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 the second in our Kindness Matters series, we’ll tackle the question of service work: what qualifies, why students might want to do it, and whether or not it’s truly important in the admissions process. We’ll also devote most of today’s show to helping students make a successful transition to college.

One of the most popular majors in recent years is business, and more colleges are offering programs in this area. If you’ve ever wondered what students actually study or whether or not you should major in business if you want a career in business, you’ll want to listen to this week’s show. For those looking to spend a semester in another country, we’ll take a closer look at the financial side of study abroad and offer some tools and resources for high school students hoping to discover and explore their interests.

More and more students are considering universities in other countries. Today we’re welcoming a representative from University College in Dublin to discuss studying in Ireland. We’ll also take you through tips for using your 529 or prepaid tuition plan to pay for college. Finally, in Office Hours we’re helping students get started on an activity list (otherwise known as a resume) for their college applications.

The environment, from questions around global warming to plastic in our oceans to single-stream recycling, is very much in the news on a seemingly daily basis. Many colleges now offer some form of an environmental studies major, and we’ll offer thoughts on the options available to students pursuing degrees in that area. We’re also answering your college admissions and finance questions.

If you would consider yourself “not-rich” and are headed to a campus that could very well be filled with lots of students who are, don’t miss today’s show. We’re welcoming Lauren Schandevel, who encountered this challenge at the University of Michigan and created a guide to help other not-rich students survive and thrive at the university. Perhaps her advice will be useful to you. We’ll also cover next steps for students who have made their final college choice and sent in their deposit. And last but certainly not least, we’ll take a look at the question, “Do colleges care if you are kind?” and try to offer some answers.

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.

In previous shows we’ve covered how to negotiate for more merit money and appeal financial aid packages. We thought you might be interested in the trends we’re seeing in this year’s student packaging. In Office Hours, we’re answering your college admissions and finance questions.

Students with no acceptances will want to tune in to this episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, in which we will help you best handle an admissions season gone awry and offer suggestions for moving forward with your college plans.