The Admissions Club: Recent Episodes
Elizabeth West
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
In this episode of The Admissions Club Podcast, Elizabeth and Taylor welcome licensed marriage and family therapist, Dina Gambella, to the conversation around mental health and the college search/transition process.
Dina Gambella is the owner of Fellow Traveler Counseling. Her practice offers a multitude of services from family counseling, trauma, eating disorders and much more. She is passionate about her work and it shows throughout our conversation. You can find more information on their website here.
Links and resources mentioned:
- For Students Organization: forstudents.org
- Never Enough - Book for parents
- Self Compassion - Workbook included
In this episode we dive into:
- When and how to start having conversations as a family about college
- Tips and tangible tools on dealing with anxiety and stress
- Dive into family systems and finding resources on and off college campuses
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, we are here to share our experience in higher education and direct college admissions with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with EWC!
- Website
- YouTube
In this episode the EWC team welcomes international neurodivergent expert, Jennifer Cook into the conversation about helping autistic and all types of neurodivergent students acclimate to college. 1 of every 5 people are neurodivergent today. We take this conversation into topics for students adjusting to college, resources to identify, and asking the right questions before choosing a college campus.
Jennifer Cook is an author, Netflix star, parent of neurodivergent children anddiscovered at the age of 35 that she herself is on the autism spectrum. Jennifer has written 8 books on these topics, holds multiple degrees, starred in the Netflix reality show Love on The Spectrum as the autism expert and coach and has also done work with Sesame Street. Her website is www.jenniferotooleauthor.com and you can find her on Instagram at @jennifercook_author.
In this episode we will cover:
- Advice on how neurodivergent students can help themselves acclimate to college
- Insights on executive functioning and how that translates to college
- Living in the mix as a neurodivergent student
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, we are here to share our experience in higher education and direct college admissions with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with EWC!
- Website
- YouTube
This episode is a reintroduction to The Admissions Club podcast. The EWC team is growing, so we thought we would use this episode to not only introduce new team members, but remind listeners about why we started this podcast and what to expect from future episodes and guests. Co-hosts Elizabeth West and Taylor Florio of EWC College Consulting share about what they wish they knew when going through the college search process and their journey through having a career in higher education.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, we are here to share our decades of higher education and direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with EWC College Consulting!
- Website
- YouTube
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, we are here to share our experience in higher education and direct college admissions with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with EWC!
- Website
- YouTube
In this episode, Elizabeth interviews Julie Kim, College Consultant and founder of Passion Prep. A variety of topics are explored as part of this discussion, including alternative pathways for students who face challenges and what it truly means to evaluate the "why" surrounding the pursuit of specific colleges. While it's never a college consultant's intent to stifle a student's desire to "dream big," part of this conversation centers on understanding the value of embracing the journey of the college admissions process and how it can take you to unexpectedly beneficial places you hadn't previously considered.
Learn more about Julie Kim by visiting www.passionprep.com.
Check out the Demystifying College Admissions podcast, hosted by Julie Kim, by clicking here.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
In this episode, Elizabeth offers her perspective surrounding accelerated admissions guidance. EWC frequently encounters students who may be jumping into the college admissions process a bit later than usual, and there are often questions about the availability of services that can help a student "catch up" or navigate many elements of a college application that would otherwise take weeks or months to work through. Please let us know your thoughts about the benefits and drawbacks of an accelerated admissions preparation schedule!
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
A recent Inside Higher Ed article titled "'Procrastination-Friendly' Academe Needs More Deadlines" explores how some professors have removed deadlines from the college courses and what the consequences of that approach can look like. In this episode, Elizabeth and Chris offer their thoughts on the topic and provide some insight about what incoming college freshmen might experience when it comes to assignment deadlines during their first year of study. As always, thanks for listening!
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
This week Elizabeth and Chris examine the rise of A.I. in the world of education and discuss what this means for students. The conversation looks at the issues this potentially creates, as well as opportunities touse A.I. as a teaching tool.
An interview with Scott Galloway, a Professor at NYU, is referenced as part of our discussion, and this can be viewed here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un5-jtvol90&list=PLAzmGyE45_iTzOY15tX5wxvOt14bmKGtK
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
In this episode, Chris and Elizabeth discuss what students in 8th, 9th, and 10th grade should consider as they begin thinking ahead to the college admissions process. We cover a wide variety of topics in this episode, including:
- The development of soft skills and how these serve students during their high school journey.
- The benefits of going on an early college tour.
- How researching the college admissions process early can help reduce anxiety for students and their families in the long run.
- The need for some students to see items associated with college admissions in a tangible way as they work toward the application process.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
Kimberly Saunders is an Assistant Professor of English at Central Piedmont Community College and an award-winning writer. In this episode, Kim discusses her time as a student at SUNY Oswego. Among other things, we explore how clubs, organizations, campus culture, and a variety of other items might differ depending on the size of instiution a student decides to attend.
A few key takeaways:
- A smaller insitution might offer a more personalized experience when it comes to your major.
- Smaller univeristies can sometimes result in more "tightly knit" communities among students.
- Attending a smaller college could mean sacrificing the "big ticket" events that larger colleges are often known for, such as football and basketball games. The "school spirit" component is an important factor to consider.
Kim's song selection for this episode is "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morissette. The connection, of course, is that this is information you oughta know when weighing your college options!
