In this episode, Eric (former Admissions Officer at Columbia University) and IvyWise counselor Rachel (Former Assistant Dean of Admissions at Swarthmore College) discuss the importance of identifying interests, forming a plan to make an impact both inside and outside of the classroom, and committing to these activities for the long-term.

At IvyWise, we advise students to apply to about 13-15 colleges, with as close to an even distribution of target, reach, and likely institutions as possible. In this episode, IvyWise college admissions expert Rachel (former Assistant Dean of Admissions at Swarthmore College) joins Zach (former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Boston College) to share their top tips on how to create a manageable and balanced college list.

This special episode of Just Admit It! gives a sneak peek into an admissions committee via the IvyWise Roundtable process. Our unique Roundtable process simulates the real-world admissions committee found at top universities across the U.S. In this episode, IvyWise expert Victoria (former Assistant Director of Admissions at the University of Chicago and Sarah Lawrence College) joins Zach (former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Boston College) and Carolyn (former Admissions Officer at Vanderbilt University) to review one of our pro bono students’ profile, transcript, Common App personal statement, and Stanford University supplements. We've posted the application materials on our Instagram (@FollowIvyWise) and podcast page so that you can follow along! (Spoiler alert: He ended up getting into all three of his top-choice universities, including Stanford!)

It’s never too early to start planning for higher ed! College admissions officers evaluate all four years of high school, so it’s crucial for students and families to start planning for college from ninth grade onwards. In this episode, IvyWise counselors Victoria (former Assistant Director of Admissions at the University of Chicago and Sarah Lawrence College) and Nat (former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at NYU and NYU Abu Dhabi) discuss when and how to start college prep.

In this episode, IvyWise counselors Victoria (former Assistant Director of Admissions at the University of Chicago and Sarah Lawrence College) and Rachel (former Assistant Dean of Admissions at Swarthmore College) explain why it’s crucial for students to demonstrate their interest in their top-choice universities and provide examples of how (and how not!) to do so.

In this episode, IvyWise counselor Nat (former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at NYU and NYU Abu Dhabi) joins Eric (former Admissions Officer at Columbia University) to offer advice on when and how students should start planning for standardized testing, discuss the important distinction between 'test-optional' and 'test-blind', and analyze how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting students' test prep plans.

Most U.S. universities use the ‘holistic review’ process when evaluating college applications. This means admissions officers place emphasis on the applicant as a whole person, not just their academic achievements, so soft factors may be given just as much consideration as the empirical data present in hard factors. In this episode, IvyWise counselors Victoria (formerly at the University of Chicago and Sarah Lawrence College) and Christine (formerly at Yale and Georgetown) break down the college admissions rubric and discuss examples of different hard and soft factors that admissions officers evaluate.

In addition to the personal statement, many colleges and universities ask supplemental essay questions as part of the college application process. These essays can range from 100-250-word responses to short, 50-word "popcorn" questions. In this episode, Eric (former Columbia University admissions officer) and Zach (former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Boston College) spill the tea on what admissions officers are looking for in supplemental essays and what students can do to stand out. 

Writing the personal statement is often the most challenging aspect of college applications, so it’s no wonder that this is our most frequently received question from students. In this special extended episode of Just Admit It!, IvyWise college admissions expert Rachel (former Assistant Dean of Admissions at Swarthmore) joins Zach (former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Boston College) to share their top tips on how to brainstorm and write college application essays, and what admissions officers are looking for when they read them. 

In the debut episode of Just Admit It!, IvyWise college admissions experts Christine (former Assistant Director of Admissions at Yale and Georgetown) and Nat (former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at NYU and NYU Abu Dhabi) join Eric (former Admissions Officer at Columbia) discuss how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting higher ed and how the high school Class of 2021 can navigate the altered application cycle this semester.