Want to know how to write an awesome college essay?

Listen to Shereem. 

Want to know how admissions offices read college essays?

Listen to Tim. 

Thankfully you can do both by listening to the Application to Admission Podcast!!!!

The power of college essay writing is more important than ever. Whether it’s because of test-optional policies or the end of affirmative action for race conscious admissions, students who document their lived experiences with authenticity, need to know that their stories are vital and valuable. 

As January 1st application deadlines quickly approach, help your child by giving them instruction and insight on the college essay writing process.  We’re here to share what we know with our combined 50+ years of experience so that your student’s essay can stand out.

Perspective is everything. The more we live, the more we learn. The ultimate goal for many is to grow, share and lead. Dr. Greg Ellison does just that. An Atlanta native, Ellison is associate professor of pastoral care and counseling at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology where he earned his undergraduate degree and later a Ph.D. degrees in pastoral theology from Princeton Theological Seminary. Intellectually invigorating and engaging, Dr. Ellison is approaching what may be most challenging and exciting time in his life: parenting a college bound student.

As an educator, Dr. Ellison has perspective about his role as a dad. I mean, he is the author of Fearless Dialogues: A New Movement for Justice and Cut Dead But Still Alive: Caring for African American Young Men two books that will help him to navigate this complicated terrain. 

So we sat down with Dr. Ellison and asked him some probing questions. Hear his responses and grow, share and lead with us.

The better question is “do the college rankings consider Black families……”

Regardless, affluent college educated Black families have very strong feelings about what

These are real questions that middle and upper-class Black people think about and Dr. Deborwah Faulk has taken the time to dissect this phenomena and give it light. As a Professor of Anthropology and Africana Studies at the University of Richmond, her 2023 scholarly research entitled College Choices, Choice Dilemmas: Black Advantaged Parents’ Views of Their Children’s College Options focuses on much of what we aim to examine in our book, The Black Family’s Guide to College Admissions: A Conversation About Education, Parenting and Race. We were fortunate to interview this proud woman of Spelman who earned her doctorate at the The Ohio State University and share our thoughts as well as highlight hers. 

Rankings, status, prestige and “what other people think” are woven into the fabric of American society. As Black people who make financial, cultural and educational choices for our children, we cannot ignore this fact.  Dr. Faulk gives voice to those who embrace this notion and those who want to challenge it. Her scholarship is novel and necessary. Learn something and let’s discuss. 

Money matters in college admissions. We want everyone to prioritize cost when searching for and applying to schools. We’re big believers in HBCUS too, so when you combine the two - scholarships and HBCUs - there’s only one name in 2023 that rings as the ultimate resource for students and parents: Paula Dofat.

As the leading voice on IG with her @hbcumoneyguide, Paula prides herself on offering “free degree tea” with her posts on where to find the money. A mom of two HBCU grads and a serial college visitor to all HBCUs, she’s done her homework, invested her time and eager to share how to turn HBCU dreams to debt-free realities.

 If you want money for college and you’re thinking about HBCUs, this episode is for you!!

https://www.hbcumoneyguide.com/

Leadership is not easy. It demands patience, conviction and transparency. In the profession of college admissions and college admissions counseling, it’s

 Vern Granger holds the respect of thousands of individuals who work in college admission and school counseling. Many of us will descend upon Baltimore this week for the annual conference of the National Association of College Admission Counselors (NACAC). He is the standing Board Chair of our professional organization who doubles as the Director of Undergraduate Admission at the University of Connecticut. With senior admissions positions also from The Ohio State University and North Carolina State University, Vern has overseen seen

Our interview with him - a must listen - was better than we could have asked for. He offered advice for families, gave us his perspective about the state of

Vern is a dad to one but a father figure to many. He watched his own daughter apply to college in 2022 and knows how important compassion and communication are in this process.  A true man of the people, servant and leader are the two words that best describe him. We are honored to have spent this 45 minutes with him and now we present his wisdom to you. 

If you have a student athlete in your home, you’re going to want to hear this. This former Olympian and NFL wide receiver has some gems for you.  

We all know college and sports work in tandem in our culture and with the recent success and impact of one famous Black football coach in particular, we need to continue to pour into our young men and women to make sure they survey all athletic options. We want families to know more about the college admissions and recruitment processes. Here it is. 

Enter Steve Brown Academy where he and his team prepare athletes for success inside and outside the classroom. A dedicated educator and dad, Steve knows the truth about college recruiting and wants to share it with you. This is for sports fans, sports parents and student athletes. Learn from an expert who’s been there, done that and wants you to win. 

“A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” - United Negro College Fund

We are not well. Never have been and maybe never will be. PTSD from a variety of places can obstruct our progress or we can seek help, heal and move in our purpose. 

“We as parents, must learn to compromise with our teens. Rarely will a student get everything they want, just as a parent will not get everything they want. The goal for a parent must be to partner with their student and have open communication, with an understanding that the student’s social and emotional well-being is most important.”

Jewels. Gems. TRUTH!!!! 

Dr. Busch is a must-hear interview that will help us all to change our perspective and approach to how we redefine success in the college admissions

When you’re a mom of 4, Princeton grad, writer extraordinaire, and college counseling aficionado, what more is there to say???!! Alison Slater Tate is a respected and appreciated college admissions professional who is as knowledgeable about the process as anyone in the profession. 

Why? Because she consistently researches and writes about it while serving as the Director of College Counseling at Lake Mary Prep in Orlando AND simultaneously living through the process as a mom. Two times so far with two more to go!!! 

She’s a trusted contributor to a bunch of news outlets including  Today and Grown and Flown and possesses a wealth of information that we all need to hear.