Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and Josh Steckel hear graduation updates from three of our Getting In seniors: Alessandra LePera, Jordana Meyer, and Ellis Wells.  The seniors share their favorite parts of the ceremonies and describe what it's been like to participate in the podcast. Plus, Julie and Josh answer a final round of listener questions. Listeners ask about: the value of high school leadership positions, when to consider transferring colleges, the misconceptions surrounding degrees and careers in the arts, and strategies for building a good relationship with your high school college counselor. Getting In expert Josh Steckel is a college counselor at the Brooklyn School for Collaborative Studies and the author of Hold Fast To Dreams: College Guidance Counselor, His Students, and the Vision of a Life Beyond Poverty.   Getting In is supported by Squarespace, helping students create online portfolios and personal websites that show colleges who they are and what they can do. Learn more at Squarespace.com/gettingin Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com. Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.  

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and Parke Muth, formerly a dean and an admission officer at the University of Virginia, answer listener questions.  How important are SAT II scores to admissions officers? Which is more valuable a good grade in an AP class or the score on the exam? What's your advice to students applying from abroad? Does volunteering matter? Send us an email or voice memo--to gettingin@slate.com Call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Find us on Twitter: @GettingInPod Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com. Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and Parke Muth, formerly a dean and an admission officer at the University of Virginia, answer listener questions.  When you're a student athlete, what are the pros and cons of attending Division 1 and Division 3 schools? Is summer really the best time to start working on common application essays? Test prep is elitist, expensive, and a massive investment of time-- is there any reason our family should opt-in?  Send us an email or voice memo--to gettingin@slate.com Call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Find us on Twitter: @GettingInPod Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com. Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE. 

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and Getting In expert Amy Young answer a listener question from an eleventh grader about what juniors should be doing the summer before their senior year. We also hear from Getting In seniors Jonathan Diaz, August Graves, Alessandra LePera, and Jordana Meyer about their own plans for summer before starting college in the fall. Amy Young is the director of college counseling at Avenues, an independent school in New York City. Send questions, comments, and follow us on Twitter @GettingInPod Send us an email or voice memo to gettingin@slate.com Or, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353 Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com. Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and expert Amy Young talk about how the high stakes intensity of college admissions has trickled down to middle and high school admissions. Amy is the director of college counseling at Avenues, an independent school in New York City. Julie mentions a new effort aimed to reduce the academic pressure and stress found in her own community of Palo Alto, CA. The city is distraught by its teen suicide rate-- four to five times the national average. The website, pathsfrompaloalto.com, was created by recent college grads who grew up there. "They're showing through blog essays, that people have happy successful lives going in all directions out of Palo Alto," says Julie. Listener questions this week include a letter from a junior in southern California who suffered a head injury at a sporting event and it affected his GPA. He wonders how to present his case on college applications. And an eleventh grader, who moved to Arizona her junior year, asks if it's ok to get teacher recommendations solely from her previous school. Send questions, comments, and follow us on Twitter @GettingInPod Send us an email or voice memo to gettingin@slate.com Or, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353 Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com. Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

As the school year winds down, host Julie Lythcott-Haims checks in with four of the Getting In seniors: Jonathan Diaz, August Graves, Alessandra LePera, and Jordana Meyer. The students share more details about the colleges they'll be attending in the fall, what they're excited about, and something completely new they each want to try when they get to campus. We'll also hear their advice for high school juniors getting into the thick of the admissions process right now. Find us on Twitter: @GettingInPod Send us an email or voice memo--to  gettingin@slate.com Or, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Getting In is supported by Squarespace, helping students create online portfolios and personal websites that show colleges who they are and what they can do. Learn more at Squarespace.com/gettingin Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com. Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE. 

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and expert Amy Young talk about decision season and what happens when a student sends a deposit to one school, but decides in the eleventh-hour to attend a different school. They also get an update from Getting In senior Ellis Wells, one of Amy's students at Avenues, and who'd been accepted to Vanderbilt University in February. Ellis is enjoying his spring as the captain of the golf team and attributes getting organized early with reducing a lot of college application stress.  Amy is the director of college counseling at Avenues, an independent school in New York City. Listener questions this week include a letter from a mom who wonders whether her son should ask for more merit aid at the University of Puget Sound. And a grandmother in New Jersey wonders whether her granddaughter should take the SAT or ACT after scoring in the 96th percentile on the PSAT.  Send questions, comments, and follow us on Twitter @GettingInPod Send us an email or voice memo to gettingin@slate.com Or, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com. Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE. 

