
Your College Bound Kid | Admission Tips, Admission Trends & Admission Interviews
Admission Tips, Admission Trends & Admission InterviewsAdmission Interviews
Our mission is to "make college knowledge available to all." Each Thursday, the "Your College-Bound Kid" podcast will discuss a hot college topic in the news; we will answer a question or two that listeners send in, we will interview a "thought leader" in the world of college admissions, and do a "deep-dive," we call Spotlights on a College. Every Monday, we have a second episode to discuss a "hot topic" and interview a "thought leader" in the admissions or college life world. YCBK combines "in-depth knowledge" with a light, easy-to-listen conversational style. We have eight co-hosts, six college counselors, and two current admissions officers, including an Admissions Dean
Latest episodes

Jan 6, 2025 • 56min
YCBK 498: Demystifying The Role College Major Plays For College Applicants
In this episode you will hear: Mark takes a look at the different role college major plays at a half a dozen schools he recently visited including: The University of Georgia, Pomona College, Cal Poly SLO, Virginia Teach, Santa Clara University and the University of Virginia Lisa Interviews Erin Lewellen, the CEO of Tilting Futures, “Debunking Myths about Generation Z” Preview of Part 3 ² Lisa asks Erin about whether it is true that Gen Z is addicted to social media and Erin responds ² Lisa asks Erin how can we develop better relationships with Gen Z teens and Erin has some greater pointers for all of us ² Erin shares her advice for parents with high school students who are considering college ² Erin goes on the hot seat in our lightning round 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: 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: Check out the college websites Mark recommends: 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: If you want a college consultation with Mark or Lisa or Lynda, just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email Lisa at or Lynda at Lynda@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/

Jan 2, 2025 • 1h 12min
YCBK 497: How Can I Know How To Win Scholarships To Make College Affordable
In this episode you will hear: (04:10) In The News Julia and Mark discuss an article “How to Solve Campus Parking Problems Without Adding More Parking? The article appeared on March 26th, 2024 in the Chronicle for Higher Ed and it was written by Daniel Kenney (16:52) Question from a listener: Hillary and Mark answer a question from a homeschooled mom from Connecticut and she has several questions about paying for college. (54:56) Interview: What is the proper way to handle an acceptance offer? Rick Clark, Georgia Tech Preview of Part 3 of 3 § Rick Clark is the Executive Director of Strategic Student Access at Georgia Tech. § What are some things to avoid doing when you are admitted? § Can you talk about what a “Gap year is and when it makes sense to take one? College Spotlights will resume next week 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: 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: Check out the college websites Mark recommends: 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: If you want a college consultation with Mark or Lisa or Lynda, just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email Lisa at or Lynda at Lynda@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/

Dec 30, 2024 • 42min
YCBK 496: 4 Reasons Why So Many States Are Launching Direct Admission Plans
In this episode you will hear: Mark shares four reasons why so many states are launching Direct admit, top 10 percent plans. Mark also shares more than 15 states that have launched these plans in recent years, usually in 2023 or 2024. Lisa Interviews Erin Lewellen, the CEO of Tilting Futures, “Debunking Myths about Generation Z” Preview of Part 2 ² Lisa asks Erin about another stereotype about Gen X, that they are too sensitive, and Erin offers a very creative response to this myth ² Erin shares what we can learn from Gen Z ² Lisa asks Erin about the perception that Generation Z is wrapped up in identity politics and Erin responds to this, and she responds with research 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: 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: Check out the college websites Mark recommends: 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: If you want a college consultation with Mark or Lisa or Lynda, just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email Lisa at or Lynda at Lynda@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/

Dec 26, 2024 • 1h 6min
YCBK 495: What To Do If I am Denied, An Interview with Rick Clark, Georgia Tech
In this episode you will hear: (03:22) In The News Susan and Lisa discuss an article “Is Loneliness as Bad for Students as Smoking? The article appeared on Nov 12th, 2024 in the Chronicle for Higher Ed and it was co-written by Jack Stripling. Part 2 of 2 (09:38) Question from a listener: Hillary and Mark answer a question from Megan from Arizona and she wants to know if there is a way to include a 99th percentile writing score in the application when the college doesn’t require it. (20:22) Interview: What to do if you are denied or waitlisted? Rick Clark, Georgia Tech Preview of Part 2 of 3 § Rick Clark is the Executive Director of Strategic Student Access at Georgia Tech. § What are some misconceptions why students are denied? § What are some ways students and parents respond to denials and what is your advice about how to properly handle a denial? § How is a wait-list different from a deferral? § What are the different reasons a college wait-list students? § What is your advice about how to properly handle a wait list decision? (45:16) College Spotlight: DePauw University, Part 2 of 2 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: 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: Check out the college websites Mark recommends: 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: If you want a college consultation with Mark or Lisa or Lynda, just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email Lisa at or Lynda at Lynda@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/

