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The Admissions Directors Lunchcast

The Admissions Directors Lunchcast

By Nathan and Teege

Our proposal: the most productive lunch meeting you'll take all week.

Each episode, Nathan and Teege will discuss an issue directly related to college admission. We don't have all the answers, so we'll bring in two guests each time - one influencer and one practitioner.

By the end of the episode, our hope is that you'll have an idea or a tactic that you can implement in your office, perhaps as early as the afternoon.
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Making The Move

The Admissions Directors LunchcastMay 24, 2022

00:00
48:23
College Essays

College Essays

It's another week of Counselor's Choice Topics! This week, we're discussing college application essays - but in a different twist. Instead of thinking about this from the student perspective, we're thinking about it from the other side of the desk.


What is the fair and appropriate use of the application essay in an admissions process? Should we ever use the content to determine there's not a good fit? How has the current state of college admissions impacted this component of the applciation package?


Kim Lifton, President and Co-Founder of Wow Writing Workshop in Detroit, Michigan opens the discussion with her perspectives on how these essays are being written and should be reviewed.


Jacob Browne, Dean of Admission at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida to talk about how college admissions counselors and Deans should review the essays.

Mar 26, 202449:05
Procrastination Among Students

Procrastination Among Students

We intended to talk about this a few seasons ago, but kept putting it off.


Just kidding. This season, the theme is Counselor's Choice - each week, we bring on an influencer who has identified a topic that needs to be discussed with Admissions Directors in 2024.


This week, it's the challenge of procrastination among students.


We begin with Laurie Kopp Weingarten, President of One-Stop College Counseling in Marlboro, New Jersey, who shares her observations and insights from working with students.


Then, Falone Serna, Dean of Undergraduate Admission & Outreach at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California, tackles the problem from the college perspective.

Mar 19, 202456:47
The Non-Stop Training Cycle

The Non-Stop Training Cycle

It's a fact of life in our profession: we can no longer plan for a thorough, comprehensive training program in August to onboard new counselors. Today's admissions counselors are starting year-round, they're leaving year-round, and there's no reason to believe things are changing any time soon.


With this new staffing model, what is the best approach for training, development, and retention of staff? How does it impact the school counselor/college admissions relationship? What do we need to change moving forward?


This week's School Counselor's Choice topic was selected by Kerri Carusso, College Scholarship Coordinator at Mount Carmel Academy in New Orleans, Louisiana, who shares what she's been seeing on the ground to compel this conversation.


We are then joined by our practitioner guest, Brian Hodges, Senior Associate Director of Recruitment and Outreach at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, in Urbana, Illinois.

Mar 12, 202452:48
Season Seven Teaser

Season Seven Teaser

We are fired up for the next season of The Admissions Directors Lunchcast!

This time, we took a different approach to developing the content: we asked influencers (school counselors, independent educational consultants, and community-based organization professionals) to tell us what topics they think admissions directors should be thinking about this year.

This season, we have sixteen outstanding guests taking on eight pressing topics in our profession. Beginning March 12, you can expect another episode every week, all the way up to May 1!

Mar 05, 202408:31
Emergency Lunchcast: FAFSA Delayed (Again)

Emergency Lunchcast: FAFSA Delayed (Again)

While we were all taken aback by the news of the FAFSA delay, we do not need to just wait for the ISIRs to finally arrive.

We tracked Nathan down in the South of France to record our initial reactions, with tangible, immediate tips and strategies that Admissions Directors can deploy today to minimize the negative impact, or even find benefit from this delay.

As a rare treat, the video version of this podcast is available at crowdcast.io/c/fafsadelay

Jan 31, 202429:17
J Term: Ellen Johnson

J Term: Ellen Johnson

It was a great week for us when we were able to release an interview with one of the leading voices in the intersection between admissions and financial aid: Ellen Johnson, Vice President for Enrollment Management at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania.


Enjoy this extended conversation, where we were able to dive in even deeper with Ellen about how counselors can better serve students, and what holds them back.

Jan 30, 202425:03
J Term: Melissa Lustic

J Term: Melissa Lustic

Everyone loves a good set of travel tips. This week, you can listen in on the extended conversation we had with Melissa Lustic, Director of College Counseling at The Meadows School in Las Vegas, Nevada.


Yes, like always, we did get around to "life before GPS."

Jan 23, 202430:47
J Term: Sara English

J Term: Sara English

Financial aid is always a hot topic - especially the year we are recording in August for an episode in October about financial aid when the FAFSA is scheduled to be released in December with an extended interview dropping in January.

