It's the holiday season, which for many means an opportunity to give back. But for college admissions, are a few winter break community service hours going to be enough? In response to a listener question, Tyler spends some time talking about the importance of community impact, dismisses some myths about what counts as "meaningful" volunteer work, and suggests some ways to make sure that the impact you make on your community actually makes a difference. Join free webinars with Tyler Kusunoki...

Join us for an insightful conversation with Dr. Jason Cody Douglass as we delve into the world of the Yale Young Global Scholars program. Discover what makes this program a game-changer in the realm of summer educational opportunities, unraveling its essence, significance, and the qualities that define an ideal candidate. Dr. Douglass sheds light on the core aspects of the Yale Young Global Scholars program, its unique offerings, and the transformative experiences it offers students. We...

It's that time of year. Kids are out of school for 2-3 weeks, and all parents seem to see is some combination of video games, hanging out with friends, and screen time. Winter break is certainly a period to take a breather from the intensity of fall, but it is also an essential time, without competing priorities, to really start planning your future. In this episode, Tyler introduces some simple ground rules for how to make the most of your winter break to lay a path for success for your...

The UC application is due in just a few days! There are a lot of key differences between the UC application and the Common App, and with that comes a variety of ways to both make mistakes on and maximize your application. This week, Tyler offers some final advice on how to make sure your UC applications really shine, covering the UCs unique grading system, the Personal Insight Questions, and the extensive Activity List. Join free webinars with Tyler Kusunoki at...

There’s no time to waste! Even though it is only November, many competitive summer programs have application deadlines coming up soon. Don’t let a missed deadline be the reason you can’t have a meaningful summer. This week, Tyler talks about the importance of starting your summer research early, and provides advice on how to filter and find the best programs in a sea of options.

Note: This podcast was recorded on October 31st, 2023. Submissions have begun! If you've already done so, congratulations! You've passed one major milestone! For those of you who are still working away to get that essay just right or fix those activities, Tyler will share some final tips about ensuring a smooth submission. He will also talk a little bit about priorities after application, so if you want to make sure that your application is fully complete, tune in to learn more.

Does it really matter if I open that email? Will joining UCLA's Summer Institute increase my chances of getting in? Do I really have to tour a school to have a chance? Are schools really tracking all of this? There are many, many questions around the ambiguous metric of demonstrated interest and how that really affects your chances of getting into a university. This week, Tyler continues his mini-series on demystifying some of the myths and inconsistencies around college applications by...

The word "optional" is showing up a lot across college applications everywhere. Whether it be test scores, resumes, additional recommenders, or even the supplemental essays themselves, choice (or the illusion of it) is more prominent than ever. What does this all mean? Is there a disadvantage to not filling out absolutely everything? Why are they giving us so many choices? Tyler spends some time breaking down the strategic definition of the word "optional" and offers some advice on how to...

There are a lot of misconceptions out there about how to best strategize around a college application. The beliefs range from the reasonable - "Test optional can't possibly really mean optional, can it?" - to the extreme - "Should I buy a house in Sacramento so my child is considered in state for UC Berkeley?" As part of an ongoing series, Tyler will spend some time breaking down a few of the myths around college applications and provide alternative strategies to give you an actual advantage.

As we get closer to the first round of application deadlines, Tyler takes some time to review the differences between Early Decision, Early Action, Restrictive Early Action, and any other terms that may affect your overall college list building and application strategy. As more schools lean into accepting more students Early Decision, what does that mean for how you should be thinking about your application strategy? Tune in to find out.

In the midst of what is already a time filled with stress and indecision, The U.S. News and World Report has decided to release its new college rankings, incorporating a new algorithm that addresses the ongoing criticism it has recently come under. This revision has led to notable shifts in rank for several schools, as well as a renewed skepticism of ranking systems in general. This week, Tyler dives into these new numbers and shares his thoughts on how this widely used publication is now...

College applications have lots of restrictions. Whether it be word count, number of recommendations, size of your portfolio, or even the length of your school list, there are limits. This means that every opportunity you have to provide additional information matters, especially when colleges are placing so much emphasis on "holistic" admissions. So how should you use the Common App "Additional Information" section? What are things you should or shouldn't use it for? Tyler responds to a...