Dec 23, 2024 • 42min
YCBK 494: Common Mistakes Students Make When Selecting Their HS Courses
In this episode you will hear: Mark answers two Speakpike questions from listeners about high school rigor, especially when it comes to foreign language courses. Mark also shares a conversation he had with an admission officer when he was at the College of William & Mary Lisa Interviews Erin Lewellen, the CEO of Tilting Futures, “Debunking Myths about Generation Z” Part 1 Preview of Part 1 ² Lisa gives an overview of Erin Lewellen’s background ² Erin shares her experience with social impact organizations ² Erin is the CEO of Tilting Futures and she tells us what Tilting Futures Is ² Lisa introduces our Topic for this interview, Busting myths about Gen Z ² Lisa asks Erin about the perception that Gen Z is nihilistic, that Gen Z is “checked out” ² Erin talks about what Gen Z demands in the workforce ² Lisa brings up the second myth, that Gen Z is lazy and they don’t care about work and Erin shares some things from a Deloitte study to debunk this myth 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: 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: Check out the college websites Mark recommends: 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: If you want a college consultation with Mark or Lisa or Lynda, just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email Lisa at or Lynda at Lynda@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/

Dec 19, 2024 • 1h 38min
YCBK 493: What Should I Do If I am Deferred, An Interview with Rick Clark, Georgia Tech
In this episode you will hear: (02:18) In The News Julia and Mark discuss an article that was co-written Matt Barnum and Douglas Belkin that appeared in the Wall Street Journal entitled, “Is Loneliness as Bad for Students as Smoking? The article appeared on Nov 12th, 2024 in the Chronicle for Higher Ed and it was co-written by Jack Stripling. Part 1 of 2 (25:18) Question from a listener: Susan and Mark answer a question from a Pennsylvania mom who wants to know how her son should communicate his lack of rigor in his application in the first few years of high school? (54:52) Interview: What to do if you are deferred? Rick Clark, Georgia Tech Preview of Part 1 of 3 Rick Clark is the Executive Director of Strategic Student Access at Georgia Tech. We discuss the proper way to handle the four different admissions decisions. 1. What is a deferral 2. what ways you have seen students and parents respond to a deferral? 3. How should a student respond to a deferral? 4.. Can you share the ways in which colleges and universities communicate decisions? 5. Does a deferral mean different things to different schools? (01:16:57) College Spotlight: DePauw University 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: 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: Check out the college websites Mark recommends: 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: If you want a college consultation with Mark or Lisa or Lynda, just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email Lisa at or Lynda at Lynda@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/

Dec 16, 2024 • 58min
YCBK 492: 30 Things To Rank When Building Your College List
In this episode you will hear: Mark interviews Jin Chow Part 3-Preview § Jin explains why they do not allow parents to join their sessions § Jin answers the objection, aren’t your statistics about college admissions inflated because you attract a pool of very strong applicants so you have selection bias built into your applicant pool § Jin answers the objection, what would you say to the person who says, kids are already stressed out, aren’t you already adding more stress to students lives § Jin talks about Polygence is more than a place for students to crank out papers where they get published § I share in-depth, my own evolution from being Polygence skeptical to embracing and supporting Polygence for the student who really wants to do a research project § Jin explains when Polygence works best § Jin goes on the hotseat Here is the “Pay to Play” article Jin wrote that I read at the end of the interview: 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: 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: Check out the college websites Mark recommends: 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: If you want a college consultation with Mark or Lisa or Lynda, just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email Lisa at or Lynda at Lynda@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/

Dec 12, 2024 • 1h 32min
YCBK 491: How Do I Get A Job In College Admissions
In this episode you will hear: (02:50) In The News Julia and Mark discuss an article that was co-written Matt Barnum and Douglas Belkin that appeared in the Wall Street Journal entitled, “Trump Gears Up for Assault on Wokeness With Education Overhaul; the article appeared on Nov 11th, 2024, (18:50) Question from a listener: Hillary and Mark answer a question from a home school student who wants to know how she can get a job as an admission officer (45:22) Interview: Gloria and Terry Crawford, Answering FAQ about Glimpse Video Preview of Part 5 of 5 ² Terry and Gloria continue to share tips for students so they can produce Glimpse videos that will resonate with the admissions office ² Gloria and Terry and I have a good conversation about being gimmicky ² Gloria and Terry share a great list of “to do’s” and they share a few things that you absolutely do not want to do ² Terry talks about some kids have a presence that is just compelling for almost every adult that sees then for 60-90 seconds ² Gloria talks about playing music in the background and playing a musical instrument and she gives her opinion on whether this is advisable ² Gloria and Terry have great advice for parents ² Gloria closes by answering a Speakpike question a listener sent in about Glimpse Interview with Fabrizio D’Aloisio- Associate Vice Provost for Enrollment Management and Executive Director of Undergraduate Admissions Preview of Part 5 (01:08:04) College Spotlight-University of Tennessee at Knoxville (Part 5 of 5) ² Fabrizio shares what some of the institutional priorities are at Tennessee ² Fabrizio shares what percentage of students stay in state after graduation ² Fabrizio talks about the joint partnership they have established with Arizona State University online ² Fabrizio talks about the renewed emphasis they are putting on transfers and on alternative pathways to get to the Knoxville campus ² Fabrizio talks about the partnership with Verto ² Fabrizio talks about what UTK needs to work on to be an even better school ² Fabrizio shares who the biggest overlaps are and he shares whether this has changed ² Fabrizio talks about how the role of major has changed now that they are more selective, but he says it can change ² Fabrizio goes on the hot seat in our lightning round ² Fabrizio gives families advice on what to do if you have a question on the SRAR ² Fabrizio tells us why the SRAR creates what he calls, “a ton of efficiencies” 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: 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: Check out the college websites Mark recommends: 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: If you want a college consultation with Mark or Lisa or Lynda, just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email Lisa at or Lynda at Lynda@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/

