Sign Up to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter When Deborah was doing her PhD in the UK, she would help International students transition to studying and living in another country. She liked working with students individually and broadly. After graduating she came back to Mumbai, and found that the kind of academic roles she desired were in short supply. So when the Adviser opportunity at EducationUSA came up, she felt she was ready for it. On our Podcast, Deborah talks about her background, Expe...
Feb 26, 2024•56 min•Season 1Ep. 371
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter Jillian was an ambitious and competitive High Schooler. She was very interested in Science and in music. She spent her sophomore and junior summers at Harvard and Brown studying Astro and Quantum Mechanics. But Jillian knew from a very young age that she wanted to do something with Astronomy in College. Jillian joins our podcast to share journey through Colgate University, Interest in Astronomy, Winning the Goldwater Scholarship, Dark Matter Resear...
Feb 23, 2024•38 min•Season 1Ep. 370
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter Making sense of the College News of the week, curated by Alma Matters . Shveta Bagade, College Counselor gives us her take on the news. Topics discussed in this episode: The Dartmouth Decision [] What Should Students Do? [] How Colleges Use Test Scores[] Closing Thoughts [] Our Guest: Shveta Bagade , College Counselor based in Silicon Valley California. Resources referred to in this episode: Curated News at Alma Matters [0:11] The Hill [] The New Y...
Feb 20, 2024•13 min•Season 1Ep. 369
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter Adriana came to the US when she was 10 years old from Romania. While she had a lot of catching up to do, her determination and competitive spirit helped her. She was a science nerd in high school. She loved Earth Science, Geology & Biology. She was into Languages, Music, Photography. She was also on the Varsity Tennis team. Adriana cut her teeth in research at a 2-year research program in her High School. Above all, she really wanted to be a do...
Feb 10, 2024•56 min•Season 1Ep. 368
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter The University Honors Program at CSULB has been around for at least 3 decades and has grown organically. 3 years ago, Dr. Perez became the first Director of the Honors Program and started to give it “cohesion” as she puts it. Prior to that, Dr. Perez was the Director of the University Honors Program at CSU Fullerton. In this podcast, Director Perez introduces the University Honors Program at CSU Long Beach, Honors Courses, Experiential Programs, Ho...
Feb 07, 2024•45 min•Season 1Ep. 367
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter Undergraduate students in US Colleges have the opportunity to do Research. I have been fortunate enough to talk to a number of these students over the last couple of years on my Podcast. In this episode, I have used select snippets from the numerous stories in this Podcast, to give you a flavor of undergraduate research at US Universities and Colleges. Topics discussed in this episode: Introduction [] Getting Started with UG Research [] Examples of...
Feb 01, 2024•19 min•Season 1Ep. 366
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter Kaitlyn had a lot of different interests in High School. She was a lot into sports - rowing, taekwondo. She loved math, sciences, and languages. She didn’t really know what she wanted to study in College. So, she was looking for a college with the opportunity to study across a number of disciplines and be able to interact with students from fields other than her own. Kaitlyn joins our podcast to share her undergraduate experience at Northwestern, U...
Jan 30, 2024•39 min•Season 1Ep. 365
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter Making sense of the College News of the week, curated by Alma Matters . This week Dr. Jay Jacobs, Vice Provost of Enrollment Management at the University of Vermont talks about the Impact of the FAFSA Delays. Topics discussed in this episode: Impact to UVM [] What Should ED Students do? [] Federal Roadblocks [] Advice for ED Students [] Is May 1 Deadline in Trouble? [] Our Guest: Jay Jacobs is the Vice Provost Enrollment Management at the Universit...
Jan 22, 2024•12 min•Season 1Ep. 364
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter Gabrielle loved school. She loved science. Her school years were tough because she used to be homeless off and on. Despite that, she graduated High School with Honors. After graduating from high school, she knew she wanted to get a Bachelor’s degree. She couldn’t afford it then. She worked 16-hour days, and 4 years later decided to study Nursing at Mercyhurst University in PA. Gabrielle joins our podcast to share her undergraduate college journey, ...
Jan 19, 2024•53 min•Season 1Ep. 363
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter Founded in 1791, the University of Vermont (UVM for short) has the distinction of being the 5th oldest university in the US. Allison graduated from Mississippi State with a degree in Sports Administration. Upon graduation, she found it challenging to find a job. A friend from the Sports department suggested she look at admissions recruiting at the College of Agriculture and Liberal Sciences at Mississippi State. She loved to travel and recruit. Tha...
