The Admissions Club

This week Elizabeth and Chris examine the rise of A.I. in the world of education and discuss what this means for students. The conversation looks at the issues this potentially creates, as well as opportunities touse A.I. as a teaching tool.

An interview with Scott Galloway, a Professor at NYU, is referenced as part of our discussion, and this can be viewed here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un5-jtvol90&list=PLAzmGyE45_iTzOY15tX5wxvOt14bmKGtK

The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process!  But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone. 

Connect with Elizabeth!

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The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process!  But, we are here to share our experience in higher education and direct college admissions with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.

Connect with EWC!

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In this episode, Chris and Elizabeth discuss what students in 8th, 9th, and 10th grade should consider as they begin thinking ahead to the college admissions process. We cover a wide variety of topics in this episode, including:

• The development of soft skills and how these serve students during their high school journey.
• The benefits of going on an early college tour.
• How researching the college admissions process early can help reduce anxiety for students and their families in the long run.
• The need for some students to see items associated with college admissions in a tangible way as they work toward the application process.

The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process!  But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone. 

Connect with Elizabeth!

• Website
• Facebook
• YouTube
• LinkedIn

The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process!  But, we are here to share our experience in higher education and direct college admissions with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.

Connect with EWC!

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Kimberly Saunders is an Assistant Professor of English at Central Piedmont Community College and an award-winning writer. In this episode, Kim discusses her time as a student at SUNY Oswego. Among other things, we explore how clubs, organizations, campus culture, and a variety of other items might differ depending on the size of instiution a student decides to attend.

A few key takeaways:

• A smaller insitution might offer a more personalized experience when it comes to your major.
• Smaller univeristies can sometimes result in more "tightly knit" communities among students.
• Attending a smaller college could mean sacrificing the "big ticket" events that larger colleges are often known for, such as football and basketball games. The "school spirit" component is an important factor to consider.

Kim's song selection for this episode is "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morissette. The connection, of course, is that this is information you oughta know when weighing your college options!

The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process!  But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.

Connect with Elizabeth!

• Website
• Facebook
• YouTube
• LinkedIn

The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process!  But, we are here to share our experience in higher education and direct college admissions with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.

Connect with EWC!

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In this episode, I have the absolute pleasure of interviewing Dr. John Milne, Associate Professor of Engineering and Management at Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY. Dr. Milne highlights a variety of important considerations for students preparing for entry into technical majors as part of their college studies. Specifically, Dr. Milne discusses:

• What to consider when entering the field of Engineering and Management.
• The benefits of attending a small university in a small town.
• The "return on investment" students receive in higher education.
• The value of connecting theoretical concepts to real world problems.
• The need for learning to be concrete and immediately applicable for students.
• The intersection of technology and management skills.
• How students can best position themselves for success in the field of Engineering.
• The importance of writing and communication skills.
• The value of joining (and even creating!) clubs as part of the college experience.

The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process!  But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone. 

Connect with Elizabeth!

• Website
• Facebook
• YouTube
• LinkedIn

The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process!  But, we are here to share our experience in higher education and direct college admissions with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.

Connect with EWC!

• Website
• Facebook
• YouTube
• LinkedIn

In this episode, Elizabeth and Chris discuss common (and uncommon!) admissions questions that we receive. Among other things, we explore the following:

• Balancing extracurriculars and academics while in high school
• Exploring larger vs. smaller universities
• Volunteering
• The myth of needing all AP courses
• Considering your interests in clubs and organizations to help inform potential major and career options
• ...and many other topics!

The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process!  But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone. 

Connect with Elizabeth!

• Website
• Facebook
• YouTube
• LinkedIn

The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process!  But, we are here to share our experience in higher education and direct college admissions with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.

Connect with EWC!

• Website
• Facebook
• YouTube
• LinkedIn

Disability in college settings is often an unexplored street. How does a student with ADHD or autism or vision impairment navigate the college admissions process? If you are a student with a learning difference, there are some key things you need to consider when choosing a college. This includes not only examining the learning resources at the college, but also preparing yourself to become your own advocate as you move into adulthood. Tune in as Elizabeth talks with accessibility expert Laurie Necasek about all of this and more. Laurie Necasek manages digital accessibility projects, assists creators with accessible solutions and is the founder of AllAboutAccessibility.

Connect with Laurie!

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3 things to consider for students with learning differences: 

• When investigating colleges, check out their resources. Ask about their accessibility office. What resources do they have in place and where are these resources located? Is there more than one location for easy accessibility?
• Be mindful of online learning and exactly what the course entails. Some classes are partially on-line, some are fully online. Be aware that you will have to be more disciplined when it comes to setting up time to learn, to do the assignments, to check in with the professor. 
• Prepare to become your own advocate. Know your strengths and weaknesses and how best to communicate them to your professors. Begin practicing this now, especially if you are more introverted. 

The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process!  But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.

Connect with Elizabeth!

• Website
• Facebook
• YouTube
• LinkedIn

The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process!  But, we are here to share our experience in higher education and direct college admissions with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.

Connect with EWC!

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• Facebook
• YouTube
• LinkedIn

Looking ahead to the new year, we created a wish list of college prep activities for high school students to consider. Often, we only focus on seniors in high school and the prep work they need to do to apply for college. Truth be told, college prep and planning can (and should) occur as early as the freshman year in high school. Tune in as Elizabeth and Chris get together and share out key action items freshmen, sophomores and juniors should do to prepare them for the college application process.  