This extended cut comes from everything we discussed after the interview with Sara English, Post-Secondary Counselor at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois.

Jan 16, 202436:07
J Term: Sawyer Earwood

J Term: Sawyer Earwood

What do you get when you get three former CTCL admissions counselors together discussing a magical candy committee? An extended J Term episode, that's what.


We are thrilled to bring you the extended cut of our interview from last summer with Sawyer Earwood, Independent Educational Consultant and owner of Virtual College Consulting in Every Town, USA.


More important topics than the candy committee: the value of phone calls, the impact of a counselor, and the power of relational recruiting.

Jan 09, 202428:46
Back To Basics: Summer Melt

Back To Basics: Summer Melt

This season, we're going back to basics. Each week, we'll dig deep into a stage in the recruitment process that admissions counselors need to be trained on. The goal is to help our listeners, Admissions Directors, identify opportunities to improve or enhance the development of their team.


Each episode correlates with a module of Lunchcast Leadership - a two-day workshop we offer to admissions offices. For more information, reach out to us at adlunchcast@gmail.com.


This week, we are discussing summer melt. What should admissions counselors be doing and thinking about at this stage in order to maximize enrollment results?


Our influencer guest is Jennifer Dryfoos, former school counselor at Santa Fe Preparatory School for over 25 years in Santa Fe, New Mexico.


Our practitioner guest is Dr. Patty Peek, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions at Fordham University in New York, New York.


Join us for your most productive lunch meeting all week, as we discuss how admissions counselors can help at this stage in the cycle.

Oct 31, 202346:20
Back To Basics: Yield Efforts

Back To Basics: Yield Efforts

This season, we're going back to basics. Each week, we'll dig deep into a stage in the recruitment process that admissions counselors need to be trained on. The goal is to help our listeners, Admissions Directors, identify opportunities to improve or enhance the development of their team.


Each episode correlates with a module of Lunchcast Leadership - a two-day workshop we offer to admissions offices. For more information, reach out to us at adlunchcast@gmail.com.


This week, we are discussing yield efforts. What should admissions counselors be doing and thinking about at this stage in order to maximize enrollment results?


Our influencer guest is Sawyer Earwood, Independent Educational Consultant and owner of Virtual College Consulting in Every Town, USA.


Our practitioner guest is Reuben Burnley, Director of Undergraduate Pathways at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois.


Join us for your most productive lunch meeting all week, as we discuss how admissions counselors can help at this stage in the cycle.

Oct 24, 202351:16
Back To Basics: Financial Aid

Back To Basics: Financial Aid

This season, we're going back to basics. Each week, we'll dig deep into a stage in the recruitment process that admissions counselors need to be trained on. The goal is to help our listeners, Admissions Directors, identify opportunities to improve or enhance the development of their team.


Each episode correlates with a module of Lunchcast Leadership - a two-day workshop we offer to admissions offices. For more information, reach out to us at adlunchcast@gmail.com.


This week, to we are discussing financial aid. What should admissions counselors be doing and thinking about at this stage in order to maximize enrollment results?


Our influencer guest is Sara English, Post-Secondary Counselor at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois.


Our practitioner guest is Ellen Johnson, Vice President for Enrollment Management at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania.


Join us for your most productive lunch meeting all week, as we discuss how admissions counselors can help at this stage in the cycle.


Oct 17, 202341:41
Back To Basics: Application Generation

Back To Basics: Application Generation

This season, we're going back to basics. Each week, we'll dig deep into a stage in the recruitment process that admissions counselors need to be trained on. The goal is to help our listeners, Admissions Directors, identify opportunities to improve or enhance the development of their team.


Each episode correlates with a module of Lunchcast Leadership - a two-day workshop we offer to admissions offices. For more information, reach out to us at adlunchcast@gmail.com.


This week, we are discussing application generation. What should admissions counselors be doing and thinking about at this stage in order to maximize enrollment results?


Our influencer guest is Christine Grover, Director of College Counseling at Trinity Prep in Winter Park, Florida.


Our practitioner guest is Evan Wilson, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management at Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois.


Join us for your most productive lunch meeting all week, as we discuss how admissions counselors can help at this stage in the cycle.


