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

Mark Stucker
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Dec 4, 2025 • 1h 13min

YCBK 593: Can Admission Officers Tell If Students Get Help With Their Essays?

In this episode you will hear: (02:47) QFL #1 Hilary and Mark answer a question from an anonymous listener who wants to know if an admission officer can tell when a student gets help with their college essays (18:24) QFL #2 Kate and Susan join Mark to answer several questions that Emily from Columbus has about dual enrollment courses. (41:46) Interview: Mark interviews Tom Ellett, the chief experience officer at Quinnipiac University. Tom gives some sage advice on things students can do to be successful while in college Preview v Tom Ellett gives his unique background that includes two transfers while he was a student, and multiple roles at several different colleges v Tom was the first chief experience officer at any US college, and he explains to us what is involved in this role v Tom explains how he has used his experiences at all of his other schools to improve student life at Quinnipiac v Tom explains how the challenges college students face has changed over the years and decades on college campuses v Tom gives his advice about things a student can do to increase his or her chances of graduating, and you are going to want to listen closely because Tom's advice is priceless v Tom explains why he is so bullish about Living Learning communities on college campuses v Tom explains why he likes to live on campus, even in his 50's and early 60's Recommended Resource Guide to help first year students complete the Common Application- Application guide for first-year students Speakpipe.com/YCBK is our method if you want to ask a question and we will be prioritizing all questions sent in via Speakpipe. Unfortunately, we will NOT answer questions on the podcast anymore that are emailed in. If you want us to answer a question on the podcast, please use speakpipe.com/YCBK. We feel hearing from our listeners in their own voices adds to the community feel of our podcast. You can also use this for many other purposes: 1) Send us constructive criticism about how we can improve our podcast 2) Share an encouraging word about something you like about an episode or the podcast in general 3) Share a topic or an article you would like us to address 4) Share a speaker you want us to interview 5) Leave positive feedback for one of our interviewees. We will send your verbal feedback directly to them and I can almost assure you, your positive feedback will make their day. To sign up to receive Your College-Bound Kid PLUS, our new monthly admissions newsletter, delivered directly to your email once a month, just go to yourcollegeboundkid.com, and you will see the sign-up popup. We will include many of the hot topics being discussed on college campuses. Check out our new blog. We write timely and insightful articles on college admissions: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/blog/ Follow Mark Stucker on Twitter to get breaking college admission news, and updates about the podcast before they go live. You can ask questions on Twitter that he will answer on the podcast. Mark will also share additional hot topics in the news and breaking news on this Twitter feed. Twitter message is also the preferred way to ask questions for our podcast: 1. To access our transcripts, click: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/transcripts/ 2. Find the specific episode transcripts for the one you want to search for and click the link 3. Find the magnifying glass icon in blue (search feature) and click it 4. Enter whatever word you want to search. I.e. Loans 5. Every word in that episode when the words loans are used will be highlighted in yellow with a timestamps 6. Click the word highlighted in yellow and the player will play the episode from that starting point 7. You can also download the entire podcast as a transcript We would be honored if you will pass this podcast episode on to others who you feel will benefit from the content in YCBK. Please subscribe to our podcast. It really helps us move up in Apple's search feature so others can find our podcast. If you enjoy our podcast, would you please do us a favor and share our podcast both verbally and on social media? We would be most grateful! If you want to help more people find Your College-Bound Kid, please make sure you follow our podcast. You will also get instant notifications as soon as each episode goes live. Check out the college admissions books Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-books/ Check out the college websites Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-websites/ If you want to have some input about what you like and what you recommend, we change about our podcast, please complete our Podcast survey; here is the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCauBgityVXVHRQUjvlIRfYrMWWdHarB9DMQGYL0472bNxrw/viewform If you want a college consultation, text Mark at 404-664-4340, or email us at yourcollegeboundkid@yahoo.com All we ask is that you review their services and pricing on their website before the complimentary session; here is link to their services with transparent pricing: https://schoolmatch4u.com/services/compare-packages/
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Dec 1, 2025 • 1h

YCBK 592: Elite Colleges are Steering Most Kids to 3 Professions! Is this wrong?

