More Than A Transcript: College Admissions Insights and Strategies

Why is high impact and experiential learning such an important part of your college education? We talk about how these experiences, which often include risk-taking and exploration, contribute to deeper student engagement. The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), which has roots in studies that focus on the impact of student involvement in their own educational pathway, is a longitudinal survey that looks at these learning modes. If you are an active partner in your own education you will be better prepared for a rapidly changing and fluid workplace landscape.There are five high-impact learning models that are measured including service learning (what Katelyn calls community engagement class models), internships and co-ops, study abroad, faculty-partnered research, and capstone projects. To this we also add living-learning dorms and honors colleges.In our tips section we encourage you to look at NSSE results if published by a college and to think about how you will intentionally map out your own experiential learning plan...with flexibility in mind.Time Stamps:00:37 What Are We Learning This Week?  Katelyn continues our prior conversations around the shrinking of higher education and managing the panic response to headlines.05:43  Big Picture: What are high impact experiences in a college education? We introduce you to the National Survey of Student Engagement and the measurements of experiential learning that define engagement through high impact.24:52 “Stump the IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)” : Can Whitney name some of the most noteworthy platinum-level bike friendly universities in the U.S.?30:00  Tips and Strategies More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

Broaching the topic of a gap year with families is one of the most polarizing conversations that we have as college advisors. Why? Because many parents and students are afraid of it - they are afraid that a gap year will stop an educational path forever, that it will cost too much money, and for students, that they will be doing something that is too different from their peers (even though many of their peers will be silently jealous!). As you think about a gap year, we suggest starting with your objectives and goals. Be reflective, just as you have been throughout your college search. A gap year can be a year to reset your academic focus (and even build missing skills), to explore majors and careers, and to earn money for college. Colleges, by and large, are very supportive of the experience that gap year students bring to their campuses.In our tips section we offer some considerations around the timing and resources for planning your gap year. MOST students incorporate their gap year planning with their college search and application process and then ask for a year deferral from their first choice college among their admission offers. We also talk about what to expect both during your gap year and what your experience will likely be as a first year student with a year’s worth of wisdom and focus.Time Stamps:00:38 What Are We Learning This Week?  Katelyn has been exploring the evolution of technology use in classrooms. When a college describes smart classrooms, what does that really mean?06:18  Big Picture: We begin with a discussion of the history, variety and benefits of taking a gap year. We also address the most common concerns around taking a gap semester or year before starting college that can be addressed through an intentional planning process.19:43 “Stump the IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)” : Rapid fire questions for Katelyn around gap years.21:12  Tips and Strategies include optimal timing and finding resources for gap year planning. We discuss structured gap program applications, deferral requests to your first choice college admission offer, and what to expect once you have committed to a gap year.More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

While wait lists in the college admission process have been around for a long time, the number of students finding themselves with a wait list offer has increased fairly dramatically over the last 5 years. We discuss the reasons behind these trends, the vague nature of wait list offers, and the difficulty in determining any likely movement on a college wait list based on prior years history.In our tips section we offer some considerations around taking a wait list offer. This includes making a decision around your second choice college if you choose to accept a spot on another school’s wait list. You will need to pay close attention to communications from both schools as you also begin to engage with the school where you have deposited. We highly recommend beginning at once to get engaged with your second choice school’s community - attend orientation, sign up for your housing and join the new student social media groups. If you decide to stay on a wait list, you will need to be ready to accept an offer, including the financial aid package if there is one, usually within less than 72 hours.Time Stamps:00:48 What Are We Learning This Week?  Inspired by the Olympics, Whitney has joined her local curling club and draws a metaphor around the college search process.03:35  Big Picture: We begin with a discussion of the growth in wait list use by colleges in the admissions process over the last 5 years. 09:48 “Stump the IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)”  It’s mascot madness time. Can Katelyn guess which college has an inanimate object as their mascot?13:02  Tips and Strategies include making a decision around your second choice college if you choose to accept a spot on another school’s wait list and making sure you are monitoring communications from both schools.More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

