Shift - College admissions in a changing world

Colleges don't just pick the best academic applicants for their schools - they have athletes, legacy, and other admissions needs to fill. Shane Bybee has run Bybee College Prep for almost a decade and has helped thousands of students get into college. In this episode, Shane explains how college admissions works behind the scenes, why your admissions chances are lower than you think, and what you can do about it.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

Applying to US colleges is tough enough, and if you're from Latin America, you can face additional challenges. Jason Morgan has been a college admissions counsellor for 20 years, the last 10 of which have been focused on international students. In this episode, Jason uses his expertise in getting Latin American students into US universities to share actionable tips and strategies for parents and students.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

If you're applying to top 100 colleges, should you submit your ACT or SAT score? David Blobaum is one of the co-owners of Summit Prep and a nationally recognized expert on the SAT, ACT, and college admissions. In this episode, David shares the recent studies and data that are shifting admissions officers' preferences away from test optional at the top 100 colleges.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

Looking to stand out in your college application? Getting a peer reviewed academic research project published can be a huge leg up over other applicants. Sasha Chada is founder and CEO of Ivy Scholars, whose students have 7X the admission rate to Stanford, Columbia, MIT, and other top schools. In this mega-episode, Sasha shares his playbook for finding, setting up, completing, and publishing an academic research project in a peer reviewed publication.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

Steph Shyu is the founder of Admitsee - a crowdsourced database of college applications, including college applications, essays, and reviews from thousands of students. In this episode, Steph shares insights from Admitsee's platform data on the cultural differences between colleges, and then talks about how you can highlight any cultural alignment in your application to improve your chances for admission.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

There is a big different between a good letter of recommendation and a great one that will actually get you into your top target school. Hamada Zahawi is the CEO and founder of Write Track Admissions, a global admissions consultancy with a 93% success rate. In this episode, Hamada shares his step-by-step plan for getting impactful letters of recommendation.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

TikTok has a lot of college admissions essay advice lately, but how much of it is actually good advice? Robert Franklin is a writer and admissions consultant at Admissionado, a full service college admissions firm that guides students through the whole process. In this episode, Robert breaks down the different TikTok college essay trends that are going viral on the platform, including which ideas are good and which ideas are bad for your application. 

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

Your time spent preparing for the SAT and ACT can be a lot more effective if you follow good study practices. Travis Minor is the founder of Open Door Education, which has been helping students prepare for the SAT and ACT for over 10 years. In this episode, Travis shares his five core principles for SAT and ACT prep, with actionable implementation strategies for each one.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

Going to college is exciting, but there's no tip sheet - that's why we made this episode. Louis Newman is former Dean of Academic Advising at Stanford University and now the author of the new book "Thinking Critically in College: The Essential Handbook for Student Success." In this episode, Louis shares advice that all high school students should hear before going to college, with a focus on the skills and strategies they need to handle the toughest challenges of their academic career.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

Applying to CS or STEM undergraduate programs? Or just looking to maximize your application in general? Stephen Friedfeld is the cofounder of AcceptU, an admissions consulting firm since 2010 that only employs former admissions officers. In this episode, Stephen shares his tips on how to make the most of every part of your college application, with specific tips for computer science (CS) and STEM applicants.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.