In this episode you will hear: Mark and Vince talk about a range of topics-Part 2 of 2 New Interview-Evan Mandery-How America's Elite Colleges Breed High-Status Careers—and Misery Preview of Part 1 of 3 m Evan gives his background m Evan talks his book Poison Ivy and he tells us how it lead to a non-profit organization, called, "classactionorg" that fights legacy preferences, for great educational equality on elite campuses m Evan gives an overview of the article that will be the basis of our interview; it was written in Mother Jones, and it is entitled, How America's Elite Colleges Breed High Status Careers and Misery m Evan discusses why we don't teach, how to live a happy life Recommended Resources Colleges that allow self reporting of test scores Colleges that Allow Self-Reporting of SAT and ACT Scores Great source for questions about finances and college Edvisors: Financial Aid, Student Loans, Scholarships and Money Management FAFSA Walkthroughs Mark recommends Complete FAFSA 2026‑2027 Walkthrough | From Start to Submit 2023-2024 FAFSA Walkthrough Video English CSS PROFILE Walkthroughs CSS Profile Walkthrough MEFA Institute: A Deep Dive into the CSS Profile Speakpipe.com/YCBK is our method if you want to ask a question and we will be prioritizing all questions sent in via Speakpipe. Unfortunately, we will NOT answer questions on the podcast anymore that are emailed in. If you want us to answer a question on the podcast, please use speakpipe.com/YCBK. We feel hearing from our listeners in their own voices adds to the community feel of our podcast. You can also use this for many other purposes: 1) Send us constructive criticism about how we can improve our podcast 2) Share an encouraging word about something you like about an episode or the podcast in general 3) Share a topic or an article you would like us to address 4) Share a speaker you want us to interview 5) Leave positive feedback for one of our interviewees. We will send your verbal feedback directly to them and I can almost assure you, your positive feedback will make their day. To sign up to receive Your College-Bound Kid PLUS, our new monthly admissions newsletter, delivered directly to your email once a month, just go to yourcollegeboundkid.com, and you will see the sign-up popup. We will include many of the hot topics being discussed on college campuses. Check out our new blog. We write timely and insightful articles on college admissions: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/blog/ On X for our podcast: https://twitter.com/YCBKpodcast 1. To access our transcripts, click: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/transcripts/ 2. Find the specific episode transcripts for the one you want to search and click the link 3. Find the magnifying glass icon in blue (search feature) and click it 4. Enter whatever word you want to search. I.e. Loans 5. Every word in that episode when the words loans are used, will be highlighted in yellow with a timestamps 6. Click the word highlighted in yellow and the player will play the episode from that starting point 7. You can also download the entire podcast as a transcript We would be honored if you will pass this podcast episode on to others who you feel will benefit from the content in YCBK. Please follow our podcast. It really helps us move up in Spotify and Apple's search feature so others can find our podcast. If you enjoy our podcast, would you please do us a favor and share our podcast both verbally and on social media? We would be most grateful! If you want to help more people find Your College-Bound Kid, please make sure you follow our podcast. You will also get instant notifications as soon as each episode goes live. Check out the college admissions books Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-books/ Check out the college websites Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-websites/ If you want to have some input about what you like and what you recommend, we change about our podcast, please complete our Podcast survey; here is the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCauBgityVXVHRQUjvlIRfYrMWWdHarB9DMQGYL0472bNxrw/viewform If you want a college consultation with Mark just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email Lisa at lisa@schoolmatch4u.com. All we ask is that you review their services and pricing on their website before the complimentary session; here is link to their services with transparent pricing: https://schoolmatch4u.com/services/compare-packages/
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Nov 27, 2025 • 1h 37min