After you have completed your “me” evaluation and figured out your college “why” it’s time to build your list. Are you a student with a focus that makes your list building more specialized or are your search criteria a bit more general?Most students start by defining their preference for size, setting and geography (or location).  Then you can layer on majors, budget, and other preferences around your academic and social needs. Be prepared to be flexible as your knowledge grows. In addition to staying open to changes in your priorities, don’t ignore your budget and try to keep an open mind about what a good college fit means for YOU!In our tips section we provide tips for resources and favorite websites to jumpstart your search. We discuss the use of AI in a college search and the importance of feedback from the people who know you best in your community.Time Stamps:00:48 What Are We Learning This Week?  Katelyn has been learning more about industrial and system engineering and exploring the ways this might be a particularly great fit for a student who can’t decide between business and engineering majors.06:10  Big Picture: Are you a student with a specialized focus, or are you starting your search with the more general aspects of size, setting and location? Learn about early mis-steps to avoid, to help you keep your search a healthy and enjoyable process.20:25 “Stump the IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)”  Katelyn has a quiz for Whitney on Virginia’s public universities. 25:43 Tips and Strategies for resources and online tools to help you build a balanced college list.More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

A good college search begins with the student! Self-assessment and reflection about your academic, social and financial needs is our recommended first step. Then, go out and test the waters with a few very different college visits to determine how your needs will be met by the variety of options available to you.In our tips section we provide tips for resources and approaches to help you figure out your “why?” Step one of our roadmap is to consider a personality assessment or a college values assessment like the one you can find on schoolbuff.com . Try to find someone to talk with as you look at your results.Step two is to take a local college tour (and listen to our previous episode on campus visits).  Step three is to talk to your network. Be curious about the college and career paths of the people in your life, including your high school teachers! Step four is to have an honest conversation about college affordability for your family and look at the net price calculator on a few college web pages.Then, tune in for our next episode where we will walk you through how to pull this all together in a balanced list of colleges! Time Stamps:00:37 What Are We Learning This Week?  Whitney walks us through the hands-on-learning aspects of an animal behavior major and we discuss how to find relevancy in more obscure majors!05:39  Big Picture: We talk about the important first steps of building a college list, and these include assessing your education, social and financial needs, as well as your interests and your own college “why?”.21:18 “Stump the IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)”  Whitney quizzes Katelyn on the origin countries of the 40 US college students competing as members of women’s hockey Olympic teams. 24:39  Tips and Strategies for tools to help you assess your college fit needs. In our next episode, Part 2 of this series, we will talk about bringing this all together to choose colleges and build a balanced list.More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

During the winter months high school seniors move from the stress of college application deadlines to the stress of waiting for answers from the colleges that they have applied to. In this episode we want to encourage those of you who are waiting for a regular decision or early action admission decisions to use some of this wait time to further inform the decisions that you will soon be making.We also want seniors to make the most of their final semester in high school. There is actually more to consider than you might think! We discuss the importance of revisiting your college criteria and evaluating your college goals. Also, make sure you have carved out time on your spring calendar to visit, or revisit, the colleges you have been accepted to!In our tips section we provide some thoughts on how to approach researching academic programs, advising and your housing options so that you are ready to make an informed decision. It’s also important to follow through on opportunities like AP exams for placement in advanced courses and possible college credit. AND, it's really important to avoid the "senior slide." Time Stamps:00:39 What Are We Learning This Week?  Whitney discusses the difference between how college credit versus class standing can impact an application pathway.05:30  Big Picture: As you wait for your college acceptances, what are some of the steps you can take to be ready for your final college decisions?16:47 “Stump the IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)”  Katelyn’s quiz for Whitney is related to schools that require a thesis for graduation. 23:05 Tips and Strategies for doing some additional research of academic programs, advising and housing options, as well as considerations for making the most of your last semester in high school.More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

