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Lisa, Abby, and Stefanie know college. They also know students. With over 30 years combined experience mentoring young people, they'll show you why understanding yourself is the key to finding the right college. Each episode, hear trends, case studies, and interviews with students who have gone through it all - giving you valuable insight to survive the college application process and beyond. Hosted by Lisa Bleich, Abby Power, and Stefanie Forman, Partners of College Bound Mentor.
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With college decisions coming out in the coming weeks, we're entering one of the most stressful times for high school students & parents. There are so many emotions you're bound to experience, and it's hard to resist comparing yourself to other aspiring college students. In this episode, we welcome on Jenna Schebell, Founder of The College Navigators. She's an Independent Educational Consultant (IEC) with over 20 years of experience in college admissions. Hear how to navigate the news on college decisions, what to actually believe on social media, how to block out the noise in this extra stressful time, how to regroup if things don't work out the way you'd hoped, and how to own your path as an aspiring college student - no matter what it looks like. Connect with Jenna at TheCollegeNavigators.com and on Instagram @TheCollegeNavigators, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com
It's never too early to start figuring out what your student will be doing next summer. There are endless options, but which one will be the most rewarding - for personal growth AND adding to that resume? In this episode, we first cover how to make the most of your summer experiences, how to nail the outreach letter for internships, and whether it's still beneficial to get a summer job. Then, we share case studies so you can hear how high school students with very different passions & interests used their summer experiences to make a truly remarkable impact on their communities - and in turn, their college applications. Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com
An IEC (Independent Educational Consultant) can be a huge help on your student's high school & college journey. How do you know whether an IEC is right for you - and what should you look for in an IEC? In this episode, we welcome on Kristina Dooley, a Certified Educational Planner and Founder of Estrela Consulting - a multi-consultant educational consulting firm based in Ohio. In addition to her 18 years of experience as an IEC, Kristina has previously served as a college admission officer, a school-based college counselor, and as a Past President of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA). Hear what an IEC actually does, the dynamic between school counselors & IECs, key questions to ask an IEC to find out if they're the right fit, the drastic ways the industry has changed in the last 5 years, and why campus visits are more essential than ever. Connect with Kristina at EstrelaConsulting.com and on LinkedIn, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com
Want to know the key trends & takeaways in college admissions for 2025? We've got you covered. In this webinar, hear why the demographic cliff is real, how schools are using AI in admissions, how to show you're a great fit for your major, why standardized testing is making a comeback, and what's happening with supplemental essays. Watch the webinar on YouTube, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com
Some of the trickiest essays to pin down on college applications are the Why College/Why Academic Interest essays. This has never been more true than today, so we wanted to bring back our interview with special guest Lisa Marker-Robbins, Founder of Flourish Coaching, who's helped over 4,000 high school students and young adults gain the insight, experiences, and confidence they need to successfully embark on their post-high school path. She busts some myths about the Why College/Why Academic Interest essays, reveals some findings of her study of the Top 50 public universities and their admissions practices, and shares her best advice for students who truly don't know what to major in. Get Lisa's resources at FlourishCoachingCo.com/Majors and check out her College and Career Clarity podcast, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com
What's new with financial aid? A lot. In this episode, we welcome back returning guest Jeff Levy, Co-Founder of Big J Educational Consulting, who's been an educational consultant since 2007. Hear the latest changes impacting financial aid, the key deadlines for the FAFSA application and CSS Profile, how common full ride scholarships actually are, things to keep in mind when saving for college as it relates to financial aid, and how to maximize your potential for merit aid. Check out Jeff's resources at BigJEducationalConsulting.com and connect with him on LinkedIn, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com
What's more important: where you go to college, or what you do in college? Jeff Selingo has written about colleges and universities for more than 25 years and is a New York Times bestselling author of four books. His latest, Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for You, draws on more than two years of research and a survey of some 3,000 parents to give families permission to think more broadly about what signals a "good" college and then the tools to discover their dream school. Hear the Top 5 biggest changes to college admissions in recent years, why you should dig deeper into the universe of colleges to attend, the growing importance of value when it comes to your college choice, the most surprising things Jeff learned while writing the book, and the importance of learning broad skills vs. specialized skills in college. Check out Jeff's new book Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for You, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com
There are some tough, tough colleges to get into these days. Why is that the case? And how can your student crack the code? Dr. Andrew Hoffman is a College Admissions Strategist who's worked in college admissions since college, including being the Director of Admissions for Swarthmore College and the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Vanderbilt University. He leads his consulting firm with parents in mind - getting you ready for college admissions. Hear what students should know when approaching the college application process, how students can excel at college fairs, how the college admissions process works from the school's side of things, how important college essays are, and what makes a student stand out with their application. Connect with Andrew at AskDrHoffman.com and use code: COLLEGEBOUNDMENTOR for 50% off the Parent's Ultimate College Admissions Course, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com
Writing college essays is one of the most challenging aspects of the college application process. Where do students even get started? Susan Knoppow is Co-Founder & CEO of Wow Writing Workshop, where she created the Wow Method - a simple, 10-step process for writing college essays. A former executive speechwriter and copywriter, Susan is also a published poet and essayist. Hear the key elements to a successful college essay, how parents can help - not hurt - their students' essays, how to reduce overwhelm for students when writing college essays, how to approach supplemental essays, and how to navigate AI as it relates to college essays. Connect with Susan at WowWritingWorkshop.com, on LinkedIn, and Get Your Copy of the 10-Step Wow Method, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com