YCBK 591: What College Grads Need To Do To Land Quality Jobs

In this episode you will hear: (03:10) In the News Vince and Mark just chit-chat and discuss a range of topics about colleges and college admissions-Part 1 of 2 (33:07) Interview: Mark interviews Jin Chow, the Founder of Polygence, but now they have a new exciting service called, "Work Lab'. Jin explains to us how Work Lab helps students Preview of Part 2 v Jin, shares what are the things that you observe about a student and you say, this is just not going to work v Jin, shares the things that she has learned so far about Work Labs v Jin, shares what her vision is for what Work Lab can grow into, and Friends, Jin has a big vision v Jin talks about the age limits of the work lab participants v Jin, talks about the value of working with a founder or an entrepreneur v Jin, talks about the cost to participate in Work Lab v Jin shares some trends she is noticing that employers are looking for when it comes to the soft skills v Jin, shares one thing that parents and counselors need to think about before they sign up for a Work Lab opportunity v Jin shares one other thing that it takes to be successful at Work Lab that students can start working on right now v Jin shares the next step v Friends, please reach out to Jin at Jin@polygence.org, that's jin@polygence.org if you either enjoyed this interview and you want to let Jin know, and you want to say thank you, or if you have additional questions for her v Friends, we close by hearing from a student I know who participated in Work Lab (01:00:37) College Spotlight-Mark interviews Daniel Lachance, a student at Rochester Institute of Technology and Daniel talks about how internships, certificates and college clubs set him up for success at getting hired by Microsoft. Part 1 of 2 Preview of Part 2 ² Dan shares some other colleges who he feels have very good cybersecurity programs ² Dan shares what are the ways in which a good college cybersecurity club helps you ² Dan gives our listeners 4 things to look for to know if a cybersecurity club is a strong club that can set you up for success ² Dan shares some great questions to ask the club contact to learn more about the strength of the club ² Dan tells us whether the cybersecurity graduates are getting jobs in cybersecurity ² Dan shares some wisdom for our listeners ² Dan gives our students advice for how to maximize LinkedIn Recommended Resource Guide to help first year students complete the Common Application- Application guide for first-year students Speakpipe.com/YCBK is our method if you want to ask a question and we will be prioritizing all questions sent in via Speakpipe. Unfortunately, we will NOT answer questions on the podcast anymore that are emailed in. If you want us to answer a question on the podcast, please use speakpipe.com/YCBK. We feel hearing from our listeners in their own voices adds to the community feel of our podcast. You can also use this for many other purposes: 1) Send us constructive criticism about how we can improve our podcast 2) Share an encouraging word about something you like about an episode or the podcast in general 3) Share a topic or an article you would like us to address 4) Share a speaker you want us to interview 5) Leave positive feedback for one of our interviewees. We will send your verbal feedback directly to them and I can almost assure you, your positive feedback will make their day. To sign up to receive Your College-Bound Kid PLUS, our new monthly admissions newsletter, delivered directly to your email once a month, just go to yourcollegeboundkid.com, and you will see the sign-up popup. We will include many of the hot topics being discussed on college campuses. Check out our new blog. We write timely and insightful articles on college admissions: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/blog/ Follow Mark Stucker on Twitter to get breaking college admission news, and updates about the podcast before they go live. You can ask questions on Twitter that he will answer on the podcast. Mark will also share additional hot topics in the news and breaking news on this Twitter feed. Twitter message is also the preferred way to ask questions for our podcast: https://twitter.com/YCBKpodcast 1. To access our transcripts, click: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/transcripts/ 2. Find the specific episode transcripts for the one you want to search and click the link 3. Find the magnifying glass icon in blue (search feature) and click it 4. Enter whatever word you want to search. I.e. Loans 5. Every word in that episode when the words loans are used will be highlighted in yellow with a timestamps 6. Click the word highlighted in yellow and the player will play the episode from that starting point 7. You can also download the entire podcast as a transcript We would be honored if you will pass this podcast episode on to others who you feel will benefit from the content in YCBK. Please subscribe to our podcast. It really helps us move up in Apple's search feature so others can find our podcast. If you enjoy our podcast, would you please do us a favor and share our podcast both verbally and on social media? We would be most grateful! If you want to help more people find Your College-Bound Kid, please make sure you follow our podcast. You will also get instant notifications as soon as each episode goes live. Check out the college admissions books Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-books/ Check out the college websites Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-websites/ If you want to have some input about what you like and what you recommend, we change about our podcast, please complete our Podcast survey; here is the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCauBgityVXVHRQUjvlIRfYrMWWdHarB9DMQGYL0472bNxrw/viewform If you want a college consultation, text Mark at 404-664-4340, or email us at yourcollegeboundkid@yahoo.com All we ask is that you review their services and pricing on their website before the complimentary session; here is link to their services with transparent pricing: https://schoolmatch4u.com/services/compare-packages/
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Nov 24, 2025 • 1h 33min

