Just Admit It!
Ready for the truth about college admissions? IvyWise’s Just Admit It! podcast features the most straightforward, practical, and up-to-date higher ed information and college prep advice for students, families, and educators around the world who are navigating the complex and competitive admissions process.
Episodes
Thursday Apr 15, 2021
Semester 2: Episode 7: How did the 2020-21 college admissions cycle go?
Thursday Apr 15, 2021
Thursday Apr 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.
Thursday Apr 01, 2021
Semester 2: Episode 6: What should I do if I got waitlisted?
Thursday Apr 01, 2021
Thursday Apr 01, 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.
Thursday Mar 25, 2021
Thursday Mar 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.
Thursday Mar 18, 2021
Semester 2: Episode 4: What are business school admissions committees looking for?
Thursday Mar 18, 2021
Thursday Mar 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.
Thursday Mar 11, 2021
Semester 2: Episode 3: What are medical school admissions committees looking for?
Thursday Mar 11, 2021
Thursday Mar 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!
Thursday Feb 25, 2021
Semester 2: Episode 2: How do college admissions officers evaluate transcripts?
Thursday Feb 25, 2021
Thursday Feb 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.
Thursday Feb 11, 2021
Semester 2: Episode 1: What is the transfer admissions process like?
Thursday Feb 11, 2021
Thursday Feb 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.
Tuesday Dec 22, 2020
Semester 1: Episode 11: How do I get recruited?
Tuesday Dec 22, 2020
Tuesday Dec 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.
Thursday Dec 17, 2020
Semester 1: Episode 10: What extracurricular activities do I need to do?
Thursday Dec 17, 2020
Thursday Dec 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.
Thursday Dec 10, 2020
Semester 1: Episode 9: How many universities should I apply to?
Thursday Dec 10, 2020
Thursday Dec 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.
Thursday Dec 03, 2020
Semester 1: Episode 8: How do college admissions committees review applications?
Thursday Dec 03, 2020
Thursday Dec 03, 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!)
Thursday Nov 19, 2020
Semester 1: Episode 7: When do I need to start planning for college?
Thursday Nov 19, 2020
Thursday Nov 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.
Thursday Nov 05, 2020
Semester 1: Episode 6: Does ‘demonstrated interest’ really matter?
Thursday Nov 05, 2020
Thursday Nov 05, 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.
Thursday Oct 22, 2020
Semester 1: Episode 5: What's going on with standardized testing?
Thursday Oct 22, 2020
Thursday Oct 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.
Thursday Oct 08, 2020
Semester 1: Episode 4: What do admissions officers look for?
Thursday Oct 08, 2020
Thursday Oct 08, 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.
IvyWise
With over 410 years of combined admissions experience at some of the top institutions around the world, IvyWise’s college admissions experts know what it takes to get into your top-choice universities. From brainstorming personal statement essay topics and building test prep strategies, to creating a balanced college list and choosing impactful extracurricular activities, our former Deans and Directors of admission tell it like it really is and provide insight into what colleges are really looking for.