Your College Bound Kid | Admission Tips, Admission Trends & Admission Interviews

In this episode you will hear: o Mark shares a text he received that had an idea he thought could help the podcast o Mark shares a text message and a Speakpipe comment he thought was profound, and worth sharing o Suan and Mark answer a question about whether a student graduates from a selective liberal arts school in economics will hurt them compared to if they got a business degree from a nationa...

In this episode you will hear: (03:12) We have a five-way conversation for the first time at YCBK. Our four regular (Julia, Susan, Vince and Mark) are joined by Hillary Dickman, (Assistant Director of Admissions, Colorado College) for a conservation about how to complete the Activities Section of the Common Application. We discuss the Do's and the Don'ts over the next three weeks. Part 2 of 3 (31:...

In this episode you will hear: o Mark shares a text message and a Speakpipe comment on two different topics that he thought were profound, and worth sharing o Mark talks about a tweet that is generating some buzz and he previews an interview that will air on Episode 430 and 432 about that tweet o Julia and Mark have a robust conversation about "Double Deposits" o Lisa interviews Elizabeth Hamlet,...

In this episode you will hear: (02:00) We have a five-way conversation for the first time at YCBK. Our four regular (Julia, Susan, Vince and Mark) are joined by Hillary Dickman, (Assistant Director of Admissions, Colorado College) for a conservation about how to complete the Activities Section of the Common Application. We discuss the Do's and the Don'ts over the next three weeks. (31:25) Question...

In this episode you will hear: o Mark shares more details on the FAFSA Fiasco this year o Mark talks about the tumult on college campuses that is breaking out across the country o Lisa interviews Elizabeth Hamlet, a Disability Services Expert. They discuss how students with Disabilities can successfully transition to college-Part 2 of 3 Preview of Part 2 o Liz explains why students choose not to l...

In this episode you will hear: (02:00) Mark and Vince discuss the nine colleges that make up the University of California-Part 2 of 2 (37:20) Question from a listener Jessica, an International listener has a question about the change from test-optional to test mandatory that is happening at a number of colleges. (50:30) Interview Jeremy Lowe, the Assistant Vice Provost of Undergraduate Admissions...

In this episode you will hear: o Mark and Julia discuss what they learned from admissions decisions from the class of 2024 o Lisa interviews Elizabeth Hamlet, a Disability Services Expert. They discuss how students with Disabilities can successfully transition to college-Part 1 of 3 Preview o Liz shares her backstory from special ed teacher to author and success advocate for students with learning...

In this episode you will hear: (02:02) Mark and Vince discuss the nine colleges that make up the University of California-Part 1 of 2 (36:50) Question from a listener An anonymous mom from New York wants to know how highly rejective colleges evaluate extracurricular activities (54:16) Interview Jeremy Lowe, the Assistant Vice Provost of Undergraduate Admissions at American University discusses Ame...

In this episode you will hear: o Mark gives a preview of his 63 minute interview with Jed Applerouth, founder of Applerouth.com Preview Preview ² Jed gives his background, and he tells us a little bit about Applerouth ² Jed talks about the work Applerouth does for students with executive functioning. ² Jed and I talk about public flagship colleges and their insane out of state selectivity. ² Jed g...

In this episode you will hear: (03:30) Mark and Vince discuss an article on how students are being coached to brand themselves in their applications. This is an article that appeared in the NY Times by a Guest Essayist, entitled, "Elite college admissions have turned students into brands" Opinion | Elite College Admissions Have Turned Students Into Brands - The New York Times (nytimes.com) (33:30)...

In this episode you will hear: o Mark gives a preview of some up and coming episodes o Lisa gives advice about selecting a college from a psychological and practical standpoint. o Lynda interviews Marjorie Betley, the Senior Associate Director of Admission at the University of Chicago, and the Executive Director of Admissions at the STARS College Network, and they discuss the STARS College Network...

In this episode you will hear: (01:50) Mark and Vince will eventually discuss an article on how students are being coached to brand themselves in their applications. This is an article that appeared in the NY Times by a Guest Essayist, entitled, "Elite college admissions have turned students into brands" but they get into that article in Part 2, on Episode 421, that will air on April 11th, but thi...

o Mark gives a recap of some of his key takeaways from the SACAC conference o Mark shares some key takeaways from college visits and from conversation with reps o Mark looks at what may look like perplexing admissions decisions for about a dozen students School Match 4U counselors worked with and he discusses the reasons why this surprising decisions happen o Lynda interviews Marjorie Betley, the...

