Just Admit It!

Semester 3: Episode 11: What should I do if I got deferred?

Receiving a deferral decision can be disappointing and confusing, but it’s important for students to stay positive and view it as a second chance to highlight their accomplishments. In this episode, IvyWise college admissions experts Carolyn (formerly at Vanderbilt University) and Tasha (formerly at USC and Boston University) explain what a deferral means, why it happens, and what steps deferred students should take next.

Semester 3: Episode 10: What should students do over winter break?

Although winter break is meant to be a time to hit the slopes, drink hot chocolate, and relax around the fireplace, it is also important for students to stay engaged and on track with their college prep so that they don't fall behind in the hyper-competitive college admissions process. In this episode, IvyWise experts Christine (formerly at Yale and Georgetown Universities) and Mike (formerly at Stanford University, NYU, and the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley) share advice on how students can stay on track with their college prep goals over winter break.

Semester 3: Episode 9: How can middle schoolers start preparing for high school now?

While the transition to high school can be intimidating, there are several things that middle schoolers can do now in order to lay the foundation for a successful high school career. In this episode, IvyWise College Admissions Counselor Christine (formerly at Yale and Georgetown Universities) and Executive Functioning Coaches Lorenza and Nicki share advice on how middle schoolers can start preparing for high school now.

Semester 3: Episode 8: What should 9th and 10th graders be doing now for college prep?

It takes time, patience, and the right combination of nurturing and independence to help the seeds of college ideas grow into bountiful plans. 9th grade is the ideal time to start cultivating those sprouts of college dreams, as it gives students time to mature and explore subjects and activities that interest them, and that will eventually grow into academic and career goals. In this episode, IvyWise college admissions experts Juaquin (formerly at Occidental College and Wesleyan University) and Robin (formerly at Georgetown and Vanderbilt Universities) share advice on how high school freshmen and sophomores can plant the seeds for college prep now.

Semester 3: Episode 7: How should medical school applicants prepare for interviews?

Thinking about going to medical school? Typically, applicants will be invited to interviews any time between early fall and winter. Interviews can take place at any time once a secondary application is submitted, but most universities will wait until the fall semester begins so that applicants have the chance to interact with current med school students. In this episode, IvyWise Medical School Admissions Expert Juhn (Former MD Admissions Officer at Stanford University School of Medicine and Pre-Medical/Pre-Health Advisor at UC Berkeley) and IvyWise College Admissions Counselor Christine (Former Assistant Director of Admissions at Yale and Georgetown) share advice on how med school applicants can prepare for their interviews.

Semester 3: Episode 6: What are the different MBA application deadlines?

Are you thinking about going to business school? Just like with the undergraduate admissions process, the earlier you start planning, the better! And, again similar to the undergrad admissions process, the majority of business schools offer multiple rounds of admissions. In this episode, IvyWise MBA & Graduate School Admissions Expert Nellie (Former Associate Director of Admissions at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania) and guest speaker Divinity Matovu (who got her MBA from Wharton and is the Founder & CEO of MBA Mama) discuss what all the different application deadlines entail and share advice for those who want to pursue an MBA.

Semester 3: Episode 5: Why are recommendation letters important?

Most universities require recommendation letters for admission, but many students wait until the last minute to gather this essential piece of the college application puzzle. In this episode, IvyWise college admissions experts Christine (Former Assistant Director of Admissions at Yale and Georgetown) and Robin (Former Senior Assistant Director of Admission at Georgetown) share advice on how students can cultivate strong relationships with their teachers, how they can choose which teachers to ask for recommendation letters, and when they should start asking for these letters.

Semester 3: Episode 4: How can students start off the new school year on the right foot?

Amidst all the uncertainty during this busy back-to-school season, it might be hard for students to stay organized with their assignments and activities. In this episode, IvyWise college prep expert Christine (Former Assistant Director of Admissions at Yale and Georgetown) and IvyWise Executive Functioning Coaches Lorenza and Nicki share advice on how students can develop their time management, organizational and study skills in order to start off the new school year on the best note possible.

Semester 3: Episode 3: What do all the different application rounds mean?

Between Early Decision, Early Action, Restrictive Early Action, Single-Choice Early Action, Regular Decision and Rolling Admissions, there are numerous options for students to choose from when it comes to deciding which application rounds to submit their college applications in. In this episode, IvyWise college admissions experts Katie (Former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at MIT) and Krista (Former Assistant Director of Admissions at Johns Hopkins University) explain what each application round entails and offer advice on how students can build their own best-fit college application strategies.

Season 3: Episode 2: How do I write a great personal statement and supplemental essays?

Besides, grades and test scores, one of the most important elements of the college admissions rubric is the essay. While the Common App has the required personal statement essay, many universities also ask supplemental questions, which give admissions officers the chance to get to know more about the applicants. In this episode, IvyWise college admissions experts Zach (Former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Boston College) and Katie (Former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at MIT) offer advice on how to write a meaningful personal statement and impactful supplemental essays.

Semester 3: Episode 1: What is the Common App?

In the Semester 3 opener, IvyWise college admissions experts Katie (Former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at MIT) and Mike (Former Assistant Director of Admissions at Stanford) discuss different elements of the Common Application, including demographic info, essays, and the extracurricular activities section – and more! Drawing upon both personal and professional experiences with the platform, they share insight into how students can stand out to college admissions committees through the Common App.

Semester 2: Episode 11: How can parents help their students with the college prep process?

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.

Semester 2: Episode 10: The U.S. versus U.K. University Admissions Process

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.

Semester 2: Episode 9: College Athletic Recruitment in the Time of COVID-19

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.

Semester 2: Episode 8: The importance of building a strong foundation

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.