Oct 10, 202347:26
Back To Basics: Travel Tips

Back To Basics: Travel Tips

This season, we're going back to basics. Each week, we'll dig deep into a stage in the recruitment process that admissions counselors need to be trained on. The goal is to help our listeners, Admissions Directors, identify opportunities to improve or enhance the development of their team.


Each episode correlates with a module of Lunchcast Leadership - a two-day workshop we offer to admissions offices. For more information, reach out to us at adlunchcast@gmail.com.


This week, to we are discussing travel tips. What should admissions counselors be doing and thinking about at this stage in order to maximize enrollment results?


Our influencer guest is Melissa Lustic, Director of College Counseling at The Meadows School in Las Vegas, Nevada.


Our practitioner guest is Max Gold, Regional Admission Counselor based in Florida for Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey.


Join us for your most productive lunch meeting all week, as we discuss how admissions counselors can help at this stage in the cycle.

Oct 03, 202351:34
Back To Basics: Counselor Engagement

Back To Basics: Counselor Engagement

This season, we're going back to basics. Each week, we'll dig deep into a stage in the recruitment process that admissions counselors need to be trained on. The goal is to help our listeners, Admissions Directors, identify opportunities to improve or enhance the development of their team.


Each episode correlates with a module of Lunchcast Leadership - a two-day workshop we offer to admissions offices. For more information, reach out to us at adlunchcast@gmail.com.


This week, we are discussing counselor engagement. What should admissions counselors be doing and thinking about at this stage in order to maximize enrollment results?


Our influencer guest is Meg Farley, Director of College Counseling at Cape Cod Academy in Osterville, Massachusetts.


Our practitioner guest is Anthony Perez, Assistant Director of Admissions, Multi-cultural Outreach and Recruitment, at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan.


Join us for your most productive lunch meeting all week, as we discuss how admissions counselors can help at this stage in the cycle.


Sep 26, 202344:33
NACAC Conference Bonus: Morale and Burnout
Sep 23, 202329:49
Back To Basics: Territory Management

Back To Basics: Territory Management

This season, we're going back to basics. Each week, we'll dig deep into a stage in the recruitment process that admissions counselors need to be trained on. The goal is to help our listeners, Admissions Directors, identify opportunities to improve or enhance the development of their team.


Each episode correlates with a module of Lunchcast Leadership - a two-day workshop we offer to admissions offices. For more information, reach out to us at adlunchcast@gmail.com.


This week, we are discussing territory management. What should admissions counselors be doing and thinking about at this stage in order to maximize enrollment results?


Our influencer guest is Dr. Talia Pennington-Dorcey, Director of College Counseling at Incarnate Word Academy in Houston, Texas.


Our practitioner guest is Derek Faase, Director of Admissions at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.


Join us for your most productive lunch meeting all week, as we discuss how admissions counselors can help at this stage in the cycle.


Sep 19, 202344:13
Back To Basics: Inquiry Generation

Back To Basics: Inquiry Generation

This season, we're going back to basics. Each week, we'll dig deep into a stage in the recruitment process that admissions counselors need to be trained on. The goal is to help our listeners, Admissions Directors, identify opportunities to improve or enhance the development of their team.


Each episode correlates with a module of Lunchcast Leadership - a two-day workshop we offer to admissions offices. For more information, reach out to us at adlunchcast@gmail.com.


This week, we are discussing inquiry generation ... specifically, student search. What should admissions counselors be doing and thinking about at this stage in order to maximize enrollment results?


Our influencer guest is Chuck Erickson, Independent Educational Consultant with College Connectors, based in Appleton, Wisconsin.


Our practitioner guest is Mary Beth Petrie, Vice President for Enrollment Management at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana.


Join us for your most productive lunch meeting all week, as we discuss how admissions counselors can help at this stage in the cycle.

Sep 12, 202355:35
Season Six Teaser

Season Six Teaser

We are (about to be) back for another season!  As always, we have sixteen different guests, each bringing their own perspective and insights to issues being faced by admissions directors everywhere.

Plus, a bonus episode, discussing some research we conducted with two guests from last season.

This season, we're going back to basics. Each week, we'll dig deep into a stage in the recruitment process that admissions counselors need to be trained on. The goal is to help our listeners, Admissions Directors, identify opportunities to improve or enhance the development of their team.

Episodes will drop every Tuesday morning in September and October!

Sep 08, 202307:23
Summer Session - The Admissions Directors Lunchcast LIVE!

Summer Session - The Admissions Directors Lunchcast LIVE!