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and Getting In expert Steve LeMenager answer listener questions.  Steve is the president of Edvice, a college counseling firm. He was previously a director of admissions at Princeton University. Listener questions in this episode include one from a Michigan mom who wonders if the limits her daughter's high school places on the number of AP classes a student can take could affect her daughter's college admission chances. A student in the Netherlands and a mother in the US wrote in for advice on how to select an independent college counselor. And a mother in Virginia asks for advice on the kinds of schools her high achieving son should explore, because he "intensely dislikes an elbow-sharpening and competitive environment." Find us on Twitter: @GettingInPodSend us an email or voice memo--to  gettingin@slate.comOr, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Host Julie Lythcott Haims welcomes back Penn professor Marybeth Gasman to answer listener questions.  A dad in Pennsylvania says his high achieving daughter, a junior, "has no idea what direction she wants to go" or what she wants to study and he'd like some advice on what sort of schools to look at. And a mom in Indiana wonders if moving to a "better" school district will improve her children's college admissions chances. Marybeth Gasman is a professor of higher education at the University of Pennsylvania where she directs the Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions.A former student and admissions officer at Indiana University, Gasman continues to serve on admissions committees at Penn. Find us on Twitter: @GettingInPodSend us an email or voice memo--to  gettingin@slate.comOr, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

