and worth sharing o Suan and Mark answer a question about whether a student graduates from a selective liberal arts school in economics will hurt them compar…

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

2M 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
YCBK 429: Filling out the Activities Section of the Common App: Do’s and Don’ts, 2 of 3 1:35:37

2M ago1:35:37

1:35:37

In this episode you will hear: (03:12) We have a five-way conversation for the first time at YCBK. Our four regular (Julia, Susan, Vince and Mark) are joined by Hillary Dickman, (Assistant Director of Admissions, Colorado College) for a conservation about how to complete the Activities Section of the Common Application. We discuss the Do’s and the …

1
YCBK 428: What is Double Depositing and why it is regarded as inappropriate 1:17:39

2M ago1:17:39

1:17:39

In this episode you will hear: o Mark shares a text message and a Speakpipe comment on two different topics that he thought were profound, and worth sharing o Mark talks about a tweet that is generating some buzz and he previews an interview that will air on Episode 430 and 432 about that tweet o Julia and Mark have a robust conversation about “Dou…

1
YCBK 427: Filling out the Activities Section of the Common App: Do’s and Dont’s, 1 of 3 1:08:15

2M ago1:08:15

1:08:15

In this episode you will hear: (02:00) We have a five-way conversation for the first time at YCBK. Our four regular (Julia, Susan, Vince and Mark) are joined by Hillary Dickman, (Assistant Director of Admissions, Colorado College) for a conservation about how to complete the Activities Section of the Common Application. We discuss the Do’s and the …

1
508: What Colleges Want (Part 7B): Recommendation Letter Crash Course for Counselors and Teachers 1:08:56

3M ago1:08:56

1:08:56

Today’s episode is all about writing letters of recommendation for teachers and counselors. Continuing our series on What Colleges Want, Tom Campbell (CEG’s Community Manager) is joined by Hanah Lim (CEG’s Director of Workshops and a former high school English teacher), where they provide their tips, tricks, and hacks to help you write more efficie…

1
YCBK 426: The FAFSA Fiasco and More Chaos on College Campuses 52:52

3M ago52:52

52:52

In this episode you will hear: o Mark shares more details on the FAFSA Fiasco this year o Mark talks about the tumult on college campuses that is breaking out across the country o Lisa interviews Elizabeth Hamlet, a Disability Services Expert. They discuss how students with Disabilities can successfully transition to college-Part 2 of 3 Preview of …

1
YCBK 425: Understanding the Nine Universities that make up the UC’s 1:33:51

3M ago1:33:51

1:33:51

In this episode you will hear: (02:00) Mark and Vince discuss the nine colleges that make up the University of California-Part 2 of 2 (37:20) Question from a listener Jessica, an International listener has a question about the change from test-optional to test mandatory that is happening at a number of colleges. (50:30) Interview Jeremy Lowe, the A…

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

3M 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
YCBK 424: More Observations from Admissions Decisions For the Class of 2024 59:20

3M ago59:20

59:20

In this episode you will hear: o Mark and Julia discuss what they learned from admissions decisions from the class of 2024 o Lisa interviews Elizabeth Hamlet, a Disability Services Expert. They discuss how students with Disabilities can successfully transition to college-Part 1 of 3 Preview o Liz shares her backstory from special ed teacher to auth…

1
YCBK 423: How are extracurricular activities evaluated by highly rejective colleges 1:33:57

3M ago1:33:57

1:33:57

In this episode you will hear: (02:02) Mark and Vince discuss the nine colleges that make up the University of California-Part 1 of 2 (36:50) Question from a listener An anonymous mom from New York wants to know how highly rejective colleges evaluate extracurricular activities (54:16) Interview Jeremy Lowe, the Assistant Vice Provost of Undergradua…

1
YCBK 422: What you need to know about the ACT and the SAT 1:12:32

3M ago1:12:32

1:12:32

In this episode you will hear: o Mark gives a preview of his 63 minute interview with Jed Applerouth, founder of Applerouth.com Preview Preview ² Jed gives his background, and he tells us a little bit about Applerouth ² Jed talks about the work Applerouth does for students with executive functioning. ² Jed and I talk about public flagship colleges …

1
YCBK 421: Students Brand Themselves In Order to Try to Get In Elite Colleges 1:43:53

3M ago1:43:53

1:43:53

In this episode you will hear: (03:30) Mark and Vince discuss an article on how students are being coached to brand themselves in their applications. This is an article that appeared in the NY Times by a Guest Essayist, entitled, “Elite college admissions have turned students into brands” (33:30) Question from a listener Lee from Northern Californi…

1
507: What Colleges Want (Part 7A): Recommendation Letter Crash Course for Students and Families 52:08

3M ago52:08

52:08

This week, Tom Campbell (CEG’s Community Manager) is joined by Ayesha King (Director of College Counseling at the International School of Los Angeles) to talk about letters of recommendation. They get into: What goes into a letter of recommendation? How are they evaluated by colleges? Who should students consider asking, and how do they ask? What c…

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

3M 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
YCBK 420: How to select a college when you have options-Part 3 of 3 1:24:55

3M ago1:24:55

1:24:55

In this episode you will hear: o Mark gives a preview of some up and coming episodes o Lisa gives advice about selecting a college from a psychological and practical standpoint. o Lynda interviews Marjorie Betley, the Senior Associate Director of Admission at the University of Chicago, and the Executive Director of Admissions at the STARS College N…

1
YCBK 419: Mark and Vince discuss observations from this year’s admission decisions 1:53:40

4M ago1:53:40

1:53:40

In this episode you will hear: (01:50) Mark and Vince will eventually discuss an article on how students are being coached to brand themselves in their applications. This is an article that appeared in the NY Times by a Guest Essayist, entitled, “Elite college admissions have turned students into brands” but they get into that article in Part 2, on…

1
YCBK 418: Lessons Learned From SACAC, College Visits and Meetings with Admission Officers 1:16:27

4M ago1:16:27

1:16:27

o Mark gives a recap of some of his key takeaways from the SACAC conference o Mark shares some key takeaways from college visits and from conversation with reps o Mark looks at what may look like perplexing admissions decisions for about a dozen students School Match 4U counselors worked with and he discusses the reasons why this surprising decisio…

1
YCBK 417: Colleges are Perplexed at How to Get More Males To Apply and Enroll 1:57:50

4M ago1:57:50

1:57:50

In this episode you will hear: (06:30) Julia and Mark discuss an article by “Dean of Admissions Claudia Marroquin on the decline of male applicants to Bowdoin” but Julia and Mark know this is a national crisis, so they discuss the article in the context of the national challenge. Part 3 of 3 Mark shares a moving email that came in this week about w…

1
506: What Colleges Want (Part 6): Demonstrated Interest: What Is it, Why Is it Important, and How Do You Show it? with Dean of Enrollment Christine Bowman 58:30

4M ago58:30

58:30

On today’s episode, Ethan is joined by Christine Bowman, Assistant VP for Admission at Southwestern University. In part 6 in our series on What Colleges Want, Ethan and Christine get into: What is demonstrated interest and how do colleges track it? How important is demonstrated interest to a student’s chance of getting in? How might students find o…

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