In a professional highlight for your humble hosts, we were fortunate enough to be invited to serve as keynote speakers for the Ohio ACAC conference in March. We present you the unedited audio recording from inside the room, where we discussed the Shattering The Status Quo concept with three Ohio professionals.


Alicia Watts, College Counselor at St. Edward High School

Emily Haggerty, Director of Admissions, Ursuline College

Angela Eberhardt, Assistant Director of College Advising, I Know I Can


We hope you enjoy listening to this conversation as much as we enjoyed being in Toledo!

Jul 25, 202343:20
Summer Session - Perry Robinson

Summer Session - Perry Robinson

Every season, a few interviews need just a bit more space than we can fit into our regular format. When the full interview can't fit into one hour, we catch up in between seasons to give an unedited conversation.

Originally released as part of "The Future of Test Scores", we had so much more to share from our conversation with Perry Robinson, Happily Retired School Counselor, and Vice President for Enrollment, and Past President of Wisconsin ACAC, who talks about the history of the test-optional movement, weights test-optional and test-blind policies, and discusses how families are reacting to these changes.

Jul 18, 202334:38
Summer Session - Kristoffer Toribio

Summer Session - Kristoffer Toribio

Every season, a few interviews need just a bit more space than we can fit into our regular format. When the full interview can't fit into one hour, we catch up in between seasons to give an unedited conversation.

Originally released as part of "The Future of Test Scores", we had so much more to share from our conversation with Kristoffer Toribio, Manager of International Admissions at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California, and Past President of International ACAC. During this extended interview, he weighs in on the international perspective, the right of passage the tests have become, and the role of tests in the rising direct admissions options.

Jul 11, 202331:15
Summer Session - Kathi Moody

Summer Session - Kathi Moody

Every season, a few interviews need just a bit more space than we can fit into our regular format. When the full interview can't fit into one hour, we catch up in between seasons to give an unedited conversation.

Originally discussed in the episode, "What's Happening Post Covid", we are joined by Kathi Moody, Department Head for School Counseling at Lynnfield High School in Lynnfield, Massachusetts and Past-President of New England ACAC.

With six more months since our interview, the thoughts about how COVID continues to impact the college search process is just as relevant.

Jul 04, 202327:31
Partner Series - CollegeVine

Partner Series - CollegeVine

Our limited edition partner series this weeks features CollegeVine, the recruiting network for colleges.


We begin with a clear outline of the challenges coming with changes in student search during our conversation with Vinay Bhaskara, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at CollegeVine. We follow up with a compelling discussion focused on "now what?" with Jonathan Wehner, Vice President and Dean of Admissions at Cleveland State University.


This pairing of topics couldn't be better, as CollegeVine is providing several avenues to help colleges through these changes, starting with the impact calculator: https://www.collegevine.com/data-lab/search-impact-calculator, which you can use right now to determine how significant these changes will be to your institution.


After that, CollegeVine may be part of the answer for many listeners. Their services help colleges build meaningful connections with millions of students looking to attend the right institution for them.  


As the largest professional network of high school students and colleges, CollegeVine has reimagined student recruiting.  Their transparent recruiting process centered around meaningful connections between students and schools will enable you to connect with right match students who want to be recruited.

Their unique process will allow you to get to know the whole student, drive affinity, and nurture your audience through one on one engagement that can't be replicated.


To learn more, contact Vinay Bhaskara, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at CollegeVine at vinay@collegevine.com.

May 02, 202351:60
The Value of ACAC Involvement

The Value of ACAC Involvement

When developing professional development plans for your team or for yourself, how frequently are you including involvement in your state or regional ACAC?  In a fitting end for a season featuring affiliate leaders, this week we're talking about the many benefits for professionals and their institutions.

And yes, we even address the biggest perceived barrier: that the affiliates seem too cliquey to break in.  

We've asked two guests who've seen the positive impacts of ACAC involvement in their own careers to share their stories.

Paul Welsh, School Counselor at Fenton High School in Bensenville, Illinois, and President-Elect of Illinois ACAC (for a few more days) talks about his experiences and other associations that could have captured his attention.

Michael Cartusciello, Director of Admissions at Lesley University, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Past-President of New Jersey ACAC helps us think about the topic from the perspective of institutions who are already involved in their local ACAC.  

Join us for this week as we send off season five with a clarion call - get involved in your local ACAC!