YCBK 590: More Controversy Over Tulane Putting 4 High Schools On A 1 Year ED Ban

Dr. Jay Hamilton, a Stanford professor and author of "You Got In! Now What?", shares valuable insights on thriving in college. He emphasizes the importance of building friendships and stepping outside comfort zones. Jay discusses the impact of influential books and stories of notable figures like Carly Fiorina, encouraging students to forge their own paths. He also highlights the need for resilience in facing setbacks and advocates for deep reflection as students prepare for their collegiate journeys.
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Nov 20, 2025 • 1h 43min

YCBK 589: Was Tulane Justified By Punishing a HS When a Student Rejected Tulane's ED Acceptance

In this episode you will hear: (05:56) In the News Vince and Mark discuss an article that appeared in the New York Times onn October 26, 2025, entitled, "An Early-Decision Student Backed Out of Tulane. Tulane Punished High School. (38:05) Interview: Mark interviews Jin Chow, the Founder of Polygence, but now they have a new exciting service called, "Work Lab'. Jin explains to us how Work Lab helps students Preview of Part 1 v Jin explains what Work Lab Is v Jin talks about the research they did before they started Work Lab v Jin tells us where the companies are located that students work with v Jin tells us what the next steps are for a family that wants to explore this opportunity v Jin explains how Work Lab is different from the student driven academic projects that students due, under the tutelage of a mentor v Jin talks about what is the value of Work Lab, how does it help students v Jin goes into detail of process, step by step from start to finish (01:05:39) College Spotlight-Mark interviews Daniel Lachance, a student at Rochester Institute of Technology and Daniel talks about how internships, certificates and college clubs set him up for success at getting hired by Microsoft. Part 1 of 2 Preview of Part 1 ² Dan gives an update of what he had done in the last 18 months since he appeared on our podcast to talk about RIT and Cyber-security ² Dan tells us how he got a full-time job offer at Microsoft after only two years of college ² Dan talks about how the AWS Cloud Practitioner certification helped him get through the initial screening Microsoft used ² Dan recommends several other certifications that he would recommend ² Dan talks about which jobs in computer science are oversaturated and students are having a hard time finding jobs vs areas of computer science where students are not having a hard time finding employment ² Dan explains why students are having a hard time getting jobs in computer science these days ² Dan talks about what his experience was like doing an internship at Microsoft in Seattle ² Dan explains why he was selected to get an internship at Microsoft when they only admit 1% out of the 330,000 who apply ² Dan tells us what full time is job will be at Microsoft right after graduating ² Dan tells which colleges the biggest feeders are to get jobs at Microsoft ² Dan tells us other areas besides cybersecurity in both computer science and engineering where he sees students getting great jobs ² Dan gives advice for how to stand out on your internship or co-op, so you can get a full time offer like Dan got from Microsoft Recommended Resource Guide to help first year students complete the Common Application- Application guide for first-year students Speakpipe.com/YCBK is our method if you want to ask a question and we will be prioritizing all questions sent in via Speakpipe. Unfortunately, we will NOT answer questions on the podcast anymore that are emailed in. If you want us to answer a question on the podcast, please use speakpipe.com/YCBK. We feel hearing from our listeners in their own voices adds to the community feel of our podcast. You can also use this for many other purposes: 1) Send us constructive criticism about how we can improve