Shift - College admissions in a changing world

Shift - College admissions in a changing world

The college admissions landscape is undergoing massive change. Our mission is to help you navigate these changes and get into your dream school. We give you tips and tactics for mastering the college admissions process, from application essays, to acing the ACT and SAT exams, to campus visits, mental health, and much more. Whether you’re just starting your college search or ready to submit your applications, we’ve got you covered. Achievable is a modern prep program for the ACT exam. Visit https://achievable.me to learn more.

Episodes

January 14, 2026 20 mins

Getting ready to study for a standardized test like the SAT, ACT, or CLT? Christina Chestnut is the owner of Chestnut Consulting and has been a tutor for the SAT, ACT, and AP topics for almost 20 years. In this episode, Christina guides you through the standardized test prep process, covering what to expect, how your scores can impact your application, building a structured study plan, and how to effectively leverage practice tests...

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If you approach the process with a plan, you can save tens of thousands of dollars on your college education. Becky Priest is the Director of Counseling at The Cambridge School. In this episode, Becky shares her strategic advice for securing college scholarships and financial aid, including the types of financial aid available, eligibility, the student aid index, and more.

Achievable has ACT and CLT prep courses that use advanced a...

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Getting into Harvard is tough for anyone, but with a full ride scholarship too? How? Shellee Howard is the founder of College Ready, where she has helped over 15,000 students get into their dream school, and is the author of both The College Admissions PLAN Simplified: A Busy Parent's P.L.A.N. to a Debt-Free Degree and the Amazon best seller "How to Send Your Student to College Without Losing Your Mind or Your Money". In this episo...

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Applying to an art program for college? Hyuk Chang is an Admissions Officer at the Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE). In this episode, Hyuk shares an admissions officer's perspective on what they look for in an art portfolio, including actionable advice that can improve your chances of admittance.

Achievable has ACT and CLT prep courses that use advanced adaptive learning to target weak areas and boost your s...

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The top college ranking sites dictate so much of how people evaluate colleges, but should they? Paul Glastris is the Editor-in-Chief of The Washington Monthly and previously worked for U.S. News and World Report on their college rankings. In this episode, Paul explains what the current top-ranking websites get wrong about college rankings and what 95% of students should be looking at instead.

Achievable has ACT and CL...

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How can you make the most of university if you're remote? Casey Vaughan is the Assistant Director of Military Outreach for Northeastern and has served in the Air Force. In this episode, Casey talks through her best practices for university students to make the most of their education while studying remotely.

Achievable has ACT and CLT prep courses that use advanced adaptive learning to target weak areas and boost your...

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What is the purpose of high school and college? Durga Suresh-Menon is the Head of School at New England Innovation Academy (NEIA), a forward-thinking independent school located near Boston that’s redefining how students prepare for the real world. In this episode, Durga talks about why you should consider rethinking high school and college, including where to start the process with your child in 9th grade, breaking their plan into ...

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Want to send your kid to a prestigious college but are terrified of how much it will cost? Shellee Howard is the founder of College Ready, where she has helped over 15,000 students get into their dream school and afford it, including getting her own son into Harvard on a full-ride scholarship. She is also the author of The College Admissions PLAN Simplified: A Busy Parent's P.L.A.N. to a Debt-Free Degree and the Amazon best seller ...

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September 24, 2025 47 mins

Thinking about transferring to a different college or spending 2 years in a community college before transferring to a 4-year college? Jamie Smith is a Certified Educational Planner and the author of the book The Complete Guide to College Transfers. In this episode, Jamie covers all things transfers, including intentional vs. spontaneous transfers, finding a perfect transfer-fit college, maximizing transfer credits, and adjusting t...

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Hyuk Chang is an Admissions Officer at the Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE). In this episode, Hyuk shares an admissions officer's perspective on what they want to see in an application and interview. This episode is a unique perspective on the other side of the table, especially for creative schools like AIE.

Achievable has ACT and CLT prep courses that use advanced adaptive learning to target weak areas and...

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How can former military members make the most of going to college? Casey Vaughan is the Assistant Director of Military Outreach for Northeastern and has served in the Air Force. In this episode, Casey talks through veterans going to college, including how to get academic credit for your service work, how to juggle school with your other priorities, how to build a degree plan, and some success stories to show the way.

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August 15, 2025 39 mins

Are you looking to go to college abroad from the US? Jim Pierson is the Senior Regional Manager for University College Dublin, a global university based in Dublin, Ireland. In this episode, Jim talks through going international for college as a US student, including why students want to go, what makes you a good fit, the advantages and disadvantages, and how it affects competitiveness and finances.

Achievable has ACT ...

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How do you get the most out of college? Hamada Zahawi is the CEO and founder of Write Track Admissions, a global admissions consultancy with a 93% success rate. In this episode, Hamada shares his famous SLASH method to getting the most out of college: Social, Leadership, Academics, Study abroad, and Health.

Achievable has ACT and CLT prep courses that use advanced adaptive learning to target weak areas and boost your ...

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Is there a trades revival going on with Gen Z? Joy McClure is the Director of Admissions for X, a beauty school. In this episode, Joy talks about the trend of Gen Z going to trade schools versus traditional colleges, including the cost of college, why Gen Z is picking hands-on careers, and what each path holds for a high school graduate.

Achievable has ACT and CLT prep courses that use advanced adaptive learning to ta...

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With all of the uncertainty about foreign-born students attending US universities, what do they need to know now? Hamada Zahawi is the CEO and founder of Write Track Admissions, a global admissions consultancy with a 93% success rate. In this episode, Hamada covers everything international students need to consider when applying to US colleges, including financial aid, visa concerns, and the current political environment.

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Admissions counselors are often serving hundreds of students per year - how can you get them to truly help you? Teege Mettille is the Director of Enrollment Success at EnrollML and the author of the book The Admissions Counsellor's Malaise. In this episode, Teege shares his strategies for getting the most out of admissions counselors, including setting your child up for success from day 1 and aligning with their goals to get better...

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Looking to study abroad in Europe? Yasiara Ortiz, founder of MissStudy, has been helping students find their best fit university all over the world for years. In this episode, Yasiara shares her top tips for American students looking to apply to European colleges, including how to identify potential good fit universities for you, how to determine the best country for you, and tips for applying.

Visit https://www.misstudy.com/master...

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Did you know that getting financial aid for graduate school is more common than ever? Howard Freedman, founder of Financial Aid Consulting, has been helping applicants get financial aid for over 20 years. In this episode, Howard shares how getting financial aid is more common thank you think, what types of financial aid you should apply for, and other tips.

Achievable has ACT and CLT prep courses that use advanced adaptive learning...

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What are the biggest lies told to parents in college admissions today? Jayson Weingarten, Senior College Admissions Consultant at Ivy Coach and a former UPenn admissions officer, has helped hundreds of prospective graduate students get into the programs of their dreams. In this episode, Jayson shares some of the outrageous lies in college admissions, including what top schools care about, which essay is the most important, and more...

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CLT questions are different from SAT or ACT Math questions, and we're going to teach you how to solve them. Clay Daniel, founder of Clayborne Test Prep and Tutoring, has spent significant time with the founders of the CLT and is one of the country's first and most prominent CLT tutors. In this podcast, Clay walks us through three challenging CLT Quantitative practice questions to teach you how to ace the CLT exam.

To follow along t...

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