Receiving a college acceptance is always an exciting moment, but we encourage you to read beyond the first “Congratulations!” to fully understand your offer. You may be surprised to learn that you have been offered an alternative admission start and you will want to understand the details of these types of offers.We begin with a little history of these types of alternative admission offers and the benefits to enrollment management at the colleges and universities that use them. But what are the benefits to the student? An offer for spring semester, or a “January admit”, is the first version of an alternative admission offer that you might receive. Apart from securing a spot in what might be your first choice college, this admission offer gives you many options during the period of time that Whitney calls a “half gap year”. We then discuss some lesser known admission offers including limited-access first semester pathways, alternative campus first year experiences, and finally, you might receive an offer for a guaranteed sophomore transfer if you enroll as a first year student at another university and maintain a specific GPA as outlined in the fine print.In our tips section we provide some thoughts on what your biggest considerations might be when weighing one of these alternative admission offers. What will your summer and fall look like? Will you leave home when your friends do? Will you work, travel, explore a career track through volunteering, an internship or a structured program? Perhaps, most importantly, how will this offer impact your financial aid and college affordability game plan?There are also some unexpected benefits to an alternative campus offer, which for many students will replace the more typical junior year abroad experience. These offers are a growing trend and no longer an anomaly, so take the time to read the details and decide if you are the right student for these options.Time Stamps:01:06 What Are We Learning This Week?  Whitney discusses a study out of UC San Diego on the math readiness of college freshman based on a dramatic increase in the need for remedial math courses in the freshman class of 2028.04:54 Big Picture: Defining the primary alternative admission offers that you may receive including spring or January admission, limited-access first semester pathways, alternative campus first year experience (most of these are international) and finally, guaranteed sophomore transfer.15:59  “Stump the IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)”  College trivia test of Katelyn’s geography knowledge. Does she pass this time? 18:47 Tips and Strategies for framing your considerations of an alternative admission offer, including your growth opportunities as well as the potential impacts to your college financing plans.More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

Summer academic programs are great experiences for exploring major and career interests, college residential life and what it’s like to be away from home, as well as the rigor of college courses.Whitney and Katelyn discuss the three primary buckets of summer academic options on college campuses for high school students. For one of the most affordable options, students can directly enroll in a college level course, for college credit, at many schools, including local community colleges and colleges and universities close to home. Students can also attend programs sponsored at colleges specifically for high school students, often offered for college credit as well. Many of these programs include an exploratory focus on college majors and departments at the college. The last type of summer program are those that are run on college campuses by outside organizations.While these classes and programs can be extremely beneficial in confirming your academic interests, taking courses on a specific campus is rarely going to make a difference in the admission process for that campus. It’s the exploration, learning and reflection that will impact the content of your applications to all of the colleges on your list. For students who are interested in studying architecture, visual arts or the performing arts, summer programs can be vital for preparing and receiving feedback on portfolio and audition materials. As you explore programs and consider costs and other factors, think of the summer program applications as a warm up to your college applications as you will usually need to request your transcript, write a short essay or two, and often will need a teacher recommendation. Above all else, be clear about your goals and approach this exploration with curiosity, not as another box to check.Time Stamps:00:39 What Are We Learning This Week?  Katelyn discusses tuition protection insurance coverage and watching for this, as well as student health insurance, in college billing. Families should have the option to opt out of insurance plans, but don’t always catch this notation.04:07 Big Picture: Structured academic programs on college campuses for high school students fall into three big buckets: stand alone college course enrollment; college sponsored high school academic programs (many times with a career/major exploration focus); and high school academic programs run by outside companies on college campuses.15:25  “Stump the IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)”  College trivia multiple choice provided by a listener! 17:36 Tips and Strategies for exploring and applying to the best fit summer academic option for you. Keep your goals in mind and start with the list of colleges that interest you most to see what might be offered on those campuses. Applying to summer programs can also be a great warm up to the college application process down in senior year. More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

Admit, deny, deferral, waitlist. These are all possible outcomes from your early admission applications. November through mid-December is the typical window for students to hear back from colleges if they have applied through Early Action or Early Decision application plans, though some EA decisions may not be released until January.Be prepared for the fact that you may not have a full financial picture with your early application admission offers, as colleges rarely set new pricing until the early spring. Additionally, you are likely not to get a need-based aid offer before December. Whitney and Katelyn talk about managing early admit offers, including how to share your news, your possible options for housing deposits, and how to remove your other applications from consideration if you have been admitted to your top choice college through Early Decision.If you have been admitted Early Decision you know where you will be attending college next fall, so now is the time to start getting engaged with that campus and to learn as much as you can so that you are ready to hit the ground running as a first year student.If your application has been deferred to the regular admission pool we have tips for you on how to provide more information IF you are prompted to do so. We also discuss the possibility of applying to a second college Early Decision (in January) if a student has been denied in a first round of Early Decision or wasn't ready for this commitment earlier.All students, however, need to be cautious about the “senior slide”. It’s important to keep your grades up and not to drop out of any classes in your second semester because the colleges that have admitted you have done so with the expectation that you will maintain your academic trajectory.  Time Stamps:00:55 What Are We Learning This Week?  Whitney has been looking more closely at some unique college models, like the American College of Building Arts, that build hands-on learning in a trades-related field into an associates or bachelors degree program.3:37 Big Picture: In November and December, students are beginning to hear back from the schools that they applied to with an early action or early decisions program. We review the outcomes you can expect and how to talk with friends and family about your admission answers.15:12  “Stump the IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)”  Inspired by election day, Whitney quizzes Katelyn on the colleges attended by U.S. Presidents.19:01 Tips and Strategies for managing your early admissions decisions. We have thoughts on being considerate of others, how to provide more information if you have been deferred to the regular admissions pool, considerations for a second Early Decision application, and how to make the most of an early admission.More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

