Join us for my interview with Ryan Palm, Executive Director of the Brad McGarry Center for Neurodiversity at Mercyhurst University. Not only will you learn about the AIM program at Mercyhurst and how it supports autistic students, but we also cover how to research and evaluate these kinds of fee-based programs, how college is different from high school for neurodivergent students and what you can do as a parent of an autistic student to help prepare them for college while they're in high school.

Ryan Palm is the executive director of the Brad McGarry Center for Neurodiversity at Mercyhurst University and is working to expand the mission of the Autism Initiative at Mercyhurst (AIM) with a focus on increasing enrollment and building corporate relationships and employment opportunities. In this role, Ryan brings employment experience in three primary sectors, government, non profit, and corporate, and leverages those experiences and connections to help AIM students with their career aspirations. Ryan also identifies new partnership opportunities that will benefit both Mercyhurst students, as well as the external partner, creating a new or expanded pipeline of neurodivergent talent.

Also in this episode:

How Academic Coaching can help your neurodivegent student prepare for college.

Admission Tip of the Day: Make sure to be working on the following college ready skills while your student is in high school so they're most likely to have a successful transition to college. 

Learn about Academic Coaching: https://thecollegespy.com/academic-coaching-package-high-school

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College Spotlight: Elon University

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Key points in this episode

1:52 Meet Ryan Palm

4:25 Introduction to AIM and how does the program support autistic students

6:00 Why autistic students struggle in college

6:45 Modifications vs Accommodations

8:44 Recommendations for researching fee-based college support programs

13:45 Admissions at AIM is not related to admissions at Mercyhurst

17:22 Academic Coaching to prepare students for college

18:20 Challenges for families as their students transition to college

19:53 FERPA waiver discussions

21:50 Fees and financial aid for a fee-based support program

24.35 CREATE program at Mercyhurst

30:28 Tip of the Day

31:15 College Spotlight: Elon University

***

Learn more about Mercyhurst University’s AIM program: https://www.mercyhurst.edu/student-services/autism-initiative

Learn more about our Countdown to College Package - our concierge package as your personal college counselor: https://thecollegespy.com/countdown-to-college-package

Learn more about The College Spy and the admissions advisory services offered by Michelle and her team -- Go to The College Spy Website

Contact Michelle McAnaney at [email protected]

Join us for my interview with Brett Fuller of Pioneer Academics, a company that coordinates research opportunities for high school students. We discuss the impact of academic research on the college admissions process, why it makes sense for some students and what to look for in a research program. You’ll learn if publication really matters, how to share this on your application and what a research experience with Pioneeer Academics looks like. 

Brett Fuller has more than a decade of experience in the college admissions world. He began his career at Manhattan College before spending five years in the undergraduate admissions office at Columbia University, where he also earned his master's degree in higher and post-secondary administration. He later served as Associate Dean of Admissions for Wake Forest University before joining Pioneer Academics in 2022.

Also in this episode: What’s included in our concierge level package - Countdown to College. Looking for unlimited touchpoints and a personal approach? This is for you. 

Admission Tip of the Day: Look for ways to extend and expand on your activities and interests. Start a blog, website or YouTube channel sharing your expertise. Or find a volunteer opportunity.  Academic research is just one of the ways to show your interests and intellectual curiosity.

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College Spotlight: Howard University

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Key points in this episode

2:49 Meet Brett Fuller

3:39 What are the benefits of academic research in high school

8:34 Skipping ‘manufactured’ applications

9:32 How to find a research experience

11:04 Academic research programs - product fulfillment vs. guided research

12:45 Does publication matter?

15:34 What is intellectual curiosity?

19:44 What a Pioneer research experience looks like

23:27 Sharing research on a college application

30:10 Tip of the Day

31:01 College Spotlight

***

Learn more about Pioneer Academics: https://pioneeracademics.com/

Learn more about our Countdown to College Package - our concierge package as your personal college counselor: https://thecollegespy.com/countdown-to-college-package

Learn more about The College Spy and the admissions advisory services offered by Michelle and her team -- Go to The College Spy Website
Contact Michelle McAnaney at [email protected]

#23: Charting Your Course Preview: An Interview with Aaron Basko

Join us for an interview with Aaron Basko, author of “Find Your Purpose. Manage Your Career” and instructor for our upcoming live class Charting Your Course.  As a higher education leader, speaker and author, Aaron has led four different colleges to enrollment turnarounds and been quoted in Forbes, Inside Higher Ed and the Chronicle of Higher Education. Today, we’ll be talking about his practical book full of hands-on advice to help students discover where their passions lie and turn that into a rewarding career.  You’ll learn why starting early is so important, how to think about selecting a major and a pro tip for triangulation that you can use in creating a compelling application package. 