Apr 25, 202358:46
The Beauty of Staying Put

The Beauty of Staying Put

In our profession, we are often told that to move up, you have to move on.  However, on every campus and high school, you'll find professionals who have spent most of their careers in one place.  There are benefits to that experience, and perhaps we need to counter the conventional wisdom of moving from institution to institution.

Of course, both of your hosts took the path of moving on, with ten institutions between us, so we are incredibly fortunate to have two guests who can share their experiences and advice with you.

Jessica Sant, Chief Engagement Officer at The Lovett School in Atlanta, Georgia and Past-President of Southern ACAC talks about the benefits of years-long connections to a school and a community while charting your career path.

Gordie Coffin, Director of Admissions at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, Nebraska shares the experience of staying at one college through it all.

As you consider your next move, it may be worth considering if it really needs to include a move.

Apr 18, 202352:30
When Your Kid Goes Through The College Search Process

When Your Kid Goes Through The College Search Process

Many of us have been or will be there - parenting a child going through the college search process.  In some ways, children of admissions professionals have unique advantages.  In other ways, our insight into the process makes this a genuinely different experience for us.  How should we approach it, and what can we learn from going through it ourselves?

This week, we are joined by two counselors who, at times, counsel both of your hosts as we are at the early stages of our own kids considering college options.

Stacey Cunitz, Director of College Counseling at The Crefeld School, and Certified Educational Planner Blue Moon Educational Planning, both in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as well as President of Pennsylvania ACAC starts the conversation with some tangible advice for parents who are admissions professionals.

Sarah Gammans, Director of School Counseling at Northview High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and President of Michigan ACAC adds to the discussion with some ideas of what admissions professionals who are parents can take away from this process.

We hope you find these interviews as valuable as we did.

Apr 11, 202354:04
Partner Series - High School Counselor Marketing
Apr 05, 202340:40
The Future of Test Scores

The Future of Test Scores

What's the surest way to initiate a heated argument between admissions professionals that boils over?

Take a strong position on the use of test scores in college admissions.

So that's what we're going to do - specifically, focus on the future of test scores.  

As always, we have two great guests to provide insights.

Perry Robinson, Happily Retired School Counselor, and Vice President for Enrollment, and President of Wisconsin ACAC, talks about the history of the test-optional movement, weights test-optional and test-blind policies, and discusses how families are reacting to these changes.

Kristoffer Toribio, Manager of International Admissions at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California, and President of International ACAC, weighs in on the international perspective, the right of passage the tests have become, and the role of tests in the rising direct admissions options.

Any conversation about standardized tests with admissions professionals is interesting, so we hope you enjoy listening to these discussions as much as we enjoyed having them.

Apr 04, 202357:20
What Did We Learn About College Fairs?

What Did We Learn About College Fairs?

Over the last several years, we all underwent a dramatic learning curve on the values, benefits, and drawbacks of in-person, hand-shaking college fairs.  We wanted to get perspectives on what we all specifically learned, which lessons will stay with us, and which innovative approaches will stay behind only as a covid-era necessity.

As always, we are lucky to have two outstanding guests to help make sense of this.

Herbie Walker, Director of School Climate & College Counseling at Faith Lutheran Middle School and High School in Las Vegas, Nevada, and President of Western ACAC helps us think about this from the perspective students and parents.

Drew Shradel, Director of Admission at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, and President of Iowa ACAC discusses the institutional cost/benefit analysis, different approaches that may be needed, and the future of colleges attending college fairs.

While spring travel season is well underway, planning for fall travel is just around the corner.  These conversations will help prepare you to make the best decisions for your institution this fall.

Mar 28, 202359:39
Hail Mary Strategies

Hail Mary Strategies

If you've had more than two cycles in admissions leadership, you've no doubt been there: despite your best-laid plans, your class did not come in as intended.  In these situations, our playbook is thinner, and the ROI is more challenging to justify.

Or is it?

This week, we're breaking form a bit by bringing two active admissions professionals to share their thoughts on when, how, and what hail-mary strategies they consider, accept, and reject.

It's a thought-provoking week, largely thanks to our two outstanding guests.

Dr. Brian Jones, Director of Admissions at Minnesota State University - Mankato in Mankato, Minnesota, and President of Minnesota ACAC shares his skeptical perspective on these last-ditch efforts.

Ramon Blakely, Director of Recruitment at the University of Texas at Austin in Austin, Texas, and President of Texas ACAC brings his own thoughts to the discussion.

Here's hoping you won't need this episode this year, but it's here for you when you do need it.

