The Truth about College Admission

Brennan and Rick are joined by Angel Perez, the CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), to talk about the current landscape in Washington, D.C. amidst uncertainty with the Department of Education, who NACAC is working with to improve college admissions, what could be innovated in the future in the profession, and the overflowing hope found on college campuses in improving student lives.LINKSAngel Perez BioNACAC Action Alerts"NACAC begins search for director of Center for Innovation in College Admission"LoperThe Truth About College Admission NewsletterThe Truth About College Admission ResourcesHosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick ClarkGuest: Angel PerezProduction: Jack Purdy

Brennan and Rick are joined by Mark Salisbury, founder and CEO of TuitionFit, to detail for families why college sticker prices are so high, what to look for in a financial aid award, what kinds of financial aid tools are out there, and what they mean in simple terms. LINKSNewsletter:  https://www.truthaboutcollegeadmission.com/contactTuitionfit.orggoppi.orgPrior episodes on financial aid and paying for college: Ron Lieber: Podcast | The Truth About College AdmissionJohn Leach (Emory): Podcast | The Truth About College AdmissionJackie Copeland (UNC): Podcast | The Truth About College AdmissionCollege Admission Grown & Flown Free Trial OfferHosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick ClarkGuest: Mark SalisburyProduction: Jack Purdy

Brennan and Rick have an epic pod this week joined by Melodie Baker (Founder & Executive Director of ImpactSTATS Inc.) and Akil Bello (Senior Director of Advocacy and Advancement at FairTest) for a massive deep dive into Melodie's research into what the current role of calculus in college admissions is, how it's used as a date point at selective colleges, and then talk on College Board's role in pre-calculus.Links:Impact StatsAkil Bello's websiteMerit: Myths and Money - BelloThe Truth About College Admission NewsletterCollege Admissions Grown and Flown Free Trial OfferHosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick ClarkGuests: Melodie Baker, Akil BelloProduction: Jack Purdy

Rick and Brennan are joined by Heath Einstein, the Vice Provost of Enrollment Management at Texas Christian University, to go over what a deferral means in the admissions process, what students should do in response to the decision and while they wait for the next decision to come, and the mentality to take on when your top school sends a deferral decision.Links:Deferred Admission - Georgia TechHeath Einstein Named Vice Provost for Enrollment Management - TCUTruth About College Admissions Newsletter SignupGrown and Flown Free Trial OfferHosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick ClarkGuest: Heath EinsteinProduction: Jack Purdy

Brennan and Rick are joined by Sacha Thieme, Assistant Vice Provost and Executive Director of Admissions at Indiana University, to talk about best practices for visiting colleges, the preparation that is useful before going for a campus visit, and what college visits can do as for high schoolers evolving their thinking in the college search process.Links:Ask The Same Questions, again and again… - ClarkThrow a Dart, Drop a Pin - Truth About College Admissions WorkbookDon’t Waste Your College Visit: Ask The Right Questions - ForbesGrown & Flown Free Trial OfferTruth About College Admissions NewsletterHosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick ClarkGuest: Sacha ThiemeProduction: Jack Purdy

Rick is joined by the interim Director of Admissions at UT Austin, Dr. Ramon Blakley, to talk about UT Austin's Percentage Plan and how that impacts how they recruit + admit applicants. Then, a conversation about how juniors can best navigate the various schools that have a range of test optional to test mandatory policies, plus advice for parents of seniors who are receiving application decisions this month.Links:Hues of Leadership Podcast - BlakleyThe College Admissions Process Podcast - BlakleyGrown and Flown Free Trial OfferHost: Rick ClarkGuest: Dr. Ramon BlakleyProduction: Jack Purdy

Rick and Brennan are back from holidays and are here with their hopes for 2025 in college admissions, what they're looking out for in the industry, and their timely tips for the January portion of the admissions calendar.Links:Admission Leaders Share Resolutions For College Applicants - ForbesImmunity to Change - Kegan and LaheyCollege Uncovered - NPR"Ask The Same Questions" - ClarkTruth About College Admissions NewsletterHosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick ClarkProduction: Jack Purdy

Rick and Brennan close out the 2024 calendar year to discuss their favorite guests and what they drew from those conversations. Then, a review of the big issues in college admission that stuck out to them in 2024 with a look ahead to what they're hopeful to see in 2025. Hopefully no more holiday deadlines for applications!Links:Fewer race-based scholarships and a new culture of fear follow the end of affirmative action - The Hechinger ReportAsk Lisa Podcast: Getting into College with Rick Clark - DamourThe Truth About Family and College Admission - The Truth About College Admission w/Lisa DamourThe Truth About Admission and Parenting - The Truth About College Admission w/Lisa HeffernanScoir Halftime ReportHosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick ClarkProduction: Jack Purdy

In one of our favorite episodes yet, Dan Lugo, current President of Queens University of Charlotte and future President at Trinity College in Hartford, CT, joins Brennan and Rick to talk about his unique admissions journey, how a college president can impact a campus positively, and how parents can best approach helping their child seek the transformative experience college can provide. Links:The Truth About College Admission NewsletterPostelection Uncertainty Looms Large For Presidents - Inside Higher EdHosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick ClarkGuest: Dan LugoProduction: Jack Purdy

Rick and Brennan are joined by Dianne Campbell, the Director of College Counseling at Liberty Common High School, where they talk about how to manage the conversations that are bound to come up for kids going through the college admissions process over the next month, how to frame the conversation in a healthy way for kids, and if necessary, ways to deflect the conversation to draw out stories from the adults in the room about their experiences.Links:The Truth about College Admission NewsletterA College Admission Holiday: The Friends And Family Guide - Forbes College Admission Indigestion: An Applicant's Guide to Nausea Free Holidays - Huff Post5 Parent Tips For When College Admission Decisions Land - ForbesParenting The Disappointed College Applicant - ForbesDealing With College Admission Disappointment - ForbesHandling College Admission Decisions: A Sidecar Parent’s Guide - ForbesHosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick ClarkGuest: Dianne CampbellProduction: Jack Purdy