Also in this episode:

Admission Tip of the Day: There is a wide range of competitiveness in college athletics from Division I to club sports to intramural sports. If sports have been an important and positive part of your high school career, look for ways that it can be part of your college life too! There will be a level where you are ‘good enough’ to play!

Course registration: Sign up for our live, interactive course with Aaron Basko starting on October 29. This class is designed to be taken by parents and students together to help students make progress towards deciding their major and career path. Space is limited. Register here. 

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College Spotlight: American University

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Key points in this episode

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3:40 Meet Aaron Basko

4:24 Aaron’s favorite way to help people maximize their potential

4:38 The 3 reasons why Michelle loved Aaron’s book

6:16 The 3 keys to a career fit: design, desire and demand

7:35 Why grade 10 is a good place to start

9:23 Why “find your passion” isn’t enough

13:10 Michelle’s love/hate relationship with assessments

18:47  Managing your ‘brand’ in the admissions process

20:50 Aaron’s insider tip on triangulation

22:11 What typical career paths look like today

23:13 The power of informational interviews

28:23 How to get Aaron’s book

***

Register for Charting Your Course - 1 spot per family

Learn more about Aaron Basko

Order Aaron’s book on Amazon

Register for the next College Admissions 101 session

Learn more about The College Spy and the admissions advisory services offered by Michelle and her team -- Go to The College Spy Website

Contact Michelle McAnaney at [email protected]

Is academic research an important part of the admissions process? How do you know if it’s right for your student? And how do you find a position that fits your student’s interests?

We cover all of these topics and more in today’s episode with Dr. Robert Malkin, Professor of the Practice of Biomedical Engineering and Global Health, Emeritus at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.  He is also the Academic Director of the International Research Institute of North Carolina. Dr. Malkin was the founder and Director of Engineering World Health and The Global Public Service Academies, organizations dedicated to improving healthcare in the developing world. 

Dr. Malkin talks to The College Spy about why academic research can help a college application stand out from the crowd. He also explains why experienced mentorship is so crucial to a research position. You’ll learn the importance of correct citation of your research and why apprenticeship is the key method to learn research skills. 

Dr. Malkin published a helpful guide for high school students looking to get into academic research that we highly recommend. Link below.

***

Tip of the Day: Think about whether a large university is right for your student. These schools often have wide varieties of majors and student organizations but some students feel that it takes time to find their place and get to know professors. Visit large, small and medium sized colleges to get a feel for what is best.

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College Spotlight: Northeastern University

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Key points in this episode:

2:57 Meet Dr. Robert Malkin

6:40 The best ways to get research positions

10:55 The importance of mentorship

13:08 Why your mentor matters more than the institution name

17:40 Why networking matters in research

19:30 How important is research to getting in?

22:00 Is research a good fit?

23:40 Goals for academic research

26: 37 Tip of the Day

27:45 College Spotlight on Northeastern University

***

Read the podcast transcript: https://thecollegespy.com/podcast

Learn more about The College Spy and the admissions advisory services- Go to The College Spy Website

Learn more about Dr. Malkin

Buy "A Guide to Academic Research for High School Students: Finding and Managing Your Lab Experience"

Contact Michelle McAnaney at [email protected]

Back to school season is here! High school students often start the year excited to reinvent themselves. Learn how to harness this positive energy to start the semester on the right foot.

Today, we’re talking with Lisa Delfino, The College Spy’s academic coach for students with autism, ADHD and other learning disabilities. As a high school special education teacher for over 40 years, Lisa helps students master their strengths, organize their time and improve their grades. 

Here’s Lisa’s top 4 tips to help your neurodivergent student hit the ground running this year! 

Academic coaching can help your student become a better learner, a more efficient student and generally happier kid. 

Studying now is different than it was for parents. Google classroom, technology tools and AI have all dramatically changed the skills you need to study effectively. 

Reach out to get started with academic coaching? Email us at [email protected].

***

Tip of the Day: Take a walk around a college campus this fall — no matter what age your kid is. Just drive to the closest campus, grab a cup of coffee and take a stroll. 

***

College Spotlight: California Polytechnic University 

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Key points in this episode

2:12 Meet Lisa Delfino, The College Spy’s academic coach for students with disabilities

4:18 Four strategies to help your student succeed this semester

14:57 Why every student needs to maintain their calendar

18:00 College changes

22:21 How the right schedule can make all the difference

24:15 All about academic coaching

31:52 The College Spy’s Tip of the Day

33:00 College Spotlight

***

Read the podcast transcript: https://thecollegespy.com/podcast

Learn more about academic coaching with Lisa Delfino for high school students:

https://thecollegespy.com/academic-coaching-package-high-school

Learn more about academic coaching with Lisa Delfino for college students:

https://thecollegespy.com/academic-coaching-package-college

Learn more about The College Spy and the admissions advisory services offered by Michelle, Lisa and the College Spy team -- Go to The College Spy Website

Contact Michelle McAnaney at [email protected]

Today, we widen our lens to help students connect their education and career success. We’re talking with Sonia Cacique of DiscoverU, College and Career Ready Coaching. Sonia is a student advocate and career coach expert that is challenging the status quo of college and career readiness by bridging the gap between education, careers and the current workforce. Her goal is to help students create career connections early in their education journey. She helps students with character development, identity, self-advocacy, career connections and networking skills among other soft skills.  

We dive into how to prepare your student to make the most of any college they attend. We also talk about the importance of connections for career exploration and why students’ should prioritize getting a real life ‘behind the scenes’ look at their careers of interest to gauge if it’s a good fit. We wrap up with conversations about defining success between generations and how parents can truly listen to what their kids are saying. 

Tip of the Day: Follow the college’s official social media accounts as well as student group accounts (like the marching band or student organizations). By following lots of accounts about a particular college, you’ll get a lot of information. 

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College Spotlight: The College of William & Mary - the second oldest college in the US!

***

Key Points in this Episode

2:59 Meet Sonia Cacique

6:04 Why career assessments aren’t a easy button

8:33 Coaching parents to be connectors for their kids

12:01 Sharing with students that they have something special to offer

13:29 Connections and why they matter so much

15:10 Why 30% of college students don’t complete their degree

17:27 Why Gen X parents are advocating for their Gen Z kids

19:38 Defining success if different seasons of life

21:15 “The Not Your Mom” phenomenon and tips for parents to connect with kids

22:40 Sonia’s latest course to be college and career ready

27:53 Tip of the Day

28:38 College Spotlight:The College of William & Mary

***

Read the podcast transcript: https://thecollegespy.com/podcast

Learn more about Sonia Cacique:  https://collegecareerready.org/

Get in touch with Sonia Cacique: [email protected]

Listen to the “Not Your Mom” podcast episode: Episode 16

Register for The College Spy Bootcamp: https://thecollegespy.com/coursesandcamps/the-college-spy-boot-camp

Learn more about The College Spy and the admissions advisory services offered by Michelle and her team -- Go to The College Spy Website

Contact Michelle McAnaney at [email protected]

The college admissions process is synonymous with stress & anxiety these days. How can parents go against the grain to actually enjoy this process with their students?

Join us for a conversation with Lisa Rouff, Ph.D, from School Match 4 U and co-host of Your College Bound Kid about her experiences as a clinical psychologist and independent educational consultant. Lisa works with all types of students and parents and shares her real world tips to reduce stress around college admissions with a deep understanding of the pressure parents feel to keep up socially and make smart financial decisions. Michelle and Lisa discuss hidden gem universities and the benefits of focusing on the process instead of only the outcome. 

Tip of the Day: Visit colleges. You and your child will be able to determine criteria for the college search and gain confidence in the process as you find the best fit college for your student based on their interests and personalities, not a list of rankings.

***

College Spotlight: Binghamton University in NY

***

Key Points in this Episode

2:29 Meet Lisa Rouff

7:46 How can parents lower their stress levels-  knowledge is power!

8:12 Why rankings are meaningless

9:30 Why hidden gems colleges are so special

11:13 Favorite resources - The FISKE Guide

12:50 LinkedIn as a tool to research colleges

17:30 Handling rejections with a disaster plan

19:54 MIchelle reflects on not getting into her dream school of Cornell

25:30 Opting out of the highly competitive side of the process

28:53 The College Spy’s Tip of the Day

30:07 College Spotlight: Binghamton

***

Read the podcast transcript: link after posted on website

Learn more about Lisa Rouff: www.schoolmatch4u.com &  https://www.highlandsco.com/consultants/lisa-rouff-phd/

Watch PBS’ Dream School: https://www.pbs.org/show/dream-school-a-journey-to-higher-ed/

Order the FISKE Guide to Colleges - https://www.amazon.com/Fiske-Guide-Colleges-2024-Edward/dp/1728271835

Start a LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/

Talking College Campus Visits Card Deck: https://talkingcollege.com/products/talking-college-campus-visits

Register for The College Spy Bootcamp: https://thecollegespy.com/coursesandcamps/the-college-spy-boot-camp

Learn more about The College Spy and the admissions advisory services offered by Michelle and her team -- Go to The College Spy Website

Contact Michelle McAnaney at [email protected]

Eighty-five percent of colleges have some type of first-year experience or first-year seminar course. So why have colleges added these courses to their curriculum?

Join Michelle McAnaney, founder of The College Spy, while she talks to Dr. Andrea Malkin Brenner. As a sociologist, professor and first-year expert, Dr. Brenner is the creator of Talking College Conversation Cards and the co-author of How to College: What to Know Before You Go and When You’re There. After teaching at American University at Washington DC, Dr. Brenner shifted to administration to design a First-Year Experience Course for all incoming students. She is now a speaker and educator on the college transition, helping families and universities around the nation empower their students to succeed in college as they learn ‘adulting’ skills and balance academics, social skills and life skills in college..

