Sep 24

S11, E3: Sophomore Steps to College Admissions Success

Tenth grade is a pivotal year for college preparation, and this episode is your comprehensive guide! Join host Tasha (formerly at Boston University and USC) as she sits down with expert IvyWise counselors Phuong (formerly at Babson College) and Rod (formerly at Case Western Reser ... Show More

35m 16s

Sep 10

S11, E2: Jumpstart Junior Year: College Prep in Full Gear

11th grade is the most critical year for college admissions! Host Tasha (formerly at Boston University and USC) teams up with IvyWise experts Ernald (formerly at Princeton and Drexel) and Juaquin (formerly at Occidental College) to reveal the key college prep steps every junior n ... Show More

34m 57s

Aug 27

S11, E1: Senior Year, Have No Fear — Your College Admissions Checklist Is Here

Seniors, it's crunch time! Join host Tasha (formerly at Boston University and USC) and IvyWise counselors Kayon (formerly at MIT and University of Rochester) and Scott (formerly at Yale) as they break down everything 12th graders need to do for college admissions. From perfecting ... Show More

28m 41s

Jan 2024

501: What Colleges Want (Part 1): A Deep Dive into the Factors Colleges Deem Important & State of College Admissions Report

Show Notes On today's episode, Ethan sits down with David Hawkins, Chief Education and Policy Officer at National Association of College Admission Counselors (aka NACAC), and they get discuss, among other things: What are the most important factors colleges consider? What signi ... Show More

51m 41s

May 2022

What a Dartmouth College Admissions Officer Wants from Applicants

On today’s episode, we chat with Heather McCutchen, a Former Admissions Reader at Dartmouth and a current InGenius Prep counselor. Heather and I discuss what makes Dartmouth special and what kind of applicants the college looks for. Heather reviews each aspect of the application ... Show More

51m 11s

Apr 2024

507: What Colleges Want (Part 7A): Recommendation Letter Crash Course for Students and Families

This week, Tom Campbell (CEG’s Community Manager) is joined by Ayesha King (Director of College Counseling at the International School of Los Angeles) to talk about letters of recommendation. They get into: What goes into a letter of recommendation? How are they evaluated by col ... Show More

52m 8s

Sep 2024

S3E12: How to Succeed with the Penn Supplement (2024)

In this episode of the "Admittedly" podcast, host Thomas Caleel dives into the Penn Supplement, focusing on the two required essays for all applicants: the thank you letter and the community essay. He also provides tips for navigating the school-specific essays depending on the p ... Show More

6m 20s

Feb 2024

88. How to Find Your Unique Voice in College Application Essays

How do you capture an Admissions Officer’s attention through your college essays? On today’s episode, Nivanthi Karunaratne, a Graduate Coach at InGenius Prep, shares her personal journey of self-discovery through music and how it has influenced her approach in helping students fi ... Show More

24m 52s

Jun 2025

117. Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist Shares How to Write College Essays That Get You In

To set up a complimentary strategy call, CLICK HERE. What makes a college essay stand out at top schools like Harvard, Stanford, or Yale? In this episode, we sit down with Dave Marcus, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, bestselling author of Acceptance, and former high school tea ... Show More

19m 19s

Aug 2022

What an NYU Admissions Officer Wants from Applicants | New York University

On today’s episode, we chat with Lydia Mason, a Former Admissions Reader at and graduate of NYU. Lydia and I discuss the type of students NYU looks for and how applicants can set themselves apart. Lydia reveals the many mistakes and misconceptions admissions officers encounter du ... Show More

35m 16s

Mar 2024

504: What Colleges Want (Part 4): A Crash Course in the Personal Statement with Ethan Sawyer (College Essay Guy)

On this week’s episode, Tom Campbell (CEG’s Community Manager) sits down with Ethan Sawyer (College Essay Guy) for Part 4 in our What Colleges Want series to talk about the personal statement. According to the latest State of College Admission report – after grades, course rigor, ... Show More

51m 18s

Jan 2022

303: Part 2: Behind the Scenes of an Admission Office w/ Tom Campbell

Tom Campbell is back for another episode in our series that goes behind the scenes of an admissions office to let you know what happens when you click submit on your application—where does it go? Who reads it? What are they thinking? How do they make decisions? At the time of thi ... Show More

1h 6m

Oct 2020

Recommendation Letters

Every application to Yale includes three letters of recommendation – two from classroom teachers and one from a counselor. Admissions Officer Moira joins Hannah and Mark to share advice on selecting recommenders and tips for educators when writing on behalf of applicants. The off ... Show More

19m 18s

S11, E4: Set the Stage in 9th Grade: You...