Getting In: A College Coach Conversation

Getting In: A College Coach Conversation

Planning for college? Tune into Getting In: A College Coach Conversation to learn what colleges are really looking for and how to highlight your hard-won achievements for the best chance at success. Every week, we gather former admissions and financial aid officers as well as other expert guests for candid, behind-the-scenes talk. New episodes drop every Thursday.

Episodes

November 20, 2025 53 mins

Many students are interested in an engineering career, but some don't know what studying to be an engineer .css-1t8gq41{border:none;background-image:none;background-color:transparent;box-shadow:none;color:#2F3133;cursor:pointer;font-size:inherit;padding:0;-webkit-text-decoration:inherit;text-decoration:inherit;width:-webkit-max-content;width:-moz-max-content;width:max-content;}.css-1t8gq41:hover,.css-1t8gq41:focus{-webkit-text-decoration:inherit;text-decoration:inherit;}

Mark as Played

Hopefully you caught our first edition of College Admissions in the Media, which went live on June 12

Mark as Played

Are you a high-achieving, low-income student? Listen in as our host Ian Fisher discusses the Questbridge Scholarship with College Coach Finance expert Alex Gonzalez.

Have you heard that all college admission essays must have a "hook"? Confused about what the colleges want in these essays? New College Coach educator Shayla Bezjak-Martinez, formerly of Harvey Mudd and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, is here to clarify what colleges ...

Mark as Played

Working frantically to finish up your Early Decision application? Host Shannon Vasconcelos wil...

Mark as Played

Celebrating our 500th (!!) episode

Mark as Played

Applying to Columbia University, Barnard College, or the University of Chicago? Host Sally Ga...

Mark as Played

Is your student considering studying abroad in college? Host Kyra Tyler will be joined by College Coach colleague Jay Bonham, who will give a parent's perspective on his experience when his son studied abroad.

Interested in applying to Yale, Harvard, or Stanford? Colleague Jen Simons will be there to give tips on completing their challenging supplements.

In addition, College Coach finance colleague Zach Gries will be there to discu...

Mark as Played

Here it is, thanks! Interested in Cal Tech and Harvey Mudd, but not sure how to approach their supplemental essays? Host Shannon Vasconcelos will be joined by Kimberly Ortiz, a College Coach colleague who is also a former admission officer at both institutions. Also, if you are looking for updates on the ever-changing world of standardized testing for college admissions, in addition to some tips and tricks, friend of the pod Meghan...

Mark as Played

Students, are you beginning high school and trying to think ahead about your extracurricular ...

Mark as Played

We're very excited for the return of Taryn Andrea, College Coach's career expert. She'll be talking with host Ian Fisher about alternatives to saturated and very popular majors in fields like healthcare, engineering, law, and computer science, some of which will not require a full four year or Bachelor's degree. 

In addition, College Coach finance expert Michelle Smoley will join Ian to talk about financial resources for career, tr...

Mark as Played

Today we go over some frequently asked questions about admissions. Ever wonder what colleges mean when they say they track demonstrated interest? Think that maybe sending weekly emails to the college admissions representative at your favorite college is a good idea? Host Sally Ganga is welcoming colleague Gabbi Tobias, who will not only define "demonstrated Interest," she'll tell you how much "interest" is too much and how much is ...

Mark as Played

Do you know that college admission officers value part-time jobs on a students resume? Host Shannon Vasconcelos will be joined by new College Coach colleague Shayla Bezjak-Martinez to talk about how part-time jobs can set you up for success in many ways, not just for college. In addition, Shannon will be talking with colleague Jonathan Wickremasinghe-Kuhn about admission interviews. Are they required? How do...

Mark as Played

Host Ian Fisher has the remarkable good fortune to welcome guest Jenny West Anderson, author of The Disengaged Teen. If you're a parent, this episode is a must-listen, especially if you've seen any indication that your student is losing their excitement for learning or is in danger of academic burnout. Our guest will help you identify your student's attitudes towards learning and give strategies to help them...

Mark as Played

For this episode, Host Sally Ganga is so honored to have guest Dr. Robert K. McMahan, here to...

Mark as Played

What even is a liberal arts education? Hasn't it gone the way of the dodo...

Mark as Played

Keeping up with the evolving world of higher education can be overwhelming, but host Ian Fisher is here to help. In this episode, Ian is joined by College Finance Consultant Jess Mosley to break down the latest headlines and trends in the college landscape. He also introduces Major Interest, a new segment exploring how different academic disciplines—like neuroscience, psychology, sociology, and political science—can offer unique in...

Mark as Played

The landscape for international students hoping to attend a US college has been changing rapidly in recent years, and there is still a lot of uncertainty. Luckily, host Ian Fisher will be joined by the founders of Elite Scholars of China,<...

Mark as Played

Interested in attending law school? Host Sally Ganga will be joined by the Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at Drake Law School in Des Moines, Iowa. In addition, a student's pers...

Mark as Played

Interested in a women's college, or even Wellesley College in particular? If you're <...

Mark as Played

Does it seem like the college admissions landscape has been changing particularly rapidly in recent years? Host Kyra Tyler will be joined by College Coach colleagues Tova Javetz, Karen Spencer, and Nicole Doyle to discuss those changes and how counseling students through the process has and has not changed as a result.

On cold winter days have you considered attending college in Hawaii? Our colleague Steve Fernandez-Brennan is here...

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.

    Crime Junkie

    Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    The Breakfast Club

    The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.