This week, we are talking about merit aid and how to build a college list with affordability in mind. If you missed it, we encourage you to listen to episode 11 first, where we talk about the cost of college and provide a foundation for this discussion of merit aid. And if you want to learn more about need-based financial aid, take a listen to episode 13. Whitney and Katelyn talk about the reasons behind the increasing use of merit awards, or scholarships, to recruit students and address 4 big myths around merit aid.Myth number 1: You are going to get merit aid at every college where you are a competitive application and you have received admission. We want you to be aware of the limitations a student may face in merit aid at an out-of-state public university. There are also several dozen selective universities that do not provide merit aid to any accepted students (though they are very generous with need-based aid).Myth number 2: The perception that athletic scholarships are among the most common type of merit aid, when in fact last year, athletic scholarships represented less than 7% of all university granted scholarships.Myth number 3: Merit aid and scholarships are only for straight A students. We have good news for you here!Myth number 4: Private scholarships are the best way to decrease the cost of college. Again, as a percentage of all scholarship money granted every year, private scholarships represent less than 12% of the total amount awarded.Time Stamps:1:16 What Are We Learning This Week?  Katelyn is learning about her students’ favorite meals and treats after asking them to choose an application filing celebration treat. In a busy senior year fall, it’s a good time to reflect on all of your hard work. 3:30 Big Picture: We discuss 4 big myths around merit aid.15:05  “Stump the IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)”  Whitney guesses which selective university scholarship requires an essay before invitation to move on in the selection process.19:55 Tips and Strategies for building affordability into your college search, including a review of some of our favorite resources. More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

How do I start the college search process if I don’t know what I want to study? Don’t let this question stall out your college search. An increasing number of colleges are capping enrollment in popular majors which feels to many families that choice of major is more important than it used to be and perhaps vital to securing a job. With increasing costs, universities are focused on improving retention rates and focusing students on direct paths as soon as possible. We know that the majority of students, however, still change their major at least once during their college career. Whitney and Katelyn talk about decoupling the idea that major-equals-career, and suggest ways to think about your education more broadly. The choices of a large university setting can sometimes overwhelm an undecided student, so don’t discount the personalized attention that a smaller college can provide.Our big message, however, is that you shouldn’t delay your college search simply because you are undecided about your major. Focus on the other important elements to a good fit college environment while you narrow your choices. It’s also helpful to zero in on exactly how undecided you are. If you can eliminate some big-bucket academic areas, then it will be easier to identify the colleges with programs that will be your eventual needs. Think about the problems and topics that intrigue you the most! If you are undecided when you apply and then enroll in college, we offer some tips to help you evaluate how each college on your list guides undeclared students. Be critical of advising structures and general education structures - choose what fits the student’s engagement level and learning preferences.Time Stamps:1:10 What Are We Learning This Week?  Whitney is back out on college tours this fall. What are the new trends that she is picking up on during these visits? We are both noticing more emphasis than ever on outcomes, and as always, how important individual conversations with students and staff can be to really understanding a campus.5:30 Big Picture: There has been a steady shift over 30 years away from  the notion of finding your focus and passion in college due primarily to increasing costs and ROI concerns for a career after college. Our big message is that you shouldn’t delay your college search simply because you are undecided about your major. Focus on the other important elements to a good fit college environment while you narrow your choices.17:50  “Stump the IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)”  There are only a few colleges named after colors. Can you guess the universities named after this particular color hue? 20:24 Tips and Strategies for exploring possible majors while you are in high school. If you are undecided when you apply and then enroll in college, we also offer some tips to help you evaluate how each college on your list guides undeclared students. More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