our podcast 2) Share an encouraging word about something you like about an episode or the podcast in general 3) Share a topic or an article you would like us to address 4) Share a speaker you want us to interview 5) Leave positive feedback for one of our interviewees. We will send your verbal feedback directly to them and I can almost assure you, your positive feedback will make their day. To sign up to receive Your College-Bound Kid PLUS, our new monthly admissions newsletter, delivered directly to your email once a month, just go to yourcollegeboundkid.com, and you will see the sign-up popup. We will include many of the hot topics being discussed on college campuses. Check out our new blog. We write timely and insightful articles on college admissions: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/blog/ Follow Mark Stucker on Twitter to get breaking college admission news, and updates about the podcast before they go live. You can ask questions on Twitter that he will answer on the podcast. Mark will also share additional hot topics in the news and breaking news on this Twitter feed. Twitter message is also the preferred way to ask questions for our podcast: https://twitter.com/YCBKpodcast 1. To access our transcripts, click: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/transcripts/ 2. Find the specific episode transcripts for the one you want to search and click the link 3. Find the magnifying glass icon in blue (search feature) and click it 4. Enter whatever word you want to search. I.e. Loans 5. Every word in that episode when the words loans are used will be highlighted in yellow with a timestamps 6. Click the word highlighted in yellow and the player will play the episode from that starting point 7. You can also download the entire podcast as a transcript We would be honored if you will pass this podcast episode on to others who you feel will benefit from the content in YCBK. Please subscribe to our podcast. It really helps us move up in Apple's search feature so others can find our podcast. If you enjoy our podcast, would you please do us a favor and share our podcast both verbally and on social media? We would be most grateful! If you want to help more people find Your College-Bound Kid, please make sure you follow our podcast. You will also get instant notifications as soon as each episode goes live. Check out the college admissions books Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-books/ Check out the college websites Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-websites/ If you want to have some input about what you like and what you recommend, we change about our podcast, please complete our Podcast survey; here is the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCauBgityVXVHRQUjvlIRfYrMWWdHarB9DMQGYL0472bNxrw/viewform If you want a college consultation, text Mark at 404-664-4340, or email us at yourcollegeboundkid@yahoo.com All we ask is that you review their services and pricing on their website before the complimentary session; here is link to their services with transparent pricing: https://schoolmatch4u.com/services/compare-packages/
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Nov 17, 2025 • 1h 1min

YCBK 588: You Got Into College! Now What Do You Do?

Dr. Jay Hamilton, a Stanford professor and author of 'You Got In! Now What?', explores the goals of liberal arts education and how his children's experiences sparked his writing journey. He shares insights from Stanford's Long Range Planning reforms and discusses the importance of concise learning methods for today's students. Delving into the unique perspectives economists bring to higher education, Jay emphasizes seven key aims of liberal arts, including critical thinking and moral growth, setting the stage for thriving in college.
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Nov 13, 2025 • 1h 42min

YCBK 587: Insights Into How Admission Decisions Are Made That Are Rarely Shared in Public