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
In this episode, I have the absolute pleasure of interviewing Dr. John Milne, Associate Professor of Engineering and Management at Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY. Dr. Milne highlights a variety of important considerations for students preparing for entry into technical majors as part of their college studies. Specifically, Dr. Milne discusses:
- What to consider when entering the field of Engineering and Management.
- The benefits of attending a small university in a small town.
- The "return on investment" students receive in higher education.
- The value of connecting theoretical concepts to real world problems.
- The need for learning to be concrete and immediately applicable for students.
- The intersection of technology and management skills.
- How students can best position themselves for success in the field of Engineering.
- The importance of writing and communication skills.
- The value of joining (and even creating!) clubs as part of the college experience.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
In this episode, Elizabeth and Chris discuss common (and uncommon!) admissions questions that we receive. Among other things, we explore the following:
- Balancing extracurriculars and academics while in high school
- Exploring larger vs. smaller universities
- Volunteering
- The myth of needing all AP courses
- Considering your interests in clubs and organizations to help inform potential major and career options
- ...and many other topics!
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
Disability in college settings is often an unexplored street. How does a student with ADHD or autism or vision impairment navigate the college admissions process? If you are a student with a learning difference, there are some key things you need to consider when choosing a college. This includes not only examining the learning resources at the college, but also preparing yourself to become your own advocate as you move into adulthood. Tune in as Elizabeth talks with accessibility expert Laurie Necasek about all of this and more. Laurie Necasek manages digital accessibility projects, assists creators with accessible solutions and is the founder of AllAboutAccessibility.
Connect with Laurie!
- Website
3 things to consider for students with learning differences:
- When investigating colleges, check out their resources. Ask about their accessibility office. What resources do they have in place and where are these resources located? Is there more than one location for easy accessibility?
- Be mindful of online learning and exactly what the course entails. Some classes are partially on-line, some are fully online. Be aware that you will have to be more disciplined when it comes to setting up time to learn, to do the assignments, to check in with the professor.
- Prepare to become your own advocate. Know your strengths and weaknesses and how best to communicate them to your professors. Begin practicing this now, especially if you are more introverted.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
Looking ahead to the new year, we created a wish list of college prep activities for high school students to consider. Often, we only focus on seniors in high school and the prep work they need to do to apply for college. Truth be told, college prep and planning can (and should) occur as early as the freshman year in high school. Tune in as Elizabeth and Chris get together and share out key action items freshmen, sophomores and juniors should do to prepare them for the college application process.
Key action items to consider this next year based on your high school grade:
- 9th graders - consider course selection for your sophomore year. Which classes will you take to set yourself up for key classes during your junior and senior year? Get involved in some clubs and organizations. Attend games and events. Pro tip: Show initiative and start your own club.
- 10th graders - we are getting a little more serious now with college prep. Cultivate habits for success such as time management and self advocacy. If you are struggling in class, don’t just sit there, get help. Get a part-time job to gain skills and perspective. Consider dual enrollment classes for next year to gain college credit while still in high school. Next fall is your time to start taking the SAT and ACT.
- 11 graders - believe it or not, it's almost a little late to start your college prep. This is the time to really focus on SAT and ACT test-taking and scores. Do you need test prep? Get that now. College visits should be on the horizon as well. Do research on the college before visiting so you are prepared and know what to ask.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
It's really hard not to take a denial personally, but it is not personal. Denials happen for many reasons including budgeting issues, space issues….it's a numbers game. In life, there are times where you will not get what you want and there are times where you are shown a different direction. That being said, denials aren’t easy, and it's important to protect your mental health. Tune in to this episode as Elizabeth and Chris discuss what to do if you get denied, including key considerations for moving forward.
3 important things to consider if you are denied:
- Maybe it wasn’t your dream school. Take a couple of days to process it and dig deep. Maybe this wasn’t the right fit socially or academically. In hindsight, this might become an important pivot in your life leading you toward a better future.
- What NOT to do if you are denied. Do not call the admissions office to complain or appeal the decision. Remember that there are real people behind the admissions office who have been fielding calls all day. Appeals are rare, if they even happen at all.
- If it is your dream school, consider transferring there in the future. Call an admissions officer and politely inquire about this process. It is essential to make sure that the school you will go to before transferring to your dream school is accredited. If it is not accredited, your credits won’t transfer and you may not be able to transfer at all.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
You’re waiting for that coveted college acceptance letter and you get a deferral letter instead. Don’t be deflated if you get a deferral, this is not necessarily the end of your college dreams. What is a deferral anyway? A deferral means the admissions office is waiting to make a decision perhaps past the regular decision deadline or if you have updated information to give them. A deferral is not optimal, but it is not a definite no. Tune in as Elizabeth and Chris break down this gray area of acceptance and offer things to consider if you find yourself in this situation.
3 Important things to consider if you get a deferral:
- Call an admission counselor for more information. If you are professional and courteous, you will get a forthright response about what you may need to do to get into the college. Tip: Don’t have your parents call, you need to make the call. Demonstrate that you are ready to be an adult.
- New information might be needed. Sometimes a college wants to see new information such as an updated test scores, mid-term grades, or an updated letter of recommendation. If you opted out of an optional essay, the college might want you to fill it out in order to get more information about you.