Dec 9, 2024 • 1h 20min
YCBK 490: Everything You Need to Know About Early Decision-Interview w/Andy Strickler-Part 4/4
In this episode you will hear: Mark interviews Andy Strickler-Everything you need to know about Early Decision 1 and Early Decision 4 of 4 Preview of Part 4 of 4 § Andy talks about converting your regular decision application to an ED2 app, is this okay and if so, what is the deadline when a student needs to do this? § Andy talks about whether he expects a family to complete the net price calculator before they apply Early Decision § Andy answers questions our listeners have about why colleges don’t share their ED 2 admit rates § Andy talks about the kids that 5% of kids who apply ED, are admitted and don’t come every year and he tells us about how many of these kids fall into the 3 reasons why ED admits do not end up coming (15) § Andy answers the question, does a student lose their financial leverage for merit scholarships if they apply Mark interviews Jin Chow Part 2-Preview § Jin explains how Polygence benefits the students that participate and complete a project § Jin explains the meaning of the word Polygence § Jin talks about when students do their Polygence projects § Jin answers the question, “Isn’t, Polygence just furthering the gap between well-resourced and under-resourced families § Jin makes some excellent points about invisible privilege, and she challenges the conventional notion of “pay to play” § Jin talks about the partial and full scholarships that they give out § Jin talks about the objection, what would you say to the person who says most of the mentors are not industry experts but actually grad students? § Jin talks about the challenge that most places where students get published that is meaningful takes longer than a few months, so isn’t the promise of possibly getting published an overpromise § Jin talks about when they reject families who apply for Polygence § Jin talks about the sign-up process and the Polygence application 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: 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: Check out the college websites Mark recommends: 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: If you want a college consultation with Mark or Lisa or Lynda, just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email Lisa at or Lynda at Lynda@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/

Dec 5, 2024 • 1h 29min
YCBK 489: An Experienced VP Speaks Out About the Pressure Admission Leaders Face
In this episode you will hear: (02:10) In The News Julia and Mark discuss an article by Eric Hoover that appeared in the Chronicle of Higher Education entitled, “Letters to the Admission Profession” the article appeared on Nov 12th, 2024, (20:20) Question from a listener: Susan and Mark discuss a question from an anonymous mom who has several questions about dual enrollment (41:28) Interview: Gloria and Terry Crawford, Answering FAQ about Glimpse Video Preview of Part 4 of 5 ² Gloria talks about the bias training colleges participate in, but there is bias everyone that needs ² Terry talks about the criticism some have about, why does there need to be a cost for students? ² Terry and Gloria talk about what is the potential for a lot more schools to join them ² Terry and Gloria shares tips for students so they can produce Glimpse videos that will resonate with the admissions office (48:44) Recommended Resource-FAFSA Walkthrough for 2025-2026 with Elaine Rubin of Edvisors- Interview with Fabrizio D’Aloisio- Associate Vice Provost for Enrollment Management and Executive Director of Undergraduate Admissions Preview of Part 4 (01:03:30) College Spotlight-University of Tennessee at Knoxville (Part 4 of 5) ² Fabrizio talks about the College of Emerging and Collaborative studies-CECKS, which includes AI, Data Science and Cybersecurity ² Fabrizio talks about data science, cyber-security, Music ² Fabrizio talk about the strength of the Herbert College of Agriculture Department ² Fabrizio talks about Turf grass science, and he talks about a distinguished faculty that is world-renowned ² Fabrizio talks about bio systems engineering ² Fabrizio answers a question from a college counselor from Atlanta about applying as an undecided major ² Fabrizio talks about what they count in their admissions process ² Fabrizio talks about whether a student lists their college major when they apply ² Fabrizio talks about how test scores factor in their review ² Fabrizio talks about whether he thinks a student should continue doing an activity that they no longer enjoy ² Fabrizio talks about resumes, and he gives advice when to send one and when not to send one ² Fabrizio talks advice about recommendations ² Fabrizio talks about the importance of being a land grant institution ² Fabrizio explains what it means to be “in profile” ² Fabrizio talks about how being an in-state applicant impacts the admissions process and he shares how many students are from Tennessee versus the rest of the country 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: 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: Check out the college websites Mark recommends: 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: If you want a college consultation with Mark or Lisa or Lynda, just text Mark at 404-664-4340 or email Lisa at or Lynda at Lynda@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/