Getting In: A College Coach Conversation

Applying to Columbia University, Barnard College, or the University of Chicago? Host Sally Ganga, who worked in admissions at the University of Chicago, will be interviewing colleague Mary Sue Youn, who worked at Barnard, about Barnard and Columbia's supplemental essays . T hen Mary Sue Youn will turn the tables and interview Sally about Chicago. Let's see if Sally can handle the change in roles. ...

Is your student considering studying abroad in college? Host Kyra Tyler will be joined by College Coach colleague Jay Bonham, who will give a parent's perspective on his experience when his son studied abroad. Interested in applying to Yale, Harvard, or Stanford? Colleague Jen Simons will be there to give tips on completing their challenging supplements. In addition, College Coach finance colleagu...

Here it is, thanks! Interested in Cal Tech and Harvey Mudd, but not sure how to approach their supplemental essays? Host Shannon Vasconcelos will be joined by Kimberly Ortiz, a College Coach colleague who is also a former admission officer at both institutions. Also, if you are looking for updates on the ever-changing world of standardized testing for college admissions, in addition to some tips a...

Students, are you beginning high school and trying to think ahead about your extracurricular activities? Concerned that you have to choose all your activities now? Colleague Tova Javetz is happy to let Host Ian Fisher know that the early years of high school is the perfect time to experiment with a variety of pursuits in order to find out which you find most fulfilling . Once you've established yo...

We're very excited for the return of Taryn Andrea, College Coach's career expert. She'll be talking with host Ian Fisher about alternatives to saturated and very popular majors in fields like healthcare, engineering, law, and computer science, some of which will not require a full four year or Bachelor's degree.  In addition, College Coach finance expert Michelle Smoley will join Ian to talk about...

Today we go over some frequently asked questions about admissions. Ever wonder what colleges mean when they say they track demonstrated interest? Think that maybe sending weekly emails to the college admissions representative at your favorite college is a good idea? Host Sally Ganga is welcoming colleague Gabbi Tobias, who will not only define "demonstrated Interest," she'll tell you how much "int...

Do you know that college admission officers value part-time jobs on a students resume? Host Shannon Vasconcelos will be joined by new College Coach colleague Shayla Bezjak-Martinez to talk about how part-time jobs can set you up for success in many ways, not just for college. In addition, Shannon will be talking with colleague Jonathan Wickremasinghe-Kuhn about admission interviews. Are they requi...

Host Ian Fisher has the remarkable good fortune to welcome guest Jenny West Anderson, author of The Disengaged Teen. If you're a parent, this episode is a must-listen, especially if you've seen any indication that your student is losing their excitement for learning or is in danger of academic burnout. Our guest will help you identify your student's attitudes towards learning and give strategies t...

For this episode, Host Sally Ganga is so honored to have guest Dr. Robert K. McMahan, here to tell us about the institute where he is president, Kettering University in Michigan. Formerly General Motors Institute, Kettering continues to focus on engineering, computer science, and business and is known for it's coop program in which students get two and a half years of paid work experience before g...

What even is a liberal arts education? Hasn't it gone the way of the dodo bird? Colleagues Zaragoza Guerra and Carrie Lewis will be joining host Sally Ganga to discuss both the demise of the liberal arts and, counterpoint, why they are as relevant as ever. College Finance colleague Beth Feinberg-Keenan will also be there to talk about the financial benefits of liberal arts colleges. Listen in to e...

Keeping up with the evolving world of higher education can be overwhelming, but host Ian Fisher is here to help. In this episode, Ian is joined by College Finance Consultant Jess Mosley to break down the latest headlines and trends in the college landscape. He also introduces  Major Interest , a new segment exploring how different academic disciplines—like neuroscience, psychology, sociology, and...

The landscape for international students hoping to attend a US college has been changing rapidly in recent years, and there is still a lot of uncertainty. Luckily, host Ian Fisher will be joined by the founders of Elite Scholars of China, Stacy Palestrant and Tomer Rothschild , who are based in China and work with students there hoping to attend college applying to US institutions. In addition, if...