- Use the deferral to demonstrate your interest. Sometimes colleges use deferrals to see how interested you are in the college, especially if you are in the lower half of the students they typically admit. They are looking to see if you are willing to put in the extra effort in order to gain acceptance. This is your chance to shine!
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
You’re accepted into a college, several colleges actually….So now what do you do? Considering that this is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make in your life, it can be daunting to not only move forward but make that final choice. Luckily, you have stumbled onto this podcast and this episode. This is the 1st of a 3-part series on decisions surrounding college acceptance that explores acceptance, deferral and denials. This first episode focuses on acceptance. Tune in as Elizabeth talks with Dr. Chris Flowers about the key things you need to consider once you’ve received that coveted acceptance letter such as how to follow up with financial aid, how to secure housing and why you should schedule an admitted student college visit. Dr. Chris Flowers is an award-winning educator, educational consultant, and research specialist at EWC Consulting.
Links mentioned:
- Imagine Scholarships
- Ep. 8. She Works Hard for the Money: Creative College Housing Cost Saving Ideas with Kim Venable
- Ep. 27 Never Gonna Give You Up: Traits for College Admission Success and Beyond with Dr. Chris Flowers
3 Key things to do once you’ve received a college acceptance letter:
- Follow up with Financial Aid. Apply for need-based aid. Investigate scholarships, grants, especially institutional grants. No one wants to leave college heavily in debt. Now is the time to look at those numbers and determine whether this college is a good fit financially. Will you receive a good return on your financial investment there?
- Investigate the Housing situation. When do you have to submit that housing deposit? Is it refundable? What % of students live on campus? What does the housing look like and how do costs relate to different room configurations? There is a big difference between dorms built 30 years ago and those that are new.
- Schedule that admitted student visit. The school has already told you they want you, but is this the right fit? Sometimes the only way to determine this is by scheduling a visit to the college and trusting your instincts. Determine if this is really the place for you. Assess the services that will be available to you (mental health, writing center, math lab, fitness), especially if you have a learning difference - do they have any support in place?
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
As more and more colleges switch to test optional admission policies, parents begin to wonder whether or not students should still take the SAT or ACT? To put it simply, the answer is yes. If you want to maximize your chances of getting into your dream college, these tests could be the advantage you need. Elizabeth talks with Dr. Al Benthall today about the history behind these tests, the current political views surrounding the tests, and why your student should still take them….. and take them seriously. Dr. Al Benthall, is the founder and owner of Benthall Test Prep which specializes in helping students achieve optimal SAT scores.
Connect with Dr. Al Benthall:
Website
LinkedIn
3 Key takeaways from the podcast are:
- When in doubt, take the test (SAT or ACT). If two candidates are identical in their GPA and extracurricular activities, but one candidate submitted their test scores. Chances are the college will choose the student who submitted the scores.
- Optional is code for Do It! Anytime a college leaves a section optional on an application, fill that section out and take full advantage of this opportunity to make yourself stand out, tell more of your story.
- If you have a lower GPA, taking the SAT or ACT is a chance to earn a high score and make yourself a more competitive applicant. Don’t be afraid to take the test more than once to give yourself a better edge.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
I hope that during this Thanksgiving Holiday you have a chance to sit back and reflect on all that you are grateful for. When I started this podcast and my company, Elizabeth West Consulting (EWC), I set out to make the college admissions process less stressful and daunting for students and their families. In today’s episode, I express my gratitude for allowing me to help you along this most important journey and share what I have gained along the way. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
Links mentioned:
- Poem by Joy Harjo "Perhaps the World Ends Here"
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
How do you make yourself truly stand out when applying for college? You need more than an adequate SAT or ACT score to get the attention of admission officials. Colleges are now looking for evidence of soft skills such as communication skills, personal growth skills, advocacy, and civic involvement. Elizabeth talks with Dr. Chris Flowers about what it takes to not only get noticed in the admissions process but also how to set yourself up for future academic success. Dr. Chris Flowers is an award-winning educator, educational consultant, and research specialist at EWC Consulting.
3 tips to help you stand out in the college admissions process:
- Start the college admissions process early- this shows initiative and personal responsibility. Key traits that will lead to college success later on.
- Be civic minded. Getting involved in your community. Get out there and make a difference! This not only helps you stand out, but shows you care about more than yourself. A lot of colleges are not as concerned about SAT or ACT scores, they want to see you be an active citizen, an advocate working to solve problems.
- Take those research papers seriously. This is your chance to show your scholarly acumen, including your ability to distinguish between scholarly information and general knowledge. You can’t use Wikipedia or Yahoo answers and expect colleges to take you seriously.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
Applying for college is a journey. What might be your #1 school choice when you start your college search may fall off your list once you start doing research. Colleges that were not even on your radar may surprisingly become your new favorites. This is all part of the experience and magic of applying to college. In this episode, Elizabeth talks with high school senior Nick Marciniak about his recent experience applying to college. Tune in to hear valuable tips and insights about what it is really like to apply for college in 2022. Nick Marciniak is an EWC student who recently finished applying to college and is interested in cybersecurity and computer science.
3 things to keep in mind when applying to college include:
- Use the college application process to dig deep and determine what you really want to do with your life. This self-actualization process is important to not only answering the admission questions in a way that authentically reflects who you are, but also helps you determine which college will best fit your needs as an individual. Often students haven’t had a chance to do this type of deep self-reflection until the college admissions process.
