Ever wonder if what your high school doesn’t do, like offer many (or any) AP or IB courses or rank students, might actually hurt you or your student in the college admissions process? We’ll share our thoughts on how this works. We’re also answering your college finance and admissions questions in our Office Hours segment.

Now that the dust has settled on the 2018-2019 admissions season, we’re looking at the changes we’re seeing in college admissions that will likely impact the upcoming year. We’ll also explore the differences between federal work study and student employment, and discuss what subject tests are, how to decide which ones to take, and who actually needs to take them.

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.

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.

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:

Wouldn’t it be great to get a free instant daily update from College Coach whenever you want it? Now, you can, simply by saying “Alexa, read my Flash Briefings” to your Amazon Echo device. Introducing the College Coach Alexa skill! Enable the College Coach skill using your Alexa account, and whenever you say “Alexa, read my Flash Briefings” to your Amazon Echo device, you’ll hear the latest and greatest in college admissions and finance news in two minutes or less. Let Alexa help you keep in touch with College Coach and never miss an insider tip from our college experts.

Help—we can’t agree on a college! You won’t be the first student and parent not to be on the same page when it comes to college choice, and we’re pretty sure you won’t be the last. Tune in for our advice on how to navigate what can be a challenging decision. We’ll also look into the latest trends in micro scholarships, and, in Office Hours, we’re discussing AP exams and their role in the college admissions process.

Last week, I was sitting in a movie theater watching Personal Statement, a documentary film about a group of students attending resource-challenged schools in Brooklyn—schools where each counselor was responsible for guiding over 600 students through the college admissions process. Top students in each school were called forth, not only to navigate their own college applications, but to provide guidance for other students who needed the help. Think about it: first-generation college students, students who had absolutely no familiarity with the world of admissions, were called upon to explain the process to their peers. There are students in our society who are not only pulling themselves up from their bootstraps, they’re manufacturing their own boots, too—boots for themselves and boots for their peers.

I know it’s only February, but, believe it or not, it’s time for high school students to start thinking about how they’re going to spend their summer vacations. If hoping to participate in a competitive summer program, know that application and scholarship deadlines may pop up any day now. Before submitting any applications, be sure to consider your goals for the summer. Do you wish to pursue a summer program in order to explore a particular academic or extracurricular interest? Or do you think a summer program will help you get into college? When weighing your summer options, be sure to check out the latest installment of our video series, Ask the College Admissions Expert, in which former Drexel and Swarthmore admissions officer, Kennon Dick, outlines summer programs’ role in the college admissions process.

The Thanksgiving holiday is almost upon us, so while families are getting ready to enjoy the holiday (and the holiday meal!), host Elizabeth Heaton has a full feast of information for students and parents in the latest episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation. In addition to a double helping of admissions and financial aid questions, Beth also helps parents and students who may be thinking about transferring colleges after their first few months away.