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College Matters. Alma Matters.
By Venkat RamanEducation
College Matters. Alma Matters. episodes
- Elizabeth Nieto of Bottom Line on College Counseling: Guiding First Generation Students.
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Elizabeth is a first-generation college graduate. When she was applying to college, she didn’t have anyone in her family that could help her with the process. Luckily, she found people who could help her with her questions.
Today, Elizabeth guides students like her younger self, with the college application process.
On our podcast, Elizabeth talks about her background, her role at Bottom Line, Counseling approach and challenges, and her Advice for High School students.
In particular, we discuss the following with her:
- Elizabeth Nieto’s Background
- Approach to College Counseling
- Challenges
- Advice for High Schoolers
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Introducing Elizabeth Nieto, Bottom Line []
- Hi Fives - Podcast Highlights []
- Professional Background []
- Role at Bottom Line []
- Student Profiles []
- Recruiting Students []
- Approach to College Counseling []
- The Challenges []
- Topic Issues []
- Choosing Majors[]
- Success Stories []
- Advice for High Schoolers []
- Staying Excited []
Our Guest: Elizabeth Nieto is a Senior College Access Advisor with Bottom Line. Elizabeth is a graduate of Loyola University, Chicago.
Memorable Quote: “The end goal is helping them [students] make the most informed decision about their college commitment.” Elizabeth Nieto.
Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode’s Transcript.
Recommended Episodes: College Experiences
Calls-to-action:
- Follow us on Instagram.
- To Ask the Guest a question, or to comment on this episode, email [email protected].
- Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations:Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify.
44 min - About College and Beyond: Sarah, 2023 Coke Scholar, American Heritage School, Broward Campus, Florida.
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Every year the Coca Cola Scholars Foundation awards a select set of High School Seniors the Coca Cola Scholarship. Sarah is a 2023 Coke Scholar.
In this Podcast, Sarah talks about her passion for CS & AI, Winning the Coca Cola Scholarship, her college search process, and his advice for high schoolers. #CokeScholars
In particular, we discuss the following with her:
- Who is Sarah?
- Extracurricular Interests
- Winning the Coke Scholarship
- College Process
- Advice for High Schoolers
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Introducing Sarah Dufays, Coke Scholar []
- Hi Fives - Podcast Highlights []
- Who is Sarah Dufays? []
- High School Interests []
- CS & AI []
- Why Tech? []
- Why Coke Scholarship? []
- The Interview []
- College Process []
- Scholarship Applications []
- Future Priorities []
- Advice to High Schoolers []
Our Guest: Sarah Dufays is a 2023 Coke Scholar, and a recent graduate of American Heritage Schools, Broward Campus, Florida. Sarah will be a Freshman at MIT in Fall 2023.
Memorable Quote: “And I definitely struggle with FOMO [Fear Of Missing Out]. But academically. And it often leads me to sign up for way too many things that I don't have time for. So I think one of my priorities is in college not doing that, you know, and instead, I'm kind of pushing myself to have that balanced, ideal life that I think I need to be at my best. So that's one of my priorities there.” Sarah Dufays.
Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode’s Transcript.
Similar Episodes: College Experiences
Calls-to-action:
- Follow us on Instagram.
- To Ask the Guest a question, or to comment on this episode, email [email protected].
- Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify.
31 min - Sean Kennedy of Ravenscroft School: Guidance For Students on the Supreme Court Ruling On Affirmative Action in College Admissions.
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The Supreme Court handed its momentous verdict about Race in College Admissions on June 29, 2023.
To help us understand and to guide students and parents about what it means for them, we are joined by Sean Kennedy, President of SACAC and Co-Director of College Counseling at Ravenscroft School in North Carolina
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Overview of the Supreme Court Decision []
- How To Provide Race Info in College Application []
- Thinking Differently About Elite Colleges to Apply To []
- Closing Thoughts []
Our Guest: Sean Kennedy is the Co-Director of College Counseling at Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode Transcript.