As high school juniors begin to build their lists of schools, they'd be wise to consider historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs)  and minority serving institutions (MSIs). Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and her special guests, Professor Marybeth Gasman and Breanna Williams, talk about the benefits of attending HBCUs and MSIs. Marybeth Gasman is a professor of higher education at the University of Pennsylvania where she directs the Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions. Breanna Williams is a stylist and retail manager in New York City. She graduated from Howard University with a BFA in Theater. Gasman has spent years researching the value and impact of HBCU and MSI educations. Gasman lists several schools applicants might look into including Morehouse, Spelman, Taladega, and Prairie View. She sites Xavier in New Orleans, as a great example of an HBCU that excels in preparing its students for careers in medicine-- its graduates have a 98% pass rate on the medical board exams.  Williams relays how instrumental a role Howard plays in her life. Shaping her identity as a college student through her career today as an optical stylist. Find us on Twitter: @GettingInPodSend us an email or voice memo--to  gettingin@slate.comOr, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Getting In is supported by Squarespace, helping students create online portfolios and personal websites that show colleges who they are and what they can do. Learn more at Squarespace.com/gettingin Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Getting In expert Amy Young guest hosts the podcast this week while Julie Lythcott Haims tours colleges with her son over spring break. Amy is the director of college counseling at Avenues, an independent school in New York City. Amy and her Avenues colleague, Tim Hudson, formerly an admissions officer at Davidson College, listen and react to updates from three Getting In seniors: August Graves, Alessandra LePera, and Jordana Meyer. All three young women have received college notifications these past few weeks and they share where they've been accepted, rejected, and wait-listed. Amy and Tim also hear an update from Julie from the road, where she confesses to an over-parenting moment she plans not to repeat. Send questions, comments, and follow us on Twitter @GettingInPod Send us an email or voice memo to gettingin@slate.com Or, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353 Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and Getting In expert Steve LeMenager hear an update from Getting In senior Jordana Meyer and they answer listener questions.  Steve is the president of Edvice, a college counseling firm. He was previously a director of admissions at Princeton University. Listener questions in this episode include one from a mother in Seattle whose son received several acceptance letters, and wonders if the financial aid packages can be negotiated because her husband was recently laid off. A mother in Connecticut asks for advice after her daughter has been rejected everywhere and accepted to a school she would never consider attending. And a California eleventh grader studying abroad in the Czech Republic wonders if her lack of traditional junior year coursework will affect her admissions chances. Find us on Twitter: @GettingInPod Send us an email or voice memo--to  gettingin@slate.com Or, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com. Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and special guest Gretchen Rubin explore how parents figure out their roles on the path to college and we hear updates from the families of two Getting In seniors. Amy and Martin Graves, August's parents and Jonathan Meyer, Jordana's father reflect on how they have navigated this roller coaster year. Special guest Gretchen Rubin is a writer and co-host of the podcast Happier. Her bestselling books include The Happiness Project and Better Than Before. She's also the mother of a high school junior, Eliza (who has her own podcast!). Gretchen admits its a tricky balance being helpful, but mostly hands-off as Eliza prepares for college. She offers several tips and examples from her own life about the habits and strategies she's trying to put into place right now. Some advice from this episode:1.    Trust your kid to make good decisions.2.    Do not make the college path a 24-7 conversation, schedule specific times to talk about it.3.    Give your kid the time and space for creative outlets that have *nothing* to do with college.4.    Avoid stoking the fires of worry when talking to other parents. Think of them as a resources for answering concrete questions (e.g. when should we schedule college tours?).  Find us on Twitter: @GettingInPod Send us an email or voice memo--to gettingin@slate.comOr, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Getting In is supported by Squarespace, helping students create online portfolios and personal websites that show colleges who they are and what they can do. Learn more at Squarespace.com/gettingin Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and Getting In expert Parke Muth answer more listener questions. Parke is a private college counselor and a former admission officer at the University of Virginia. This week's questions include one from a dad who wonders how attending a vocational high school might affect college admission. A mom whose daughter is interested in the New College of Florida-- a school that does not give grades-- wonders how the post-college working world views graduates who don't have traditional GPAs. And a community college professor in Idaho asks for strategies to help her non-traditional students transfer to four-year schools. There are lots of ways to send us questions and comments: Follow us on Twitter: @GettingInPod Send us an email or voice memo to gettingin@slate.com Or, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353 Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and Getting In expert Parke Muth answer more listener questions. Parke is a private college counselor and a former admission officer at the University of Virginia. Julie and Parke talk about some interesting admission trends he's seen this spring --including the prevalence of "likely letters" and tuition discounts being offered his students. And they answer listener questions: Two different mothers contacted the podcast describing the intense pressures high schoolers face that come with living in Fairfax County, Virginia. A father wants to know which small liberal arts schools have rigorous STEM programs. And a high school junior wonders what's the right number of schools one should apply to-- given that she's seen peers apply anywhere in the range of 2 to 26. There are lots of ways to send us questions and comments: Follow us on Twitter: @GettingInPod Send us an email or voice memo to gettingin@slate.com Or, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353 Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

 Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and Getting In expert Josh Steckel answer listener questions.  Josh is the college counselor at the Brooklyn School for Collaborative studies. He's also the author of Hold Fast to Dreams: A College Guidance Counselor, His Students, and the Vision of a Life Beyond Poverty. Listener questions in this episode include one from a mother in Connecticut who wonders if special spots are held for students who want to enter ROTC. And Josh and Julie answer two different but related questions about putting together senior year course loads. They talk about the push and pull between taking courses "colleges want to see" and following a path that is more authentic to the student's interests. Find us on Twitter: @GettingInPodSend us an email or voice memo--to  gettingin@slate.comOr, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and Getting In expert Josh Steckel talk financial aid, scholarship strategies, plus they hear an update from Getting In senior August Graves. Josh is the college counselor at the Brooklyn School for Collaborative studies. He's also the author of Hold Fast to Dreams: A College Guidance Counselor, His Students, and the Vision of a Life Beyond Poverty. Josh lists the most important things seniors and their families need to be doing right now if they're applying for financial aid. And they still have time if they haven't yet. He explains how to compare different schools' aid packages and how to figure out the net price. When it comes to finding scholarship money, Josh says to think locally. Religious groups, unions, non-profits, even law firms are a great source of scholarship funds.  Julie and Josh answer a multi-part listener question about financial aid. The father who wrote in wonders how to find out a college's true cost and asks how he should honestly talk about affordability with his daughter. Online resources mentioned in the show: Gates MillenniumJackie Robinson FoundationPosse FoundationFastwebScholarsnappCollege GreenlightRaise.MeCollege Score Card Find us on Twitter: @GettingInPodSend us an email or voice memo--to  gettingin@slate.comOr, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Getting In is supported by Squarespace, helping students create online portfolios and personal websites that show colleges who they are and what they can do. Learn more at Squarespace.com/gettingin Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and expert Amy Young talk about the five things every college-bound high school junior should be thinking about right now: preparing for and taking the SAT or ACT (no more than twice); senior year course selection; forming relationships with teachers who could serve as references; thinking about how you'll spend your summer; and ramping up academic performance. They also get an update from Getting In senior Ellis Wells, one of Amy's students at Avenues, who got some news from a college this past week. And Julie and Amy answer more listener questions. Amy is the director of college counseling at Avenues, an independent school in New York City. Listener questions this week include a letter writer who asks just how much a low ACT writing score could influence admission. A mom, whose son is an an outdoor adventurer and blogger, wonders if colleges actually look at internet links of student work. And another parent is curious what path her son should take given his passion for marine biology and (what she considers) a less-than-ideal GPA. Send questions, comments, and follow us on Twitter @GettingInPod Send us an email or voice memo to gettingin@slate.com Or, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353 Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com. Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and expert Amy Young react to the criticism that's bubbled up around the Harvard report proposing sweeping changes to college admissions. Plus, they get an update from Getting In senior August Graves who this week received a notification from a college. And Julie and Amy answer listener questions. Amy is the director of college counseling at Avenues, an independent school in New York City.   Listener questions this week include one from a mom who's daughter is a serious athlete. She wonders if devoting all summer between junior and senior year to soccer practice could affect her daughter's admissions chances. A high school student in Germany, who has already skipped two grades, says he'll be 16 by the time he starts college. How will colleges view his young age? And, a parent planning a spring break tour of colleges with her son has discovered many of the colleges have the same spring break-- and so no classes will be in session. Is it still a good time to tour schools? Send questions, comments, and follow us on Twitter @GettingInPod Send us an email or voice memo to gettingin@slate.com Or, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353 Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims welcomes back Getting In experts Steve LeMenager and Parke Muth to answer more listener questions. A college counselor in Boston asks what online resources he should include in a presentation to 11th-graders. A mom in Switzerland wonders how US Colleges will convert her son's International Baccalaureate scores to an American-style GPA. A college counselor in Pittsburgh is wary of parents who insist their social and political connections could help their children gain admission. And a mom in California is curious how students can self-advocate when their high school college counselors cannot pick up the phone and call an admissions office. Steve LeMenager mentioned several helpful online resources for students starting their search: Khan AcademyNavianceBig FutureCappexCollege NavigatorCollege Insight There are lots of ways to send us questions and comments: Follow us on Twitter: @GettingInPod Send us an email or voice memo to gettingin@slate.com Or, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353 Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims looks into the world of serious performing arts applicants. If you're a committed musician, actor, singer, or dancer who wants to keep studying that art form in college or at a conservatory, the admissions path has a few more hurdles. We'll hear updates from two Getting In seniors with a passion for music and theater: Jordana Meyer in Maryland and Alessandra LePera in New Jersey. Alessandra is deep into preparation for her auditions for various theater programs. Special guest Doug Long, a college counselor at Interlochen Arts Academy, a boarding school in Michigan, shares advice high school seniors can use right now as they head into auditions in the coming weeks. And he offers lots of tips for juniors, including arts scholarship ideas and specialized college fair resources. And we have a fresh update from Getting In senior Jonathan Diaz, a first-generation college applicant. In December he applied "Early Decision II" to Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA. Jonathan told us that the college notified him earlier this month. Listen to find out what happened. Find us on Twitter: @GettingInPodSend us an email or voice memo--to gettingin@slate.comOr, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Getting In is supported by Squarespace, helping students create online portfolios and personal websites that show colleges who they are and what they can do. Learn more at Squarespace.com/gettingin Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

