College Bound Mentor

Financial aid can make a huge impact on your college potential & college experience. Want to find out all you need to know about financial aid? In this episode, we welcome on special guest Jeff Levy, Co-Founder of Big J Educational Consulting, who's been an educational consultant since 2007. Hear some myths and truths about financial aid, how to fill out the FAFSA application and CSS Profile, how financial aid is decided, the best places to find college scholarships, and the biggest mistakes families make when applying for financial aid. Check out Jeff's resources at BigJEducationalConsulting.com and connect with him on LinkedIn, and subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

Want to hear the latest trends in college admissions? In this episode, Lisa, Abby, and Stefanie share the webinar they presented on everything that's new with college admissions. Hear the biggest changes over the past year when it comes to college admissions, which schools are becoming harder to get into, how schools are using technology to assess students, new questions you might encounter in your college essays, and what you can do to increase your chances of getting into your favorite school. Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

Considering going to law school or pursuing a career in law or public policy? This is the episode for you. We welcome on special guest Jenn Arnold, a "Double Wolverine" from the University of Michigan Law School and undergrad who now works in the Legislative Counsel for a member of the House of Representatives. Hear what to consider when looking at law schools, how to take care of your mental health in law school, the keys to success in law school and in your law career, he biggest myths and truths about law school, and why you should write down the main reason you went to law school in the first place. Connect with Jenn on LinkedIn, and subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

How do you stand out in college admissions? It all goes back to your college application. In this episode, Lisa, Abby, and Stefanie put together all the puzzle pieces that make up the college application puzzle. Hear the components of the college application, the most important component, whether to submit your test scores, how to handle letters of recommendation, and how specific colleges differ with their applications. Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

Feeling safe and supported on a college campus is important for any student. For students in the LGBTQ+ community, it can be an even more important factor when deciding where to go to college. In this Part 2, Stefanie interviews a college student, Ben, about his experience being a member of the queer and Modern Orthodox Jewish community on a college campus. Hear his experience coming out, what went into his college decision, how to get the pulse of the straight people on campus, how to get involved on campus, and his advice to queer students just starting college. Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

Heading off to college is one of the most exciting - and scary - moments in your life. We want to make sure you have all the helpful information you need to make your freshman year a slam dunk. In this episode, we interview a panel of college students who have survived freshman year at 3 different universities. Hear Nina, Lily, and Michael share the emotions they felt throughout their transition to college, how college life compares to what they expected, what to do if you feel homesick, the best ways to make friends, and the most surprising realizations about freshman year. Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

Some of the trickiest essays to pin down on college applications are the Why College/Why Academic Interest essays. In the first part of this episode, we share why these essays are frustrating, the format of these essays, and how to write them. We then welcome on special guest Lisa Marker-Robbins, Founder of Flourish Coaching, who's helped over 4,000 high school students and young adults gain the insight, experiences, and confidence they need to successfully embark on their post-high school path. She busts some myths about the Why College/Why Academic Interest essays, reveals some findings of her study of the Top 50 public universities and their admissions practices, and shares her best advice for students who truly don't know what to major in. Get Lisa's resources at FlourishCoachingCo.com/Majors and check out her College and Career Clarity podcast, and subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

You can use a special talent like dancing, singing, or acting to your advantage to help stand out in college admissions. In the first part of this episode, we break down why special talents are helpful, how an Arts Supplement works, and how to frame your application. We then feature an interview with a college student, Brandon, who shares his experience bringing his incredible dance background to college. Hear how to stand out with your application, how special talents programs differ between schools, and whether to pursue a BA or BFA. Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

Grades are going up, and standardized test scores are going down. How should we handle this as students and parents? In this episode, we welcome special guest Dr. Jed Applerouth to talk all things grade inflation and standardized testing. Jed is a teacher, educational innovator, and the Founder and President of Applerouth, an expert college admissions tutoring business. Hear how grades and standardized tests have changed in recent years, what to think of colleges who say they're test-optional, how many times you should take standardized tests, how to manage anxiety during standardized tests, and how to prepare for standardized tests. Learn more about Jed at Applerouth.com and on LinkedIn, and subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

Feeling safe and supported on a college campus is important for any student. For students in the LGBTQ+ community, it can be an even more important factor when deciding where to go to college. In this Part 1, we interview a panel of college students and recent alums about their experience finding a queer-friendly college. Hear the red flags and positives that stand out at different colleges when it comes to being inclusive, how to research queer-friendly colleges, how to get involved in queer-friendly groups on campus, whether to share your story in your Personal Statement, and their advice to queer students starting their college journeys. Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com