- Do your research and tour the colleges on your list. Notice how they set up their visitor center. How welcoming are they? Where do they recommend going for lunch? These small but tangible things will give you a glimpse of whether this school might be good for you.
- Start early. It is easy to procrastinate in this process, but it will do you no favors. Often the hardest part is starting. When you start early, it gives you time to not only complete the process thoughtfully, but also allows you time to stay involved in senior year activities such as academics, sports and a part-time job.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
Relinquishing control is difficult, especially for parents. Unfortunately, the college admissions process is all about letting go of control. You’ll never truly know which college is perfect for them, but ultimately the choice belongs to your child. When the decision of where they will go to college is in their hands, they are empowered and more importantly, invested in their own success. Who doesn’t want that, right? That doesn’t mean this is easy though. Listen in as Elizabeth gives practical tips to help you engage with your child in one of the biggest decisions of their life.
Links mentioned:
- Kelly Corrigan Wonders Podcast
- Kelly Corrigan’s Memoir Tell Me More
3 Tips to engage with your child in the admissions process:
- Listen. Really listen to your student’s point of view and perspective. Even if you disagree, stay calm and hear them out.
- It's ok to say I don’t know. Be comfortable with the unknown. We can’t know everything especially in the college admissions process. As Brene Brown says, show your vulnerability…this is a great way to build trust with your child.
- Connect. Sit down with your child and go through a cost benefit analysis. Research this together as adults. What is the personal and professional cost of this decision and how will it benefit your child in the future?
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
What did you want to be when you were younger? I bet it was not your current career. Dr. Sharon Jones wanted to be a radio dj called Sharky Sharon and instead became the founder of the Dottie Rose Foundation, which encourages and supports girls in the STEM fields. In this episode, Sharon talks with Elizabeth about how interests change throughout our life and that is ok. When we embrace curiosity and learning, we can develop our STEM strengths and apply them in any number of careers. Dr. Sharon Jones is the brainchild behind the Dottie Rose Foundation, which encourages girls to find their STEM strength through classes, workshops, and camps.
Connect with Dr. Sharon Jones:
- Dottie Rose Foundation Website
- Lady Tech Charmers Podcast
3 ways to encourage your exploration in STEM:
- Own what you love. If you love math, say you love math outloud, let people know. The same goes for reading, biking, jewelry, etc. Be proud of what you love and let others know about it. This is the start of making connections and exploring those interests.
- Find your tribe. Once you’ve let people know what you love, you can find your people and support one another as you explore this combined interest. Finding your people is a key to college success and happiness.
- Keep learning. What you loved when you were little, might not be the same as you grow older. Be curious and willing to try new things, you never know where it will take you.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
Being a parent is all about transitions. You become a master of one season of life and then it all changes and you need to adjust to the next. In this episode, Elizabeth talks with Julie Swafford about a parent’s perspective during this college transition time. While this can be a sad time for parents, it is also a time filled with joy as you have set your child up for their future life. Tune in to hear about how to say goodbye to your child when setting up their dorm, how to have a positive mindset when you have an empty nest, and how to let your child choose the future that is right for them. Julie Swafford is a parent with one daughter in college and one on the way. She is also the client care coordinator at Elizabeth West Consulting (EWC).
3 ways to embrace your child’s transition to college include:
- Choice. Ultimately, your child needs to choose their college. As much as you might love one school for your child, they have to choose their own future.
- Empty nest. You need to feel the heaviness of your child leaving and this is normal. At the same time, shift your mindset and love who your child has become. Embrace the joy of having raised a successful young adult heading off into the world.
- Less Contact. Don’t be worried if you haven’t heard from your child when they are in college. If they are not reaching out to you several times a day, that means they are adjusting well to college and you should be proud of this. You’ve done your parenting job well.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
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What do you do if you’ve chosen the wrong college? Maybe you’ve switched majors and they don’t have your new major. Maybe the school is not a good financial fit. Maybe you thought you would love this college, but you are miserable. Transferring to another college is not easy, but it is not the end of the world. Education is full of change and sometimes those changes can be full of success. If you are unhappy with your college of choice, you won’t want to miss this episode as Elizabeth walks you through the key things to consider when transferring from one college to another.
3 things to consider before transferring to another college:
- Let yourself acclimate to college. Attending college for the first time is a HUGE transition. Sharing a bedroom with a stranger, living on your own, these things take time to get used to. Take those transitions slowly, honor them and let them settle. After a few months, assess where you are at and then make a decision.
- Do Research. Don’t skimp on this step. What would be a good college fit for you in terms of academic programs, social needs and financial needs? Doing extensive research ahead of time, will save you time and money. Tip: see if your new college has a transfer admission counselor to help you through this process.
- Investigate how your credits will transfer. Will your credits transfer for specific courses or be counted as general education credits? If your classes transfer as general education credits and not specific courses, then you may have to take additional classes at your new college, which means more work, possibly more semesters, and more costs.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
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When choosing a college, there are so many things to consider from price to location to the programs offered. It’s overwhelming to say the least. Student support is a key facet of the college experience that is often overlooked when applying and choosing a future university, but it may be the most important element driving student success in college. In this episode, Elizabeth talks with student support advisor, Adrienne Boswell, about what to look for when examining student support services at a university. Tune in for more information on the best ways to evaluate student support services as well as a discussion on key habits students should be developing during their high school career.
