If you’re a rising junior who’s just starting to think about how to approach the summer of test prep, look no further than last week’s episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation. As an admissions educator myself, I feel I have a pretty good sense of the ACT and SAT and the differences between the two exams. But I was blown away by the amount of detail provided by Sean Quinn, a tutor with ArborBridge, a College Coach partner.

In my last blog post, I reviewed the pros and cons of applying to accelerated BA/MD programs. If you’ve decided an accelerated medical program is a good fit for your educational goals, let’s move next to what the programs are looking for from successful applicants.

Have you always known you wanted to be a doctor? Maybe you have always been fascinated by medicine, or perhaps this is a more recent but intense interest. As you begin your college search, you may become interested in an accelerated medical program where you apply in high school and could be admitted to a seven- or eight-year track to obtain both your Bachelor’s degree and your Doctorate in Medicine. But is this type of program the right fit for you?

Ian Fisher guest hosted this week’s episode of “Getting In: A College Coach Conversation”. This week’s uniquely-styled episode focused on just one topic—college access—bringing in three diverse guests to present three different perspectives.

It’s almost summer, but rather than heading to the beach, host Elizabeth Heaton was back at the microphone at Getting In: A College Coach Conversation. In this week’s episode, Beth gave listeners a closer look at Connecticut College, helped them to understand the pros and cons of using retirement savings toward college, and answered a number of listener questions.

On the June 2^nd  episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, Sally Ganga stepped back into the hosting chair, covering topics from Greek life to challenges for community college students, and 529 college savings plans.

Plus More Thoughts on the Coalition Application

In the May 26^th episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, guest host Sally Ganga tackled two topics: the new Coalition application, and study abroad (from both the academic and financial perspective).

Thoughts on the Coalition Application

Sally’s first guest, Marie Bigham, is currently the Director of College Counseling at Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, and a member of the National Association of College Admission Counseling Board of Directors. Marie clearly explained her understanding of the origin of the new Coalition for Access and Affordability, and then was unafraid to express her views about the success of the new platform.

The Community College Pathway to the University of California

Last week’s episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation began with Beth posing a few questions about access to the University of California system: what if finances are tight, or if you aren’t a top student and the UCs seem out of reach?  To understand how a California community college might be an option, Beth brought back college admissions counselor Becky Leichtling.  Becky explained how the UC system has carved out a path for graduates of a community college, sharing the percentage of students graduating from a UC, including the likes of Berkley and UCLA, who began their academic journey at a community college. (Hint: a MUCH larger percentage than I expected!) The two also discussed what the counseling landscape might look like, and what that crazy acronym IGETC means exactly.

In the May 12^th episode of “Getting In: A College Coach Conversation,” guest host Ian Fisher welcomed three unique perspectives to discuss three very different topics.

Should I Take a Gap Year?

Earlier this month, Malia Obama announced that she’ll be taking a gap year before heading off to college, thus sparking many people to ask, “What is a gap year and should I also consider taking one?” College Coach admissions expert Kara Courtois joined Ian to discuss what a gap year is and the many reasons why a student might choose to take one.

For Seniors, The Transition to College Has Already Begun

It’s official, my daughter is going to college.  She, her mother and I all huddle around the computer as she pays her deposit and clicks send.

It’s very exciting for her to finally have made a choice; she’s excited to start this next phase of her life.  However, as the discussion afterward progresses, I realize that the process for her at this stage is totally different from mine.  I waited until the summer to find out who my roommate would be and hoped we would be compatible coexisting in a small room.  I nervously wrote letters over the summer to introduce myself and establish a rapport before the start of school.  Still, it was with anticipation that we met on move in day and relaxed as we came to the realization that it was all going to work out.  Over time, we settled in and were roommates for the next two years.