Accepted: A College Admissions Podcast

As we get closer to the first round of application deadlines, Tyler takes some time to review the differences between Early Decision, Early Action, Restrictive Early Action, and any other terms that may affect your overall college list building and application strategy. As more schools lean into accepting more students Early Decision, what does that mean for how you should be thinking about your a...

In the midst of what is already a time filled with stress and indecision, The U.S. News and World Report has decided to release its new college rankings, incorporating a new algorithm that addresses the ongoing criticism it has recently come under. This revision has led to notable shifts in rank for several schools, as well as a renewed skepticism of ranking systems in general. This week, Tyler di...

College applications have lots of restrictions. Whether it be word count, number of recommendations, size of your portfolio, or even the length of your school list, there are limits. This means that every opportunity you have to provide additional information matters, especially when colleges are placing so much emphasis on "holistic" admissions. So how should you use the Common App &quo...

Every industry is leaning into the importance of data and analytics to optimize their strategies and decision making. Your college application process is no exception to this. But with all the information out there, how can a student make sure the data they are looking at is accurate and reliable? This week, Tyler takes a deep dive into a resource that many students and families aren't aware...

With all the changes happening in the world of college admissions, and especially the recent Supreme Court Decision, this is a particularly important year to take a look at how college supplemental essays have shifted. This week, Tyler dives into a few of the new prompts, and suggests what these changes might mean for prospective students in terms of what their priorities should be. Join free webi...

This week, Tyler chats with Elia, a Japanese national and TASIS aluma, now navigating her college journey at Trinity. Dive into her transformative years at The American School In Switzerland , the cultural contrasts she faced, and how those pivotal moments in Lugano led her to discover her true calling. Tune in to learn about the pros and cons of a boarding school education, and how it paves a pat...

As viewpoints and opinions become increasingly polarized in a world of social media, few schools have embraced the need for discourse in the way Claremont McKenna has. This week, Tyler sits down with Associate Dean of Admissions Jennifer Hirsch to discuss CMC’s unique approach to engaging with difference and disagreement as essential learning experiences, the school’s new developments in STEM offe...

In this week's episode, Tyler engages in a long form discussion with Lee Coffin, Vice Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Dartmouth College. They delve into the shifting dynamics of the admissions landscape, influenced by significant global developments such as the pandemic. Coffin sheds light on the nuances of Dartmouth's admissions process and the qualiti...

This episode was recorded before the Supreme Court ruling on the use of race in college admissions. In this episode, Tyler engages in a thoughtful conversation with Dr. Anna Wise, Associate Dean of Admission and Director of International Recruitment for Hamilton College, to unpack the concept of Hamilton's open curriculum and its relevance in today's globalized society. Dr. Wise shares t...

This week, Tyler sits down with Adam Sapp, Assistant Vice President & Director of Admissions for Pomona College, to discuss the value of a liberal arts education in a rapidly changing world, and how Pomona College empowers students to explore diverse fields through interdisciplinary learning. Adam delves into the mechanisms Pomona College uses to foster curiosity, encourage intellectual flexib...

With colleges still scrambling to decide on their admissions policies after the Supreme Court's decision around affirmative action, one of the elements of the application that has received greater spotlight is the college essay. With many colleges likely to adopt some sort of measurement of adversity as a means of continuing to ensure diversity in their accepted cohorts, and with the pandemic...

With the recent landmark decision on race-conscious admissions policies, the Supreme Court has forced colleges to quickly re-evaluate their admissions criteria for the upcoming cycle and beyond. This week, Tyler shares his initial reactions to the decision, thoughts implications for the future, and suggests how students and families can best start preparing for the new post-decision world of colle...

With the ever increasing cost of college tuition, especially for international students, the question of how to even go about affording a college education is more important than ever. This challenge becomes magnified by the myriad and murky processes surrounding financial aid and scholarships. This week, Tyler dives into some strategies to go about seeking and qualifying for merit-based scholarsh...

Even if you're only aiming for the very top tier universities, you're probably approaching your college research the wrong way. While many of these top universities are comfortable with their position and aren't really taking risks in terms of innovation, many of the schools immediately behind them are doing their very best to disrupt the status quo of higher education to provide a...

Some big news to cover this week as Columbia decides to no longer submit data to the U.S. News and World Report College Rankings. What does this mean, and how might it affect rankings going forward? After that, Tyler digs a little bit further into what you actually need to demonstrate in your application to get into a good undergraduate engineering program, and provides some alternative pathways t...

With the world of business increasingly adopting AI and machine learning to drive its decision-making, choosing an undergraduate business degree that is best fit for you is critical. Business programs in particular tend to vary the most among bachelor's degrees when it comes to the actual learning experience, so it's essential to go beyond the rankings and actually look at what a school...

As costs of college continue to rise, greater scrutiny has been placed on the general education requirements of universities. Why am I paying so much money for my child - who knows they want to be a computer scientist - to take classes in food science and a physical education? This week, Tyler digs into a recent article from the Chronicle of Higher Learning to evaluate how colleges are responding...

Building on last week's discussion of college application x-factors, Tyler takes some time this week to dive deeper into the essential character building that is inherent in the process of weaving your extracurriculars together. With colleges increasingly looking for mature, thoughtful, impact-oriented young adults, it is more important than ever to expose students to the risks of real-world...

How can you make sure your college application will stand out among thousands of other applicants, especially when your painstakingly and strategically assembled application is only going to get around 8-10 minutes of an admissions officer's time? This week, Tyler dives into the college "x-factor," the element of your portfolio that makes you memorable and distinct from all the rest...

If life is like a box of chocolates, college is like a cup of Starbucks: fully customizable, highly energizing, and a little overpriced. This week, Tyler goes deep into the college menu to offer some tools to explore your college research and list building, identify the factors that are most important to you, and create a more personalized set of search criteria to order up a set of schools that i...

When building your college list, it's easy to gravitate towards the biggest names and the highest rankings. But there will always be a difference between the best colleges and the best colleges for you . In this episode, Tyler talks through some examples of his past students who have found greater college and professional success by prioritizing best fit over best names. Tyler also shares a f...

With the majority of colleges reporting their 2022-23 results, it's time to take a look at the data and start planning ahead. This week, Tyler begins by diving into some of the recent acceptance numbers and predicts what this may mean for upcoming admissions cycles. He then explores how to start strategically seeking out the hidden university gems that may be lying in plain sight, and align p...

This week, admissions expert Tyler Kusunoki discusses the University of Pennsylvania's recent policy change around legacy admissions and what that means for the admissions landscape for years to come.  Join free webinars at www.tokyoacademics.com/events Need help applying to college? Contact us for a free consultation where we'll discuss your strengths, weaknesses, and provide an initial...

This week, admissions expert Tyler Kusunoki wraps up his series on the Common Application essay prompts with prompt #6: Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time . Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more? Tune in to hear Tyler's advice on approaching this topic, and whether or not this prompt is r...

This week, admissions expert Tyler Kusunoki continues his series diving into the Common App essay prompts. In this episode, he discusses the essay prompt #5: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others . Tune in to learn whether or not this prompt is right for you.  Join free webinars at www.tokyoacademics....