Adrienne Boswell is a student support advisor in the Engineering and Management Program at Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York.
Connect with Adrienne: LinkedIn
3 key things to consider when examining student support services:
- Program level and career advising: What is already in place to guide students in their chosen majors and help them graduate in 4 years? How does the university help students begin their future careers- think job fairs, what business relationships have they fostered?
- Student Success Centers: Where can students get 1:1 help to improve their writing skills? Study skills? Time management skills?
- Mental Health Services: The pandemic has shown us the importance of mental health. What services does your future college have to support students going through difficult transitions? Ask a current student if they have sought out help and their experience doing that.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
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S.T.E.M. is all the rage these days, but even with its popularity, girls still lag behind boys in pursuing S.T.E.M. based careers. How do we resolve this gap and encourage young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math? Research notes that around age 12, girls who were previously interested in S.T.E.M. begin to fade away from it. In today’s episode, Elizabeth talks with Abi Oluyeke about how to encourage, engage, and maintain girls’ interests in the S.T.E.M. fields. Tune in to learn about the latest research involving S.T.E.M as well as actionable tips you can take to engage girls in S.T.E.M. based learning. Abi Oluyeke is a S.T.E.M.inist and founder of Smart Girls HQ, helping to encourage and connect young women with a lifelong interest in S.T.E.M.
Links mentioned
- Raising Smart Girls Website
- Raising Smart Girls Instagram
- Raising Smart Girls Facebook
- Abi Oluyeke LinkedIn
3 ways to encourage female interest in S.T.E.M. include:
- Prioritize numeracy. Math is its own language. When we prioritize numeracy the same way we priority literacy, we will see comfort and interest in this area grow.
- We need to normalize hard tasks. It’s not that girls are not good at math, they just need consistent practice and exposure as with any subject. Just because something is challenging doesn’t mean you should shy away from it.
- Explain the Why. Girls often need to see the connection between what they are studying and its application in the real world. When we show how math leads to a career in electrical engineering we create a connection between the two and increase motivation.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
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Many people have the intention to go to college, but haven’t thought much more beyond that acceptance letter. Speaking of intention, colleges are also intentional in the experience they design for students. Some colleges go overboard in their desire to attract and retain students. Did you know that LSU students have a lazy river as part of their campus? In this episode, Elizabeth talks with Jude Kiah about how to experience college intentionally as a student and how colleges intentionally design the student experience. Jude Kiah is the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas.
In this episode you’ll learn….
- The importance of getting out of your dorm room. Nothing will happen if you don’t leave your room and see what opportunities exist.
- Why it is essential to say YES in college! Take risks, try things. These will become your favorite lasting college memories.
- How college departments work together to create a positive student experience.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
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Demonstrated interest. What is that? You might even be thinking, what does demonstrated interest have to do with college admissions? Demonstrated interest is showing colleges and universities you are not only interested in them, but serious about pursuing your higher education there. As good English teachers say, “Show Me, Don’t Tell Me.” In this episode, we will explore the different ways you can SHOW a college or university that you are interested in them. And remember, there is a fine line between showing interest and bombarding them with questions…
In this episode you’ll learn…
- Attending a college fair in your town or a college’s open house is a great way to show demonstrated interest. In addition, this is a perfect opportunity to pick up information on financial aid, housing, and campus activities.
- To make notes of who you speak with at college fairs and activities. It is always a good idea to ask for a business card or write that person’s name down. Making that personal contact with an admissions representative from the college will help them remember you when it comes to application time.
- Demonstrated interest cannot be demonstrated by your parents. Please don’t have your parents call or email the university, this reflects poorly on you. Make sure you are the one contacting the university to show your interest.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
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College can be described as 4 years of incubated growth- it is truly an immense time of learning! So many changes are experienced by college students during their 4 years that often parents don’t recognize the kid who comes home to visit them. In this episode, my friend and former teacher, Bill Lee, shares his 6 E’s for success in college. Bill is currently a professor at SUNY-Cortland who started his education career as a high school dropout. He earned his GED, then went on to college, focusing on social work, and then teaching. He has over 40 years experience in the classroom and loves every minute of it. Tune into this episode to learn 6 success tips for future college students.
In this episode you’ll learn…
- Why students need to explore during their college years. Did you know that 80% of students switch their major at least once during their 4 years?
- Why students need to engage with their professors, their peers and their community. This is their chance to find their people, ask all the questions, and be connected.
- Why time management is a crucial skill to develop during these years. When students spend 1 hour a week planning their week, they can alleviate many problems and free up their time.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
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Private college counselors - also known as Independent Educational Consultants (IECs) - are definitely an investment, but so worth it to set your student up for the best possible college experience! In this episode, I am sharing all the ins and outs on IECs, including how private college counselors are different from high school and admissions counselors, what to look for in an IEC, and when it’s time to hire one for your student.
Some key takeaways on finding a private college counselor:
- According to the National Association for College Admissions Counseling, there is one counselor for about every 482 students in schools. School counselors are way too overloaded to give the 1:1 attention needed for the admissions process.
- Private college counselors offer a variety of services such as workshops, group programs, and 1:1 counseling. Their goal is to make sure you get the most out of the investment you’re making in your college education.
