Getting In: A College Coach Conversation

Many colleges require a personal essay in which applicants share something important about themselves. But did you know that some also ask for an essay that, in essence, asks Why this college? It's incredibly important to get this one right, and on today's show we'll walk students through this essay--what it's about, why colleges ask for it, and how to best approach it. We'll also discuss ways to establish credit as a college student--and tips for avoiding credit mishaps during those four years. Finally, we'll feature part two in a four-part series on what to be doing in terms of academics, extracurricular activities, and college planning each year of high school. Up today: sophomore year.

This week's show is all about getting an early start. For starters, we're introducing the first segment in a four-week series covering everything you need to be thinking about relating to college admissions for each year of high school. We'll start where you start—with ninth grade. We're also going to discuss getting an early start on college finance, including looking for scholarships and whether or not it's a good idea to move assets around to increase financial aid. We'll finish off our series on the new Common App essay prompts for 2015-2016 by exploring prompts three through five.

Do you have college admissions and finance questions? We have answers! Join us on June 18, when we invite our listeners to call in and talk to us live on air. Have a question about whether or not to drop French after sophomore year? We can answer that. Curious about whether or not to cash in your entire 529 plan in the first year? We can answer that. Wondering if you should write your college essay about your once-a-year visit to the soup kitchen? We can answer that. Give my guests Sally Ganga and Beth Feinberg Keenan and me a call at 866-472-5788, and we will get you on the air!

For all those rising seniors out there, summer is a great time to start work on your college applications! If you're currently stuck staring at the Common App prompts and wondering where to go from there, don't miss this episode! In part one of a two part series, Ian Fisher will be offering tips and suggestions for approaching the first two prompts on the Common App. We'll also welcome Fordham's Monica Esser to offer her perspective on international admissions to US colleges. Stacey MacPhetres will also walk us through the pros and cons of consolidating college loans.

While 529 savings plans and pre-paid tuition options get a great deal of coverage in the media, there are actually quite a few different ways to save for college. In this week's episode, we'll explore using a Roth IRA for just this purpose. We'll also explain the science behind all of those college marketing materials currently flooding your mailbox and inbox and help you understand what it all means to you. And for the artists in the audience, we'll be welcoming photographer and artist Lisa Sorensen to walk students through using an art portfolio to augment a college application.

Ever wonder if it makes sense to select different majors at each school to improve the odds of acceptance? Maybe you heard that admissions officers really like essays that focus on an example of doing good in the community? On this week's show we're going to address the issue of tailoring the applicant to the college in a segment on presenting your authentic self in those applications with former Reed admissions officer Ian Fisher. If you or anyone you know is suffering from a severe case of senioritis, former Georgetown admissions officer Karen Spencer will discuss how to understand and handle the potential fallout, including a rescinded offer of admission. Finally, former Ana Maria College financial aid officer Laurie Peltier will walk us through the first college tuition bill.

While applying to college can be long and arduous and figuring out the financial piece is often just as challenging, it's really just a precursor to the biggest hurdle of all: going to college. In this week's show, we're talking about making a successful transition. Kennon Dick and Laurie Peltier, College Coach experts who also went through this process themselves just last year, will share tips for both parents and students about how to transition to college as painlessly and successfully as possible. We'll also welcome Jeanne Mahan back to the show to talk about using parent financing to pay for college—whether that is the ideal situation for you and how to go about doing it.

Securing a nomination. Passing the physical fitness test. Taking the appropriate coursework. If the idea of attending West Point, Annapolis, or another service academy in preparation for serving your country appeals to you, then tune in to hear College Coach expert Lisa Albro's tips on when and how to go about this often confusing application process. Alex Bickford will discuss how to best use your college savings when it's time to pay for college. All set with your summer plans? If not, don't miss Mary Sue Youn and her last minute summer plan suggestions for high school students.

Ask any high school junior how they're feeling, and the almost inevitable reply will be, Stressed. The root of much of that stress these days is college. Whether students are overloading themselves with coursework, overbooking themselves with extracurricular commmittments or simply worrying about it, the looming spectre of college is what can push them over the edge on a regular basis. Former teacher and Barnard admissions rep Kara Courtois will be with us to talk about some things students and parents can do to try to ease that pressure. Sally Ganga will be back to discuss gap years, including what they are, why students might consider them, and how they might impact college options. Former financial aid officer Laurie Peltier will offer thoughts on making a successful financial transition to college

There are a lot of numbers involved in the admissions process: GPAs, standardized test scores, admit rates, class rankings, etc. Although in general numbers are a fairly black and white matter, the fact is that there is a lot of gray area when it comes to numbers and college admissions. Julia Jones, former senior admissions officer at Brandeis University and College Coach's list guru, will explain how students can evaluate their numbers and use them to help craft a college list. College finance expert Alex Bickford also joins us to go over the basics of saving for college. In our final segment, former University of Chicago admissions officer Sally Ganga will stop by to trade funny essay stories--the bad, the ugly, and the unbelievable. If you've ever wondered what not to do in your essay, this will serve as a great primer!