Host Julie Lythcott-Haims looks into the world of serious performing arts applicants. If you're a committed musician, actor, singer, or dancer who wants to keep studying that art form in college or at a conservatory, the admissions path has a few more hurdles. We'll hear updates from two Getting In seniors with a passion for music and theater: Jordana Meyer in Maryland and Alessandra LePera in New Jersey. Alessandra is deep into preparation for her auditions for various theater programs.

Special guest Doug Long, a college counselor at Interlochen Arts Academy, a boarding school in Michigan, shares advice high school seniors can use right now as they head into auditions in the coming weeks. And he offers lots of tips for juniors, including arts scholarship ideas and specialized college fair resources.

And we have a fresh update from Getting In senior Jonathan Diaz, a first-generation college applicant. In December he applied "Early Decision II" to Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA. Jonathan told us that the college notified him earlier this month. Listen to find out what happened.

Find us on Twitter: @GettingInPodSend us an email or voice memo--to [email protected], call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353.

Getting In is supported by Squarespace, helping students create online portfolios and personal websites that show colleges who they are and what they can do. Learn more at Squarespace.com/gettingin

Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

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This week the Harvard Graduate School of Education issued a report that called for sweeping changes in the college admissions process. Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and Getting In expert Steve LeMenager talk about the report's highlights-- which emphasized authentic community service and aimed to de-emphasize the importance of AP courses and standardized test scores.

Steve is the president of Edvice, a college counseling firm. He was previously a director of admissions at Princeton University.

Plus, Julie and Steve answer listener questions. One listener suggests applicants look into ROTC programs and the GI Bill as a way to finance college. And a mom in Florida wonders what the right fit for her son might be when he has so many interests and aptitude across science, humanities, music, and language.

There are lots of ways to send us questions and comments:

Follow us on Twitter: @GettingInPod

Send us an email or voice memo to [email protected]

Or, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353

Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

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By now most high school seniors have submitted their applications, but there may still be one final step happening in the next several weeks: an interview. Getting In Expert Parke Muth and host Julie Lythcott-Haims say the interview is less about lists of accomplishments and much more about authentic conversation.

Parke also describes a bit of the backstory behind the influx of elite applicants from China, India, Korea, and Singapore and the challenges they face. Though test-taking is not one of them. If you think the high school with the highest average SAT scores is in the United States, think again.

Plus, Julie and Parke answer listener questions. How do you ask an admissions office for a gap year or deferral after you've received a generous scholarship offer? And, when visiting a college campus for the first time-- what's the most important thing you can do or ask?

There are lots of ways to send us questions and comments:

Follow us on Twitter: @GettingInPod

Send us an email or voice memo to [email protected]

Or, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353

Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With a new year come new challenges for high school seniors. While most college applications are complete and submitted, financial aid forms need attention right now. Getting In expert Josh Steckel explains the differences between the FAFSA and CSS forms. And he and host Julie Lythcott-Haims walk through some first steps students and families might take if they plan to apply for government and institutional aid.

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Host Julie Lythcott-Haims asks expert Amy Young about what high school juniors should be thinking about at the beginning of 2016. Amy is the director of college counseling at Avenues, an independent school in New York City. She says if a high school junior is feeling overwhelmed or uninterested, a good first step is to visit a college campus-- it really helps a student get excited about the process.

Julie and Amy answer listener questions from a parent about the value pre-college summer programs for high school students. And an AP History teacher wonders if it's a red flag to college admissions officers when AP History students do not take the AP exam.

Send questions, comments, and follow us on Twitter @GettingInPod

Send us an email or voice memo to [email protected]

Or, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353

Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

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Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and expert Amy Young look back on how the seniors at Avenues fared during the early decision round. Amy is the director of college counseling at Avenues, an independent school in New York City. She highlights the acceptances to excellent under-the-radar schools like Wheaton College and Elon.

Julie and Amy answer listener questions from parents about how to approach the college admission process when their children have ADHD and other learning differences. And with the College Board introducing a redesigned SAT next spring, a parent wonders whether her daughter should sign up to take the old version in January or the new version in March.

Send questions, comments, and follow us on Twitter @GettingInPod

Send us an email or voice memo to [email protected]

Or, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353

Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For high school seniors who completed early decision and early action applications this fall, this past week was prime-time for getting notified about those applications. Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and expert Parke Muth get updates from three of Getting In's seniors.

Muth worked for nearly thirty years at the University of Virginia as an admissions officer and dean, he's now an independent college admissions counselor.

Getting In seniors Jordana Meyer, August Graves, and Ellis Wells all received early decision notifications this week. They share their news and begin to plot their next steps.

Plus, Julie and Parke answer a listener question from a dad who wonders whether Emory -- his son's first choice school with a $60,000/year price tag-- is worth it, given that his son's second choice school is Florida State with a $17,000 yearly fee.

Send questions, comments, and follow us on Twitter @GettingInPod

Send us an email or voice memo to [email protected]

Or, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353

Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

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Getting In senior Jonathan Diaz is a first-generation college applicant and he's grappling with some big questions. Should he leave his family? And wherever he gets in...will it be affordable? The support Jonathan is getting from his high school college office is critical and host Julie Lythcott-Haims gives us a closer look at Jonathan's progress this fall.

We meet Jonathan's mother, Candida, a home health attendant and we listen in on a pivotal meeting Jonathan has with his college counselor Josh Steckel as he begins to nail down his list of schools.

Josh Steckel, Jonathan's counselor at the Brooklyn School for Collaborative Studies, is also the author of Hold Fast to Dreams: A College Guidance Counselor, His Students, and the Vision of a Life Beyond Poverty.

Send us an email or voice memo--to [email protected], call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353.

Getting In is supported by Squarespace, helping students create online portfolios and personal websites that show colleges who they are and what they can do. Learn more at Squarespace.com/gettingin

Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and expert Steve LeMenager, president of Edvice, and independent college counseling firm and a former director of admission at Princeton, answer listener questions.

A mom whose daughter has applied early decision to an Ivy, wonders-- if her daughter gets deferred-- what kinds of actions can be taken to stand out in the regular pool. A high school junior asks if skipping 12th grade to attend an early college program is a good idea. And a dad wonders how to find top colleges not in the popular top-20 that would be a good fit for his high achieving daughter.

Plus updates from Getting In seniors Jonathan Diaz, Ellis Wells, and Jordana Meyer. Jonathan gets a welcome bump in his SATs. And early December can be an anxious time for students awaiting early decision notifications, but Jordana and Ellis are finding ways to escape the stress.

Send us an email or voice memo--to [email protected], call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353.

Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

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Guest host Amy Young, director of college counseling at Avenues New York, and expert Parke Muth answer listener questions. For nearly 30 years Muth worked in the admissions office and as a dean at UVA. He's now a private consultant on the college admission process.

A mother in Portland wonders why some students get interviews and others don't. A sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh, his back-up college, wonders if it's worthwhile to transfer to a more selective school. And a father in Virginia, exploring options for his daughter, is curious about "guaranteed admission" programs to top state universities after attending community college for two years.

Send us an email or voice memo--to [email protected], call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353.

Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices