The College Metropolis Podcast: College Admissions Talk for High School Students and Parents

#109 – Today, we begin our series of episodes in which we highlight colleges and universities we feel you should know about. These are the institutions we consider to be the gems of our higher education system. On this episode, we present the University of Washington, a highly-recognized research powerhouse. Founded in 1861, the UW is one of the top public research universities in the country. Jankel and I begin by discussing the school’s location and information related to its programs and majors. We continue by presenting its great many accolades, including its many high-ranking programs. We also discuss the UW student to faculty ratio and very high retention rate. I continue by providing examples of the great research being conducted at the university. Jankel talks about what it takes to be admitted to the UW by showcasing admission information for the 2021-22 freshman incoming class. We end the episode by discussing the different schools that make up the University of Washington, the vast number of extracurricular activities available to students, and information about Greek life. The UW is a great institution truly focused on making the world a better place and preparing students to make their mark in that process. You can access the show notes for this episode at https://www.collegemetropolis.com. Please help us reach other high school students and parents by giving us a 5-star rating and leaving us a positive review. Thank you!

#108 – Today, Jankel and I talk about the importance of finding the colleges and universities that better meet your needs, as you begin to create the list of schools to which you will apply. We present some of the factors that may be considered, including whether you meet the admission requirements, you are able to afford attending the school, the school offers the programs and majors you are interested in. We also highlight the importance of analyzing whether the campus culture, size, and location meet your needs. Lastly, we talk about the importance of assessing whether the teaching style employed by the faculty is appropriate to you, and whether the school will offer you the type of outside-the-classroom activities that are important to you. We will continue our list of factors to consider in episode #110. You can access the show notes for this episode at https://www.collegemetropolis.com. Please help our podcast by giving us a 5-star rating, and leaving us a positive review. We sincerely thank you for your support!

#107 – Today, we present three steps to take after completing the FAFSA. These are easy-to-follow steps that will ensure that you receive your financial aid as soon as possible. Additionally, we walk you through a detailed description of the steps taken to award you need-based and non-need-based financial aid. As the episode progresses, you will gain an understanding of what your Student Aid Report will tell you and what it will not tell you. You will also understand the meaning of Cost of Attendance and your Expected Family Contribution. On this episode, Jankel and I go to great lengths to try to demystify what goes on behind the scenes as your financial aid is processed, and attempt to give you an optimistic outlook, reminding you of the many advantages that will be available to you when it comes to helping you pay for college. You can access the show notes for this episode at https://www.collegemetropolis.com. Every link we talked about on this episode will be listed on the episode page. We are grateful that you are part of our College Metropolis community. Please help our efforts by telling others about us, giving us a 5-star rating, and leaving us a positive review. We sincerely thank you!

#106 – On this episode, Jankel and I present the six steps that are necessary to apply for and receive financial aid. We highlight the details of the first two, including, the information that will be necessary to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and how to complete the form. During our conversation, we also discuss ways to avoid mistakes that students and parents can make, which can slow down the process of securing aid. Jankel talks about what to do if your family’s financial situation changes after submitting the FAFSA. These steps are very important as they may lead to a change in the amount of financial aid you receive, one that more accurately reflects your current financial situation. We also talk about different family structures and how students can find out which parent’s financial information they are supposed to use on the FAFSA. In some cases, the answer may not be as straight forward as it might first appear. You can access the show notes for this episode at https://www.collegemetropolis.com. Every link we talked about on this episode will be listed on the episode page. We thank you for being part of our College Metropolis community. Please help us reach a wider audience by giving us a 5-star rating and leaving us a positive review. That will be very helpful to our efforts and we will truly appreciate it!

#105 – On this episode we present the 10 most common mistakes students and parents/guardians make when filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Although some of these mistakes are easily avoidable, some can be more difficult to catch. We talk about several elements related to applying for financial aid, and highlight the importance of keeping track of the 3 different types of deadlines and applying early. Jankel also gives advice to students and parents/guardians whose Expected Family Contribution may be more than they could afford. She follows her advice with a story in which she helped a close friend lower her family’s Expected Family Contribution. You can find the show notes for this episode, including several important links on our website at https://collegemetropolis.com. Please help us reach a wider audience by giving our podcast a 5-star rating and leaving us a positive review. We greatly appreciate it. Thank you!

#104 – Today, we share 4 steps students can take if they find themselves having a low grade point average (GPA), and the time to apply to college is around the corner. The advice we provide today is particularly helpful for students whose dream is to attend a selective college or university. Additionally, we provide 2 alternative ways in which students who do not meet the GPA requirements, may be able to gain admission into selective institutions. You can find the show notes for this episode, including important links on our website at https://collegemetropolis.com. Please help us reach a wider audience by giving us a 5-star rating and leaving us a positive review. That kind gesture would help us reach other high school students and parents who are in need of this content. Thank you!

#103 – On this episode, we conclude our 7-part series on the personal essay. Today, Jankel and I begin by introducing the importance of seeking feedback on your 4th draft. We talk about the people in your life who would be great participants in this feedback-seeking exercise. We go over 7 questions to ask those individuals and present ways to gather even more information from them. The resulting 5th draft will undergo an additional adjustment, and the results will be the 6th draft. The only step left to take after that is to have the essay be read by another person, another set of eyes, to ensure that it is mechanically perfect. The resulting 7th draft would be the final essay. Time to celebrate! Please go to our show notes on https://collegemetropolis.com to print a copy of the questions we present on this episode. Please help us grow by giving our show a 5-star rating and leaving us a positive review. We sincerely thank you!

#102 – Today, we reach the next step in crafting the personal essay. Jankel and I uncover the process of calibrating the 3rd draft in such a way that it becomes a message that communicates the intended message. We go over the questions to ask to guide that calibration. In the first half of the episode we talk about a mistake some students make when writing their personal essay. Unfortunately for them, that mistake garners them negative attention from college admission officers. The good news is that it is easy for students to avoid making that mistake. We will tell you all about it. Once the 4th draft is completed, it will be ready to be presented to others for reading and providing feedback. Please go to our show notes on https://collegemetropolis.com to print a copy of the questions we present on this episode. We ask you to please help our show by giving our show a 5-star review on the podcasting platform you use and leaving us a positive review. That will go a long way in helping us be found by others like you. Thank you!

#101 – On this episode we give you 12 questions and pieces of advice that will help you turn the information you created on your second draft into a workable third draft. Jankel and I talk about what to do to grab the attention of the college admission representatives reading your essay, and how to get them to become immersed in your story. As we share those steps you should take and things you should do, we also share plenty of what you should not do as a writer. Some of what you will do as you write your third draft will seem counterintuitive, and may feel as though you will be violating the rules of writing you have learned in high school. We will explain when and how this happens, and why it is okay to do it in your personal essay. You can find the show notes for this episode at https://collegemetropolis.com/101. You can help our show greatly by giving us a 5-star rating and leaving us a positive review. That is the best way you can help our podcast. We will truly appreciate it. Thank you!

#100 – Today, we uncover the process of turning the first draft of your personal essay into your second draft. Jankel and I go over eight questions to ask about the information on your first draft, so that at the end, you are left with the building blocks you will use to write the body of your personal essay. At the beginning of the episode, we talk about two pieces of advice I often share with parents about some of the ways they could best support their kids in high school. We also let students know how they could use that same piece of advice to benefit themselves in their college preparation. You can find the show notes for this episode, including the eight questions we presented on this episode, at https://collegemetropolis.com/100. You can help us greatly by giving us a 5-star rating and leaving us a positive review. That kind gesture will go a long way in helping us reach out to many other parents and students in need of the information we share. Thank you!