Getting In: A College Coach Conversation

It's Nurses' Week! So, to honor nurses, we'll discuss careers in the healthcare field, from physical therapy to, yes, nursing, with a little information about athletic training thrown in. We'll share information about pathways to those careers as well as financial assistance for nurses in the form of loan forgiveness and scholarships.

What do colleges think of the International Baccalaureate program? Is it a good option for high school students to pursue? Tune in to this week's show when we talk with Marie Vivas, Senior Development Manager of the International Baccalaureate organization. We'll also discuss how to get ready to pay for college now that you've committed to enroll.

If you're a high school junior, now is the time to decide which teacher(s) to ask to write your recommendation letter(s). We'll be discussing what to consider when you make that choice. In addition, we'll respond to questions from listeners. Anything related to college admissions or paying for college is fair game, so tune in to hear as many answers as we can fit in during our show.

Admission decisions are out! What happened? We talk about this year's admission landscape, giving high school seniors some of the context of the admit, waitlist, and deny decisions they've received from colleges. We'll also help high school juniors choose colleges for their application list in a balanced and thoughtful way. We'll also discuss what parents and students need to know when considering using loans to pay for colleges.

This week we're talking all things community college. We'll hear about the financial and academic benefits of starting at a two-year college, things to think about if you're a transfer student, and how dual enrollment programs work. We'll also talk to a current community college student and a staff member to hear about their experiences on campus.

Even though it still feels like winter, it's time to start planning for summer! From getting a job or taking a class to pursuing an internship or working on applications, summer offers a unique opportunity to focus on your interests for a few months. And don't forget about saving any earnings to help pay for college. We'll discuss all of this and more in today's show. We'll also welcome a current student to share how she created her own project while still in high school.

This week's show is for students with physical or learning differences. Sasha Manus, who has CP and uses a service dog, will join the show to share advice on navigating college with a physical disability. We'll also offer application and admissions tips for students with learning differences and discuss financial aid for students with physical and learning differences.

Tis the season for financial and merit aid packages, which are landing in students' emails and mailboxes right now. We'll be discussing the difference between appealing for more financial aid and negotiating for more merit aid and offering tips on how to go about each. We're also talking all things standardized testing in today's show, from the state of testing today to the new digital SAT.

Calling all juniors: it's time to get started! Too early to think about essay writing? Of course not! Too early to think about how to pay for college? No way! With the heart of the college process right around the corner, we're sharing advice to help students get started on essays and parents to get started on their financial plans. And in a second essay-related segment, we'll look at essays centered on a trauma and talk through both when to proceed with what can be a tricky topic and how much to disclose.

College prep does not begin in middle school, but these years offer students a chance to explore their interests and develop some skills that will help them be more successful in high school. We'll talk through the academic, social, and personal opportunities available to middle school students. We'll also offer suggestions for helping your middle school students learn more about personal finance topics and to take on some of their own fiscal responsibility.