Mar 21, 202352:38
Staff Development During The Great Resignation

Staff Development During The Great Resignation

While it's not quite a covid episode, you might say the pandemic inspires the topics discussed.  All around us, and at every level of our profession, The Great Resignation is real.  It's hitting admissions offices particularly hard.  How does this rapid turnover, large number of admissions counselors who've never experienced a travel season, and changing expectations of families impact staff development?

We are fortunate to have two guests ready to address these topics with us.

Marion Meadows, Director of County Programs at I Know I Can in Columbus, Ohio and President-Elect of Ohio ACAC brings insight to how students, counselors, and CBOs are responding to admissions counselors and how that should inform our staff development decisions.

Seinquis Leinen, Director of Admission at North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota, and President of Dakota ACAC discusses how she is approaching staff development in this new normal.

The entire season isn't about covid, we promise.

Mar 14, 202356:07
What's Happening Post-Covid?

What's Happening Post-Covid?

We're not superstitious, so we'll ask the question: now that we're in the post-covid "new normal" - what's happening with the college search process?  Which of the emergency adjustments are here to stay, and which are going to be left behind in favor of a return to the old ways?

To tackle these questions, we have lined up to great guests.

Kathi Moody, Department Head for School Counseling at Lynnfield High School in Lynnfield, Massachusetts and President of New England ACAC speaks to the question as a counselor and a parent.

Jennifer McClendon, Assistant Director of Recruitment at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and President Great Plains ACAC discusses the issues directly related to recruitment and admissions.

We're back for a fifth season, and of course covid is still the hot topic.

Mar 07, 202345:18
Season Five Teaser

Season Five Teaser

We are (about to be) back for another season!  As always, we have sixteen different guests, each bringing their own perspective and insights to issues being faced by admissions directors everywhere.

To find guests, we tried something a little different this time.  Each guest is a current President, President-Elect, or current Past President of their state or regional ACAC organization.  

Episodes will drop every Tuesday morning in March and April!

Feb 28, 202307:29
J Term: Mark Salisbury

J Term: Mark Salisbury

We now conclude this Financial Aid J Term with the extended conversation with Mark Salisbury, Co-Founder and CEO of Tuition Fit.  The edited interview aired during our conversation about student loan fears, but we had to cut so many great insights for time.  Enjoy this extended conversation where we discuss new federal regulations, crowdsourcing tuition data, and the need for change and disruption in how this whole system works for students and families.

Jan 24, 202336:13
J Term: Matt Osborne

J Term: Matt Osborne

Any time we get a chance to interview someone on the cutting edge of a problem facing admissions directors, you have to assume the interview is going to run long as it did with our conversation with Matt Osborne, Senior Vice President of Client Service and Sales at Ardeo Education Services in Bloomington, Indiana.  Matt had so much to say, a thoughtful perspective, and a clear message to Admissions Directors that we almost had no choice but to drop the extended interview here in January.  Student loan fears remain real, and going into the spring, you're going to be hearing a lot more about them.  Consider this conversation a re-primer on the topic.

Jan 17, 202347:41
J Term: Ryan Gebler

J Term: Ryan Gebler

The theme of the J Term this year is financial aid, and we continue that by bringing you the extended interview with Ryan Gebler, Director of Financial Aid at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin.  In addition to the great conversation we dropped a few months ago, we also discuss the seeming shift in perspective where students in the "financial aid donut hole" used to be a pressing topic of conversation in a way that is not true now.  We also go all in on answering the question of whose responsibility is it to change the story: state and federal governments, families, or individual institutions.

Jan 10, 202332:57
J Term: Jim Zielinski

J Term: Jim Zielinski

As revealed in our initial interview, Jim Zielinski, Co-Director of College Counseling at The Prairie School in Racine, Wisconsin, is a professional role model for Teege - and as such, the conversation went on far too long during our recording in August.  With decades of experience as a Director of Admission and now many years on the school counseling side of the desk, Jim had a lot to say about how to think differently about middle-class families going through the college search process.  Often represented as a "donut hole" in terms of college financing options, this is an area that we can all benefit from ongoing thought.

Jan 03, 202338:52
Should I Stay Or Should I Go (To The Darkside...)

Should I Stay Or Should I Go (To The Darkside...)

All of us have, at some point, considered what a jump to the vendor side of the desk would be like.  Is there a better work/life balance?  Is the salary better?  Would you still get a sense of fulfillment from your work?  How stressful are sales goals relative to enrollment goals?  Can I work from home?  Would there be fewer meetings than in an on-campus job?

