Getting In: A College Coach Conversation

Are you considering applying to schools in the United Kingdom? If so, definitely listen in on this episode when Host Ian Fisher interviews Mubarik Ibrahim of University of York, Amanda Lunberg of University of Roehampton London and Haley Drogus from The University of Sheffield, all schools within the UK. Our guests will be discussing completing the UK application and other important information ab...

While college campuses are, by and large, very safe places, we know that crime can happen anywhere. Host Sally Ganga will be joined by Jessica Mertz of the Clery Center, an organization dedicated to helping colleges create the safest possible environment on campus and to advising families on campus safety. Jessica will be giving Sally some tips about students should be concerned about. Hint: it is...

Join us for an in-depth conversation on navigating the college admissions process and financial planning. In this episode: Common App Deep Dive with Michaela Acorn from Common App – Learn tips and strategies to make your application stand out. D3 Athletic Recruitment: The Ins and Outs with Dylan Sanchez – Understand what it takes to succeed in Division III recruitment. Having "The Talk" on Who Pay...

Merry Christmas!  As soon as  you're  done opening presents, consider your New Year ' s Resolutions with host Sally Ganga and College Coach colleague Kimberly Asselta, who will be addressing  2026  goals for high school students.    Also, are you undecided?  Or,  have you picked a major because you think you need  to  but  you aren't sure  it's  right for you? College Coach colleague Christine Ken...

Are you interested in  experiential,  educational travel?  Listen in, as host Kyra Tyler will be talking with Durban Rose Ripley of EF Language Abroad programs  about their philosophy and offerings, which include trips all over the world , inclusive of both service and culture focused tours.  In addition, College Coach  f inance expert Laurie Peltier will be discussing the National Merit Scholarsh...

Did you know t here is a college whose mascot is the Banana Slugs? And another whose mascot is the Poet? Listen in to the December 11 th show when host Shannon Vasconcelos discusse s college mascots with College Coach colleague Tova Javetz . They aren't all eagles, lions, and wolves.   Early Decision round one results are out. New College Coach colleague Jenni Gargano, former Associate Director of...

Are you looking for a big university with of lots of school spirit but also small class sizes and lots of research opportunities? An honors college at a large university may be your best bet. Listen in as host Shannon Vasconcelos, herself a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Honors College, talks about what honors colleges are and their benefits with colleague Jen Simons. Then,...

Many students are interested in an engineering career, but some  don't  know  what studying to be an engineer  requires  or about the  different kinds  of engineering, from traditional ones like mechanical  to newer fields like biomedical. Host Sally Ganga will be joined by colleague Mary Sue Youn, who has been advising  aspiring engineers professionally on their college applications for year s. B...

Hopefully you caught our first edition of College Admissions in the Media, which went live on June 12 th of 2025 . Today host Kyra Tyler is continuing that conversation with colleagues Blair Dixon and Aysha Wong. In addition, College Coach f inance colleague Chrissy Foran will be joining Kyra to discuss choosing colleges which offer merit aid for your college list.    Learn More About  Bright Hori...

Are you a high-achieving, low-income student? Listen in as our host Ian Fisher discusses the Questbridge Scholarship with College Coach Finance expert Alex Gonzalez. Have you heard that all college admission essays must have a "hook"? Confused about what the colleges want in these essays? New College Coach educator Shayla Bezjak-Martinez, formerly of Harvey Mudd and Worcester Polytechnic Institute...

Working frantically to finish up your Early Decision application? Host Shannon Vasconcelos will be joined by College Coach colleague Karen Spencer to d iscuss putting the final touches on your Common Application.    Are you still trying to decide whether you should apply Early Action to a school? Listen in, as College Coach colleague Brittany Preston will tell you what to consider in making the de...

Celebrating our 500th (!!) episode If you're applying to the Cal State s or University of California schools, listen to today's show . H ost Kyra Tyler will be interviewing colleague Steve Fernandez-Brennan about how to fill out the Cal State Application, and then Kyra will be joined by Cesar Contreras, who just came to us from the admission office at UCLA, to discuss the University of California...

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...