This week the Harvard Graduate School of Education issued a report that called for sweeping changes in the college admissions process. Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and Getting In expert Steve LeMenager talk about the report's highlights-- which emphasized authentic community service and aimed to de-emphasize the importance of AP courses and standardized test scores. Steve is the president of Edvice, a college counseling firm. He was previously a director of admissions at Princeton University. Plus, Julie and Steve answer listener questions. One listener suggests applicants look into ROTC programs and the GI Bill as a way to finance college. And a mom in Florida wonders what the right fit for her son might be when he has so many interests and aptitude across science, humanities, music, and language. There are lots of ways to send us questions and comments: Follow us on Twitter: @GettingInPod Send us an email or voice memo to gettingin@slate.com Or, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353 Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

By now most high school seniors have submitted their applications, but there may still be one final step happening in the next several weeks: an interview. Getting In Expert Parke Muth and host Julie Lythcott-Haims say the interview is less about lists of accomplishments and much more about authentic conversation. Parke also describes a bit of the backstory behind the influx of elite applicants from China, India, Korea, and Singapore and the challenges they face. Though test-taking is not one of them. If you think the high school with the highest average SAT scores is in the United States, think again. Plus, Julie and Parke answer listener questions. How do you ask an admissions office for a gap year or deferral after you've received a generous scholarship offer? And, when visiting a college campus for the first time-- what's the most important thing you can do or ask? There are lots of ways to send us questions and comments: Follow us on Twitter: @GettingInPod Send us an email or voice memo to gettingin@slate.com Or, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353 Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

With a new year come new challenges for high school seniors. While most college applications are complete and submitted, financial aid forms need attention right now. Getting In expert Josh Steckel explains the differences between the FAFSA and CSS forms. And he and host Julie Lythcott-Haims walk through some first steps students and families might take if they plan to apply for government and institutional aid. Josh mentions a few resources that could be helpful for anyone navigating the maze of financial aid:http://www.understandingfafsa.org/http://www.collegegoalsundayusa.org/http://www.finaid.org/about/ Josh is the college counselor at the Brooklyn School for Collaborative studies. He's also the author of Hold Fast to Dreams: A College Guidance Counselor, His Students, and the Vision of a Life Beyond Poverty, just out in paperback. We also hear updates from some of our Getting In seniors about what they did over winter break-- from bouldering and rounds of golf to reveling in finishing applications and receiving acceptance letters from a couple more schools. Julie and Josh answer three listener questions. A mom asks: What resources are out there to help families fill out financial aid forms? Another parent asks: What steps should you take when your child applied early decision but has gotten zero communication from the college? And an eleventh grader asks: Should I enroll in community college and transfer to a four year college for the final two years of college? There are lots of ways to send us questions and comments: Follow us on Twitter: @GettingInPod

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims asks expert Amy Young about what high school juniors should be thinking about at the beginning of 2016. Amy is the director of college counseling at Avenues, an independent school in New York City. She says if a high school junior is feeling overwhelmed or uninterested, a good first step is to visit a college campus-- it really helps a student get excited about the process. Julie and Amy answer listener questions from a parent about the value pre-college summer programs for high school students. And an AP History teacher wonders if it's a red flag to college admissions officers when AP History students do not take the AP exam. Send questions, comments, and follow us on Twitter @GettingInPod Send us an email or voice memo to gettingin@slate.com Or, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353 Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and expert Amy Young look back on how the seniors at Avenues fared during the early decision round. Amy is the director of college counseling at Avenues, an independent school in New York City. She highlights the acceptances to excellent under-the-radar schools like Wheaton College and Elon. Julie and Amy answer listener questions from parents about how to approach the college admission process when their children have ADHD and other learning differences. And with the College Board introducing a redesigned SAT next spring, a parent wonders whether her daughter should sign up to take the old version in January or the new version in March. Send questions, comments, and follow us on Twitter @GettingInPod Send us an email or voice memo to gettingin@slate.com Or, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353 Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

