Dear Debt’s Melanie Lockert paid off $81 thousand in student debt in just a few years. She’ll join us to talk about how she got to $81 thousand in the first place, what she would do differently if she could do it all again, and what led to the creation of her Dear Debt blog (now also a book). We’re also discussing how to choose your Common App prompt and what Common App supplemental essays are all about.

Taking a mindful approach to the college application process can help students have a healthier, happier, and more fulfilling high school experience. Rachel Simmons, author of Enough As She Is, which focuses on helping girls move beyond impossible standards of success, joins the show this week to help us take just this approach. In another in our Kindness Matters series, we’ll look at ways in which kindness can have financial benefits to students in the form of merit awards.

Each spring, College Coach surveys the high school seniors that we’ve worked with through our private college counseling service to garner their insights on the college application process. We’ve just synthesized the results of our 2019 Senior Survey, and wanted to share the good news with our readers.

Back in March, I wrote a blog post about a friend of mine who dropped out of college and has nonetheless been very successful. College wasn’t for her. While I usually work with students who are very invested in earning, at a minimum, their Bachelor’s degree, I occasionally encounter high school students who, like my friend, see college as a barrier to beginning their professional life rather than an opportunity. Understandably, parents of such high schoolers tend to be very concerned. For a few generations we’ve been told that college is the path to financial security. And this is largely borne out by statistics; census data tells us that the average high school graduate makes $35,000 a year, while a college graduate will take home closer to $54,000 annually.

Owning your own business can impact the financial aid process. Tune in to learn more about how that works. We’ll also help rising seniors evaluate where they are in the testing process and determine whether or not they need to take any more of those tests at this point. Finally, we’re taking a closer look at how institutional priorities can impact admissions decisions.

Guest Post from Jeremy Silverstein, Vice President of Operations and Vehicle Dispatching at Veteran Car Donations

As we celebrate Independence Day this 4^th of July, it’s important to remember the sacrifice that members of the armed forces make willingly in order to serve their country. The impact service can have on soldiers’ lives is far-reaching and takes numerous forms. One of the most significant ways military service can alter a person’s life, for example, is by changing the course of his or her career path. Unlike many civilians, servicepeople may not complete their educations on the usual schedule. Once they finish their active duty, they may lack the formal schooling that would benefit their careers and resumption of their normal lives. If you’re a veteran, education is crucial for getting a job and re-entering the civilian world.

Contemplating a liberal arts degree but concerned about how that will translate into your career? Convinced that your child must major in a pre-professional area if they’re ever going to make a living? We get it: college—and life—are expensive, and these are important concerns. That’s why we’re exploring the value of a liberal arts degree when it comes time to actually get a job. We’re also talking through the impact of owning real estate on the financial aid process.

Its summer! Time for ice cream, blockbuster movies, and college visits and essays! Join us for insight into making the most of your college visits in preparation for writing supplemental essays in the fall. Speaking of essays, we’re taking you through the Common App essay prompts for fall 2019. And finally, we have suggestions for how to research information about paying for college on those institutions’ websites.

Heard about The College Board’s new adversity score that will be accompanying test results at a pilot group of colleges this fall? We’ll share our thoughts about the score, including information about what it’s based on, why it was created, and what the impact will be for applicants this year. We’re also offering suggestions for getting the most out of your summer experience, whether a job, internship, course, or something else, and we’re answering your questions in Office Hours.

In an era of smart phones and technology always at our fingertips, social media is a deeply ingrained part of the daily lives of most teens (and often their parents!). As students prepare to apply to college, many families ask me about the role of social media in college admissions, specifically the college research, application, and selection process. Here are a few things to consider: