Getting In: A College Coach Conversation

If you're trying to decide between saving for college in a 529 plan or a prepaid tuition plan, this is the show for you. We'll look at the differences between them and offer suggestions for deciding which is the right one for you. We'll also take you inside the admissions office at Fordham University to explore how their process works and learn more about what might resonate in an applicant. The latest in the Summer Program series will investigate formal programs and ideas for spending a summer developing or refining writing skills.

Introducing a new Getting In series: Summer Programs! We're kicking off the inaugural episode with a focus on summer programs for students interested in STEM. Tune in to learn more about what to look for and how to find math, science, and engineering summer opportunities. We also have the latest apps and resources to help college students better manage their money. Office Hours is covering all bases for seniors—tips on what to do if you've submitted all your applications or haven't even started applying yet.

Early action results are coming in, and we have some insight into the trends we seeing at places like Stanford, Harvard, and other highly selective schools, as well as some of the publics like Michigan. Wondering what is in a financial aid award letter, or even what that is? We'll tell you all about it. Finally, we're discussing the New Year's Resolutions we'd like to make—or see you make—for the coming year.

Students who are turned down by their first choice college sometimes hatch a plan to take a gap year and reapply in the hopes of a different decision. We'll discuss the pros and cons of this approach. In Office Hours, we'll be answering your college finance and admissions questions.

You were deferred. Wondering what to do next? We've got you covered in this week's Office Hours, when we discuss next steps for deferred students. We'll also be talking about summer programs to consider, and how you can actually use good on-campus advising as a method to help control your college costs.

If you have aspirations of earning an MBA, you know that leadership is important. But do you know what constitutes good leadership experience from a business school admissions perspective? A former Wharton graduation admissions officer will join us to share her thoughts. Most saving for college segments focus on what parents should be doing when their kids are young, but we have some advice for parents of high school students who haven't yet started to save. And in Office Hours we'll talk through Columbia's supplemental essay questions.

If there was a group of colleges focused on a personalized, student-focused college experience, would you be interested? Well Colleges That Change Lives is that group, and executive director Maria Furtado joins us to share more about their mission. We'll also go inside the St. Olaf financial aid office and help students and families prep for early round results in Office Hours.

Regular decision deadlines are approaching. This next set of deadlines is important for both students getting a later start—it's certainly not too late!—and for students who submitted one or more applications in the early round. Tune in to get tips for thinking through the regular decision college list. In Office Hours, we'll be answering your college finance and admissions questions.

Net price calculators are an important part of figuring out if a college is a good fit—it doesn't make sense to consider a school if you can't afford it without going into debt. We'll help you understand how net price calculators work so that you can best use this important tool. Wondering if senior year grades matter as part of the college process? Wonder no more—we have the answer! And we'll look at the University of Southern California's supplemental essay questions in Office Hours.

Curious about what happens to your FAFSA and/or CSS Profile once you press submit? We'll take you behind the scenes in this week's show and offer some insight into what goes on once your application has been received. We'll also talk about honors colleges, including what they are, what to expect as a student, and who should plan to apply. Office Hours will take on the supplemental essays for the University of Virginia.