For high school seniors who completed early decision and early action applications this fall, this past week was prime-time for getting notified about those applications. Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and expert Parke Muth get updates from three of Getting In's seniors. Muth worked for nearly thirty years at the University of Virginia as an admissions officer and dean, he's now an independent college admissions counselor. Getting In seniors Jordana Meyer, August Graves, and Ellis Wells all received early decision notifications this week. They share their news and begin to plot their next steps. Plus, Julie and Parke answer a listener question from a dad who wonders whether Emory -- his son's first choice school with a $60,000/year price tag-- is worth it, given that his son's second choice school is Florida State with a $17,000 yearly fee. Send questions, comments, and follow us on Twitter @GettingInPod Send us an email or voice memo to gettingin@slate.com Or, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353 Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Getting In senior Jonathan Diaz is a first-generation college applicant and he's grappling with some big questions. Should he leave his family? And wherever he gets in...will it be affordable? The support Jonathan is getting from his high school college office is critical and host Julie Lythcott-Haims gives us a closer look at Jonathan's progress this fall. We meet Jonathan's mother, Candida, a home health attendant and we listen in on a pivotal meeting Jonathan has with his college counselor Josh Steckel as he begins to nail down his list of schools. Josh Steckel, Jonathan's counselor at the Brooklyn School for Collaborative Studies, is also the author of Hold Fast to Dreams: A College Guidance Counselor, His Students, and the Vision of a Life Beyond Poverty. Send us an email or voice memo--to gettingin@slate.comOr, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Getting In is supported by Squarespace, helping students create online portfolios and personal websites that show colleges who they are and what they can do. Learn more at Squarespace.com/gettingin Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and expert Steve LeMenager, president of Edvice, and independent college counseling firm and a former director of admission at Princeton, answer listener questions. A mom whose daughter has applied early decision to an Ivy, wonders-- if her daughter gets deferred-- what kinds of actions can be taken to stand out in the regular pool. A high school junior asks if skipping 12th grade to attend an early college program is a good idea. And a dad wonders how to find top colleges not in the popular top-20 that would be a good fit for his high achieving daughter. Plus updates from Getting In seniors Jonathan Diaz, Ellis Wells, and Jordana Meyer. Jonathan gets a welcome bump in his SATs. And early December can be an anxious time for students awaiting early decision notifications, but Jordana and Ellis are finding ways to escape the stress. Send us an email or voice memo--to gettingin@slate.comOr, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Guest host Amy Young, director of college counseling at Avenues New York, and expert Parke Muth answer listener questions. For nearly 30 years Muth worked in the admissions office and as a dean at UVA. He's now a private consultant on the college admission process. A mother in Portland wonders why some students get interviews and others don't. A sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh, his back-up college, wonders if it's worthwhile to transfer to a more selective school. And a father in Virginia, exploring options for his daughter, is curious about "guaranteed admission" programs to top state universities after attending community college for two years. Send us an email or voice memo--to gettingin@slate.comOr, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Guest host Amy Young, director of college counseling at Avenues New York, helps Getting In senior August Graves refine her list of schools and makes some practical suggestions about what needs to be listed in the Common Application. And expert Parke Muth joins Amy to answer a listener question from a homeschooled teenager in Texas. The teen wonders how to describe his unique high school coursework -- designed and taught by his father--on a college application. Plus an update from Getting In senior Alessandra LePera. She's scrambling to make her December 1st deadlines after a health setback this past week. Send us an email or voice memo--to gettingin@slate.comOr, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and Amy Young, director of college counseling at Avenues answer listener questions. A father wonders if colleges are truly need blind. An expat in Italy suggests that American families seriously consider the much more affordable option of college abroad. And a mom raising her daughters overseas asks how colleges view kids coming out of international schools and International Baccalaureate programs. Plus some of our Getting In seniors update us on all the tests they've been retaking this fall. Send us an email or voice memo--to gettingin@slate.comOr, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Julie Lythcott-Haims, and college counselors Parke Muth, and Steve LeMenager answer listener questions. A parent asks what "demonstrating interest" really means beyond visiting campuses and opening emails from colleges of interest. And a mom wonders if a high school's low average SAT score could affect her child's admission chances. Plus one of our Getting In seniors tells us what it's like to totally complete an application and "click submit." Send us an email or voice memo--to gettingin@slate.comOr, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and Parke Muth, formerly a dean and an admission officer at the University of Virginia, answer two listener questions. A mother of a high achieving student wonders which colleges offer full-ride merit scholarships. And a teacher asks if students at elite high schools really do end up competing more with each other versus the total applicant pool, when applying to select colleges. Plus we get updates from some of our seniors about their Halloween plans and what they're doing that has nothing to do with the grind of applications and schoolwork. Send us an email or voice memo--to gettingin@slate.comOr, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims checks in with our seniors who have decided to submit early applications. Josh Steckel, college counselor at the Brooklyn School for Collaborative and the author of Hold Fast to Dreams, breaks down all the terminology surrounding early applications. August Graves makes a last minute decision to apply early to her first choice college. And Josh shares strategies with August to make sure she puts together the best application she can. Plus we hear about the early applications being submitted by Alessandra LePera and Ellis Wells. And we meet the newest addition to our group of seniors, Jordana Meyer of Chevy Chase, MD, who's applying early decision to her favorite Ivy. Send us an email or voice memo--to gettingin@slate.comOr, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Getting In is supported by Squarespace, helping students create online portfolios and personal websites that show colleges who they are and what they can do. Learn more at Squarespace.com/gettingin Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and Steve LeManager answer listener questions. Steve is a former director of admission at Princeton and the president of the private college counseling firm, Edvice. We hear from a tenth grader in Texas who wonders if it's better to focus on a few activities or a lot of activities when it comes to building an extra-curricular profile. And we answer an email from a parent wondering how to assess a financial aid package when her child applies early decision. We also check in with Getting In senior August Graves and we meet a new addition to our group of high school seniors. Send us an email or voice memo--to gettingin@slate.comOr, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims checks in with our group of seniors about how their college essays are coming along. The personal statement might be only 650 words, but these paragraphs have the power to make a student stand out to the admissions office, or get lost in the pack. New Jersey twelfth-grader Alessandra LePera gets essay feedback from our expert Steve LeManager, a former director of admission at Princeton and the president of the private college counseling firm, Edvice. And we hear more essay-writing do's and don'ts from our panel of experts: private college counselor Parke Muth, Amy Young, director of college counseling at Avenues New York, and Josh Steckel, college counselor at the Brooklyn School for Collaborative and the author of Hold Fast to Dreams. Send us an email or voice memo--to gettingin@slate.comOr, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Getting In is supported by Squarespace, helping students create online portfolios and personal websites that show colleges who they are and what they can do. Learn more at Squarespace.com/gettingin Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and expert Josh Steckel-- a college counselor at the Brooklyn School for Collaborative Studies and the author of Hold Fast to Dreams-- answer listener questions. The first question is from a parent who's child is applying early to a college that's "testing optional." She wonders if excluding test scores from the application could hurt her daughter's chances of acceptance. The second question is from a teacher who asks if recommendation letters are a waste of time. Next week on Getting In: The College Essay. Send us an email--or better yet, a voice memo--to gettingin@slate.comOr, call our hotline and leave a message at (929) 999-4353. Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com.Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/college and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and expert Amy Young, the director of college counseling at Avenues New York, answer listener questions. The first question, from a 10th grader enrolled in an intense STEM program, wonders how she can appear appealing to a college with an arts and communications focus. The second question is from a parent who wonders whether colleges are more impressed by straight As in "regular" or honors courses or Bs in AP and more advanced classes. Plus, a sneak preview of our upcoming episode on crafting a great college essay. Send us an email--or better yet, a voice memo--to gettingin@slate.com. Or, you can call our hotline and leave a message at 929-999-4353.   Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com. Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/COLLEGE and use the promo code COLLEGE.

Host Julie Lythcott-Haims and expert Parke Muth answer listener questions. Plus, we hear how some of the parents of our twelfth graders are feeling as the school year begins. Send us an email--or better yet, a voice memo--to gettingin@slate.com. Or, you can call our hotline and leave a message at 929-999-4353. Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com. Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/COLLEGE and use the promo code COLLEGE.  

In this first episode, meet the panel of experts – former college admissions officers at elite colleges and universities and guidance counselors – who will help our group of New York-area seniors make their way through the college admissions process. You’ll hear from the students, too – about their hopes for college, and their anxieties about admissions just as they begin senior year.   Getting In is sponsored by Audible.com. Get a free audiobook of your choice at www.audible.com/COLLEGE

A new podcast coming soon from the Panoply network.