What's new with the ACT? A lot. That means students have to change how they prep for the test AND how they approach things on test day. Sean Quinn has you covered. He's the Founder & Tutor at Onsen Education, providing one-on-one preparation tailored to your needs. He and his team have helped students across the states and in over 20 other countries. Hear what's different about the new ACT, how the average scores compare to previous years, whether you should focus on the SAT instead, how to prepare for the new ACT test, and how to get over testing anxiety. Connect with Sean at OnsenEducation.com, on LinkedIn, and check out his blog on Understanding the New ACT: Key Changes, Concerns, and Strategic Advice, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com
The engineering field is getting increasingly competitive. How do you stand out as an engineering student today? Jyoti Jain believes the best way is to create a stellar engineering maker portfolio. Jyoti is the Founder of Jain College Consulting. She found her passion for college counseling while helping her own child through the college admissions process. Hear why engineering students should consider submitting an engineering maker portfolio, the key components involved, how to tailor your portfolio to the audience, where engineering students can find meaningful experiences outside the classroom, and why you don't need expensive tools or big projects to make your portfolio shine. Connect with Jyoti at JainCollegeConsulting.com, on LinkedIn, and check out her article on Guiding Students in Creating a Stellar Engineering Maker Portfolio, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com
Does your college major even matter? Dr. Ned Scott Laff & Scott Carlson explore the surprising answer in their must-read book, Hacking College: Why the Major Doesn't Matter―and What Really Does. Dr. Ned Scott Laff has over 35 years of experience in college and university settings in administrative and faculty roles. Scott Carlson is a senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education who explores where higher education is headed. In this episode, they dive into the difference between a major and field of study, their favorite student case studies from Hacking College, what makes their process different, how to ask your aspiring college students the right questions, and what's broken with the college advising process today. Get Hacking College on Amazon and connect with Ned & Scott on LinkedIn, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com
AI is taking over everything. College is no different. What is allowed - and should be allowed - when using AI in college classes? In this episode, we welcome on special guests Dr. Lyra Stein of Rutgers University, Dr. Nathalie Moon of the University of Toronto, and Stephanie Silberstein of Rutgers University, New Jersey City University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Seton Hall University, and Kean University. They reveal how much students are using AI in college, the pros & cons of relying on AI for coursework, how grading & plagiarism are changing in the world of AI, how much professors are using or resisting AI, and how AI proficiency will help students throughout their careers. Connect with Lyra, Nathalie, and Stephanie on LinkedIn, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com
Passion projects are becoming a hot topic on student resumes. How important are they? In this first episode of Season 2, we welcome on special guest Dr. Liz Krider, the Founder & CEO of KSA Catalyst. She helps students (ages 14-24) find purpose through projects and internships - experiences that reveal their character to prospective colleges and employers. Hear how to find a passion project, examples of passion projects, why it helps to think local, the fine line between being persistent and being annoying, and why it's a good thing for college and your career to learn from failure. Connect with Liz at PassionProjects.net and on LinkedIn, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com
Waitlists are one of the most unpredictable parts of the college application process - and an area we get questions on all the time. This is especially relevant now, as it's been such a tough year for college waitlists. In this episode, you'll hear the ins and outs of waitlists, including whether you should express your continued interest, whether changing your major can help, and why patience is key. Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com
Engineering programs seemingly get more & more competitive every year. How do you land a spot in that dream engineering program - or maybe one that's an even better fit? In this episode, Lisa, Abby, and Stefanie break down the various pathways for pursuing engineering degrees. Hear how engineering works at larger public universities, how to get into an engineering school, what to expect from engineering at liberal art colleges, why applying to engineering programs is such a long process, and 3 case studies of aspiring engineering students. Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com
It's no surprise the college application process can have a big impact on your teen's mental health. On the bright side, there are plenty of things you can do as a parent to make sure they can handle anything. In this episode, we welcome on special guest Dr. Beth Watson, a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in treating children, adolescents, and adults suffering from depression or anxiety. She's an expert in both Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) & Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Hear why there's a lack of awareness around teen mental health & development, how to help your teens take care of their bodies & mental health, how to tell if a child is actually struggling with their mental health, the most stressful parts of the college application process, and the best ways to help your teen manage stress. Connect with Beth at BethWatsonPhD.com and on LinkedIn, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com
Summer experiences can really make your college application pop. In this episode, Lisa, Abby, and Stefanie reveal how to make the most of your summer with your college application in mind. Hear the variety of academic programs offered over the summer, how to find summer programs, why getting a summer job is one of the best things you can do, whether it's okay to keep going to summer camp, and how to focus on making your summers productive. Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com
How do you make the right class selections ahead of each year of high school? And how much will they actually impact your college application? In this episode, Lisa, Abby, and Stefanie talk everything you need to know when selecting classes for freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior year of high school. Hear which year should be the most challenging, how to find that balance between APs & electives, how long to continue taking a foreign language class, what to do if you don't know what you want to major in in college, and whether senioritis is worth it. Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com
The Early Action (EA) & Early Decision (ED) results are in. In this episode, Lisa, Abby, and Stefanie reveal the latest trends based on the results. Hear why you need a testing strategy, whether safety schools exist anymore, the most competitive majors, how campus culture is driving college decisions, and how ChatGPT is impacting college essays. Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com
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