Calls-to-action:
- Follow us on Instagram.
- To Ask the Guest a question, or to comment on this episode, email [email protected].
- Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations:, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify.
19 min - About College and Beyond: Raymond Jiang, 2023 Coke Scholar, Jenks High School, Oklahoma.
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Every year the Coca Cola Scholars Foundation awards a select set of High School Seniors the Coca Cola Scholarship. Raymond is a 2023 Coke Scholar.
In this Podcast, Raymond talks about his passion for Math, Winning the Coca Cola Scholarship, his college search process, and his advice to high schoolers. #CokeScholars
In particular, we discuss the following with him:
- Who is Raymond Jiang?
- Extracurricular Interests
- Winning the Coke Scholarship
- College Process
- Advice for High Schoolers
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Introducing Raymond Jiang, Coke Scholar []
- Hi Fives - Podcast Highlights []
- Who is Raymond Jiang? []
- High School Interests []
- Interest in Math []
- Passion for Tutoring []
- The Tutoring Framework []
- Why Coke Scholarship? []
- The Interview []
- Winning The Coke Scholarship []
- The College Process []
- College and Beyond []
- Advice to High Schoolers []
Our Guest: Raymond Jiang is a 2023 Coke Scholar, and a recent graduate of Jenks High School, Oklahoma. Raymond will be a Freshman at Harvard University in Fall 2023.
Memorable Quote: “ …if you really put your values in the right place, I have faith that you will land exactly where [college] you're supposed to be”. Raymond Jiang.
Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode’s Transcript.
Similar Episodes: College Experiences
Calls-to-action:
- Follow us on Instagram.
- To Ask the Guest a question, or to comment on this episode, email [email protected].
- Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify.
40 min - About College and Beyond: Gianna Thomas, 2023 Coke Scholar, Middletown High School, Connecticut.
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Every year the Coca Cola Scholars Foundation awards a select set of High School Seniors the Coca Cola Scholarship. Gianna is a 2023 Coke Scholar.
In this Podcast, Gianna talks about her passion for Public Health, STEM Curriculum, Winning the Coca Cola Scholarship, her college search process, and his advice for high schoolers. #CokeScholars
In particular, we discuss the following with her:
- Who is Gianna Thomas?
- Extracurricular Interests
- Winning the Coke Scholarship
- College Process
- Advice for High Schoolers
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Introducing Gianna Thomas, Coke Scholar []
- Hi Fives - Podcast Highlights []
- Who is Gianna Thomas? []
- High School Interests []
- Public Health Research []
- STEM Curriculum Innovation []
- Teaching Kids []
- Applying for the Coke Scholarship []
- The Coke Application []
- The Interview []
- The Coke Scholarship Difference []
- College Process []
- Initial College List []
- Why Yale? []
- The Future - Yale and Beyond []
- Advice to High Schoolers []
Our Guest: Gianna Thomas is a 2023 Coke Scholar, and a recent graduate of Middletown High School, Connecticut. Gianna will be a Freshman at Yale University in Fall 2023.
Memorable Quote: “So going into my senior year, I really made it a goal to apply to one scholarship day, it was a pretty loose goal with the amounts really fluctuating each week.” Gianna Thomas.
Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode’s Transcript.
Similar Episodes: College Experiences
Calls-to-action:
- Follow us on Instagram.
- To Ask the Guest a question, or to comment on this episode, email [email protected].
- Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify.
37 min - About College and Beyond: Gabriel Nagel, 2023 Coke Scholar, Denver East High School, Colorado.
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Every year the Coca Cola Scholars Foundation awards a select set of High School Seniors the Coca Cola Scholarship. Gabriel is a 2023 Coke Scholar.
In this Podcast, Gabriel talks about his passion for Climate Policy, Winning the Coca Cola Scholarship, his college search process, and his advice to high schoolers. #CokeScholars
In particular, we discuss the following with him:
- Who is Gabriel Nagel?