In this episode you will hear: Results from our 507 listeners are shared (11:06) In the News Andy Strickler shares some more information about AP Tests scores, but then Andy and Mark transition to discuss a range of other ways that admissions files are read that are usually kept in secret, and are rarely shared publicly (37:08) Interview: Mark interviews Stephen Master, an expert in Sports Management Careers. They discuss "Opportunities for Careers In Sports Management"  Stephen continues to talk about the importance of networking  Stephen talks about how to reach out to a potential employer,  Stephen talks about how to stand out in an interview  Stephen talks about some of the other skill sets that make a student a standout for sports management careers  Stephen talks about the sports bootcamps he runs and how they are a great way to find out if you are thinking about a career in sports and you want to learn more  Stephen goes on the hotseat, I really want you to hear his answer when I asked him, "what do you wish your 18 year old self new . (01:07:06) College Spotlight-Mark interviews Carmen Chavez, a recent Duke alumnus and she gives her take on what Duke does very well and what she wishes Duke would change. Preview of Part 2  Carmen continues to share things she feels Duke can do better, as well as things that made Duke special  Carmen shares the cultural adjustment she had transitioning from multicultural Miami to Duke  Carmen describes the type of student Duke will be great for  Carmen describes the type of student that Duke is not a good fit for  Carmen answers the question, what is Duke's personality  Carmen lets us know what she would do differently if she had to do it all over again Recommended Resource Guide to help first year students complete the Common Application- Application guide for first-year students Speakpipe.com/YCBK is our method if you want to ask a question and we will be prioritizing all questions sent in via Speakpipe. Unfortunately, we will NOT answer questions on the podcast anymore that are emailed in. If you want us to answer a question on the podcast, please use speakpipe.com/YCBK. We feel hearing from our listeners in their own voices adds to the community feel of our podcast. You can also use this for many other purposes: 1) Send us constructive criticism about how we can improve our podcast 2) Share an encouraging word about something you like about an episode or the podcast in general 3) Share a topic or an article you would like us to address 4) Share a speaker you want us to interview 5) Leave positive feedback for one of our interviewees. We will send your verbal feedback directly to them and I can almost assure you, your positive feedback will make their day. To sign up to receive Your College-Bound Kid PLUS, our new monthly admissions newsletter, delivered directly to your email once a month, just go to yourcollegeboundkid.com, and you will see the sign-up popup. We will include many of the hot topics being discussed on college campuses. Check out our new blog. We write timely and insightful articles on college admissions: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/blog/ Follow Mark Stucker on Twitter to get breaking college admission news, and updates about the podcast before they go live. You can ask questions on Twitter that he will answer on the podcast. Mark will also share additional hot topics in the news and breaking news on this Twitter feed. Twitter message is also the preferred way to ask questions for our podcast: https://twitter.com/YCBKpodcast 1. To access our transcripts, click: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/transcripts/ 2. Find the specific episode transcripts for the one you want to search and click the link 3. Find the magnifying glass icon in blue (search feature) and click it 4. Enter whatever word you want to search. I.e. Loans 5. Every word in that episode when the words loans are used will be highlighted in yellow with a timestamps 6. Click the word highlighted in yellow and the player will play the episode from that starting point 7. You can also download the entire podcast as a transcript We would be honored if you will pass this podcast episode on to others who you feel will benefit from the content in YCBK. Please subscribe to our podcast. It really helps us move up in Apple's search feature so others can find our podcast. If you enjoy our podcast, would you please do us a favor and share our podcast both verbally and on social media? We would be most grateful! If you want to help more people find Your College-Bound Kid, please make sure you follow our podcast. You will also get instant notifications as soon as each episode goes live. Check out the college admissions books Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-books/ Check out the college websites Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-websites/ If you want to have some input about what you like and what you recommend, we change about our podcast, please complete our Podcast survey; here is the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCauBgityVXVHRQUjvlIRfYrMWWdHarB9DMQGYL0472bNxrw/viewform If you want a college consultation, text Mark at 404-664-4340, or email us at yourcollegeboundkid@yahoo.com All we ask is that you review their services and pricing on their website before the complimentary session; here is link to their services with transparent pricing: https://schoolmatch4u.com/services/compare-packages/
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Nov 10, 2025 • 1h 12min

