Season 2

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.

Semester 2: Episode 7: How did the 2020-21 college admissions cycle go?

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.

Semester 2: Episode 6: What should I do if I got waitlisted?

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.

Semester 2: Episode 5: What do students and families need to know about the financial aid process?

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.

Semester 2: Episode 4: What are business school admissions committees looking for?

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.

Semester 2: Episode 3: What are medical school admissions committees looking for?

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!

Semester 2: Episode 2: How do college admissions officers evaluate transcripts?

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.

Semester 2: Episode 1: What is the transfer admissions process like?

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.