The most important document in a college application is the transcript. Admissions committees are keen on applicants who have challenged themselves and excelled academically throughout high school. In this episode, IvyWise college admissions counselors Christine (Former Assistant Director of Admissions at Yale and Georgetown) and Nat (Former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at NYU and NYU Abu Dhabi) discuss the importance of the transcript and share advice on why students should thoughtfu...
Feb 25, 2021•36 min•Season 2Ep. 2
With so much confusion about campus plans for the near future, it’s understandable that current college students want to re-evaluate their higher ed plans. In this episode, IvyWise college admissions counselors Amy (Former Associate Director of Admissions at Bucknell University) and Juaquin (Former Admissions Officer at Occidental College) explain how the transfer admissions process works and share tips on how students can build their balanced college lists and perfect their application material...
Feb 11, 2021•24 min•Season 2Ep. 1
From football and basketball to tennis and rowing, there are a number of sports in which student-athletes can be recruited to play at the collegiate level, but it’s important for students to understand the basics of the athletic recruiting process before deciding if it’s an avenue they want to pursue. In this episode, IvyWise counselor Nat (former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at NYU and NYU Abu Dhabi) joins Eric (former Admissions Officer at Columbia University), both of whom went thr...
Dec 22, 2020•33 min•Season 1Ep. 11
College admissions committees want to learn about their applicants holistically, including the causes they are passionate about and what they enjoy doing in their free time. At the end of the day, it’s not about how many activities you can add to your list, but more about your expertise and commitment to the pursuits that you are truly passionate about. In this episode, Eric (former Admissions Officer at Columbia University) and IvyWise counselor Rachel (Former Assistant Dean of Admissions at Sw...
Dec 17, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 10
At IvyWise, we advise students to apply to about 10-15 colleges, with as close to an even distribution of target, reach, and likely institutions as possible. In this episode, IvyWise College Admissions Expert Rachel (Former Assistant Dean of Admissions at Swarthmore College) joins Zach (Former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Boston College) to share their top tips on how to create a manageable and balanced college list.
Dec 10, 2020•31 min•Season 1Ep. 9
This special episode of Just Admit It! gives a sneak peek into an admissions committee via the IvyWise Roundtable process. Our unique Roundtable process simulates the real-world admissions committee that is found at top universities across the US. In this episode, IvyWise expert counselors Carolyn (Former Admissions Officer at Vanderbilt University) and Victoria (Former Assistant Director of Admissions at the University of Chicago and Sarah Lawrence College) join Zach (Former Senior Assistant Di...
Dec 03, 2020•39 min•Season 1Ep. 8
It’s never too early to start planning for higher ed! College admissions officers evaluate all four years of high school, so it’s crucial for students and families to start planning for college from 9th grade onwards. In this episode, IvyWise counselors Victoria (Former Assistant Director of Admissions at the University of Chicago and Sarah Lawrence College) and Nat (Former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at NYU and NYU Abu Dhabi) discuss when and how to start college prep.
Nov 19, 2020•47 min•Season 1Ep. 7
In this episode, IvyWise counselors Victoria (Former Assistant Director of Admissions at the University of Chicago and Sarah Lawrence College) and Rachel (Former Assistant Dean of Admissions at Swarthmore College) explain why it’s crucial for students to demonstrate their interest in their top-choice universities – and provide examples of how (and how not!) to do so.
Nov 05, 2020•43 min•Season 1Ep. 6
In this episode, IvyWise counselor Nat (former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at NYU and NYU Abu Dhabi) joins Eric (former Admissions Officer at Columbia University) to offer advice on when and how students should start planning for standardized testing, discuss the important distinction between 'test-optional' and 'test-blind', and analyze how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting students' test prep plans.
Oct 22, 2020•31 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Most U.S. universities use the ‘holistic review’ process when evaluating college applications. This means admissions officers place emphasis on the applicant as a whole person, not just their academic achievements, so soft factors may be given just as much consideration as the empirical data present in hard factors. In this episode, IvyWise counselors Victoria, a former Assistant Director of Admissions at the University of Chicago and Sarah Lawrence College, and Christine, a former Assistant Dir...
Oct 08, 2020•41 min•Season 1Ep. 4
In addition to the personal statement, many colleges and universities ask supplemental essay questions as part of the college application process. These essays can range from 100-250-word responses to short, 50-word "popcorn" questions. In this episode, Eric (former Columbia University admissions officer) and Zach (former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Boston College) spill the tea on what admissions officers are looking for in supplemental essays and what students can do to stand ou...
Sep 24, 2020•33 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Writing the personal statement is often the most challenging aspect of college applications, so it’s no wonder that this is our most frequently received question from students. In this special extended episode of Just Admit It!, IvyWise college admissions expert Rachel (former Assistant Dean of Admissions at Swarthmore) joins Zach (former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Boston College) share their top tips on how to brainstorm and write college application essays, and what admissions ...
Sep 10, 2020•46 min•Season 1Ep. 2
In the debut episode of Just Admit It!, IvyWise college admissions experts Christine (former Assistant Director of Admissions at Yale and Georgetown) and Nat (former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at NYU and NYU Abu Dhabi) join Eric (former Admissions Officer at Columbia) discuss how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting higher ed and how the high school Class of 2021 can navigate the altered application cycle this semester.
Sep 08, 2020•33 min•Season 1Ep. 1
