Guest Post By Judith Silverman Hodara, Fortuna Admissions

A few months ago, my Fortuna Admissions colleague interviewed an MBA graduate named Paul Heslop, who serves as an Operations and Planning Chief for the United Nations. Among Paul’s bevy of unique distinctions is directing peacekeeping efforts in 17 countries, clearing thousands of unexploded mines and bombs, and defending multi-million dollar budgets to the UN Security Council. Oh, and before pursuing the MBA at London Business School, Paul had the distinctive privilege of accompanying the late Princess Diana through an active minefield on her trip to Angola.

On the latest episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, guest host Ian Fisher digs into the nitty gritty details of completing college applications, talking with his guests about the hazards of “over-packaging” yourself in the application and the role of extracurricular activities in supplemental essays. He wraps up the program with a detailed look at the requirements that students must meet in order to maintain eligibility for financial aid.

It’s August. You’re getting ready to pack your bags, board a plane, and travel to the United States to begin your college career. Part of your experience will include navigating a different culture. Here are some tips to ease your transition to life on an American college campus.

Fall is once again around the corner, and that means back to school! In this week’s episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, host Elizabeth Heaton addresses a topic that is sure to be on the minds of many parents who are getting ready to send their children off to college: how to let go. Also in this episode: your listener questions answered.

On the latest episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, Ian Fisher welcomes a student guest to talk about her college search, and is later joined by members of the College Coach team to talk Early Decision and paying the tuition bill. In the middle of all of that, Ian squeezes in a spotlight on Colorado College.

These days, high school students are encouraged to try out possible careers or majors through jobs and internships.

But sometimes that’s easier said than done.

High school internships aren’t always easy to find. Employers often prefer college students, can’t afford to pay interns, or don’t have the time to supervise them. Teen part-time jobs, while valuable, may not offer the kind of experience that will tell you if engineering is the right major for you.

One solution: community service.

When I was a college Financial Aid Director, I saw MANY students taking longer to complete their degree than they—or their family—had planned. This cost the students and the parents additional time… and money.

On the latest episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, guest host Sally Ganga covers a range of topics that will appeal to high school students and parents at different stages of the college search. She begins with a discussion about exactly when to prepare for and take standardized testing and the what, when, where, and why of college supplemental essays. She wraps up the show with a continuation of last week’s conversation about how financial aid awards differ among colleges, this time focusing on merit aid policies and practices.

On the latest episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, Elizabeth Heaton discusses this year’s changes to the Common Application, institutional variance in financial aid awards, and accelerated degree programs.

Guest Post By Steven Tolman, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Higher Education Administration, Georgia Southern University

As a college professor, I have had the privilege of teaching undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students. Through these experiences, I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. I would like to tell you that I was an exemplary freshman in college. To the contrary, I was on academic probation and my advisor encouraged me to consider career paths that did not require a college degree. Like many freshmen, my failures were not due to a lack of academic ability, but rather to my inability to navigate the transition from high school to college. Based on my own experiences and those of my students, here are my suggestions for how to avoid the common mistakes of freshmen.