Interested in attending law school? Host Sally Ganga will be joined by the Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at Drake Law School in Des Moines, Iowa . In addition, a student's perspective on law school will be provided by Jake Gold , who recently earned his JD from NYU. There are a lot of myths about what it takes to get in to law school and to be a good lawyer, so listen in to have those m...

Interested in a women's college, or even Wellesley College in particular? If you're a women , our guests on this day will give you good reasons to add it to your list. Jen Pollard, Executive Director of Career Education and Beky Stiles, Director of Admissions at Wellesley will be joining host Shannon Vasconcelos along with a current Wellesley student as well to discuss all things Wellesley in part...

Does it seem like the college admissions landscape has been changing particularly rapidly in recent years? Host Kyra Tyler will be joined by College Coach colleagues Tova Javetz, Karen Spencer, and Nicole Doyle to discuss those changes and how counseling students through the process has and has not changed as a result. On cold winter days have you considered attending college in Hawaii? Our collea...

Join host Kyra Tyler and Bright Horizons College Coach's Jennifer Simons as they delve into the unique traditions that define college and university campuses. From quirky rituals to time-honored ceremonies, discover what makes each institution special. Plus, tune in for listener-submitted questions answered by Bright Horizons College Coach colleagues Sara Calvert-Kubrom and Michelle Smoley, offeri...

Given the cost of college, many students are looking for scholarships. Some of the most generous include the Posse, Qu estbridge , Coca Cola, Taco Bell, and Gates scholarships. Host Ian Fisher will be joined by colleagues Geraldine, Blair, and Christine Kenyon for an overview of what those scholarships are and what it takes to win won. In addition, College Coach finance colleague Michelle Clifton...

Back on March 27th 2025, Host Ian Fisher talked with Taryn Andrea  and Leigh Pinkston, College Coach colleagues in the career counseling space, about the connection between majors and careers; how that connection isn't always linear and how a student might choose a major based on interests, skills, and desired lifestyle upon graduation. Well, Leigh and Taryn will be returning to continue this very...

Have you ever wondered how accurate media portrayals of the college admission is ? Pondered whether Legally Blonde is a real representation of the best way to make your application stand out ? Host Kyra Tyler will be joined by College Coach colleagues Blair Dixon and Aysha Wong for a light hearted discussion of which well-known representations are Hollywood and which are true to life. Then College...

Rising seniors! Hopefully you're already thinking about your college applications, and some of you may be asking just what kinds of essays you'll need to write. College Coach colleague Karen Spencer will be joining host Shannon Vasconcelos to discuss the best prompt to answer for the Common Application essay. In addition to the Common Application essay, many schools require supplemental essays. An...

Host Ian Fisher will be back again for the second show in a row to welcome colleague Abigail Anderson to discuss how to create the Common Application's Activity List. You may think it is the same as a resume, but Abigail is here to tell you that it isn't . Listen in so you can prepare.    College Coach colleague Tova Tolman will be there to talk with Ian about which colleges do not accept the Comm...

Are you considering a summer job? College Coach Finance Expert Zachary Gries will be joining host Ian Fisher to discuss the reasons why that can be important for young adults .      Ian then has the great fortune to speak with Dr. Christie Fox, Assistant Provost for Student Success, and current college student Zack Nielson, both of Westminster University of Utah .  They are pleased to talk about t...

First, we want to introduce Kyra Tyler, our brand new host! This is her inaugural show.   Do you have plans to visit a college campus or attend a college admission reception? Concerned that you might put your foot in your mouth? Kyra wil l be interview ing colleague Mary Sue Youn about questions to ask , and NOT to ask, an admission officer.    In addition, colleague Sara Calvert-Kubrom will join...

Seniors and parents, you probably know that researching colleges is important when creating a list of colleges for your upcoming applications. But did you know that while there are many good resources for said research, there are bad ones as well? Listen in when host Shannon Vasconcelos interviews College Coach Colleague Elyse Krantz. Elyse is our expert among experts: the rest of us go to her for...

Interested to know just who works at College Coach, and how they came to their roles as college admissions or finance educators? Host Sally Ganga will be interviewing three of our newest team members: a dmissions educators Geraldine Castenada, formerly of Pomona College, Marissa Dudley of Colorado College, and College Finance Educator Russell Seidelman of the University of Portland.    Then, Sally...