Jan 14, 2024•28 min•Season 1Ep. 362
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter Daniel took all the AP Classes his High School offered. He loved AP US History. He was also very active in the Science Olympiad and really enjoyed it because it involved building things. He was also fortunate to have been in a high school where there was a class dedicated to doing research. It was here that Daniel cut his teeth in research, and got his hands dirty doing Battery technology. Daniel joins our podcast to share his undergraduate college...
Jan 10, 2024•53 min•Season 1Ep. 361
Episode Title: The Meaning of The FAFSA Delays, in College News Fit to Digest. January 5, 2024. Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter Making sense of the College News of the week, curated by Alma Matters . Shveta Bagade, College Counselor gives us her take on the news. Topics discussed in this episode: The Background [] Soft Launch [] Glitches and Changes [] End of January Delivery [] Limited Application Availability [] How Colleges Will Deal With the Delay [] Our Guest: Shveta Bagade ...
Jan 06, 2024•13 min•Season 1Ep. 360
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter Megan was working full time while she was in High School. She found it challenging to balance school and full time work. Megan didn’t go directly to College after High School. She had a lot of fear and also lacked the confidence then, about going to college. After working in Health care for almost a decade, Megan joined the Gaston Community College in North Carolina to get a 2-year degree in Nursing. Little did Megan know where college would take h...
Jan 03, 2024•42 min•Season 1Ep. 359
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter Gavin went to a high school in the rural south where the focus was greater on athletics & sports. Gavin was more academically inclined. He was fascinated by Extreme Weather - tornadoes, damaging winds, snow storms etc. He was known as the weather guy in school! Gavin joins our podcast to share his undergraduate college journey at Dartmouth, Being a Storm Spotter, Volunteering at National Weather Service, UG Research, Winning the Goldwater Schol...
Dec 06, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 358
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter AP Physics was the first course Isabella took in High School that challenged her. It really pushed her to think outside the box. Then a senior project opened her eyes to diseases that affected not only the elderly but young people as well. That got her thinking about college and Pre Med. Isabella joins us on our podcast to share her undergraduate experience at Rice, Transition to college, Autoimmune Disease UG Research, Impact of Research, and Advi...
Nov 30, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 357
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter John calls himself an “average nerd” while in High School. He enjoyed learning and Chemistry was his favorite class. In addition to classes, he was into debate, was in the school orchestra, concertmaster for the local youth symphony. Since he loved science and liked helping people, he decided to be Pre Med in college. John joins our podcast to share his undergraduate college journey at WashU, UG Research, Winning the Goldwater Scholarship, Moving a...
Nov 26, 2023•50 min•Season 1Ep. 356
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter Making sense of the College News of the week, curated by Alma Matters . Shveta Bagade, College Counselor gives us her take on the news. Topics discussed in this episode: What is Rolling Admissions? [] Which Colleges Offer RA? [] Is there a Good Time or Best Time to Apply? [] Are Rolling Admissions Binding? [] Are there any Downsides? [] Closing: Great Honors Programs too! [] Our Guest: Shveta Bagade , College Counselor based in Silicon Valley Calif...
Nov 17, 2023•11 min•Season 1Ep. 355
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter In the Spring of 2023, Tom conducted a special workshop at Westhill High School. In this episode, we talk to Tom & 3 Students, Melissa, Anne and Chelsea, from the Workshop, Motivated by his experiences and based on our discussions, Tom decided to pilot a workshop for rising seniors using episodes from this Podcast to build college lists. On our podcast, Tom talks about Why he created the Workshop, its structure, the content, Classroom discussio...
Nov 13, 2023•51 min•Season 1Ep. 354
Sign Up to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter “International” has always been a part of Lewis’s vocabulary. He was the first International Studies major at Albion College. He had lots of International Student friends on campus & loved traveling. That has led him to opportunities in international recruiting, admissions over the last 15 years. Today, Lewis is the Regional Manager for South Asia with EducationUSA REAC based in New Delhi, India. On our podcast, Lewis talks about his background, ...
Nov 09, 2023•42 min•Season 1Ep. 353
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter In High School, snowboarding and photography were Tanner’s passions. He would have loved to do that for the rest of his life. Then towards the end of his sophomore year, his architecture teacher involved him in building an engineering program for his school. Tanner found himself hooked on engineering - the idea of building things, touching people and making life better. Tanner joins our podcast to share his Duke University undergraduate experience,...
