College Admissions with Mark and Anna

Educational consulting addresses many common issues of the application process; however, applications for students with learning disabilities and the schools that support them is an incredibly important – but often underrepresented and often misunderstood – area of educational consulting. Working with high school students applying to colleges requires an increasing number of steps and areas for co...

Join Mark and Anna as they co-host a special episode with Steve Schwartz from College Admissions Toolbox as they discuss the college admissions scandal, designing activities, and letting passion guide your way to the perfect resume! Learn more about College Admissions Toolbox at http://www.collegeadmissionstoolbox.com.

The college admissions scandal has stormed the media! While everyone enjoys a good scandal, join Mark and Anna as they offer perspective on the scandal but also true practices (for better or worse) in college admissions. While Mark and Anna chat about some of the issues associated with the college application and admissions process that have fallen from grace, more importantly, they are going to r...

With college loan debts increasing far beyond any healthy, logical, or sustainable level—approaching 1.6 Trillion dollars, and the average student accruing $37,000 of debt by graduation—the illogical and unsupported quest to pursue and attend only a handful of elite schools with less than 15% acceptance rates and COAs over $70,000 a year… may finally be in recession. Many students and parents are...

Anna and Mark recently attended the IECA National Conference in sunny Los Angeles, California—and took over the house! Okay, maybe not so much as took over as rolled through. Join Mark and Anna as they give you the dirt that they received straight from admissions themselves and cut down on the stress as they discuss tours of LA schools, admissions thoughts on test scores and the factors that actua...

Heading out for some school tours? From figuring out fit, culture, and where to find comfort food to demonstrating interest, learn how to make the most of campus visits as Anna and Mark cover questions to ask, what to look out for, what to do, and who to talk to.

As college applications and admissions becomes more competitive each year and the financial ramifications of choosing the right school is even more important and daunting… parents desperately recognize that preparing earlier is better than later. But how early is too early? Join Mark and Anna as they discuss when and how to start preparing for college admissions so that you are on track to deliver...

Whether you are a sophomore thinking about college, a junior/senior stepping into the application/admissions arena or a recent graduate who is headed to college for further academic enrichment and excitement… selecting courses and classes seems to be almost an afterthought for many students. This seems backwards, doesn’t it? It's back to school and you're wondering what classes you should pick? Sh...

A majority of students can make it through high school and college, and some will do so with incredibly high grades while achieving amazing things. However, increasingly more high school and college students are finding the stresses of academics to be overwhelming. High School and college counselors are reporting the number of students seeking help for depression and anxiety is increasing at an al...

School is almost out and its time to figure out what to do this summer, besides soaking in the sun with your friends. While we've talked about activities in general, summer offers a unique opportunity to focus on development. Join Mark and Anna as they discuss the different types of activities you can dive into, how to use summer for "two-fers" and what are some not so great ideas for ho...

Inspired by Malcolm Gladwell's book, David and Goliath, Mark and Anna discuss how to assess "big fish in a little pond" opportunities. As you look at schools, narrow your list, and make decisions, this is another factor to keep in mind. Join Mark and Anna as they revisit "best fit" and encourage students to consider the long-term impacts of being pushed to the edge academically...

All the work and sacrifice – applications completed, essays written, weekends lost, and joy-filled NetFlix binges missed… has finally paid off. THEY want you! Colleges want you! The golden ticket with notice of admission has been issued to you and now all you need to do is select which fabulous school you and your pet goldfish will head to in September. Join Mark and Anna as they walk you through...

Join us as we talk to Tali Nesher, a former literary agent, NYU Tisch graduate and independent educational consultant specializing in the arts. Tali will be offering expertise on applying to different types of art programs and the value of an art education. If you're worried about your child becoming a starving artist, listen to Tali as she talks about how versatile an art degree can be, in additi...

You've gotten into college. Now what? After spending most of high school preparing for this next step, what do you need to be successful in college and even in life? Join Mark and Anna as the cover the top skills you need for life in college and beyond. From accepting criticism and making healthy choices to tying a tie, Mark and Anna tackle life beyond the application.

With so many people around you juggling 20 activities, you wonder..do I really need 20 activities? What is the point of these extracurricular activities? What kind of activities should I have? Is there ever too much or too few? What are the "must have" activities? Join Mark and Anna as they answer these questions and more, including whether or not family obligations count as an activity.

With medical school acceptance rates being so low, join Mark and Anna as they talk with expert Todd Faubion on his advice on maximizing your chances for getting into medical school. He'll also cover advice on how you can prepare as a high school student and college student and discuss what you can do if you aren't accepted the first time. If you or your child is thinking about joining the health p...

Food - its necessary for survival and is often an overlooked attribute. If your stomach is not satisfied, your brain will not work optimally and your academic - and social potential may take a nosedive. Join Mark and Anna as they talk about what you should be looking for when you think about college and food. From common food mistakes to where to find food and survive on a student budget, they've...

Join us as we talk to Dr. Shirag Shemmassian, Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting. As a graduate of both Cornell University and UCLA, Shirag will be offering expertise on applying as a student who has faced learning challenges, in addition to sharing his own personal admissions journey as someone who has a disability. Join us for real wisdom as we tackle the biggest questions when it comes...

Join us as we talk to Jessica Yeager, Founder of Dream College Summit and Impress the Ivies. Jessica will be dishing on her own college journey as an alumnus of both Harvard for undergrad and MIT for graduate school. She will also be covering new trends in college admissions and her best tips for getting into your dream school, especially the Ivies and other elite schools. You will get insider ins...

Congratulations… you are ready to apply to college. But which colleges do you apply to and how many? And even more importantly, how do you pick your list and narrow it down? What factors should you consider and what are some resources you can use? Join Mark and Anna as they tackle these important topics and more, including great resources to get your party/list started!

College essay topics are out! Join Anna and Mark as they discuss the do's, don'ts, and their favorite essays on this episode in which they cover how to brainstorm and create a college application essay that stands out. They'll cover what colleges are looking for in the essay, what mistakes to avoid, and their favorite tips on how to come up with some memorable essays!

Join us as we talk to Aleksandra (Aleks) Stefanovska, Founder of Pain Free to College and first generation college student on her college journey, where she dishes on her advice to students applying to college for the first time. She covers everything from having the right support to how to select schools and where to spend your time. Aleksandra (Aleks) Stefanovska is a proud graduate of Georgetow...

College decisions are in! It can be a very exciting and confusing time for many students and their families. In this episode, Anna and Mark are here to advise on what happens when regular decision results are in. They'll cover acceptances, waitlists, and rejections and different ways to try to figure out which school you should move forward with - from March Madness brackets to campus visits to ho...

Join us as we talk to Liz Tenety, Co-Founder of Motherly and former Washington Post writer, on her college journey, where she discusses how she decided to transfer to her dream school, despite loving the school where she went to and how it has made all the difference. If the thought of not getting into your dream school or the idea of transferring scares you, this episode and Liz's uplifting journ...

You've finished writing essays and sent your application in. Now, you get an email about a college admissions interview. They want to meet you! In this episode, Mark and Anna cover your most common questions regarding the interview, such as how important are they really, what questions should you be prepared to answer and what should you ask at the end. We'll cover etiquette on both in-person and...