YCBK 586: What Do Colleges Want To See In Teacher Recommendations-3 of 3

In this episode you will hear: Kate and Susan answer a question from a mom whose daughter is struggling with her gender identity, and she has been bullied, and she wonders if this is a good essay topic for her to write on Heath Einstein explains to us what colleges want to see in teacher recommendations: Preview of Part 3 v Heath continues by sharing things you should not say in the teacher recommendation letter v Heath answers the questions, is it okay to get a rec letter from a 9th, 10th or 12th grade teacher v Heath shares the maximum number of rec letters a student should submit v What should a student do if a teacher has committed to write a letter but they are not submitting it? v Should students give a thank you gift to a teacher who gets a rec letter Recommended Resources on Episode 584 Colleges that allow self reporting of test scores Colleges that Allow Self-Reporting of SAT and ACT Scores Great source for questions about finances and college Edvisors: Financial Aid, Student Loans, Scholarships and Money Management FAFSA Walkthroughs Mark recommends Complete FAFSA 2026‑2027 Walkthrough | From Start to Submit 2023-2024 FAFSA Walkthrough Video English CSS PROFILE Walkthroughs CSS Profile Walkthrough MEFA Institute: A Deep Dive into the CSS Profile Here is a link for our new YCBK listener survey so you can take the survey: https://forms.gle/3fSTNw5uUFUxaw3F8 Speakpipe.com/YCBK is our method if you want to ask a question and we will be prioritizing all questions sent in via Speakpipe. Unfortunately, we will NOT answer questions on the podcast anymore that are emailed in. If you want us to answer a question on the podcast, please use speakpipe.com/YCBK. We feel hearing from our listeners in their own voices adds to the community feel of our podcast. You can also use this for many other purposes: 1) Send us constructive criticism about how we can improve our podcast 2) Share an encouraging word about something you like about an episode or the podcast in general 3) Share a topic or an article you would like us to address 4) Share a speaker you want us to interview 5) Leave positive feedback for one of our interviewees. We will send your verbal feedback directly to them and I can almost assure you, your positive feedback will make their day. To sign up to receive Your College-Bound Kid PLUS, our new monthly admissions newsletter, delivered directly to your email once a month, just go to yourcollegeboundkid.com, and you will see the sign-up popup. We will include many of the hot topics being discussed on college campuses. Check out our new blog. We write timely and insightful articles on college admissions: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/blog/ On X for our podcast: https://twitter.com/YCBKpodcast 1. To access our transcripts, click: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/transcripts/ 2. Find the specific episode transcripts for the one you want to search and click the link 3. Find the magnifying glass icon in blue (search feature) and click it 4. Enter whatever word you want to search. I.e. Loans 5. Every word in that episode when the words loans are used, will be highlighted in yellow with a timestamps 6. Click the word highlighted in yellow and the player will play the episode from that starting point 7. You can also download the entire podcast as a transcript We would be honored if you will pass this podcast episode on to others who you feel will benefit from the content in YCBK. Please follow our podcast. It really helps us move up in Spotify and Apple's search feature so others can find our podcast. If you enjoy our podcast, would you please do us a favor and share our podcast both verbally and on social media? We would be most grateful! If you want to help more people find Your College-Bound Kid, please make sure you follow our podcast. You will also get instant notifications as soon as each episode goes live. Check out the college admissions books Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-books/ Check out the college websites Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-websites/ If you want to have some input about what you like and what you recommend, we change about our podcast, please complete our Podcast survey; here is the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCauBgityVXVHRQUjvlIRfYrMWWdHarB9DMQGYL0472bNxrw/viewform If you want a college consultation with Mark just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email Lisa at lisa@schoolmatch4u.com. All we ask is that you review their services and pricing on their website before the complimentary session; here is link to their services with transparent pricing: https://schoolmatch4u.com/services/compare-packages/
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Nov 6, 2025 • 1h 26min

YCBK 585: All 39 AP Courses Rated As Most Rigorous or Just Rigorous

Stephen Master, a seasoned sports business executive and NYU professor, explores the vast landscape of careers in sports management, shedding light on the booming job market and the essential skills needed for success. He highlights the need for analytics and networking in a competitive industry. Meanwhile, Carmen Chavez, a Duke alumna, shares her perspective on the unique aspects of the Duke experience and offers insight into what makes the university special. Together, they provide a blend of practical advice and personal anecdotes that illuminate the path for aspiring students.
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Nov 3, 2025 • 1h 5min