- Extracurricular Interests
- Winning the Coke Scholarship
- College Process
- Advice for High Schoolers
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Introducing Gabriel Nagel, Coke Scholar []
- Hi Fives - Podcast Highlights []
- Who is Gabriel Nagel? []
- High School Interests []
- Climate Justice []
- Carbon App []
- Applying for the Coke Scholarship []
- The Application []
- The Coke Scholarship Difference []
- The College Process []
- The Initial College List []
- Surprises in the College Process []
- No of Colleges Applied To []
- Future Outlook []
- Advice to High Schoolers []
Our Guest: Gabriel Nagel is a 2023 Coke Scholar, and a recent graduate of Denver East High School, Colorado. Gabriel will be a Freshman at Stanford University in Fall 2023.
Memorable Quote: “So later, I had actually lived in Boulder for a year, and we were quite close to a wildfire that caused evacuations across our neighborhood. And as a result of that, I realized that climate change is not something of the future”. Gabriel Nagel.
Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode’s Transcript.
Similar Episodes: College Experiences
Calls-to-action:
- Follow us on Instagram.
- To Ask the Guest a question, or to comment on this episode, email [email protected].
- Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify.
39 min - About College and Beyond: Anna Yang, 2023 Coke Scholar, Notre Dame High School, San Jose, California.
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Every year the Coca Cola Scholars Foundation awards a select set of High School Seniors the Coca Cola Scholarship. Anna is a 2023 Coke Scholar.
In this Podcast, Anna talks about her passion for Poetry, Beekeeping, Winning the Coca Cola Scholarship, her college search process, and his advice to high schoolers. #CokeScholars
In particular, we discuss the following with her:
- Who is Anna Yang?
- Extracurricular Interests
- Winning the Coke Scholarship
- College Process
- Advice for High Schoolers
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Introducing Anna Yang, Coke Scholar []
- Hi Fives - Podcast Highlights []
- Who is Anna Yang? []
- High School Interests []
- Poetry []
- Poet Laureate []
- The Winning Poems []
- Is Poetry in Anna’s Future? []
- Beekeeper []
- The College Process []
- Applying for the Coke Scholarship []
- The Coke Scholarship Difference []
- College and Beyond []
- Advice to High Schoolers []
Our Guest: Anna Yang is a 2023 Coke Scholar, and a recent graduate of Notre Dame High School, San Jose, California. Anna will be a Freshman at Stanford University in Fall 2023.
Memorable Quote: “I went to coffee shops, and I like talk to the youth poets who are also involved. It felt like more, like both daunting and like, very empowering, to be speaking, like your poetry to an audience where they clap and they like, tell you, Oh, your poem was so good.” Anna Yang.
Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode’s Transcript.
Similar Episodes: College Experiences
Calls-to-action:
- Follow us on Instagram.
- To Ask the Guest a question, or to comment on this episode, email [email protected].
- Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify.
35 min - Sky Harper of Drexel University: Goldwater Scholar, Chemistry, and Truman & Udall Scholarships.
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Sky was a very active student in high school - inside and outside the classroom. He was into sciences, writing and Science research projects. Research took him to the International Science Fairs starting in the sophomore year.
Sky was also very involved in the Student Government. He was the President of the Student Body in his senior year.
Sky joins our podcast to share his undergraduate college journey at Pennoni Honors College at Drexel University, Passion for Research, Winning the Goldwater Scholarship, The Truman Scholarship, Majoring in Chemistry, and Advice for High Schoolers.
In particular, we discuss the following with him:
- Drexel & Honors College Experience
- UG Research
- The Goldwater Scholarship, Truman and Udall Scholarships
- Advice to High Schoolers
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Introduction to Sky Harper, Drexel []
- Hi Fives - Podcast Highlights []
- Overall Drexel & Honors College Experience []
- Why Drexel Honors College? []
- High School Interests []
- Transition to College []
- UG Research []
- Goldwater Scholarship Application []
- The Goldwater Difference []
- Getting the Truman Scholarship []
- The Importance of Scholarships []
- Why Chemistry Major? []
- Impact of UG Research []
- Advice for High Schoolers []
- Memories []
Our Guests: Sky Harper is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry at Drexel University and Pennoni Honors College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Memorable Quote: “My favorite thing to do on campus is just kind of hang around at the Honors College with my friends. And at the same time, every now and then some of the Honors College faculty will come out of their offices and just kind of start having casual conversations with us.” Sky Harper.
Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode’s Transcript.
Similar Episodes: College Experiences , UG Research
Calls-to-action:
- Follow us on Instagram.
- To Ask the Guest a question, or to comment on this episode, email [email protected].
- Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify.
39 min - About College and Beyond: Asanshay Gupta, 2023 Coke Scholar, Atlanta International School, Georgia.
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Every year the Coca Cola Scholars Foundation awards a select set of High School Seniors the Coca Cola Scholarship. Asanshay is a 2023 Coke Scholar.
In this Podcast, Asanshay talks about his passion for building products, Winning the Coca Cola Scholarship, his college search process, and his advice to high schoolers. #CokeScholars
In particular, we discuss the following with him:
- Who is Asanshay Gupta?
- Extracurricular Interests
- Winning the Coke Scholarship
- College Process
- Advice for High Schoolers
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Introducing Asanshay Gupta, Coke Scholar []
- Hi Fives - Podcast Highlights []
- Who is Asanshay Gupta? []
- High School Interests []
- Product-based Learning []
- Eye-Controlled Wheelchair []
- Next Steps for the Wheelchair []
- The Oxygen App []
- Applying for the Coke Scholarship []
- The Coke Scholarship Difference []
- The College Process []
- Why Product-based Thinking? []
- College and Beyond []
- Advice to High Schoolers []
Our Guest: Asanshay Gupta is a 2023 Coke Scholar, and a recent graduate of Atlanta International School, Georgia. Asanshay will be a Freshman at Stanford University in Fall 2023.
Memorable Quote: “...you don't really see many high schoolers making products, which is interesting to me, because that's always how I was approaching things. But yeah, it'll be interesting to see if things shift in that direction”. Asanshay Gupta on Product-based Thinking.
Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode’s Transcript.
Similar Episodes: College Experiences
Calls-to-action:
- Follow us on Instagram.
- To Ask the Guest a question, or to comment on this episode, email [email protected].
- Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify.
41 min - Looking Back with College Counselors: The 2022-23 College Application Season.
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The 2022-23 College Application Season in the books. It is a good time to look back and learn from the experience for the benefit of the next set of high school seniors and parents.
And who better to help us than the College Counselors who guided the current graduating seniors through the college process.
I talked to 6 High School College Counselors from across the US to put together this episode.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Introducing The Takeaways []
- The Learnings - Applications, Earlies, Decisions, Financial Aid []
- Preparing to Apply Early []
- Popular Majors []
- Scholarships []
- Advice for High School Seniors and Parents []
Our Guests:
- Tyler Sant of Atlanta International School
- Sean Kennedy of Ravenscroft High School
- Bill Hancock of Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School
- Colleen Koppes of Dowling Catholic High School
- Tom Stepkoski of Westhill High School, and
- Shveta Bagade, Counselor.
Memorable Quote: “I think the FAFSA, the opening of the application period being delayed to December[2023] is really a kind of sleeping giant…”, Sean Kennedy of Ravenscroft School.
Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode Transcript.
Calls-to-action:
- Follow us on Instagram.
- To Ask the Guest a question, or to comment on this episode, email [email protected].
- Subscribe or Follow our podcasts wherever you get your podcasts.
30 min
About College Matters. Alma Matters.
From the publisher's feed
Podcast for High Schoolers about College. We chronicle personal experiences on College Life, College Preparation with College Alumni, Faculty, Admissions and Counselors. The goal of these stories is…
to Inform & Inspire students all over the world to pursue their college dreams.