This is the second in our three-part series on paying for college. In this episode we give you an introduction to need-based financial aid: what is need-based aid, how do you apply for it, and what can you expect from a college that you are admitted to?How does a family determine if they have “need” for college aid? It’s not a question of what you want to pay, but based on a needs analysis that considers your income, your savings and your ability to borrow. This analysis determines what is called  the Student Aid Index (SAI), which  is actually a family assessment, looking at both student and parent income and assets. We offer an overview of the two primary forms used in college needs assessment, the FAFSA and the CSS Profile, and then discuss what you might find in your student aid package if you have need. We look at grants/scholarships, loans and work study.Our tips segment covers recommendations for getting ready to file the financial aid forms, including applying for a FSA ID prior to sitting down to submit your FAFSA. College financial aid offices can be a great resource for families, and in particular if your financial situation is in flux or has changed considerably after you have filed for aid. We encourage families to also use a preliminary SAI calculator to get an indication of your possible need, depending on the price of each college.Tune back in for Episode 15 when we talk about merit aid and how to build a college list with affordability in mind.Time Stamps:1:20 What Are We Learning This Week?  How do the shifts in English language usage impact editorial choices in college essays? We talk about the line between spoken word and grammatically correct choices. Sometimes, it’s okay to break the rules. 5:04 Big Picture: Need-based financial aid is complex and we try to distill it down to the basics: what is need-based aid, how do you apply for it, and how do colleges grant these awards?16:00 “Stump the IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)” Do you know when the first college football game was played in the United States? 20:30 Tips and Strategies Tips on applying for financial aid including timelines, preparing to file and then considerations for comparing financial aid packages that you receive after and admission.More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

Fall has become the default college admissions season for many high school seniors, which is a significant shift from when their parents went to college. We dive into the difference between early action, early decision and rolling admission (which also carries the benefit of an earlier timeline if applicants want). The big hot-button early decision issue? As they try to manage their yield numbers, many more selective schools now fill as much as half of their class with early decision, which makes the urgency to choose this option even greater. Long the sole option of private universities, the pressure to commit to a binding early admission, through an early decision application, has now extended to some flagship public universities as well, like the University of Michigan and the University of Virginia.An early admission in senior year can take a lot of pressure off and give families more time to evaluate choices if the student did not choose a binding admissions plan. In our tips segment we discuss the pros and sometimes the cons associated with applying to college in an early round.In addition to having an impact on financial choices, applying early decision, in particular, may not be the best solution for every student. There are many students who may benefit from the later regular decision deadlines to focus on an upwards trending academic record or to spend more time evaluating their college decisions. Not every student is “late” if they choose not to apply early.Time Stamps:0:37 What Are We Learning This Week?  Whitney tells us about preparing for and evaluating pre-veterinary programs for undergraduates.  6:34 Big Picture: We discuss the variation in early application plans and the differences between early action, early decision, and rolling admission plans.22:40  “Stump the IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)” How long has early decision been a part of college admissions?  When and where did early decision start?26:51 Tips and Strategies to help you evaluate if early application options are right for you. More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

