July 1, 2021
The college admissions process is complex to navigate, so it’s natural for parents to want to jump in and take control of the process in an effort to alleviate their students’ stress levels. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the process is a big step towards independence for students – so, parents need to take a step back while still offering support. In this episode, IvyWise College Admissions Experts Christine (Former Assistant Director of Admissions at Yale and Georgetown), Judy (Former Senior Associate Director of Admissions at Georgetown) and Meg (Former Associate Dean of Admission at Princeton University and Amherst College) offer their insight – from both professional and personal experiences! – into how parents can strike that balance.
May 27, 2021
For many secondary school students, one of the biggest decisions they have to make is where they want to pursue their higher education. In this episode, Christine (IvyWise Counselor and former Assistant Director of Admissions at Yale and Georgetown), Scott (IvyWise Counselor and former Assistant Director of Admissions at Yale), Martin (Founder of Campion College Consultancy and former Head of Careers and Higher Education at South Island School, Hong Kong) and Jenny (Keystone Tutors’ Regional Director of Asia) discuss the similarities and differences between the university admissions processes in the US and UK and share advice on what students need to consider when deciding where to apply.
May 6, 2021
In this episode, IvyWise college admissions experts Amy (who was an Associate Director of Admissions at Bucknell, where she played volleyball at the Division I level as an undergrad and later on specialized in athletic recruitment advising), Juaquin (who was an Admissions Officer at Occidental and was a recruited swimmer at Wesleyan), and Nat (who was a Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at NYU and NYU Abu Dhabi and was a recruited tennis player at Skidmore) share college prep advice for student-athletes and discuss how the pandemic has impacted the college athletic recruitment process.
April 22, 2021
In this episode, Nat (IvyWise College Admissions Counselor and WiseStartTM Counselor and Former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at NYU and NYU Abu Dhabi), Lorenza (IvyWise Executive Functioning Coach), Martin (Director of Upper School at Bennett Day School) and Jennifer (Upper School Counselor at Bennett Day School) discuss how building executive functioning skills and good study skills from a young age can help to set students up for success in high school, college and beyond.
April 15, 2021
In this episode, IvyWise counselors Christine (Former Assistant Director of Admissions at Yale and Georgetown), Cara (Former Assistant Dean of Admissions at Colgate University) and Nat (Former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at NYU and NYU Abu Dhabi) review the 2020-21 college admissions cycle, including how COVID-19 and test-optional policies impacted students’ college prep and the number of college applications, and offer their predictions for future admissions cycles.
April 1, 2021
Getting waitlisted can leave students feeling disappointed and anxious, but there are several steps students can take to improve their chances of being admitted. In this episode, IvyWise college admissions experts Nat (Former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at NYU and NYU Abu Dhabi) and Christine (Former Assistant Director of Admissions at Yale and Georgetown) share tips on what waitlisted students can do to optimize their chances of enrolling at their best-fit universities.
March 25, 2021
In this episode, IvyWise college admissions experts Nat (Former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at NYU and NYU Abu Dhabi) and Nellie (Former Associate Director of Admissions at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania) share insight into one of the most complex pieces of the college admissions puzzle: financial aid.
March 18, 2021
In this episode, Christine (IvyWise Counselor and Former Assistant Director of Admissions at Yale and Georgetown) and Nellie (IvyWise MBA and Graduate Admissions Counselor and Former Associate Director of Admissions at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania) share insight into the complex and competitive business school admissions process. We also have a special guest joining us, Ed Hsu, who has a dual Columbia MBA/Princeton MPA degree and is now a Senior Adviser, Disruptive Technologies within the World Bank’s Infrastructure Vice Presidency.
March 11, 2021
In this episode, IvyWise Medical School Admissions Counselors McGreggor (Former Director of Selection at MIT, member of the Harvard Medical School Admissions Committee and Pre-Medical Advisor at MIT) and Juhn (Former MD Admissions Officer at Stanford University School of Medicine and Pre-Medical Advisor at UC Berkeley) share insight into the complex and competitive med school application process. Tune in now to learn about all aspects of the admissions process – from selecting undergraduate courses and MCAT test prep, to securing internships and researching med schools!
February 25, 2021
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 thoughtfully consider what courses to take each year and how to plan ahead for subsequent years.
February 11, 2021
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 materials. They also address some of the most pressing FAQs that we have been receiving from students who are contemplating transferring.
December 22, 2020
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 counselors Nat (Former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at NYU and NYU Abu Dhabi) and Eric (Former Admissions Officer at Columbia University), both of whom went through the college admissions process as recruited athletes, describe what the athletic recruitment process entails, and how prospective college athletes can prepare.
December 17, 2020
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, IvyWise counselors Eric (Former Admissions Officer at Columbia University) and Rachel (Former Assistant Dean of Admissions at Swarthmore College) discuss the importance of identifying interests, forming a plan to make an impact both inside and outside of the classroom, and committing to these activities for the long-term.
December 10, 2020
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 Experts Rachel (Former Assistant Dean of Admissions at Swarthmore College) and Zach (Former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Boston College) share their top tips on how to create a manageable and balanced college list.
December 3, 2020
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), Victoria (Former Assistant Director of Admissions at the University of Chicago and Sarah Lawrence College), and Zach (Former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Boston College) review one of our pro bono students’ profile, transcript, Common App personal statement, and Stanford University supplements. We've posted the application materials on our Instagram (@FollowIvyWise) and podcast page so that you can follow along! (Spoiler alert: He ended up getting into all three of his top-choice universities, including Stanford!)
November 19, 2020
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.
November 5, 2020
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.
October 22, 2020
In this episode, IvyWise counselors Nat, a former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at NYU and NYU Abu Dhabi, and Eric, a former Admissions Officer at Columbia University, 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.
October 8, 2020
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 Director of Admissions at Yale and Georgetown, break down the college admissions rubric and discuss examples of different hard and soft factors that admissions officers evaluate.
September 24, 2020
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, IvyWise counselors Eric, a former Columbia University admissions officer, and Zach, a 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 out.
September 10, 2020
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 experts Rachel (former Assistant Dean of Admissions at Swarthmore) and 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 officers are looking for when they read them.
September 8, 2020
In the debut episode of Just Admit It!, IvyWise college admissions experts Christine (former Assistant Director of Admissions at Yale and Georgetown), Nat (former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at NYU and NYU Abu Dhabi) and 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.
