Getting In: A College Coach Conversation

Does most of what you know about college and the college admission process come from friends, neighbors, and acquiantainces? Does the college admission process and higher education in general seem a bit scary as a result? If so, please listen to this podcast. Our host, Elizabeth Heaton, will be talking with colleagues Julia Jones and Blair Dixon regarding rumors about the application process and colleges in general. In addition, College Coach Financial Aid consultant Alex Gonzalez will be addressing rumors about saving and paying for college. Hint: most rumors you hear are very, very incorrect!

We have an exciting guest today: our host Shannon Vasconcelos will be joined by Sean Fochtman of Michigan State University. He'll discuss his insights from working with students in the College of Engineering as well as his current role as Director of Alumni Venture Support within MSU's Burgess Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. In addition, Shannon will be chatting with College Coach expert and parent of high school students Karen Spencer about whether there is ever a time to be a helicopter parent. Finally, college finance expert Michelle Clifton will be providing a student and parent loan repayment update.

How does college admissions and paying for college intersect? Listen to this show to find out. Host Ian Fisher will be talking with colleague Gabbi Tobias about how to use social media to research colleges. It can be a very handy tool for this! He will also be talking with colleague Kyra Tyler about whether colleges look at the social media accounts of applicants. In addition, College Coach finance expert Jennifer Willcox is going to discuss how social media outlets and groups may be a good place for families to obtain paying and saving for college information.

Will you be attending a reception or a college campus and have a chance to meet with an admissions officer? Have you heard that all questions are good questions? Well, maybe not. Our host Beth Heaton will be talking with former admissions officer and high school college counselor Lisa Albro about questions not to ask. For the seniors, College Coach colleagues Kennon Dick and Jan Combs, of our admissions and college finance teams respectively, will be reviewing what to expect when transitioning to college. There will be paperwork and deadlines and we're here to help you get ready!

Are you considering studying abroad in college? Listen in as our host Shannon Vasconcelos chats with colleague Elyse Krantz about the pros and cons. Then, Shannon with be answering listener questions with College Coach colleagues Alexandra Rendon of the admission team and Zachary Gries of the college finance team.

Are you considering hiring help for college admissions and/or scholarship applications? Listen in, as host Sally Ganga, formerly a high school college counselor, will be joined by her colleagues Michael Yager, another former high school college counselor, and Mollie O'Connor, Director of Client Services at College Coach. They will discuss all aspect of working with independent college advisors, including whether you should disclose to your high school counselor and busting myths about what they actually do. Hint: if an independent counselor promises they will "get you in" to a given school, run the other way.

Confused by some of the terms you hear that describe colleges? Host Ian Fisher and his guests, College Coach colleagues Serena Frisina, formerly of Lewis & Clark University, and Zaragoza Guerra, formerly of Cal Tech and MIT, will be diving into what is meant by the descriptors "a liberal arts education" and "a polytechnic institute." You may be surprised by the explanation. And do you know what loud budgeting is? Michelle Smoley, College Coach finance expert, explains.

Juniors, this episode is for you! Host Sally Ganga will be addressing how to ask for letters of recommendation with guest and college admissions counselor Karen Spencer as well as chatting with admissions advisor Christine Kenyon about how to find your best fit college. Hint: tune out the noise of other people's opinions and focus on your own needs and wants. In addition, Sally will be chatting with college finance expert Beth Feinberg-Keenan about how to look at financial fit when selecting a college.

Seniors, are you unhappy with the colleges that have admitted you? Or, have you not yet applied? For this episode, our host Ian Fisher will be talking with College Coach admissions counselor Brittany Preston about what to do when you aren't excited about your admits, and Nicole Doyle about colleges that are still taking applications. For those with younger students, College Coach finance colleague Laurie Peltier will be joining him to discuss options for saving for college.

What an exciting episode today! Our host, Shannon Vasconcelos, will be talking with author Emi Nietfeld about her memoir, Acceptance, in which she discusses growing up with a troubled mother and eventually in the foster care system, but still managing to gain admission to Harvard. She goes beyond the typical triumphant narrative, however, and discusses the personal cost of portraying herself as someone who has "overcome" these obstacles when, in important ways, she hasn't. So tune in! Zachary Gries will also be joining Shannon to discuss why to fill out the FAFSA.