- A good IEC will never ever speak ill of the school counselor community or disparage any academic institution. If they do, run the other way and find a good counselor that is a cheerleader and who is prioritizing finding the best fit college for you.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
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- YouTube
The admissions process can be overwhelming and stressful for both students and their families. Mindfulness is a great way to help recognize, acknowledge, and manage that stress. In this episode, my friend Lorree Riley, LCMHC, is joining us to share her best tips for practicing mindfulness and staying in yourself during the admissions process. Lorree is a Counselor, Coach, and Consultant at Envision Creative Counseling, PLLC in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Resources mentioned:
- Ten Percent Happier App
- Calm App
- Headspace App
Some key takeaways on mindfulness during the admissions process are:
- Mindfulness is a way of “being” in your day. Bring awareness to your day. How are you feeling? How does your body feel? What stories are you carrying with you today? How are those stories manifesting in your body?
- As a parent or guardian to your teenager, model and practice mindfulness so they can learn how to practice it themselves. Share when you’re feeling overwhelmed and then announce what you’re going to do to decompress, then go do that thing.
- Find an activity that helps the stress move through your body. This might be yoga, jumping on a trampoline, banging on drums, going for a walk, or any type of physical movement that you enjoy.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
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Have you ever wondered how a college admissions counselor personally approaches each student’s application? In this episode, my friend Matt Provost, an Admissions Counselor for Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, joins us to share his perspective on what he looks for when evaluating a potential student. From their admissions essay to their interactions at college fairs and on campus tours, he gives the full picture of everything that ultimately goes into the admissions decision.
We are opening up a few spots for our Junior Monthly Retainer coaching on September 1st! This is our most hands-on service for high school juniors, and spots are limited, so visit http://ncewc.com/ to learn more and book a free consultation!
Some key takeaways from my conversation with Matt are:
- College admissions counselors are looking at the whole student and all their strengths. They are ultimately wanting to answer the question “Will this student succeed and thrive at this school?” If yes, awesome! But if it’s not a good fit, that’s okay! There are more options out there.
- When it comes to your admissions essay, counselors are looking first and foremost at your writing skills. Next is how compelling and fun it is to read your essay. If you have a great story to share, it will really make your essay stand out.
- How much personal interest you show in a school means a lot to admissions counselors. If you connect 1:1 with a counselor at a college fair, and then make a point to say hello to them on a college visit, you start to make a strong impression of demonstrated interest in the school.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
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Community college can be an amazing way to transition from high school to a 4-year college or university, and Lydia Ryan is proof of that. Lydia is one of the wonderful students I met and still keep in touch with from my days at Central Piedmont Community College. In this episode, Lydia shares her journey of attending CPCC before transferring to East Carolina University, and how she grew into a confident, self-assured professional thanks to all she gained from CPCC.
Some key takeaways from Lydia’s story are:
- Community college is probably much better than you expect. In Lydia’s experience, CPCC was able to provide her with caring and challenging (in a good way!) professors, memories, friends, and a great transition to a 4-year college.
- Networking begins in college! Meet as many peers, professors, and professionals as you can when you’re still in school. It’s a great skill to learn and nurture, but will also serve you well when it’s time to apply for jobs after graduation and beyond.
- As Lydia put so well in the episode, “Don’t let the plan keep you from trusting your gut.” It’s okay if you don’t know exactly what you want to do or where you want to go when you’re 18. Leave room to try different things, and trust your gut when something feels right.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
The admissions process can be overwhelming and stressful for both students and their families. Mindfulness is a great way to help recognize, acknowledge, and manage that stress. In this episode, my friend Lorree Riley, LCMHC, is joining us to share her best tips for practicing mindfulness and staying in yourself during the admissions process. Lorree is a Counselor, Coach, and Consultant at Envision Creative Counseling, PLLC in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Resources mentioned:
- Ten Percent Happier App
- Calm App
- Headspace App
Some key takeaways on mindfulness are:
- Mindfulness is a way of “being” in your day. Bring awareness to your day. How are you feeling? How does your body feel? What stories are you carrying with you today? How are those stories manifesting in your body?
- As a parent or guardian to your teenager, model and practice mindfulness so they can learn how to practice it themselves. Share when you’re feeling overwhelmed and then announce what you’re going to do to decompress, then go do that thing.
- Find an activity that helps the stress move through your body. This might be yoga, jumping on a trampoline, banging on drums, going for a walk, or any type of physical movement that you enjoy.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
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- YouTube
Supplemental essays are a college’s way of truly gauging your interest in attending their school, so it’s crucial that you are intentional and strategic in your approach to writing them. In this episode, I’m sharing my best tips on writing strong supplemental essays so you can put your best foot forward in your application.
Some key takeaways on supplemental essay writing include:
- There are three common types of supplemental essays. They are interest essays, personal or whimsical essays, and academic essays.
- Be specific to the college you’re applying to in your supplemental essay. Demonstrate that you’ve done research and include details of your visit to campus where it’s applicable.
- Specifically mention special programs, events, or traditions that take place on this campus. Not only does this show you know the campus culture, it also drives home your interest in being a part of these events as a student.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
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Your college admissions essays are a key part of the application process. They give you an opportunity to share your personality, character, and storytelling skills with admissions counselors, which can absolutely set you apart… if you write them well. In this episode, I’m sharing my best tips and guidance for writing your college admissions essays, including the most common essay pitfalls and how to avoid them.
