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Majoring in the Arts and Answering Listener Questions

broadway or wall street
Lauren Randle College Coach

Written by Lauren Randleon January 31st, 2019

I learned firsthand about the world of highly selective admissions as a former assistant director of admissions at Georgetown University. I traveled the United States, in and out of high schools and auditoriums, to eagerly educate students and their families about the application process, and then painstakingly reviewed thousands upon thousands of applications to fill our class. I reviewed applications for all four of Georgetown’s colleges (Georgetown College, McDonough School of Business, Walsh School of Foreign Service, and School of Nursing & Health Studies), and chaired the admissions committee for the School of Foreign Service. I experienced the nuances of the recruitment process as the admissions liaison to the Georgetown women’s soccer team, and also understood the significance of the admissions interview as the co-coordinator for Georgetown’s alumni interviewing process. I left admissions to pursue a master of education degree at the University of Virginia to broaden my knowledge of student development theories and current trends in higher education. There I decided that it was time to work more directly with students and families at the high school level, where my support and encouragement would have a more personal impact. That desire led me across the globe to Hong Kong, where I worked at a competitive international high school helping students with their college applications to the world's best universities. My international experience offered me the opportunity to work with extraordinary students and see extraordinary places.
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On the latest episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, Elizabeth Heaton spends the bulk of the show answering listeners’ questions, but also dives into show business (jazz hands, everyone!). Avoiding the “Starving Artist” Scenario Former University of Pennsylvania admissions officer, Sai Samboon, joins Beth to help guide students contemplating a major in the arts. As a Master of Fine Arts in Dance himself, Sai offers practical advice to avoid the “starving artist” scenario, so that students can simultaneously pursue their passion and earn a paycheck. Sai urges his fellow artists to make smart choices, particularly surrounding the additional skills that can be learned during college that will help supplement artistic endeavors. But what about forgoing college altogether to jumpstart a career on Broadway? Sai offers sage advice that all budding artists should tune in for. Listener Questions For the rest of the show, Beth and college finance expert, Kathy Ruby, tackle a slew of listener-submitted questions. Have you also been wondering about any of the following?
  • When will seniors find out how much financial aid they will be receiving?
  • When should juniors start thinking about SAT or ACT prep? And how should they prep for them?
  • After students have been accepted to colleges, when should they apply for loans?
  • Should high school students get a job outside of school or focus more on their schoolwork?
  • Why are we asked about our stock options on financial aid forms?
  • What should a student do after a deferral from the early round?
  • Can I wait to see if my child is admitted to a college before sending in the CSS Profile form?
  • How do I let colleges know about my National Merit Finalist standing after submitting my application?
If so, this Q&A segment is a great place to shed some light for you! On the next episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, we will cover D3 athletics and admissions, how to compare financial aid and merit award letters, and summer planning (yes, in January!). Getting-In-CTA

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