The Hall Pass Podcast: Recent Episodes
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The Hall Pass Podcast is brought to you by a diverse group of professionals covering a wide range of topics in education from high school course selection, to career options to college applications.
In this episode, our team gets into the various secrets that you may our may not know about the college admissions process and how students need to start strategizing to improve their chances of admissions. We cover the following topics:
-What you may and may not know -School Profile -Teacher Recommendations -Personality -Fit/College themes -Demonstrated Interest -Socioeconomic status -Uniqueness factor -Case Studies
In a previous episode, we discussed general questions students have when creating their college list. After receiving more questions about the college search process and with our current Class of 2019 students starting to create their own lists, we decided to delve into the process in more detail during this episode by covering the following topics:
-What to consider when creating my college list
-Strategy vs. fit (what is this)
-How to research colleges
-When to start
-What undergraduate school is and what it isn't
Tune in to hear our team discuss their own stories while giving their personal advice!
In this episode, we discuss recommendation letters: when/how to submit, who to get them from, why they are important, etc. and most importantly, how students should start preparing for them!
-What is included in the college application process? -How to upload? -How do I choose the right teachers/professionals/etc.? -How do I get close to my teachers and counselor? -What components do the best recommendation letters have?
In this episode, our team will be discussing what supplemental materials are and how to strategize and plan for submission. We delve into the different types of supplemental materials and cover the following topics and questions:
-What type of supplemental materials are there? -College policies -Who reviews supplements -Supplemental deadlines -How to upload? -How do I choose? -Where can I get help?
Welcome back to our newest season of the Hall Pass Podcast! This season, we're excited to be bringing you more interesting content from inside the admissions office at top universities. In this episode, our team will review and evaluate this past application season and our overall thoughts and findings, including:
-UC Admissions Data -Ivy League and Top Schools Applicant Data -Conditional Admissions -Record Numbers -New Essay Prompts -Reviewing a Case Study of an Ivy League Applicant
We're so excited to be back to share our experiences with our listeners! Click below to tune in!
In this episode, we will be using all of the topics we've covered throughout this season (college lists, athletic recruitment, accelerated programs, essays, etc.) to provide advice for our 2 students through case studies. Check out the data for our students on www.thehallpasspodcast.com.
Motivation by definition (according to the Business Dictionary) is the internal and external factors that stimulate desire and energy in people to be continually interested and committed to a job, role or subject, or to make an effort to attain a goal. Motivation results from the interaction of both conscious and unconscious factors such as the (1) intensity of desire or need, (2) incentive or reward value of the goal, and (3) expectations of the individual and of his or her peers. These factors are the reasons one has for behaving a certain way. An example is a student that spends extra time studying for a test because he or she wants a better grade in the class.
There are two types of motivation -- Extrinsic vs Intrinsic Motivation
Extrinsic: are those that arise from outside of the individual and often involve rewards such as trophies, money, social recognition or praise. Intrinsic: are those that arise from within the individual, such as doing a complicated crossword puzzle purely for the personal gratification of solving a problem.
Tune in to this episode to hear from our speakers about what they did when they lost motivation and cover the following topics below:
-Why do you think students lose motivation? -What to do when you lose motivation. -Motivational strategies. -How to set goals. -What are colleges looking for? -....And More!
In this episode, we have a special guest, Dorothy Kang, one of our former students who just finished her first year at Stanford University.
Listen in on some insider knowledge about Stanford University, the application, general tips and advice and answers to the questions below:
-Tell us about what you did in high school. -What is your major? Did it change from when you first applied? -What do you love about Stanford? Favorite class? -One thing that students should know about Stanford before applying. -Was Stanford your top choice when you decided to apply? What was the biggest draw? Why was Stanford your dream school? -Is there anything you don’t like about Stanford? -Advice on how to get into Stanford. -Advice on Stanford application/essays. -What do you know now, as a Stanford student, that you didn’t know when you were in high school, about colleges and college life, in general -What do you wish you knew about college and the admissions process now that you have gone through it? -One of the best and most challenging parts of college is being on your own, with a relatively unstructured schedule. How has that adjustment been?
Study Habits are learned traits and skills that not everyone is born with. In fact, it is commonly known that 90% of bad grades in high school are due to poor study habits.
How you approach studying matters. Where you study matters. In this episode, we delve into various tips and tricks to improve your Study Habits for various courses. A few topics we cover are:
-Preview/Review Tips -Scheduling Tips/Procrastination -Memorization Tricks -Cheating -Using Your Teacher -Using Your Peers -...And MORE!!!