Nov 07, 2023•53 min•Season 1Ep. 352
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter The Honors Programs at Drexel U started in 1991, and became the Pennoni Honors College in 2002. 10 years ago, Prof Cohen became the Dean of the Pennoni Honors College. Dr. Cohen is a Distinguished English Professor, a writer, a novelist. On this Podcast, Dean Cohen introduces the Pennoni Honors College, Honors Programs, Experiential Programs including the Co-Op, Scholarships & Grants, How to Apply, and Career Opportunities. In particular, we di...
Oct 31, 2023•48 min•Season 1Ep. 351
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter Erick pursued a lot of interests in High School which included marching band, wrestling and volunteering at Give the Kids the world. But Engineering always interested him, because his dad was an engineer. He just wasn’t sure what kind of engineering. In middle school a friend of his fought through cancer. He is doing well now. Seeing his friend go through that journey, inspired Erick to leverage engineering to find better medical treatments. Erick ...
Oct 25, 2023•49 min•Season 1Ep. 350
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter Making sense of the College News of the week, curated by Alma Matters . Shveta Bagade, College Counselor gives us her take on the news. Topics discussed in this episode: Why Apply to FAFSA? [] What Kind of Financial Aid Can You Get By Filling FAFSA? [] When is FAFSA Due? [] Will I still be Eligible, if my parents don’t provide their financial info? [] Do I reapply for FAFSA every year of college? [] Our Guest: Shveta Bagade , College Counselor base...
Oct 19, 2023•11 min•Season 1Ep. 349
Sign Up to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter Bobbi-Jo started in higher education after her undergraduate degree. While she enjoyed her work, the money wasn’t enough. So she took a detour through the Insurance Industry. After the crash of 2008, Bobbi-Jo decided to take an “Interest Inventory” and figure out her next career move. That pointed her to School Counseling. Bobbi-Jo went to grad school and became a high school counselor. 12 years later, she is the Director of School Counseling at Midd...
Oct 17, 2023•40 min•Season 1Ep. 348
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter In High School Hanh wasn’t very focused on academics. While STEM came naturally to her, she was more interested in relationships with people. After high school, she joined Nursing School, but soon dropped out because of personal and financial hardships. After working a number of years and saving up some money, Hanh decided to enroll in a local Community College for a Trigonometry course. Hanh joins our podcast to share her road to undergraduate col...
Oct 11, 2023•44 min•Season 1Ep. 347
Sign Up to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter Education was always important to Paula’s family. So, she did her Master’s in School Counseling and became a School Counselor. Over the years Paula has worked as a Counselor in 4 states, both, in private and public schools. Today, she is a College Counselor at Jenks High School, which she calls the “very best” Oklahoma. On our podcast, Paula talks about her background, about Jenks High School, her Counseling Approach and Challenges, Success Stories, ...
Oct 09, 2023•48 min•Season 1Ep. 346
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter In High School, Haylie was very interested in STEM. She did a lot of research, experiments, poring over research papers. In her senior year, she found herself moving away from STEM into Political Science and Psychology. Haylie joins us on our podcast to share her UG Experience at CU Boulder, Studio Lab, UG Research, Climbing, and Advice for High Schoolers. In particular, we discuss the following with her: Overall Experience at CU Boulder Studio Lab...
Oct 05, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 345
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter In High School, Lea was interested in a variety of activities. Her driving passion had to do with helping people. Her Chemistry teacher told her Chemistry was her future and she should pursue it. She joined college as an undeclared major, with the idea of pursuing Chemistry. That would soon change! Lea joins our podcast to share her undergraduate College journey at Northwestern so far, Role at Matriculate, Counseling College-bound Students, and her...
Oct 02, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 344
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter Anna enjoyed learning in school. When Anna was in 8th grade, in her Earth Science class, the teacher told the class that the Universe is expanding! That fact completely captivated Anna and launched her interest in Astronomy and Physics in high school. Anna was socially engaged in school as well. Her crowning achievement was being high school valedictorian & being voted Senior Prom Queen! Anna joins our podcast to share her University of Pittsbu...
Sep 26, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 343
Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter Paul had a well-rounded experience in High School. He loved the Sciences and took every science course offered in school. He had a number of leadership positions in the student government. He was on the soccer team, track team, and managed the girls soccer team. From a career point of view, he was interested in medicine. Paul joins our podcast to share his undergraduate Honors College journey so far at SDSU, UG Research, Passion for Medicine, and A...
Sep 22, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 342
