College Admissions with Mark and Anna

We are entering our third year of COVID related social adjustments that have included education, social gatherings, family dynamics, job loss/gain, finances, Netflix addiction, and unknown health risks, just to name a few. Understandably, it is an especially difficult time for teens as they try to navigate a transitional period in their lives during a pandemic. Join Mark and Anna as they speak wit...

While a student’s weighted GPA and SAT score are important, and thoughtful recommendations are significant, as are clear, concise, and cogent essays—school representatives often comment that a common attribute of the strongest and most successful applications is…consistency. Does the entire application sound like the same person? Are strong attributes and characteristics consistently highlighted,...

Letters of recommendation are one of the holistic components of the college application, but probably a component that is talked about the least, despite the weight they hold. Most college admissions officers would say that letters of recommendation do not help or hurt an application. However, strong letters of recommendation can really strengthen a college application. Join Mark and Anna as they...

What's it like to be a teen actually going through the college admissions preparation process? Between classes, activities, college lists, and essays, our teens have A LOT on their plates. Join Mark and Anna as they speak with Kamila from the "Who Cares about College" Podcast as they talk about how they're preparing for college during a pandemic. Kamila also shares insights from her experiences in...

Ever feel like the college admissions process has gotten overwhelming and overall insane? Join Mark and Anna as they speak with Kevin Martin, author of "Surviving the College Admissions Madness", about how families can better approach the admissions process to reduce stress as well as recommended improvements they would like to see in the college admissions process.   Kevin also provides helpful a...

While many elite universities do not offer merit scholarships, honors colleges and programs at many public universities offer great options for high-achieving students. In addition to providing merit-based awards, they can offer specialized curriculums and unique opportunities to help students thrive in a larger school environment. Join Mark and Anna as they speak with Craig T. Cobane, Ph. D. from...

It's that time of year again - writing the college admissions essay! This year, Mark and Anna are excited to share approaches to college essay writing from published author and college admissions essay coach, Molly Moynahan. Molly shares the key elements to storytelling, tips for overcoming writer's block, and more.  Molly Moynahan is an expert in adolescent literacy, a novelist and a writing coac...

Class of 2021 faced record-low acceptance rates at many elite universities, but the truth is, there are hundreds of amazing colleges out there that will support students in their success. Join Mark and Anna as they discuss the numerous options available with special guest Lisa Fuller from College Primed as they take a deeper look at women's colleges and Historically Black Colleges and Universities...

Without the ability to visit campuses, applying for college and selecting where you want to spend the next four years can be more difficult than years past. Students have had to sometimes pick colleges "blindly" which has resulted in the desire for some students to transfer to new colleges. Join Mark and Anna as they speak with Deborah Shames of Personal Best College Coaching to learn more about w...

So you think you want to go to college in Europe? Fantastic! Have you thought about the differences in the application process, the travel involved, passports, different languages, and different deadlines? There are many great reasons to study abroad, but there are also many things students and their families should know and consider before making that leap. Join Mark and Anna as they talk to Sand...

With return on investment at a forefront in the college admissions process, its no wonder that majors related to STEM have become increasingly popoular over the years...especially during a pandemic.  Mark and Anna dive into what colleges are looking for when it comes to classes, activities, recommendations and more in this fun episode with our resident expert, Mark Hofer. Join Mark and Anna as the...

Join Mark and Anna as they talk about the importance of acknowledging, expressing, and regulating emotions with Dr. Marc Brackett, the author of Permission to Feel , and the Founder and Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and a Professor in the Child Study Center of Yale University.  As anxiety and depression are at all time highs for our teens, we are thankful to be able to hav...

Do you have a talented musician who wants to pursue their passion for it in college? Have questions on how to best prepare for the music college admissions process? Join Mark and Anna as they speak to Dave Best, Founder of Best College Consulting where they orchestrate the college search for talented students. 

College essays have always been an important part of the college application process; however, this year—the year that COVID arrived and stayed for a while—provides a perfect storm for buoying up the importance of the college essays. Yes, that is essays, plural. While the personal statement essay has always been the focus for most students—and it remains to be an important part of the application—...

College consultants often get asked “How early do you start working with students in the college application process?” This question almost always comes from parents. Sometimes they are just curious, but increasingly, they are serious.  Can, should, their 8th grader start preparing for college applications? If we are really honest, and take a step back, we must admit that we currently don’t know w...

What a strange and unprecedented time this is. Schools—ALL schools—are closed for what will be months. How many months this closure will last has yet to be determined. College and Universities…closed, and many considering a “virtual start” in September. K-12 schools also closed and not reopening before the next school year…and possibly longer. This is unprecedented.  All of these things provide a...

Ever hear that crazy story of how someone wins a ton of money for college? Even when they already have money and didn't qualify for financial aid? Or have you heard stories of how some families can't afford college because colleges didn't provide them enough money to attend? If so, you're in luck, because Anna and Mark will be chatting with Monica Matthews, the author of How to Win College Scholar...

It’s the holiday season…and there are always vacations and breaks. What to do, what to do? One of the most common questions consultants hear from students and parents is: “What should I do during vacation… you know, to look good on college applications?” Join Mark and Anna as they discuss how high school and college students can best utilize their breaks. While families often think they should att...

Join Mark and Anna as they speak with Mark Salisbury from TuitionFit to discuss something revolutionary - transparent college pricing. Learn about how TuitionFit helps students and their families feel empowered in college admissions and get the best value from college for free. Mark Salisbury started his career in higher education as a soccer coach in 1995. After a decade, he transitioned to admis...

Join Mark and Anna as they speak with Michael B. Horn, one of the authors of Choosing College, as they discuss how to put students and families in the driver's seat of their future so that they understand why they want to go to school and make better decisions around the college admissions process. Michael Horn, the coauthor of the new book, Choosing College, is the chief strategy officer at the E...

Join Mark and Anna as they speak with Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Rob Kirkland of Gain Service Academy Admission as they cover the benefits of joining ROTC in college (both monetary and not), how to apply for scholarships that help you afford college, the military expectations upon graduating, how you can earn 'free ride' including room and board, and more!  Lieutenant Colonel Kirkland was one of...

Join Mark and Anna as they talk about what new college students should actually be thinking about and preparing for that are often glossed over or just missed in the conversation. This goes for parents too. Now that you've gotten off the roller coaster cycle of Find School, Apply to School, Get Accepted to School, Select School, Finish High School, Pack Up for College, Travel to College, Unpack an...

Join Mark and Anna as they speak with guest, Debbie Schwartz. Debbie Schwartz is a former financial services marketing executive with expertise in personal finance. She’s also a parent, with 3 children and has had the personal experience of navigating college admission and paying for it for her own children. From her experience with her oldest child, she knew families needed better information and...

Ever wonder if playing sports makes a difference in college admissions? Or what type of sport? Or how good you have to be? Join Mark and Anna as they talk with Dr. Chris Siedem from Perfect College Match as they discuss what's important to focus on as it related to playing athletics in college, what the recruiting process is like and how to best present yourself as an athlete in college admissions...

Mark and Anna are excited to welcome Jessica Yeager from Dream College Summit back again to learn about what new insights are available for Dream College Summit 2019, including top trends, art schools, athletics, applying to STEM schools and more! Mark and Anna also grill Jessica on why she chose Harvard over MIT for her undergraduate degree. Make sure you get your free ticket to Dream College Sum...