If you want a professional to review your admissions essays, contact us for a consultation to see if our essay review team would be a good fit for you at https://ncewc.com/contact.
Links mentioned:
- Common App Essay Prompts
- Coalition Essay Prompts
Some key takeaways on writing your college admissions are:
- Utilize literary storytelling elements, and make sure you’re entertaining your audience. Don’t be too silly or superficial, but find your unique and interesting story and tell it in a compelling way in your essay.
- Be laser focused on the essay prompt or prompts. Are you answering their questions? Did you go off on a tangent? If you don’t follow the directions, you won’t be considered, so pay close attention to them.
- Some further pitfalls you might run into are if your essay is too braggy or narcissistic rather than personable, or your essay is a sob story that comes off as emotionally manipulative.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
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Are you or your female student interested in STEM careers? In this episode, Jennifer Mathews, Associate Vice Provost for Academic Administration at the University of Rochester, joins us to share her perspective on the opportunities for women and girls to excel in STEM fields. Jennifer has spent her career studying and teaching pharmaceutical sciences, and her view of how STEM has changed for women over the years is incredibly eye-opening. Not only is she an established and recognized speaker, she’s also my childhood friend and my roommate at SUNY Potsdam!
Some key takeaways on opportunities for women in STEM are:
- A lot of women and young girls are discouraged from entering STEM fields or exploring those subjects - even though they’re perfectly capable of excelling in them - because they hear too often how “hard” these fields are.
- While there is still room for more inclusion of women in STEM, there are much fewer barriers for women in STEM today than there were when Jennifer was just starting her career, and many colleges and universities prioritize including women in their STEM programs.
- Just because your college or university isn’t widely recognized for STEM does not mean that there aren’t ample opportunities in those fields. If you’re willing to seek mentors, experience, and programs to explore what you’re interested in, you will find them no matter where you’re going to school.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
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Traveling abroad is an educational experience, whether you’re traveling for school or just for fun. It’s something that I highly recommend to my students because there are so many opportunities for learning skills in your field in addition to crucial life skills that will set you up to be a resilient and well rounded adult. In this episode, I’m sharing all the different ways you can learn from travel and why you should take advantage of travel opportunities when you can.
Some key takeaways on travel as education are:
- Travel gives you resilience. It forces you out of your comfort zone for a long period of time, which usually results in having to problem solve or learn a new skill to handle whatever it throws at you.
- Traveling gives you a new perspective. You’re stepping out of your own culture and into someone else’s, which is such an educational, fun, and often humbling experience.
- Expect the magic when you travel. The people you meet can lead to the most incredible experiences when you least expect them, and the out-of-your-comfort-zone setting lends magic to every experience.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
College housing can be expensive, and it’s not even guaranteed on all campuses for first year students. In this episode, Kim Venable, Senior Mortgage Planner with Fairway Mortgage, joins us to share her experience and expertise on purchasing a home for college housing. If you can afford it, not only is this solution more affordable and cost effective for your student and their roommates, but you’ll also have a profitable rental property for years to come.
Some key takeaways from this episode:
- Consider purchasing an investment property with 4 or 5 bedrooms for your student and 3-4 other students to rent from you. They’ll all pay significantly less than they would for student housing or an apartment near campus.
- If you purchase your home in your student’s name, they’ll be able to build credit and both the required down payment and interest rates will be lower since they’ll qualify as a first-time home buyer of a primary residence.
- Once your student graduates, you now have an investment property that you can continue to rent to incoming students.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
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- YouTube
While I love sharing my personal admissions experience, I’m so excited to share my conversation with a recent college graduate about his admissions, college, and post-graduate experiences. My nephew, Robert Brockway, graduated from Clarkson University in 2021 and is now in graduate school. In this episode, he shares his college application strategy, how he made the most of his college experience, and his advice for students getting ready to apply to colleges.
Some key takeaways from this episode include:
- Make sure your school is both a program fit and a good social fit. If your heart is set on a certain program (or multiple programs in Bobby’s case!), make sure your school has those options available for you.
- Don’t write off schools in rural areas. The lack of distractions can enable you to focus on your program and campus community, and you’re usually a short road trip away from a nearby metropolitan area anyway.
- Utilize your resources on campus. Yes, hard work will take you far, but utilizing your resources on campus through faculty, staff, and alumni connections will take you even further.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
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I shared my professional background and how I became an admissions consultant, but this episode is the story of how I applied to colleges back in the day! There are some crucial lessons I learned in that journey, including how tenacious and hard working I can be when I’m on a mission. If you think this expert had a cakewalk as her college admissions journey, think again!
Some key takeaways from this week’s episode:
- Words matter when you’re talking to students about colleges. The words “not college material” rang in my ears for years and used it as a rallying cry, but so many students hear similar things and are completely discouraged from trying.
- Remember, if your student is rejected from a school, it’s not a “no” forever, it’s a “no” for now. If your student’s heart is set on that school, have them speak with someone on admissions to see what they need to do to possibly be accepted in the future.
- Reflect back on your own admissions experience when you were applying to colleges. When you’re holding your students up to incredibly high standards, remember the pressure you felt back in high school, how it felt to be rejected by a school, or comments your parents made to you. Put yourself in your student’s shoes.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
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I recently read an article about how Al Roker helped recruit students to attend his alma mater, SUNY Oswego. Applications to the school are on the rise after Roker endorsed them, sharing that he uses what he learned there every single day. This type of loyalty cannot be bought. It requires the perfect match between a student and a school where they truly belong. In this episode, I’m sharing how to choose a college that inspires lifetime loyalty, and why a smaller school could be faithfully yours.
