Inside the Admissions Office: Advice from Former Admissions Officers

On today’s episode, we chat with Natalia Ostrowski, a former Assistant Director of Admissions at the University of Chicago and a current InGenius Prep counselor. Natalia and I discuss what goes on behind the scenes in the UChicago admissions office, and what admissions officers really think about applicants. Natalia shares how students can gain that coveted UChicago acceptance as well as what makes it such a special and exclusive school. Check out our blog for more free resources: A Guide to the UChicago Supplemental Essays 2021-2022 How to Get Into UChicago Click here to sign up for a free consultation with an admissions expert. Questions or comments? Email contact@ingeniusprep.com Visit us at ingeniusprep.com to learn more. See you every other Monday!

On today’s episode, we chat with Christina Llerena, a Former Admissions Reader at UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz. Christina and I discuss the University of California system and its 10 campuses across the Golden State. Christina reveals what goes on behind the scenes in a UC admissions office and how students can snag a spot at a top school like Berkeley. Check out our blog for more free resources: How to Answer the UC Personal Insight Questions How to Get into UC Berkeley Which University of California Essays Should You Write? Questions to Ask Yourself A Step-by-Step Guide to the University of California Application Click here to sign up for a free consultation with an admissions expert. Questions or comments? Email contact@ingeniusprep.com Visit us at ingeniusprep.com to learn more. See you every other Monday!

On today’s episode, we chat with Stacy Wells Shea, the former Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Rochester. Stacy and I discuss BS/MD programs and how students can gain admission to these elite cohorts. Stacy reveals the pros and cons of these programs and what admissions officers really want from potential BD/MD students. Check out our blog for more free resources: A Guide to Combined BS/MD Programs The Best Colleges for Pre-Med Students Click here to sign up for a free consultation with an admissions expert. Questions or comments? Email contact@ingeniusprep.com Visit us at ingeniusprep.com to learn more. See you every other Monday!

On today’s episode, we chat with Shannon Beddingfield, an InGenius Prep Graduate Coach and writing instructor at Yale University. Shannon and I discuss strategies for writing college application essays. Shannon explores the differences between the personal statement and supplemental essays and gives students concrete examples and activities to help them get started on their own application essays. Check out our blog for more free resources: How to Write the Common App Personal Statement Prompts 2021-2022 InGenius Prep’s Guides to College Supplemental Essays 2021-2022 Join Shannon on Wednesday, September 1st at 5pm PDT/8pm EDT for a free webinar on supplemental essay essentials. Register here. Click here to sign up for a free consultation with an admissions expert. Questions or comments? Email contact@ingeniusprep.com Visit us at ingeniusprep.com to learn more. See you every other Monday!

On today’s episode, we chat with DJ Rock, the Former Assistant Director of Admissions for Multicultural Recruitment at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. DJ and I discuss what an MIT admissions officer really looks for in college applications and how students can gain that coveted acceptance. Along the way, DJ reveals priceless insight into the admissions process and breaks stereotypes about what makes a student a good fit for MIT. Check out our blog for more free resources: How to Write the MIT Application Essays 2021-2022 A Step-By-Step Guide to the MyMIT Application Portal Caltech vs MIT Register here for our upcoming free webinar on expert tips to raise your SAT score, hosted by Jake Adams, the owner of Simplifi EDU and a test prep expert, on Wednesday, August 18, 2021 at 5pm PDT/8pm EDT. Click here to sign up for a free consultation with an admissions expert. Questions or comments? Email contact@ingeniusprep.com Visit us at ingeniusprep.com to learn more. See you every other Monday!

On today’s episode, we chat with Erin Gu, InGenius Prep’s Chief Education Officer. Erin and I discuss the admissions trends and changes she identified in the 2020-2021 college application cycle. Erin offers her forecast for the 2021-2022 admissions cycle and suggests strategies for the Class of 2022 to follow to navigate the changing admissions landscape.   Check out our blog for more free resources. Resources we discussed in the episode include: How to Write the Activities List: Everything You Need to Know Tips for Choosing Target Schools: What's the Right Fit For You?   Click here to sign up for a free consultation with an admissions expert.   Questions or comments? Email contact@ingeniusprep.com Visit us at ingeniusprep.com to learn more. See you every other Monday!

On today’s episode, we chat with Steve Schwartz, CEO and Founder of LSAT Unplugged. Steve and I discuss upcoming changes to the LSAT in August 2021. Steve breaks down studying and testing strategies to gain a T14-worthy LSAT score.   Check out our blog for more free resources.   Learn more about LSAT Unplugged or check out their Youtube channel.   Click here to sign up for a free consultation with an admissions expert.   Questions or comments? Email contact@ingeniusprep.com Visit us at ingeniusprep.com to learn more. See you every other Monday!

On today's episode, we chat with Zak Harris, the Assistant Director of College Counseling and Communications at InGenius Prep and a Former Admissions Officer at top schools like Johns Hopkins and Bowdoin. Zak and I discuss what the future of standardized testing in college admissions looks like post-COVID. Zak offers his advice on how to strategize your applications with test-optional policies.   Check out our blog for more free resources. Find a running list of testing policies at different schools here.   Click here to sign up for a free consultation with an admissions expert.   Questions or comments? Email contact@ingeniusprep.com Visit us at ingeniusprep.com to learn more. See you every other Monday!

On today’s episode, we chat with Yosepha Greenfield, the former Captain of Yale’s women’s basketball team and InGenius Prep’s Co-Founder and COO. Yosepha and I discuss college admissions for student athletes. Yosepha breaks down the college athletic recruiting process and advises students on how to frame their athletic involvement, even if they don’t plan to pursue their sport in college.   Check out our blog for more free resources.   Click here to sign up for a free consultation with an admissions expert.   Questions or comments? Email contact@ingeniusprep.com Visit us at ingeniusprep.com to learn more. See you every other Monday!

On today’s episode, we chat with Kathryn Scherer, InGenius Prep’s Director of Counselor Management. Kathryn and I discuss strategies for scheduling the summer before your senior year to get a head start on the college admissions process. Kathryn describes the ideal timeline for how high-achieving rising seniors should prepare for college applications during the summer.   Check out our blog, and the resources we mentioned in the episode including: “22 Summer Programs That Count” “Summer Plans During Coronavirus: How to Spend Your Break Strategically”   Click here to sign up for a free consultation with an admissions expert.   Questions or comments? Email contact@ingeniusprep.com Visit us at ingeniusprep.com to learn more. See you every other Monday!