Admissions Beat

The language of financial aid brings new—and sometimes confusing—vocabulary for many families. Gail Holt, Amherst’s dean of financial aid, and Dino Koff, director of financial aid at Dartmouth, join AB host Lee Coffin for a lesson in how to interpret and translate this new language. “Let’s demystify the financial process,” Koff offers.

Ever wondered how the elements of a college application came to be the elements of the college application? Today, essays, testing, recommendations, and interviews are fundamental ingredients of most selective admissions processes, but they were not always part of a college application as it evolved over the last 125 years. Dartmouth’s admissions dean Lee Coffin and Maria Morales-Kent, a former admission officer at the University of Pennsylvania and the longtime director of college counseling at Thacher School in California, draw lessons and insights from the courses they have both taught on the twists and turns of college admissions history.

“I’ve never of it is…” is a frequent reaction from students and parents as college options are introduced, but there is real opportunity when a student is open to options that aren't fully “known.” AB host Lee Coffin welcomes Clark University’s Emily Roper-Doten, Ben Baum from Saint John’s College in Annapolis and Sante Fe, and college counselor Kate Boyle Ramsdell from Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, Mass., for a conversation about fit versus familiarity, honoring potential, and the intentional introductions that arrive in your inbox or mailbox. Coffin advises, “Instead of saying ‘I’ve never heard of it,’ ask ‘why haven't I heard of it?! Let’s learn about it.’ Sometimes discovery leads you someplace unexpected, and that’s where you’re supposed to be.”

For students around the world, going to college in America has been a goal of many for decades. AB host LeeCoffin and his guest Robin Appleby—who led schools in London, The Hague and Dubai—ponder the opportunities of American higher education for an international audience of prospective applicants.Appleby encourages students to explore the “why?” of applying to schools abroad and to ask questions like “what kind of learner am I?” Theydiscuss the advantages of studying a wide range of subjects versus the norm of a more structured concentration in a local university as well as the cultural and personal lessons such an American adventure offers.

AB host Lee Coffin probes the lessons learned by students and a parent from last year’s admissions process. He is joined by four first-year college students who reflect on their own admissions processes—and the lessons learned. Ashley Kim of Chandler, Arizona, Isabel Carleton of Columbus, Ohio, Romello McRae of Los Angeles, California, and Witold Ambroziak of Warsaw, Poland ponder misconceptions about acceptance rates as barriers, the perils of overthinking and over-applying, and they advise current seniors to view writing college essays as an evolving conversation with themselves. Then, “admissions mom” Ronnie Burnett from Season 5 returns to the pod to share her experience as a parent after her son saw the results of his application, made his enrollment decision, and embarked on his successful launch as a college student this fall. From its reminder for students to “preserve the opportunity to play” during senior year to its contention that “a rejection is just redirection,” these admissions veterans share valuable insights for the current crop of applicants and parents.

In Part 2 of AB’s “advising all-stars” roundtable discussion from the annual meeting of the National Association for College Admission Counseling in Los Angeles,  host Lee Coffin and recurring co-host Jacques Steinberg ponder the role (if any) of a student’s social media presence in the college admissions process. They also lead a lively discussion about “being in the essay space” as applications take shape. One guest advises “What’s your deal?” as the organizing concept of every application. Finally, the group considers the notion of honoring the ambitions of high achievers with a dose of admissions pragmatism.

What happens when 20 admissions folks gather in a meeting room at their annual conference in Los Angeles? They have lots to say! AB host Lee Coffin and his recurring co-host Jacques Steinberg convene an all-star cast of previous AB guests (and a few new voices) for a wide-ranging, two-part conversation about all things admissions. This week, they ponder the steadiness of admissions fundamentals amidst the seemingly “chaotic” landscape, and they zero in on financial aid and affordability as critical elements of a college search.

As high school seniors take a deep breath, open a blank document, and begin to craft their college essays, Admission Beat host Lee Coffin empowers them to ask this question: “Who do I want the admission officer to meet?” Coffin and his guests offer words of advice on contemplating audience, the art of brevity, and framing “lived experiences” as addressed in the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision on race and identity as factors in admissions. Parents and peers can be helpful editors, but at the heart of every memorable essay is the writer’s authentic voice telling the story only they can tell. With guests Kathryn Bezella, Dartmouth’s new dean of undergraduate admissions, and Jacques Steinberg, former New York Times journalist and co-author of “The College Conversation,” the trio set the stage for each student to introduce themselves through all parts of the application. 

With October on the near horizon, Admissions Beat host Lee Coffin encourages seniors to get in gear and begin thinking about the nuts and bolts of their applications. His guests, Jennifer Simons, Director of Bright Horizons College Coach, and Darryl Tiggle, Director of College Counseling at the Friends School of Baltimore, offer guidance on tackling “the deliverables” of the admissions process—essay drafts, teacher recommendations, testing—with a strategy. Coffin and his guests also discuss the many “on ramps and off ramps” of the search as it progresses, from refining the list of schools to deciphering college rankings to prioritizing college visits to assessing a plan for an early application. As seniors rev their engines and hit the road on the college application process, they can count on the Admissions Beat crew to be there to offer roadside assistance for the length of that journey.

Kicking off Season Six of the Admissions Beat, host Lee Coffin of Dartmouth welcomes listeners back to school as another admissions cycle commences. Raising the curtain on the admissions process for high school juniors and seniors, as well as their parents and counselors, Coffin and his guests offer a sampler of “news you can use,” with tips on everything from managing the stress of the search and application process to sizing up an institution’s “fit” and “vibe,” to understanding the impact of last year’s Supreme Court decision on race as a factor in admissions. This week’s guests are Charlotte Albright, former public radio host and reporter, and Jacques Steinberg, former New York Times journalist and co-author of “The College Conversation.” Whether you are a first-time listener or an AB veteran, Coffin and his guests have much to offer as they look ahead toward the upcoming podcast season.