Welcome to our 3-part series on paying for college. In this episode we are talking about the cost of college. In future segments we will review the financial aid (need-based) process and then we will look at what affordability planning means and how to find scholarships and merit aid as you build your college list. Do you know what college costs include and what the industry-wide assumptions are around how families approach paying for college?  We start with some goal setting scenarios. Are you considering not just your saving plan, but what you will pull from your budget in the college years as well as the possibility of borrowing? These are the three legs of the college funding model that colleges and government resources look at. We talk about the disconnect that comes between what a parent wants to pay and their ability to pay. Where does your child’s obligation come in as you consider your own family financing strategy? College is expensive!  Consumer expectations among other factors have contributed to the rising costs of college, especially at the high end. We go behind the headlines of escalating college price tags and look at the realities of both public and private college options. We look at tuition, fees, room, and board, and how varied these elements can be at the variety of institutions across the U.S. In our tips segment we offer suggestions for researching college costs, beginning with the public institutions in your own state and your options for in-state tuition and fees. Then, look at private college options as well and use each school’s Net Price Calculator to estimate your own possible price tag. Did you know that college merit aid, or academic recruitment grants, actually represent approximately 80% of all scholarship money (over athletics and other talent-based awards?). On the other end of the spectrum however, we want you to be aware of the number of highly selective schools (70+) that do not provide merit awards or scholarships that are not based on need.Time Stamps:0:38 What Are We Learning This Week? Whitney talks about her recent “goal-cation” and  the benefits of goal setting when you are planning for college and trying  to stick to your college saving plans.4:47 Big Picture: We encourage you to rip off the bandaid and face the realities of college costs and understand the assumptions around a family’s role in paying for college in the U.S.22:38  “Stump the IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)”: Katelyn is keeping score (and she’s behind after our first ten episodes!). Can Whitney name the only college in the nation that provides a half-tuition scholarship to all students who enroll?26:39  Tips and Strategies for learning about the range of college price tags and how to use Net Price Calculators to begin understanding your family’s eligibility for either need-based or merit-based awards.More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

The college essay! The last in our series on the “big five” elements in college applications is a discussion of how to approach what is often the most stressful piece of college applications.This series of five episodes is focused on the primary elements of a college application and geared towards students who are applying to college in the fall.While not every college will use all five elements, it’s important to understand how to make the most of this opportunity to share who you are and what is important to you as part of your overall college application story. How do students feel about the fact that there are really no absolutes when thinking about the right way to approach writing the college essay? Maybe pretty anxious, because “no rules” might make some students feel less certain about this important  piece of writing, especially when they feel they are being judged.  We talk about balancing being vulnerable and authentic while still selling yourself to the colleges you are applying to.In our tips segment we offer suggestions regardless of your approach. Does your essay sound like you? Proofread carefully and ask someone else to review for copy edits as well, but be cautious of too much help or too many reviewers. Yes, too many cooks DO spoil the essay soup! Time Stamps:0:41 What Are We Learning This Week? Katelyn and Whitney discuss the emerging use of AI in college admissions offices for the review of application essays. 4:21 Big Picture: Learn about the objectives of the primary essay in your application and what to consider when approaching the most creative and reflective piece of a college application.17:23  “Stump the IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)” Mascot madness: can you name the college, founded by Quakers, with a poet for a team  mascot?19:45  Tips and Strategies to help you tackle the college essay while maintaining your voice and message.More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

Episode SummaryWhat do your activities say about your interests, priorities and contributions to your community? Number four in our series on the “big five” elements in college applications is a discussion of high school activities. This series of five episodes is focused on the primary elements of a college application and geared towards students who are applying to college in the fall.While not every college will use all five elements, it’s important to understand how to make the most of describing your extracurricular experiences if you are asked to include them in your applications. Colleges use activities to help them shape a class. We talk about depth of commitment, leadership roles, your responsibilities, and what counts as an extracurricular activity. Don’t forget to include activities like self-paced learning, hobbies and summer programs!  Big hot-button activity issue? How much volunteering and community service is enough?In our tips segment we offer suggestions around how to maximize your activities descriptions, including using powerful results-oriented words. Remember, results can include not just those that impact others but also results that impact you! Time Stamps:0:38 What Are We Learning This Week? Inspired by her students, Whitney tells us about her 340-day streak using Duolingo to learn Spanish. This kind of self-instruction is a great addition to your activities listing.6:00 Big Picture: Learn about the role of activities in your application and how to frame them within the context of a holistic admissions review.15:31  “Stump the IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)” Mascot madness: can you name the university whose sport teams share the name of this popular admissions application activity?16:53 Tips and Strategies to help you make the most of the limited space in your activities descriptions on your college applications. More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