Accelerated programs are a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree programs that are structured to be completed in a shorter time frame. Some programs can be completed in as little as 12 months, and others may take 6 to 7 years in comparison to the normal 8-year track.
In this podcast, we cover the following questions:
- What kinds of programs are there (profession, duration)? BSMD, BSN, BSPharmD, BSDDS, BAJD, BAMA, BAMS, AILE, etc.
- What are the pros and cons of accelerated programs?
- How do I go about preparing for applying to an accelerated program?
- What are college admissions looking for when reviewing accelerated program applicants?
- How do I know an accelerated program is right for me?
- How many accelerated programs should I apply to?
In this episode, our counselors delve into athletic recruitment and what students should do to prepare. The key players for athletic recruitment are: the student athlete, parents, counselors and coaches.
A few general things that student athletes should do first before considering athletic recruitment are:
-Find your academic fit: Talk to counselor/college counselor (always first priority) -Check athletic fit: Meet with your coach (high school, club, etc.) -Check out the rest: Size, location, student body, major or academic interests
Click below to listen to our episode where we cover:
-How does the recruitment process work? -What are the kinds of sports colleges seek? -How are they divided? -Differences between DI, DII, DIII programs. -How athletic recruitment works alongside college admissions? -What do I have to prepare, and when? -Drawbacks to Selective Division 1 Programs. -...AND MORE!!!
Why are college tours important? Colleges are becoming more interested in Informed Interest and Demonstrated Interest.
-Informed Interest: How well a student knows a college and how he or she plans to contribute to the campus environment. Show informed interest through compelling supplemental essays and interviews. Review your research over the summer that went into building your college list and get a head start on your essays.
-Demonstrated Interest: A college’s gauge of how likely a student is to attend based on visits, interviews, essays, etc. Filling out an information card at a college fair, making an official campus visit through the admissions office, applying Early Action, and more are playing a bigger role in determining how likely you are to attend their school.
In this episode, we cover the following questions:
-When should I go on college tours? -What should I do when I go on a college tour? -What should I do before I go on a college tour? -What should I do after? -How do I prep for college tours? -...and MORE!
Choosing colleges can be tricky and confusing. In this episode, we delve into how to choose your colleges, what type of colleges there are, and other unique advice! A few of the questions we answer in this episode are:
-Introduction to Colleges: UC Schools, Public Schools (State Schools), Regional Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Research Universities, International Schools -How do I make my college list? -How many do I apply to?= -What are some things that I should take into consideration? -When should I start? -How do I know which colleges are right for me? -...and MORE!!
There are 2 types of essays: Personal Statements (main essay) and Supplemental Essays (the essays that each college will ask for separately). College essays are an excellent way (and one of the only ways besides teacher recs) to provide additional insight to your characteristics, personality and overall strengths. It is absolutely an opportunity to share your life story.
In this episode, we will delve into college essays in detail and provide general tips on the UCs, Common App and supplemental essays:
-Common App Personal Statement: Choose one, 650 words MAX. Will go to ALL schools you apply to through the Common App. -UC Essays: Choose FOUR, 350 words MAX. Will go to ALL UC schools you apply to. -Supplemental Essays -General topics to stay AWAY from -Advice for college essays -...and MORE!!
Tune in to this episode as we recap on Season 1's biggest tips, tricks, and advice for high school students.
We cover the following topics:
-GPA -Standardized Tests -Extracurricular Activities -Summer Activities -Teacher Recommendations -Interviews -Common Application -UC Application -And more...!
The UC Application was created for California residents specifically, to help close the achievement gap specifically for lower income applicants. Here are some basic information about the UC Application:
Requirements: All UC campuses have the same minimum requirements for freshmen to ensure that all students are prepared to be academically successful at the University.
Selection: Selection is a process at each campus which is necessary when more applicants apply to a campus than a campus can admit and enroll. Each UC campus evaluates applicants beyond just their GPA and test scores in order to select the applicants who are best suited to their campus.
Applicant Pool: Who else is in the applicant pool? Applicants must remember that they are not just applying with students from their school and community, but also with students from all parts of California, the U.S. and from other countries, whose backgrounds may be similar or different from their own. UC receives applications from students with a variety of attributes: those living in small rural areas, students from families with low and high incomes and communities that have high and low college-going rates, out-of-state students, etc. Even if students think their background or situation is typical (or not unusual) it is important to explain (not complain) why, so UC admission staff understand the applicant better. The admission staff need more than just a school name or city to get a better sense of the applicant.