In this episode you will hear: (06:30) Julia and Mark discuss an article by "Dean of Admissions Claudia Marroquin on the decline of male applicants to Bowdoin" but Julia and Mark know this is a national crisis, so they discuss the article in the context of the national challenge. Part 3 of 3 Dean of Admissions Claudia Marroquin on the decline of male applicants to Bowdoin – The Bowdoin Orient Mark...

In this episode you will hear: o Mark gives a recap of the first ever YCBK Meet & Greet that occurred in Durham, NC on 3/23 o Julia has returned to admission file reading after 8 years and she shares how things have changed and what she has learned o Lynda interviews Marjorie Betley, the Senior Associate Director of Admission at the University of Chicago, and the Executive Director of Admissions a...

In this episode you will hear: (02:15) Julia and Mark planned to talk about an article that ran in Bowdoin Orient, their student newspaper entitled: "Dean of Admissions Claudia Marroquin on the decline of male applicants to Bowdoin" but they don't get to the article until next week but they do discuss some application tips. Part 2 of 3 Dean of Admissions Claudia Marroquin on the decline of male ap...

In this episode you will hear: o Mark discusses three upcoming events: The YCBK gathering in Raleigh, Andy Strickler's Q & A with our listeners and the final info session for ScholarMatch o Mark shares a powerful quote from Nvidia founder Jenson Huang that he can't stop thinking about o Mark interviews Andy Stickler on the topic of, Understanding Connecticut College, Part 3 of 3 Andy Strickler Int...

In this episode you will hear: (02:10) Julia and Mark planned to talk about an article that ran in Bowdoin Orient, their student newspaper entitled: "Dean of Admissions Claudia Marroquin on the decline of male applicants to Bowdoin" but they don't get to the article until next week but they do discuss some application tips including, should you write your Personal Statement on Your College Major?...

In this episode you will hear: o Mark takes a look at the growing trend to guarantee admission to students based on class ranking. Mark shares six reasons opponents don't like these plans and six reasons why proponents love these direct admit plans based on class rank o Mark interviews Andy Stickler on the topic of, Understanding Connecticut College, Part 2 of 3 Andy Strickler Interview-Understand...

In this episode you will hear: (04:52) Matt Bonser, the Director of Admissions at Colorado College and a Gap year expert answers 20 questions about Gap Years in this 75-minute discussion. (Part 3 of 3) ² Should a student reapply to the selective school they didn't get in the next year, after taking a Gap year? Matt tells us when this can work. ² Matt gives his thoughts of a student who takes a gap...

In this episode you will hear: o Susan and Mark answer a Speakpipe question that asks for advice when your student is selecting a college and he/she has two or more quality options, and they are really torn o Mark interviews Andy Stickler on the topic of, Understanding Connecticut College, Part 1 of 3 Sign up for our Q & A session with Andy Strickler (VP of enrollment at Rhodes College) on March 3...

In this episode you will hear: (05:06) Matt Bonser, the Director of Admissions at Colorado College and a Gap year expert answers 20 questions about Gap Years in this 75 minute discussion. (Part 2 of 3) (30:50) Mark and Lisa answer a question about whether college is worth it? (57:50) Mark interviews Nora and Hannah, two college coaches with ScholarMatch, the CBO that matches college coaches with F...

In this episode you will hear: o Mark does a deep dive on Yale's decision to embrace a test flexible policy o Hillary Dickman comes on to explain how Colorado College's non-harm test score policy works. o Mark interviews Andy Borst, the VP of enrollment at the University of Georgia on the topic of, why do college students go out of state and why are so many heading to southern universities o Mark...

In this episode you will hear: (11:20) Matt Bonser, the Director of Admissions at Colorado College and a Gap year expert answers 20 questions about Gap Years in this 75 minute discussion. (Part 1 of 3) (40:56) Mark and Susan answer a question about how being a talented classical pianist is perceived by admission officers, when a student is not planning on majoring in music. (01:01:22) Mark intervi...

In this episode you will hear: o Mark and Julia discuss Dartmouth's decision to be the first IVY league school to require test scores. Part 2 of 2 o Mark interviews Andy Borst, the VP of enrollment at the University of Georgia on the topic of, Why do college students go out of state and why are so many heading to southern universities Andy Borst Interview Preview Part 1 ² Andy shares data on the f...