We're breaking the mold again this week with two guests who have leaped - from a campus to a private company.  This week, we'll better understand their stories, the transition, and if they'd ever cross back over to a college campus.

Erin Stine, Strategic Partnerships Manager at Motimatic in New York, New York, talks about how and why she leaped.

Josh Bistromowitz, Enrollment Management and Marketing Consultant at Media Cross in Saint Louis, Missouri, offers his own take on the experience.

One impact of the Great Resignation is that everyone, Admissions Directors included, is reconsidering their approach to work.  If that currently describes you, this week's episode is most definitely for you.  We can't think of a better way to end season four.

Nov 08, 202257:21
Counselor Retention

Counselor Retention

Well, this was easily the hottest topic at NACAC in Houston - how the Great Resignation impacts admissions offices.  Holding on to great admissions counselors has always been important - but it's now also top of mind and what everyone is talking about.  In this week's episode, we hope to provide you with more arguments and rationale to take back to your campus as you look to initiate strategies to hold on to your staff.  We detail the benefits of holding on to staff and underscore the negative impacts when counselor transition occurs.

This week's guests help us navigate this topic in a relevant and easy-to-understand way.

Amanda Booth, Director of College Counseling at Wichita Collegiate School in Wichita, Kansas, talks about how a counselor transition impacts the students and counselors you are working with.

Julie Nelson, Assistant Dean of Admission at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio (but regionally based in Batavia, Illinois), discusses the management aspect of keeping counselors happy, challenged, and retained.

This is a rapidly evolving conversation, but we're excited to join you this week.

Nov 01, 202250:04
Authenticity In Recruitment

Authenticity In Recruitment

Well sure, we would all agree that the buzzword "authenticity" should apply to our recruitment efforts.  But in practice, what does it mean and how do we achieve it?  How do counselors stay authentic to themselves while also being authentic to their institution?  What happens when we miss on this mark?  We have two natural voices offering their genuine thoughts on the topic of authenticity.

Kerry Carusso, College Scholarship Coordinator at Mount Carmel Academy in New Orleans, Louisiana helps us understand how students and counselors measure and react to authentic communications from institutions.

Kailagh O'Keefe, Admissions Advisor at Mount Mary University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin talks about the role authentic recruitment has played in her career path so far and how she ensures that she is being true to herself and her institution at the same time.

Moving beyond the buzzword, we're diving deep into how to have an authentic approach to recruitment this week.

Oct 25, 202259:16
Middle-Income Families and Financial Aid

Middle-Income Families and Financial Aid

Guiding middle-income families through the financial aid process is particularly vexing.  That's not to imply it's easier with low- and lower-income families, but in that case there are more programs and places to point them to.  Middle-income families often exist in the "donut hole" of financial aid - making too much to qualify for state or federal grants, but not enough to afford the cost of their child's education.  What can we do to help this group?

We are joined by two experts, each uniquely positioned to provide insight.

Jim Zielinski, Co-Director of College Counseling at The Prairie School in Racine, Wisconsin brings his experience as a school counselor and his decades of experience as Director of Admissions at a liberal arts college to the discussion.  How he advises families through the process and when he poses the question of, 'whose responsibility is it to pay for your child's education?' are two particularly highlights.

Ryan Gebler, Director of Financial Aid at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin adds his own level of insight.  Having worked at multiple private institutions and counseled hundreds if not thousands of students through financial aid systems, he offers a level of information that we all need right now.

Filling the donut hole is not easy, but it's a discussion we should collectively continue.

Oct 18, 202256:40
Student Loan Fears

Student Loan Fears

Whether rational or not, the biggest fear stopping students from enrolling is the fear of student loan debt.  While mainstream perspectives and media representations are wildly off base, that incorrect information is what many families bring to the college search process.  So what can we do about it?

We took a different approach to guests this week - finding folks who can share unique perspectives that we can all consider immediately.

Mark Salisbury, Co-Founder, and CEO of Tuition Fit in Davenport, Iowa, unpacks the fears students have and how we can collectively shed some light and perspective on what their experience is likely to be.

Matt Osborne, Senior Vice President of Client Service and Sales at Ardeo Education Solutions in Bloomington, Indiana, shares his experience as a Vice President for Enrollment and how creative solutions may be what is needed.

Collectively, we can all benefit from spending more time thinking about student loan fears, and this week is our contribution to that dialogue.