Next up in our series on the “big five” elements in college applications is a discussion of recommendations. This series of five episodes is focused on the primary elements of a college application and geared towards students who are applying to college in the fall.While not every college will use all five elements, it’s important to understand your options for recommendations if you are asked to include them in your applications.We begin with an overview of discussions in college admissions around how recommendations can contribute to a student’s application, the issues related to accessing recommendations in some high schools, and the evolution in the ways recommendations are generated for colleges.  We ask students to consider how recommendations can help them to develop a 360-degree view of who they are in their applications. Learn about the goals of these letters and how those goals shift subtly depending on whether it is a counselor, teacher, or “other” recommender who is writing your letter. In our tips segment, we offer suggestions around how to choose the best recommenders for you - those voices that will help to share your story. We have our own preferences too for the best way to approach a recommender with your request, and how to follow up with information that can help your recommender write more nuanced letters. Finally, it’s always important to thank your recommenders, in the moment, but also after you have received your admissions answers and picked your final destination. Your teachers, counselors, and other supporters are all routing for you and appreciate hearing your good news!Time Stamps:0:37 What Are We Learning This Week? Direct Admit admission programs: what they are, where to find them, and why or why not they may be a good option for you.5:14 Big Picture: The role of recommendations in your application and the different goals for the insights from a teacher, counselor or outside recommender.22:22 “Stump the IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)” Mascot madness: universities with tree-associated mascots.25:00 Tips and Strategies to help you make the best choices for recommendations and how to follow up and confirm.More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

Standardized testing is the second stop on our college application safari. This series of five episodes is focused on the primary elements of a college application and geared towards students who are applying to college in the fall.These “Big 5” application components are what colleges use to assess a student's application as they make admissions decisions. Not every college will use all 5 elements, and in an age of testing ambiguities it’s important to understand your options for standardized testing and for sharing your scores with colleges. We begin with a look at the history of college admission testing, and the hows and whys of their use in the application review process. College testing options are more flexible than they have ever been and there is a lot you should think about in terms of choosing, preparing for, and using testing in your own admissions process.Our perspectives here are not as test-prep experts, but are based firmly in the application advising that we do with our students. How to pick the best test, considerations for timing and test-preparation, and how to determine whether you will use test scores, or not, in your application. This week's tips focus on helping you to better understand the alphabet soup of standardized tests. We orient you to the test requirement language used by colleges and we discuss the slowly growing number of schools that are moving from the test-optional days of COVID, back to requiring test scores of all applicants. Finally, we dip into how to determine if you should share your scores and what your options are for reporting your test scores.Time Stamps:0:37 What Are We Learning This Week?  A brief discussion of highly-specialized undergraduate degree programs and movements by some universities to re-organize these offerings back under larger degree categories.6:59 Big Picture: Standardized tests! What role do they play in the admissions process and how has testing evolved over the last decade, in particular.17:25 “Stump the IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)” Can Katelyn name the 5 most popular Advanced Placement (AP) exams? It’s a surprising list for one important reason.21:04 Tips and Strategies to help you better understand your testing options, how to pick a test, considerations for test prep and timing, and finally how to determine whether or not to submit your test scores with your application - it’s not always the same strategy choice for all of the colleges on your list.More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

Join us for the first in our series on the “big five” elements in college applications - a college application safari of sorts.These are the application components that colleges use to assess a student's application as they make admissions decisions. Not every college will use all 5 elements, and, ironically, while we firmly believe that every student is more than a transcript, the transcript remains the most important component of a student's college application at all colleges. Holistic review of applications refers not only to all elements of your application, but to the multiple factors inherent in interpreting a transcript!We begin with a look at the variation of high school transcripts across the US, which generally look different than your report cards.  We touch briefly on weighted and unweighted GPAs, the rigor of your academic courses, grade trends, and the tools, like a high school profile, that admissions readers use to build context for the courses and grades that are on YOUR transcript. Our episode tips focus on helping you to better understand your transcript and how your high school describes the curriculum that has been available to you. We want you to learn more about your high school’s GPA scale, rank in class policies, and to think about course planning over four years, but most importantly in junior and senior year. We also touch on classes, perhaps from a summer program or an online program, that may or may not be official pieces of your high school transcript. Lastly, we address the growing trend of self-reported transcripts in the admissions process and what to expect if a college you apply to asks for your academic history in this way.Application Safari Stop 1: The Transcript!Time Stamps:0:37 What Are We Learning This Week?  Katelyn discusses the admissions review practice known as committee-based evaluation, which helps to build a preview of what happens in the application review process.6:06  Big Picture: transcript variations and building context for your courses and grades.18:10 “Stump the IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)” - Colleges with narrative evaluations rather than letter grades!22:52 Tips and Strategies: learn how to better understand your transcript and GPA, plan your 4-year curriculum and prepare for self-reported transcripts on some of your applications.More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