Tip of the Day: What is the right number of colleges to apply to? There is no ‘right’ number for all students. Depending on a student’s goals, desired major, importance of merit aid and many other factors, the number of colleges to apply to can vary widely. The College Spy’s students have applied to as few as 3 colleges or as many as 25.

***

College Spotlight: Drexel University in Philadelphia

***

Key points in this episode

2:20 Meet Dr. Andrea Malkin Brenner

5:25 What is a FYE or FYS?

7:10 Why do we need to help students with the transition to college?

10:41 What can you do to help ease this transition for your student?

13:40 Why is it so hard to let your kids fail?

14:32 Detrimental enabling

15:49 “Messy bodies, messy brains’

19:48 “You can’t keep being a high school parent to a college student”

21:25 Redefining success in high school

22:42 All 5 Talking College Card Decks

27:40 Tip of the Day

28:26 College Spotlight on Drexel University

***

Read the podcast transcript: link after posted on website

Learn more about Dr. Brenner:  https://www.ambrenner.com/

Learn more about Talking College Conversation Decks: https://talkingcollege.com/

Register for The College Spy Bootcamp: https://thecollegespy.com/coursesandcamps/the-college-spy-boot-camp

Learn more about The College Spy and the admissions advisory services offered by Michelle and her team -- Go to The College Spy Website

Contact Michelle McAnaney at [email protected]

“My kid will listen if you tell them to do it.” That’s a phrase we hear all the time in our work as college consultants. 

So why do teenagers listen to other trusted adults more than their parents?

And what impact does an expert voice have on a student’s college admissions process?  

Listen to today’s episode to learn why adolescents experience conflict with their parents (and why it’s completely normal). We’re also sharing our top 5 top tips to connect with students and help them through the college admission process.

Whether you decide to work with a consultant or not, this episode will help your family navigate the college admissions process with a few less headaches and disagreements. 

Tip of the day: Stop relying on fellow parents or peers to answer questions that you should ask directly of your student’s universities of interest. Call the admissions office instead. Admissions staff are usually more than happy to reply to your questions about their specific process and then you know you are getting the right answer for that particular school. You can also utilize the staff at the financial aid office for questions about financial aid, scholarships and tuition.

***

College Spotlight: Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI

***

Key points in this episode

1:48 What College Consultants do

2:08 Why do students listen to other adults and not their parents?

2:37 Why separation from parents is developmentally normal and expected

4:10 Why to expect some degree of conflict during the college admissions process

6:55 How The College Spy keeps you updated every step of the way 

8:07 Handling “I don’t know?” kids

10:00 Top 5 tips from The College Spy on connecting with your student

15:42 How to get our concierge service with unlimited conversations

17:19 All about College Admissions 101

19:24 The College Spy tip of the day

20:58 College Spotlight: Roger Williams University

***

Read the podcast transcript here.

Register for the next College 101 session: https://thecollegespy.com/coursesandcamps/college-admissions-101

Learn more about The College Spy and the admissions advisory services offered by Michelle and her team -- Go to The College Spy Website

Contact Michelle McAnaney at [email protected]

Got a student studying for the SAT? Today’s episode is a must listen!

Join us as Michelle McAnaney of The College Spy speaks with Heathery Krey, co-owner of World Class Tutoring. With Bachelor’s degrees from Lehigh University in Engineering and Psychology and multiple master’s degrees, Heather tutors students across all subjects covered in the SAT and ACT. Her services have been incredibly helpful to many students from The College Spy, helping them to boost their scores with current testing strategy and hands on practice.

In this episode, we’ll cover:

Also in this episode:

Admissions Tip of the Day: If your acceptance letter came with a merit scholarship, make sure you ask these two questions:

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College Spotlight: Champlain College

***

Key points in this episode

2:34 Meet Heather Krey of World Class Tutoring

4:42 What is the digital SAT and how does it differ from the prior version

5:03 SAT then and now

6:06 Desmos, the digital graphing calculator

7:21 The four modules of the SAT and how the test adapts to each student

13:03 Recommendations for students taking upcoming tests

20:50 How the SAT and ACT have diverged

21:10 All about World Class Tutoring

23:41 Admissions Tip of the Day

24:04 College Spotlight on Champlain College

***

Learn more about World Class Tutoring:  https://worldclasstutoring.com/

Read the podcast transcript.

Register for the next College 101 session: https://thecollegespy.com/coursesandcamps/college-admissions-101

Learn more about The College Spy and the admissions advisory services offered by Michelle and her team -- Go to The College Spy Website

Contact Michelle McAnaney at [email protected]