Oct 11, 202257:09
What the Heck is Executive Functioning?

What the Heck is Executive Functioning?

If this topic catches you off guard - you're not alone.  We'll bring it all together as we work through how understanding the executive functioning and development of high school students can improve your recruitment efforts.  Then, we'll dig a bit deeper and discuss the levels of executive functioning with admissions counselors and even Deans and Directors.  The key takeaway: we could all benefit from ongoing training and attention in this area.

Joining us this week are two folks who have been spending a lot of time thinking about this topic.

Shannon Donaldson, Assistant Director of College Counseling at the Academy of the Holy Cross in Kensington, Maryland has been watching how high school students are growing in this area, and specifically how the pandemic has impacted them.  Then, we ask her to help us understand how admissions counselors are performing out on the road when their Directors and VPs are back in the office.

Asia Wong, Director of Counseling at Loyola University New Orleans, in New Orleans, Louisiana has been working with students after they arrive on a college campus.  She'll help us connect the recruiting work we're doing with the student success work happening on a college campus.

It's all about executive functioning with a college admissions twist this week.

Oct 04, 202256:04
Why Do We Travel, Again?

Why Do We Travel, Again?

:: written tentatively in case covid surprises us again ::

We are now knee-deep into our first "full" travel season post-covid.  High school visits, college fairs, afternoons at Starbucks and Panera, and an endless array of Hampton Inns / Holiday Inns / Marriotts / Whatever Points Plan You Have are back.  Yet, when you consider the fact that the pandemic has thwarted travel for two falls and the turnover coming from The Great Resignation, we have a whole slew of road warriors who not only have never done this before, but have been successful without doing it.  It creates a weird dynamic - those of us who have been around for years intuitively understand (or think we do) the value of doing this travel.  But for the first time, we have to explain and justify to admissions counselors why this "new" job responsibility is so important.

To put it plainly, why do we travel, again?

To help us think through this, we have two excellent guests.  

Chris Reeves, School Counselor at Saint Henry District High School in Erlinger, Kentucky (and co-host of the great "Get Schooled by Reeves and Ford" podcast) shares his perspectives from the receiving end.  Not only how students react, but the challenge and justification needed to bring other people into the building to serve students.

Andrew Curiel, Associate Director for Admission at College of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale, New York (and Founder of Be You Stay True) discusses the challenges and benefits from the college side.

There may be no better time to step back and consider travel - why are we doing this?


Sep 27, 202254:60
Establishing Yourself In A New Role

Establishing Yourself In A New Role

A unique feature of our profession is that even as adults, we can find ourselves in the awkward situation of being the "new kid" in school.  Successfully transitioning to a new role or a new campus can sometimes hinge on coming out of the gate strong in those first few critical weeks on the job.  While each of your hosts has had a few transitions, we invited into the conversation two folks who have managed their transitions exceptionally well.

Matt Mettille, Co-Director of College Counseling at North Shore Country Day School in Winnetka, Illinois, talks about his experience moving between a few high schools while crisscrossing the country.  As a bonus, he shares insights from Deans and Directors about how they can best connect with school counselors when arriving at a new campus.

Nikki Chun, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, in Mānoa, Hawaiʻi, gives a master class on how to establish yourself, sometimes before day one, as a leader at a new institution.

When you make your next move, putting serious thought into those first few days and weeks will be critical to setting yourself up for success.  This episode will help you to do just that.

Sep 20, 202253:50
Season Four Teaser

Season Four Teaser

The fourth season (FOURTH!!!) begins in just a few days.  We have sixteen dynamic, interesting interviews scheduled revolving around 8 different topics directly related to recruitment and admission.  If you haven't already, subscribe now so you don't miss a single episode.

Sep 18, 202205:50
Partner Series - Ardeo Education Solutions
Sep 13, 202240:56
Partner Series - Meghan Cooley Consulting
Sep 08, 202246:08
Partner Series - Verto Education

Partner Series - Verto Education

Sponsored episode: Verto Education

Our limited edition partner series features Mitch Gordon, President and Co-Founder and Michael Kabbaz, Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff at Verto Education in Portland, Oregon and current client Meredith Twombly, Vice President for Admissions and Financial Aid at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Verto Education is transforming the way students approach gap years and colleges recruit transfer students.

Verto Education helps admissions offices by connecting you with qualified, internationally engaged applicants.

Sep 06, 202243:23