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Semester 6: Episode 6: What Is Yale University Like?

IvyWise college admissions counselors and Yale alumni Christine (former Assistant Director of Admissions at Yale and Georgetown Universities) and Scott (former Assistant Director of Admissions at Yale) share insights into the academic offerings, campus life, and application process at Yale University.

Semester 6: Episode 5: How Important Are Transcripts and Course Rigor?

IvyWise college admissions counselors Robin (formerly at Georgetown and Vanderbilt Universities) and Tasha (formerly at USC and Boston University) answer a seemingly simple question: How important are transcripts and course rigor? They use examples and case studies to break down trends, the importance of course selection, and grades.

Semester 6: Episode 4: What’s Going On With Standardized Testing?

IvyWise Master Tutor Carl and College Admissions Counselor Tasha discuss recent changes to the standardized testing landscape and share top test prep tips for college-bound students.

Semester 6: Episode 3: What Is MIT Like?

IvyWise counselors Katie (Former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at MIT) and Tasha (formerly at USC and Boston University) share insight into the academic offerings, campus life, and application process at MIT.

Semester 6: Episode 2: What Is Columbia University Like?

IvyWise counselors Eric (formerly at Columbia University) and Tasha (formerly at USC and Boston University) share insight into the academic offerings, campus life, and application process at Columbia.

Semester 6: Episode 1: What Is the U.S. Holistic College Admissions Rubric?

For Semester 6, IvyWise counselor Tasha (former International Admissions Officer at USC and Assistant Director of International Admissions at Boston University) takes over as host. Tasha will be asking her fellow IvyWise colleagues about the different elements of the holistic college admissions rubric and about some of their former institutions.
In this season opener, Tasha asks Tiffany (formerly at MIT) and Krista (formerly at Johns Hopkins University) to answer a foundational question: What is the U.S. holistic college admissions rubric?

Semester 5: Bonus Episode: What Should I Do if I Got Deferred?

While getting deferred can be confusing and disappointing, it is important to maintain a positive attitude and take action as soon as possible. Eric (formerly at Columbia University) and Tiffany (formerly at MIT) explain what a deferral means, why it happens, and what deferred students should do next.

Semester 5: Episode 11: How Can College Students Prepare for Grad School/the Workforce?

IvyWise Academic Advisor and Graduate School Admissions Counselor Indhika (formerly at Georgetown University), Academic Advising Team Leader and Law School Admissions Counselor Kendra (formerly at Northeastern University), and Academic Advisor and MBA Admissions Counselor Nellie (formerly at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania) share their top tips for college students who are contemplating going to grad school and/or entering the workforce.

Semester 5: Episode 10: What Makes a Strong STEM and/or Pre-Med Student?

IvyWise counselors Juhn (formerly at Stanford University School of Medicine and UC Berkeley), Krista (formerly at Johns Hopkins University), and Rod (formerly at Case Western Reserve University) share their advice for students who are interested in pursuing STEM and/or pre-med tracks. They also address a question from one of our loyal listeners about which universities feed the most students to medical schools.

Semester 5: Episode 9: What Are the Most Common Mistakes You See in College Applications?

In this episode, IvyWise counselors Alecia (formerly at Duke University), Danielle (formerly at the University of Pennsylvania), and Kim (formerly at the University of Pennsylvania) discuss the most common mistakes they see when evaluating college applications and share their top dos and don’ts for college-bound students.

Semester 5: Episode 8: How Can Students Prepare for Admissions Interviews and Auditions?

In this episode, IvyWise college admissions counselors Eric (formerly at Columbia University and The New School) and Rachel (formerly at Swarthmore College) share top tips on what to expect during admissions interviews and auditions – and how college-bound students can stand out to admissions officers.

Semester 5: Episode 7: What Are Alternative-Ivy Leagues Like?

In this episode, IvyWise college admissions counselors Judy (formerly at Georgetown University) and Krista (formerly at Johns Hopkins University) share insight into non-Ivy League universities that are experiencing dramatic increases in popularity, examining changes in acceptance rates, increases in application numbers and other factors that prospective college applicants should keep in mind.

Semester 5: Episode 6: How Can High School Students Use Executive Functioning Skills and Practice Stress Management During the College Application Process?

In this episode, IvyWise College Admissions Counselor Robin (formerly at Georgetown University and Vanderbilt University), Executive Functioning Team Leader Lorenza, and Executive Functioning Coach Nicki share their top tips on how school high school students can further develop their executive functioning skills and practice stress management and self-care during the college application process.

Semester 5: Episode 5: Is the “Reach, Target, Likely” List Becoming More of a Spectrum?

In this episode, IvyWise college admissions counselors Nat (formerly at NYU, NYU Abu Dhabi, and Skidmore College) and Chris (formerly at Wesleyan University) share insight into the ‘Reach’, ‘Target’, and ‘Likely’ categories and how the list is becoming more of a spectrum.

Semester 5: Episode 4: How Can I Improve My Personal Narrative Writing Skills?

Unlike some creative writing, the personal narrative is clear and dedicated with its intent, narrative arc, and lesson(s) learned or taught. In this episode, IvyWise College Admissions Counselor and Academic Advisor Tasha (formerly at USC and Boston University) and Master Tutor Jonathan (B.A., Princeton University; M.A., Harvard University; M.Sc., Lund University) share their top tips on how students can improve their personal narrative writing skills.