June marks the beginning of summer vacation, which is often the only time during the year that students and families can visit college campuses. Generally, colleges begin their summer tour schedules early in the month, so it's a good time to talk about making the most of college visits. It may be important to planning your schedule to note that most colleges do not offer Saturday tours in the summer, but will pick those up again during the academic year.In this episode, for both parents and students, we talk about the differences between initial criteria-building visits (perhaps those done earlier in high school) and those visits that you may do in the summer or fall of senior year as you make your final list decisions. We discuss the importance of being exposed to a number of different voices through not only tours, but information sessions, visits to the dining hall or academic departments, and casual conversations with students on campus.Learn about some of our favorite pro tips to take a better measure of the campus environment and make the most of your time on campus and in the surrounding area. We’ll share some of our favorite questions for students to help you understand the academic rigor and experience, as well as our thoughts on campus dining, residential life and off-campus living. Lastly, we encourage families to build in some fun and suggest ways to reflect on your visits.Spend some time with us before you head out on your next college tour!Time Stamps:01:02 What Are We Learning This Week? Whitney talks about architecture degree programs.02:08 Big Picture: Why are campus visits so important? 07:00 “Stump the IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)” Campuses with unique architecture.10:26 Tips & Strategies: our pro tips for touring colleges, including great questions to ask and important observations to make on campus, as well as in the surrounding areas. More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

In our episode on Summer Dreaming we share thoughts and tips on how high school students can get the most out of summer. In this student-focused episode we discuss options for summer jobs, volunteering and academic focus.Most importantly, we want students listening to think about making these choices for their life, versus making choices for a college application. Exploring genuine interests is always a better route than trying to determine what any particular college “wants”. The strongest college applications come from students who are able to reflect on what they've done and why they've chosen to do it, and why it's meaningful to them. More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

In this episode we are looking at the latest trends in higher education and the evolution of what going to college in the U.S. means to families. We discuss a range of topics including  shifts in learning environments, the costs of college and what parents and students expect in terms of college outcomes. In the second half of our episode we discuss the impacts of federal funding cuts and the downsizing of the Department of Education. What are the questions to ask when you visit campuses and how will this shifting landscape possibly impact your college choices and experience.Time Stamps:0:37 What Are We Learning This Week? A brief discussion of 3-2 engineering programs.4:46  Big Picture: Trends in higher education, from shifts in ROI expectations to online learning.15:17  "Stump the IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)" - For some levity, we learn about circus performance clubs at colleges around the country!20:36 Tips and Strategies: Considerations for cuts in research funding, evaluating faculty morale, and the integrity of national college data moving into the future.More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

We are talking to parents in this episode about your interactions with your teenager around the sometimes exciting, sometimes treacherous topic of applying to college.  We start out with a discussion about where kids and parents are, metaphorically, during these pre-college years. What's going on in your heads? What are some of the issues and challenges for both teenagers and their parents?In the second part of the episode, we offer concrete tips for parents as they help guide the logistics, reflection, and emotion of this process with the teenagers in their lives.More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

We begin this podcast journey telling you a bit about ourselves and the  experiences we have had as college admissions advisors, coming from both the college side and our work with families. In the first half of each episode we will provide an overview of a topic related to high school, the college search, admissions or higher education. As lifelong learners, we'll also start each episode off with a brief segment on topics we are exploring and learning about. We will have some fun with a trivia quiz for each other each episode, and then finish with tips and strategies to apply to your own college search.How and where to begin a college search? It’s one of the most common questions that we get as college advisors; so let’s dig in! More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!

Join us for college admissions and higher education insights as well as tips and strategies for your college search and application process. With episodes published twice a month, we will explore everything between the beginning of high school through college graduation on the road to a transformative college experience!More Than A Transcript © is a production of Whitney Bruce College Consulting and College Options, LLC. It is supported by Susan Lanigan and Katie Bruce, with artwork by Heidi Rehbock and original music by Will Morrow.Visit our website at www.morethanatranscript.com for resources or to ask questions.Thanks for listening!