Resources mentioned:
- How Al Roker and the Faculty Helped Land Students
Some key takeaways on choosing a college that inspires lifetime loyalty:
- Find a college or university that makes you feel like somebody, and that makes you feel at home. Four years is a long time to be miserable because you don’t feel like you belong.
- Forget big name recognition or huge, fancy football stadiums. Those things are amazing, but the tiniest regional college you’ve never heard of might be a better place for you to grow instead, and that’s just as impressive.
- Consider the kind of support you need. Are you okay with not having a relationship with your professors, or do you want your school’s faculty to be a strong support system of mentors for you? A smaller school will provide a lot more support overall.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
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Summertime is for relaxation, vacation, and… college admissions prep. If you’re a rising high school senior, the summer before senior year is a great time to get a few things in order before you apply to school. I know it might sound cruel, but taking care of these during your free time will prevent a scramble to balance applications with your senior workload in the fall. If you need any help looking over some of these action items, be sure to reach out to me!
Resources mentioned:
- The College Board
- Khan Academy
- The Princeton Review
- Common App Essay Prompts
- VolunteerMatch
Some key takeaways on how to prep for college applications in the summer:
- Focus on test prep for the SAT and ACT. There are a lot of articles about testing optional admissions, but if you want to stand out from other candidates, test scores are a great way to do it. Spend time doing some studying and prep this summer.
- Write your Common App essay. The Common App will be used in your application to several colleges and universities, and it’s extremely important to make your application stand out. Spend the summer brainstorming, writing, and reviewing it so come fall, you can focus on the supplemental essays.
- Volunteer for a cause you care about. Colleges care more about quality over quantity, so choose an organization that you can spend a lot of time working with, rather than racking up a bunch of short gigs at several different organizations.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
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College campus visits are such a fun opportunity to travel, learn more about prospective schools, and spend time with your family before your student heads off to college. They’re also an opportunity to ask questions of your admissions counselor or tour guide that may reveal deal breakers for you. In this episode, I’m sharing my top five essential questions to ask on your next campus visit! As a disclaimer, these might be heavy-hitting questions, but don’t forget to ask about the cool and fun programs and amenities on your campus as well!
A few of the questions you should ask on your college visits are:
- Is there air conditioning in residence halls on campus? This gets a laugh from my students, but you’d be surprised how many campuses don’t have AC. This is personally a deal breaker for me, but you might be okay with just a plugin fan.
- Are there issues with first year students not being able to register for the classes they need because they fill up so quickly? The answer to this question could impact you financially and even affect graduation dates for demanding programs.
- Is housing guaranteed for first year students? Is it guaranteed each year? If housing isn’t guaranteed, you need to do research on safe areas to live off campus and factor the cost of those living arrangements into your tuition costs.
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
There are several colleges and universities that bring prestige with their names, but they may not be a good fit for your student. Your student’s happiness in college is a huge part of their success. If they feel like they belong on campus, they will get better grades, be more productive, and seek out more opportunities. In this episode, I’m sharing stories of how a “misfit” college match can affect students, whether school prestige actually matters, and how to assess whether a school is a good fit for your student.
Some key takeaways on prestige vs. fit:
- A “brand name” college or university might give you a little bit of a leg up in terms of access to an elite alumni network, a sense of personal pride, or connections to your dream, but ultimately if it’s not a good fit for you, prestige is pointless.
- Some things to consider for a good fit at a college might be accommodations to a special schedule you might have, the class sizes and opportunities for connecting 1:1 with professors, and support for students with neurodivergence or different abilities.
- There are several questions to ask yourself about whether a school is a good fit for you. Do you feel at home when you’re on campus? Do the students and faculty seem genuinely happy to be on campus? Do you feel like you could contribute positively and intentionally to the campus?
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
I started my college admissions consulting company as a side hustle while I was teaching, but my decade of college admissions experience before that sets me apart from the rest. In this inaugural episode of The Admissions Club podcast, I’m sharing my background in college admissions, higher education, and various types of colleges and universities.
Some key takeaways from my experience are:
- Throughout my admissions journey, I evolved from an admissions novice and eventually became the Associate Director of Admissions at UNC Charlotte. I also worked in admissions for a Carolinas College of Health Sciences, where I learned how admissions worked for specialty schools.
- While I loved teaching for 14 years, I really missed admissions. I started to hear a lot of admissions myths being thrown around, and how parents and students were accepting these myths as facts. I started EWC Consulting to combat this misinformation.
- I now help students and their parents navigate the college admissions process by arming them with facts and realistic expectations. Some of my clients have attended their dream schools, and others went on to attend schools they didn’t know existed but were a perfect fit for them - I love seeing my students happy and thriving at their college of choice!
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube
The Admissions Club Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things college admissions, complete with a nostalgic 80s playlist and Gen X vibes. It’s hard to believe that we’ve traded in scrunchies and Bruce Springsteen posters for walking our kids through the college admissions process! But, I’m here to share my 25 years of higher education experience, with 10 years of direct college admissions experience, with you and your student so you don’t have to walk it alone.
Connect with Elizabeth!
- Website
- YouTube