Key action items to consider this next year based on your high school grade:  

• 9th graders - consider course selection for your sophomore year. Which classes will you take to set yourself up for key classes during your junior and senior year? Get involved in some clubs and organizations. Attend games and events. Pro tip: Show initiative and start your own club. 
• 10th graders -  we are getting a little more serious now with college prep. Cultivate habits for success such as time management and self advocacy. If you are struggling in class, don’t just sit there, get help. Get a part-time job to gain skills and perspective. Consider dual enrollment classes for next year to gain college credit while still in high school. Next fall is your time to start taking the SAT and ACT. 
• 11 graders - believe it or not, it's almost a little late to start your college prep. This is the time to really focus on SAT and ACT test-taking and scores. Do you need test prep? Get that now. College visits should be on the horizon as well. Do  research on the college before visiting so you are prepared and know what to ask. 

The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process!  But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.

Connect with Elizabeth!

• Website
• Facebook
• YouTube
• LinkedIn

The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process!  But, we are here to share our experience in higher education and direct college admissions with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.

Connect with EWC!

• Website
• Facebook
• YouTube
• LinkedIn

It's really hard not to take a denial personally, but it is not personal. Denials happen for many reasons including budgeting issues, space issues….it's a numbers game. In life, there are times where you will not get what you want and there are times where you are shown a different direction. That being said, denials aren’t easy, and it's important to protect your mental health. Tune in to this episode as Elizabeth and Chris discuss what to do if you get denied, including key considerations for moving forward. 

3 important things to consider if you are denied:

• Maybe it wasn’t your dream school. Take a couple of days to process it and dig deep. Maybe this wasn’t the right fit socially or academically. In hindsight, this might become an important pivot in your life leading you toward a better future. 
• What NOT to do if you are denied.  Do not call the admissions office to complain or appeal the decision. Remember that there are real people behind the admissions office who have been fielding calls all day. Appeals are rare, if they even happen at all. 
• If it is your dream school, consider transferring there in the future. Call an admissions officer and politely inquire about this process. It is essential to make sure that the school you will go to before transferring to your dream school is accredited. If it is not accredited, your credits won’t transfer and you may not be able to transfer at all. 

The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process!  But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.

Connect with Elizabeth!

• Website
• Facebook
• YouTube
• LinkedIn

The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process!  But, we are here to share our experience in higher education and direct college admissions with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.

Connect with EWC!

• Website
• Facebook
• YouTube
• LinkedIn

You’re waiting for that coveted college acceptance letter and you get a deferral letter instead. Don’t be deflated if you get a deferral, this is not necessarily the end of your college dreams. What is a deferral anyway? A deferral means the admissions office is waiting to make a decision perhaps past the regular decision deadline or if you have updated information to give them. A deferral is not optimal, but it is not a definite no. Tune in as Elizabeth and Chris break down this gray area of acceptance and offer things to consider if you find yourself in this situation.  

3 Important things to consider if you get a deferral:

• Call an admission counselor for more information. If you are professional and courteous, you will get a forthright response about what you may need to do to get into the college. Tip: Don’t have your parents call, you need to make the call. Demonstrate that you are ready to be an adult. 
• New information might be needed. Sometimes a college wants to see new information such as an updated test scores, mid-term grades, or an updated letter of recommendation. If you opted out of an optional essay, the college might want you to fill it out in order to get more information about you. 
• Use the deferral to demonstrate your interest. Sometimes colleges use deferrals to see how interested you are in the college, especially if you are in the lower half of the students they typically admit. They are looking to see if you are willing to put in the extra effort in order to gain acceptance. This is your chance to shine! 

The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process!  But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.

Connect with Elizabeth!

• Website
• Facebook
• YouTube
• LinkedIn

The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process!  But, we are here to share our experience in higher education and direct college admissions with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.

Connect with EWC!

• Website
• Facebook
• YouTube
• LinkedIn

You’re accepted into a college, several colleges actually….So now what do you do? Considering that this is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make in your life, it can be daunting to not only move forward but make that final choice. Luckily, you have stumbled onto this podcast and this episode. This is the 1st of a 3-part series on decisions surrounding college acceptance that explores acceptance, deferral and denials. This first episode focuses on acceptance. Tune in as Elizabeth talks with Dr. Chris Flowers about the key things you need to consider once you’ve received that coveted acceptance letter such as how to follow up with financial aid, how to secure housing and why you should schedule an admitted student college visit. Dr. Chris Flowers is an award-winning educator, educational consultant, and research specialist at EWC Consulting.

Links mentioned:

• Imagine Scholarships
• Ep. 8. She Works Hard for the Money: Creative College Housing Cost Saving Ideas with Kim Venable
• Ep. 27 Never Gonna Give You Up: Traits for College Admission Success and Beyond with Dr. Chris Flowers 

3 Key things to do once you’ve received a college acceptance letter:

• Follow up with Financial Aid. Apply for need-based aid. Investigate scholarships, grants, especially institutional grants. No one wants to leave college heavily in debt. Now is the time to look at those numbers and determine whether this college is a good fit financially. Will you receive a good return on your financial investment there? 
• Investigate the Housing situation. When do you have to submit that housing deposit? Is it refundable? What % of students live on campus? What does the housing look like and how do costs relate to different room configurations? There is a big difference between dorms built 30 years ago and those that are new. 
• Schedule that admitted student visit. The school has already told you they want you, but is this the right fit? Sometimes the only way to determine this is by scheduling a visit to the college and trusting your instincts.  Determine if this is really the place for you. Assess the services that will be available to you (mental health, writing center, math lab, fitness), especially if you have a learning difference - do they have any support in place?  

The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process!  But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone. 

Connect with Elizabeth!

• Website
• Facebook
• YouTube
• LinkedIn

The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process!  But, we are here to share our experience in higher education and direct college admissions with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.

Connect with EWC!

• Website
• Facebook
• YouTube
• LinkedIn