Food - its necessary for survival and is often an overlooked attribute. If your stomach is not satisfied, your brain will not work optimally and your academic - and social potential may take a nosedive. Join Mark and Anna as they talk about what you should be looking for when you think about college and food. From common food mistakes to where to find food and survive on a student budget, they've got you covered in this fun episode.
Oct 06, 2017•58 min•Ep. 16
Join us as we talk to Dr. Shirag Shemmassian, Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting. As a graduate of both Cornell University and UCLA, Shirag will be offering expertise on applying as a student who has faced learning challenges, in addition to sharing his own personal admissions journey as someone who has a disability. Join us for real wisdom as we tackle the biggest questions when it comes to helping families apply when the applicant has faced unique challenges and how to use it to share ...
Sep 05, 2017•32 min•Ep. 15
Join us as we talk to Jessica Yeager, Founder of Dream College Summit and Impress the Ivies. Jessica will be dishing on her own college journey as an alumnus of both Harvard for undergrad and MIT for graduate school. She will also be covering new trends in college admissions and her best tips for getting into your dream school, especially the Ivies and other elite schools. You will get insider insight on everything from testing to interviews to financial aid and scholarships! Get your FREE ticke...
Aug 18, 2017•35 min•Ep. 13
Congratulations… you are ready to apply to college. But which colleges do you apply to and how many? And even more importantly, how do you pick your list and narrow it down? What factors should you consider and what are some resources you can use? Join Mark and Anna as they tackle these important topics and more, including great resources to get your party/list started!
Jul 31, 2017•55 min•Ep. 14
College essay topics are out! Join Anna and Mark as they discuss the do's, don'ts, and their favorite essays on this episode in which they cover how to brainstorm and create a college application essay that stands out. They'll cover what colleges are looking for in the essay, what mistakes to avoid, and their favorite tips on how to come up with some memorable essays!
Jul 10, 2017•52 min•Ep. 12
Join us as we talk to Aleksandra (Aleks) Stefanovska, Founder of Pain Free to College and first generation college student on her college journey, where she dishes on her advice to students applying to college for the first time. She covers everything from having the right support to how to select schools and where to spend your time. Aleksandra (Aleks) Stefanovska is a proud graduate of Georgetown University, which is located in our nation’s beautiful capitol, Washington, DC. She has two degree...
Apr 15, 2017•31 min•Ep. 11
College decisions are in! It can be a very exciting and confusing time for many students and their families. In this episode, Anna and Mark are here to advise on what happens when regular decision results are in. They'll cover acceptances, waitlists, and rejections and different ways to try to figure out which school you should move forward with - from March Madness brackets to campus visits to how to write a letter to admissions. Mark and Anna have got you covered in this episode.
Apr 01, 2017•32 min•Ep. 10
Join us as we talk to Liz Tenety, Co-Founder of Motherly and former Washington Post writer, on her college journey, where she discusses how she decided to transfer to her dream school, despite loving the school where she went to and how it has made all the difference. If the thought of not getting into your dream school or the idea of transferring scares you, this episode and Liz's uplifting journey is for you!
Mar 10, 2017•26 min•Ep. 9
You've finished writing essays and sent your application in. Now, you get an email about a college admissions interview. They want to meet you! In this episode, Mark and Anna cover your most common questions regarding the interview, such as how important are they really, what questions should you be prepared to answer and what should you ask at the end. We'll cover etiquette on both in-person and online interview, how long an interview should last, and more!
Mar 03, 2017•54 min•Ep. 8
The average public school's cost of attendance can range from $25 to $45k a year. For private schools, the average university cost can be $60k to $70k! In this episode, Mark and Anna talk about ways you can go to college on OPM (other people's money) through financial and merit aid. Learn more about the process as well and how scholarships can help you cut back on loans. Additional topics covered include what goes into determining a family's expected family contribution and how to apply for aid ...
Feb 09, 2017•42 min•Ep. 7
Now that most of the results from early action and early decision are in, its time to make sense of it all. Learn about the different deadlines, possible results, and what to do next. Also learn what types of deadlines might work best for you and your family, especially as it comes to financial and merit aid.
Jan 14, 2017•45 min•Ep. 6
Ever consider using a consultant to help you with the college admissions process? Their more common name is IEC. Learn the benefits and values of using an IEC and who they are most beneficial for. We'll also talk about the different type of ways you can work with an IEC, how to pick one, and what the REAL costs are. Not the ones inflated by the media. Join Mark and Anna as they give you the real dirt about using someone to help with the college admissions process.
Dec 29, 2016•55 min•Ep. 5
There are so many lists on rankings out there. What is worth considering when looking at these lists? Do they even matter? We'll also review different types of lists out there. For additional resources, please check out: How to Make Sense of College Rankings Best and Worst College Food US News College Rankings Forbes College Ranking Methodology Forbes Top Colleges...
Nov 12, 2016•51 min•Ep. 4
Ever since Malia Obama decided to take a gap year, it has been a widely discussed topic in college admissions. So what is a gap year? Why take one? Learn the answers to these questions and more as we delve into what types of gap year opportunities exist, what the benefits are of taking one, how it fits with the college admissions process and how to "pitch" one to your parents in this week's podcast.
Nov 05, 2016•33 min•Ep. 3
While the internet has certainly made it easier to research and learn more about a school, meeting face to face and visiting a campus in person can make a big difference. Learn the benefits and what to look for when visiting campuses, when the best time to visit is, and more in this week's episode.
Oct 29, 2016•30 min•Ep. 2
Thanks to Harvard's Turning the Tide Report, more schools are being asked to evaluate how "nice" a student is in the college admissions process. Learn more about how you can genuinely demonstrate your "niceness" in today's podcast. Join Mark Hofer and Anna Ren as they talk about the new factor in college admissions and different ways schools may be evaluating how nice a student is.
Oct 22, 2016•26 min•Ep. 1