YCBK 584: What Do Colleges Want To See In Teacher Recommendations-2 of 3

In this episode you will hear: Mark shares some recommended resources to help families and he also answers a question from a listener. Heath Einstein explains to us what colleges want to see in teacher recommendations: Preview of Part 2 v I replay what Heath said about persistence and grit because I thought it was that important v Heath and I discuss whether you should ask a teacher for very specific things that you would like for them to say about you in the teacher rec v What should a student do if a teacher says, "you write the letter of rec and I will sign it" v Heath transitions to several things that as a teacher, you don't want to talk about in your teacher recommendation v Heath says when a teacher should say, "no" when asked to write a rec letter Recommended Resources on Episode 584 Colleges that allow self reporting of test scores Colleges that Allow Self-Reporting of SAT and ACT Scores Great source for questions about finances and college Edvisors: Financial Aid, Student Loans, Scholarships and Money Management FAFSA Walkthroughs Mark recommends Complete FAFSA 2026‑2027 Walkthrough | From Start to Submit 2023-2024 FAFSA Walkthrough Video English CSS PROFILE Walkthroughs CSS Profile Walkthrough MEFA Institute: A Deep Dive into the CSS Profile Here is a link for our new YCBK listener survey so you can take the survey: https://forms.gle/3fSTNw5uUFUxaw3F8 Speakpipe.com/YCBK is our method if you want to ask a question and we will be prioritizing all questions sent in via Speakpipe. Unfortunately, we will NOT answer questions on the podcast anymore that are emailed in. If you want us to answer a question on the podcast, please use speakpipe.com/YCBK. We feel hearing from our listeners in their own voices adds to the community feel of our podcast. You can also use this for many other purposes: 1) Send us constructive criticism about how we can improve our podcast 2) Share an encouraging word about something you like about an episode or the podcast in general 3) Share a topic or an article you would like us to address 4) Share a speaker you want us to interview 5) Leave positive feedback for one of our interviewees. We will send your verbal feedback directly to them and I can almost assure you, your positive feedback will make their day. To sign up to receive Your College-Bound Kid PLUS, our new monthly admissions newsletter, delivered directly to your email once a month, just go to yourcollegeboundkid.com, and you will see the sign-up popup. We will include many of the hot topics being discussed on college campuses. Check out our new blog. We write timely and insightful articles on college admissions: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/blog/ On X for our podcast: https://twitter.com/YCBKpodcast 1. To access our transcripts, click: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/category/transcripts/ 2. Find the specific episode transcripts for the one you want to search and click the link 3. Find the magnifying glass icon in blue (search feature) and click it 4. Enter whatever word you want to search. I.e. Loans 5. Every word in that episode when the words loans are used, will be highlighted in yellow with a timestamps 6. Click the word highlighted in yellow and the player will play the episode from that starting point 7. You can also download the entire podcast as a transcript We would be honored if you will pass this podcast episode on to others who you feel will benefit from the content in YCBK. Please follow our podcast. It really helps us move up in Spotify and Apple's search feature so others can find our podcast. If you enjoy our podcast, would you please do us a favor and share our podcast both verbally and on social media? We would be most grateful! If you want to help more people find Your College-Bound Kid, please make sure you follow our podcast. You will also get instant notifications as soon as each episode goes live. Check out the college admissions books Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-books/ Check out the college websites Mark recommends: https://yourcollegeboundkid.com/recommended-websites/ If you want to have some input about what you like and what you recommend, we change about our podcast, please complete our Podcast survey; here is the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCauBgityVXVHRQUjvlIRfYrMWWdHarB9DMQGYL0472bNxrw/viewform If you want a college consultation with Mark just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email Lisa at lisa@schoolmatch4u.com. All we ask is that you review their services and pricing on their website before the complimentary session; here is link to their services with transparent pricing: https://schoolmatch4u.com/services/compare-packages/

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