A prospective student’s high school transcript is the most important individual component of an application. Hannah and Mark discuss what admissions officers look for when reviewing transcripts and how transcripts demonstrate an applicant’s academic preparedness and academic resourcefulness. They share advice on building a high school course schedule and how to navigate the challenges that inevitably arise when students are unable to enroll in their preferred courses. The hosts share answers to some of the most frequently asked questions and give their advice on how to keep a healthy perspective on often-fraught topics such as mathematics placement and maximizing advanced courses.

At the start of the new admissions cycle, Kenan joins Hannah and Mark for the fourth annual application update episode, highlighting changes to Yale’s first-year application. The admissions officers discuss a revised Yale-specific question and changes to two parts of the Common Application that invite applicants to share additional information. This episode is an update to episodes titled “Essays: The Little Stuff” and “Application Update 2024-2025.”

For their third annual Bulldog Days Live episode, Hannah and Mark interview three recently admitted students about how they chose to spend their time in high school. The students share their insights on balancing schoolwork, extracurricular activities, social life, work, family, and everything else on their path to applying to college. Admissions officers Skylar and John discuss how the admissions office produces an action-packed three-day campus preview program, including two world-class performance showcases. Hannah and Mark also share dozens of pearls of wisdom submitted by audience members about prioritizing commitments and finding balance.

In the latest installment in the Mythbusters miniseries, Hannah and Mark discuss examples of reasonable—but ultimately inaccurate—beliefs that some applicants have about the admissions committee’s values and expectations. They address persistent myths about the qualities Yale admissions officers look for in applicants and offer advice for composing activities lists, essays, and short answer prompts.

The second episode in a mini-series about the first step in the admissions process: deciding where to apply. Hannah and Mark emphasize the importance of beginning the college search process by engaging in honest introspection and ignoring every college ranking website. Admissions officer John returns to the podcast to share his advice on creating a list of personalized non-negotiables to guide the search process.

With Yale’s first application deadline approaching, Hannah, Mark, and special guest Alfie hosted a special live virtual event for students planning to apply in the current admissions cycle. The officers answered questions about standardized testing, essays, and how officers review applications, while busting a few myths and responding to some of the most persistent rumors about selective college admissions.

The opening episode in a mini-series about the first step in the admissions process: deciding where to apply. Samantha — the admissions office’s new senior assistant director for partnership programming —joins Hannah and Mark to share advice on asking questions of admissions representatives, current students, faculty and staff. The officers discuss how asking thoughtful personalized questions is an essential step in building a college list and share strategies for seeking insights about a college’s potential fit.

At the start of the new admissions cycle, Karen joins Hannah and Mark for the third annual preview of the questions that will appear on Yale’s first-year application. The admissions officers discuss the types of responses that are more and less effective and what admissions officers hope to learn about applicants when reading their responses. This episode is an update to Episode 6: Essays: The Little Stuff, originally released in summer 2020.

Recently admitted students in the Class of 2028 join Hannah and Mark for the second annual Bulldog Days Live episode, recorded during Yale’s three-day campus preview program. Admissions officers Becky and Julian discuss how admissions officers enjoy meeting admitted students in person and the conversations they have with Bulldog Days attendees. Three admitted students reflect on navigating the process of selecting a college after receiving admissions offers, and the hosts share dozens of pearls of wisdom submitted by audience members to help students navigate the process of making a final college decision.

To help listeners better understand what test scores can and can’t say about a student’s relative strengths, Mark outlines an analogy he devised that connects standardized tests to his favorite sport. Dean Quinlan joins to discuss how applicants often overemphasize testing, the many ways applicants can show academic preparedness, and famous New York Mets knuckleballer R.A. Dickey.