Every industry is leaning into the importance of data and analytics to optimize their strategies and decision making. Your college application process is no exception to this. But with all the information out there, how can a student make sure the data they are looking at is accurate and reliable? This week, Tyler takes a deep dive into a resource that many students and families aren't aware of when doing their college research: The Common Data Set. It is perhaps the most direct and...

With all the changes happening in the world of college admissions, and especially the recent Supreme Court Decision, this is a particularly important year to take a look at how college supplemental essays have shifted. This week, Tyler dives into a few of the new prompts, and suggests what these changes might mean for prospective students in terms of what their priorities should be.

This week, Tyler chats with Elia, a Japanese national and TASIS aluma, now navigating her college journey at Trinity. Dive into her transformative years at The American School In Switzerland, the cultural contrasts she faced, and how those pivotal moments in Lugano led her to discover her true calling. Tune in to learn about the pros and cons of a boarding school education, and how it paves a path to college.

As viewpoints and opinions become increasingly polarized in a world of social media, few schools have embraced the need for discourse in the way Claremont McKenna has. This week, Tyler sits down with Associate Dean of Admissions Jennifer Hirsch to discuss CMC’s unique approach to engaging with difference and disagreement as essential learning experiences, the school’s new developments in STEM offerings, and much more.

In this week's episode, Tyler engages in a long form discussion with Lee Coffin, Vice Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Dartmouth College. They delve into the shifting dynamics of the admissions landscape, influenced by significant global developments such as the pandemic. Coffin sheds light on the nuances of Dartmouth's admissions process and the qualities they look for in prospective students. This episode explores Dartmouth's unique standing within the Ivy...

This episode was recorded before the Supreme Court ruling on the use of race in college admissions. In this episode, Tyler engages in a thoughtful conversation with Dr. Anna Wise, Associate Dean of Admission and Director of International Recruitment for Hamilton College, to unpack the concept of Hamilton's open curriculum and its relevance in today's globalized society. Dr. Wise shares the unique philosophy behind Hamilton's innovative educational approach, which provides students with the...

This week, Tyler sits down with Adam Sapp, Assistant Vice President & Director of Admissions for Pomona College, to discuss the value of a liberal arts education in a rapidly changing world, and how Pomona College empowers students to explore diverse fields through interdisciplinary learning. Adam delves into the mechanisms Pomona College uses to foster curiosity, encourage intellectual flexibility, and build wide-ranging skills that are highly valued in today's complex, interconnected...

With colleges still scrambling to decide on their admissions policies after the Supreme Court's decision around affirmative action, one of the elements of the application that has received greater spotlight is the college essay. With many colleges likely to adopt some sort of measurement of adversity as a means of continuing to ensure diversity in their accepted cohorts, and with the pandemic still a foundational experience for many students who will be applying this cycle, the "trauma essay"...

With the recent landmark decision on race-conscious admissions policies, the Supreme Court has forced colleges to quickly re-evaluate their admissions criteria for the upcoming cycle and beyond. This week, Tyler shares his initial reactions to the decision, thoughts implications for the future, and suggests how students and families can best start preparing for the new post-decision world of college admissions.

With the ever increasing cost of college tuition, especially for international students, the question of how to even go about affording a college education is more important than ever. This challenge becomes magnified by the myriad and murky processes surrounding financial aid and scholarships. This week, Tyler dives into some strategies to go about seeking and qualifying for merit-based scholarships as one means of supporting the expenses of a university education.

Even if you're only aiming for the very top tier universities, you're probably approaching your college research the wrong way. While many of these top universities are comfortable with their position and aren't really taking risks in terms of innovation, many of the schools immediately behind them are doing their very best to disrupt the status quo of higher education to provide a more meaningful, valuable, and future-proof experience that actually sets students up for success. This week,...

Some big news to cover this week as Columbia decides to no longer submit data to the U.S. News and World Report College Rankings. What does this mean, and how might it affect rankings going forward? After that, Tyler digs a little bit further into what you actually need to demonstrate in your application to get into a good undergraduate engineering program, and provides some alternative pathways to a degree from a top tier engineering school.

With the world of business increasingly adopting AI and machine learning to drive its decision-making, choosing an undergraduate business degree that is best fit for you is critical. Business programs in particular tend to vary the most among bachelor's degrees when it comes to the actual learning experience, so it's essential to go beyond the rankings and actually look at what a school is offering This week, Tyler provides some guidance on how to do so, some schools to maybe pay a little...