All UC campuses are independent of one another: They make their own decisions
Join us this week as we delve into the UC Application and cover the following topics:
-Components of the UC App -Scholarships and family income -Campuses and Majors -Academic History: A-G Requirements -Activities/Awards -Courses other than A-G -Educational Prep Programs -Test Scores -Personal Insight Questions -UC App Tips -...and MORE!
Due to the amount of questions we have been receiving from various students and parents, we decided to do something unique and special in this podcast. Join us as we delve into 2 case studies of students and what our counselors would recommend to improve their chances of admissions to their dream schools!
The Common Application (informally known as the Common App) is an undergraduate college admission application that applicants may use to apply to any of 693 member colleges and universities in 48 states and the District of Columbia, as well as in Canada, China, and many European countries (Wikipedia). According to the Common App, its mission is to promote access, equity, and integrity in the college admission process, which includes subjective factors gleaned from essays and recommendations alongside more objective criteria such as class rank and standardized testing.
Join us this week as we delve into the following questions and elements of the Common App:
-The components of the Commonapp? Personal Information (Address, Demographics, Geography, Language, Citizenship, Scholarship, Fee Waiver, etc.) -Family -Education -Activities -Writing (the essay) -What are supplements? -What do each college ask for? -Tips for filling out the Common App?
College interviews are usually done by alumni of the school and is a way for admissions to not only get to know you but to give you an opportunity to get to know them (the school you are applying to).
There are 2 types of interviews: Pre-Application Interviews and Post-Application Interviews. Pre-Application Interviews happen BEFORE you submit your application and are usually opportunities to show colleges that you are interested in their school and to learn more about them. Post-Application Interviews happen AFTER you submit your application and are usually opportunities for colleges to add information in regards to your personality and characteristics to your application. Most colleges ask interviewers to fill out an evaluation form after the interview to add to the application.
Join us to learn about the following points on interviews:
-Why do Interviews matter? -Do I have to do interviews? -I get sweaty palms/I get nervous/etc when I speak, what can I do? -What kinds of questions do they ask in interviews? -How should I prepare? -Which schools do interviews and how do I sign up?
In this podcast, our counselors delve into teacher recommendation letters.
Teacher recommendations are required for most schools on the Common Application and can be requested by schools like UCBerkeley after applying to them. Teacher recommendations provide insight to admissions on your characteristics, personality traits, and your abilities beyond just an academic student in the classroom. Most colleges will require 2 recommendation letters, and some will allow you to have 1 or 2 more supplemental recommendation letters.
-Why do recommendations matter? - When and how do I ask for recommendation letters? - Should I get a rec from a teacher I got a B in? - Is a recommendation from a PE teacher good or bad? - Who do I need to get recommendations from? - What’s the deal with supplemental letters? How do I develop good relationships with my teachers?
Why is summer important? Summer is important because it is 2-3 months of your life where you can do something outside of academics and experience things beyond what you learn inside the classroom. Colleges will want to see how you explore and expand on your passions and interests beyond school. To learn how you spend your free time.
In this podcast, some topics we will be discussing are:
-When should I start planning? -How do I plan and prepare for the summer? (8th - 12th grades) -Athletes: Should I do a soccer camp/basketball camp/play travel or academic-focused activity?
There are many different types of extracurricular activities (ECs). From inside of school activities to outside of school activities, athletics, competitions-based/major-focused, and community-development activities, there are so many to choose from. In this podcast, we delve into various elements of activities, what colleges are looking for, and how to choose them.
-Where can I find my high school’s ECs? -How do I choose activities? -How are they written in a college application? -What are good ECs and what are not good ECs? -How much is too much? What’s the right balance? -Do I need leadership positions?
What are standardized tests? Why do we need them? Join us on Episode 2 to get answers to the following questions:
-Why do Standardized Tests Matter? -What type of tests are there and what are required? -When should I take them? -How many time is too many times? -Do I really need a perfect score? -What are national exams? -Flaws of standardized testing for college admissions?
In this episode, we will be delving into the GPA and answering questions like: - What is GPA and why does it matter? - How is GPA evaluated/reported? - Which GPA matters (academic, 10-12, weighted/unweighted) - Choosing the right classes - Regular, Honors, AP, IB. - Out-of-high-school transcripts and supplemental GPAs - What are the kinds of advice you give for students who aren’t straight A’s? - And More!
Join us to learn more about GPA and our general tips for you.
A roundtable discussion with 5 educational professionals specializing in various disciplines. You'll be listening to the diverse perspectives of our speakers from Maryland to California who will delve into educational topics such as:
- How to navigate high school?
- The importance of GPA
- College applications
- AND MORE!
On this introductory episode, you'll be introduced to our experts. Come join us as we embark on your educational journey.