Getting In: A College Coach Conversation

Continuing our series on college application supplements, we are addressing a doozy today! Beth Heaton will be joined by College Coach colleague Jonathan Wickremasinghe-Kuhn to discuss the University of Chicago’s supplemental essays. These are challenging, so if you’re thinking about applying, listen in. Colleague Nial Rele, resident of Vermont, will be there for another segment to discuss the thankfully more straightforward University of Vermont supplemental essays, and College Coach Finance expert Chrissy Foran will be joining Beth to discuss the reality of paying in-state tuition as an out-of-state student.

Applying to Boston College? Cornell University? Host Shannon Vasconcelos will be joined by College Coach colleagues Blair Dixon, to discuss Boston College’s supplements, and then Mary Sue Youn to cover Cornells’. In addition, college finance expert Beth Feinberg-Keenan will be there to talk about the financial benefits of a well-considered list of colleges.

Wondering whether you should apply Early Decision or Early Action and trying to understand the financial implications of both? Host Beth Heaton will be interviewing College Coach finance expert Chrissy Foran to help you answer those questions. In addition, College Coach admissions counselor and Texas resident Zaragoza Guerra will be discussing the University of Texas at Austin application. And last but not least, Megan Stubbendeck of the test prep organization Arborbridge will be joining Beth to go over all things standardized testing!

Are you applying for financial aid? Can’t figure out what the FSAID is? College Coach finance consultant Jess Mosley will be joining host Shannon Vasconcelos to answer that question and explain how to sign up for it. Shannon will also be interviewing Ann Marano, Executive Director of the Colleges That Change Lives, a non-profit organization that champions colleges that might not be name brands but provide a transformational experience for students.

Are you sending your senior to college in the fall? If so, join host Sally Ganga to hear Jan Combs, college finance expert at College Coach, give tips on what you should be doing right now to prepare for that tuition bill. Then, former college counselor at the American School of Madrid Marj Southworth will be discussing applying to colleges outside of the United States. (Hint: there’s more than just study abroad!) Interested in getting more involved at your high school? Considering starting your own club? College Coach admissions counselor Jen Simons and host Sally Ganga will be offering advice on how to make it happen.

Have you heard of the Coalition for College? Curious to learn more? Host Ian Fisher will be joined by Liz Cheron, CEO of Coalition for College, to discuss the application's role in the college admission landscape. Then, he and College Coach education finance expert Beth Feinberg-Keenan will discuss the ABCs of applying for financial aid; in other words, what do all those acronyms stand for?

Host Sally Ganga is lucky enough to welcome Kimberly Ortiz, who came to College Coach from Harvey Mudd College, and previously, Cal Tech, to discuss college supplemental essays. Sally will also be joined by colleague Alex Rendon, formerly of UC San Diego, to discuss the application activity list, and Michelle Clifton, to give us a very important update on student loan repayment.

Paying for college has been tough for a while now, but high interest rates are making it even tougher. Host Ian Fisher is joined by College Coach finance expert Alex Bickford to discuss what your options are. In addition, he will be digging into the details of rolling over your Common Application account if you opened it before the official August 1 start date for the 2024-2025 year with colleague Mary Sue Youn, and discussing the various college application process trackers used by high schools, such as Naviance, Scoir, and Maia. They all offer different functionalities that can help with the college application process, so listen in.

Did you know that August is Wellness Month? And that financial wellness is a thing? Our colleague Michelle Smoley, college finance expert, is here to discuss financial wellness tips for those heading to college with host Shannon Vasconcelos. Shannon will then be answering listener questions with College Coach colleague Kara Courtois. We answer listener questions regularly, so remember to submit yours to us; you can find us on social media platforms.

Interested in Dartmouth? We’re lucky enough to welcome Lee Coffin, Vice-President and Dean of Admission and Financial Aid, here to discuss all things about the College. He previously worked in admissions at Tufts and Connecticut College, and has served as an adjunct lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, so his perspective is both broad and deep. Host Ian Fisher will also be talking with Alex Gonzalez, College Coach Finance expert, about searching for scholarships during the summer.

Parents, do you have a student heading off to college in the fall? Your tuition and fees are likely due! Listen in to find out more about paying that important bill. You’ve probably heard of Georgetown, but did you know there are other fine Jesuit colleges in the US? College Coach colleague Nicole Doyle, alumna and former admission officer at the College of Holy Cross in Massachusetts, will be talking about the values that Jesuit schools are known for and the Jesuit college experience. Last, brand new College Coach colleague Scott Alexander, former admission officer at Bates College, will be discussing colleges in and near Portland, Maine. (Be sure to catch our Portland, Oregon colleges episode from last week, July 11th, if you want to hear about both coasts!)

Do you like Portland, Oregon? Thinking you might like to go to college there? If so, listen in, as host Shannon Vasconcelos will be interviewing colleague Sara Calvert-Kubrom, alumna and former admission officer at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, about the institutions in the area. There many fine ones, not just Reed, Lewis & Clark, and the Oregon publics! Then, Shannon, Sara, and Zachary Gries, college finance expert at College Coach, will be answering listener questions. We address listener questions about once every two months, so feel free to submit your own on one of our social media pages or on our website, coll.coach/gettinginquestions.

Join our host Sally Ganga as she speaks with several special guests for a deep dive on Skidmore College. Sally talks with Janessa Dunn, the Director of Admissions, and Maggie Besthoff, a Skidmore student, about what life is like at Skidmore. Finally, Sally is joined by special guest Klaudia Wiacek to discuss possible career pathways for English majors. Tune in!