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Inside Admission

Inside Admission

By Andrew Palumbo

"The podcast giving listeners a peek behind the curtain of college admission."

Host Andrew Palumbo gives listeners an insider’s view interviewing professionals working in and around the admissions process about their own college search, common admission topics, and their advice to college-bound students and their parents.

Episodes feature an interview with well-known individuals in the world of college admission providing practical knowledge for families going through the college search process.

Learn more about a single topic or listen to many to gain a better understanding of the process.
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Currently playing episode

Special Edition on the Digital SAT

Inside AdmissionMar 14, 2022

00:00
01:23:55
Andrew Palumbo - Inside the Admission Committee (Guest Host: Aaron Ray)

Andrew Palumbo - Inside the Admission Committee (Guest Host: Aaron Ray)

Guest Host Aaron Ray returns to interview the host of Inside Admission Podcast, Andrew Palumbo. Aaron – the first guest on the podcast – turns the tables on Andrew and asks him about his path to becoming an admission leader as well as his own college search.

Episode 13 is the fourth installment in a series called “Inside the Admission Committee” and is the Season 1 Finale. Andrew talks with Aaron about his university’s path to a test-blind admission policy and how his admission team has worked to address cognitive bias in the application review process.

The podcast will take a brief to record more episodes before starting Season 2.

Thank you all for listening this first season!

Apr 11, 202255:27
Vern Granger - Inside the Admission Committee

Vern Granger - Inside the Admission Committee

In the third installment of the "Inside the Admission Committee" series, Andrew Palumbo sits down with Vern Granger, Director of Undergraduate Admission at the University of Connecticut and Chair-Elect to the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Board of Directors.

Vern shares his experience working in admission at several large public universities and gives an inside look into how a college that received over 40,000 applications this year reviews each application; you might be surprised by what you hear.

Also, Andrew discloses a bit about the origin of the podcast and how Vern is tied to the idea that started it all.

Join the email list and find past episodes at www.insideadmissionpodcast.com

If you like the episode please take a moment to follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform!

Apr 04, 202201:00:46
Ken Anselment - Inside the Admission Committee

Ken Anselment - Inside the Admission Committee

Andrew Palumbo, host of the Inside Admission Podcast, sits down with Ken Anselment, the Vice President for Enrollment at Lawrence University and host of The Admissions Leadership Podcast ("The ALP")

Ken is the second admissions leader to sit down for a special series called "Inside the Admission Committee". Ken and Andy discuss what really happens once student submit an application and how decisions are made. No questions are off-limits in this series.

Once you're done listening, be sure to check out Ken's popular podcast, The ALP, where he sits down to learn about admissions professionals' careers and their path to leadership.

Mar 28, 202255:40
Jay Jacobs - Inside the Admission Committee

Jay Jacobs - Inside the Admission Committee

Host Andrew Palumbo speaks with Jay Jacobs, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management at the University of Vermont on this episode of the Inside Admission Podcast.

Jay discusses his own path to St. Lawrence University, and kicks off a new series on the podcast featuring admission leaders giving our audience a behind the scenes look at how application decision are made. We discuss what UVM looks for in an applicant, how applications are read, and get a seat in the admission committee to understand just how this secretive process works. Jay also shares his thoughts on whether or not admission is a “meritocracy”.

This is the first episode in a series of conversations with leaders in different types of universities to better understand the commonalities and differences in how admission offices actually make their decisions.

Mar 21, 202250:02
Special Edition on the Digital SAT

Special Edition on the Digital SAT

The first-ever "Special Edition" of the Inside Admission Podcast is focused on standardized testing the the College Board's January 2022 announcement of the Digital SAT. The night of this announcement in late January, Andrew Palumbo reached out to admissions and testing experts who he thought would best be able to share early insights from their perspectives as a high school counselor, an admissions dean, and a former test-prep professional.

The result was an excellent discussion recorded during National School Counselor Week that covers the guests' own standardized testing experience as students, the testing landscape, a discussion on test-optional admission policies, and what to expect from the new Digital SAT.

Featured Guests:

Alicia Oglesby - School Counselor at Lower Moreland HS

Akil Bello - Senior Director of Advocacy & Advancement at Fair Test; former test prep professional

Leigh Weisenburger - Vice President for Enrollment & Dean of Admission & Financial Aid at Bates College

Mar 14, 202201:23:55
Angel Pérez - Financial Aid & Transitioning to College

Angel Pérez - Financial Aid & Transitioning to College

Host Andrew Palumbo speaks with Angel Pérez, a former college admissions professional and Chief Executive Officer of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) on this episode of the Inside Admission Podcast.

Angel discusses his own path to Skidmore College, transitioning to college, and financial aid and financing a college education.

Feb 21, 202238:05
Ned Johnson – Parents' Role in College Admission

Ned Johnson – Parents' Role in College Admission

Host Andrew Palumbo sits down for a conversation with standardized testing prep expert Ned Johnson, a self-described “Tutor-Geek” and President of PrepMatters.

In this episode of the Inside Admission podcast, Ned and Andrew focus on what role parents should play in the college admission process.

Frustrated by conversations with your child about college that don't go as planned? 

Can't get your high schooler to talk about their applications? 

This episode is full of strategies and knowledge that are essential for parents supporting a child with their college admission process.

Feb 14, 202240:53
Jenny Rickard - Mythbusting College Admission

Jenny Rickard - Mythbusting College Admission

Andrew Palumbo sits down for a conversation with Common App's President & CEO, Jenny Rickard, to discuss - and bust - some common college admission myths.  


In this episode of the Inside Admission podcast, Jenny & Andrew tackle myths about grades, standardized test scores, extracurricular activities, and asking for teacher recommendations.

Feb 07, 202245:14
Darryl Tiggle - Searching for a College, Touring Colleges, & More

Darryl Tiggle - Searching for a College, Touring Colleges, & More

Host Andrew Palumbo sits down to talk with Darryl Tiggle, Director of College Counseling at the Friends School of Baltimore, about his college admissions search, searching for a college, touring colleges, the high school visit & more.

Jan 31, 202251:32
Ron Lieber - Finding a College, Standardized Tests, & Financial Aid

Ron Lieber - Finding a College, Standardized Tests, & Financial Aid

Host Andrew Palumbo sits down to talk with Ron Lieber, the New York Times Your Money columnist and author of The Price You Pay for College.

In this episode of the Inside Admission Podcast, Ron talks about his college search that brought him to Amherst College, the importance of mentors, his thoughts on how and when you should search for a college, standardized test scores, and financial aid.

Jan 24, 202247:12
Jeff Selingo – Finding Colleges, Financial Aid, & Standardized Tests

Jeff Selingo – Finding Colleges, Financial Aid, & Standardized Tests

Host Andrew Palumbo sits down to talk with Jeff Selingo, journalist and author of Who Gets in and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions. Jeff reflects on his year spent embedded in three admission offices prior to Covid and gives listeners his unique outsider’s “insider” take on admission. The conversation covers finding a college, financial aid, and standardized tests. Jeff speaks to the concern many students and families have about what test-optional really means and also touches on his concept of “Buyers” (schools that offer a large amount of non-need based aid) and “Sellers” (those that don’t).

Jan 17, 202235:20
Marie Bigham - The Transition to College, Transferring, & Debunking College Admission Myths

Marie Bigham - The Transition to College, Transferring, & Debunking College Admission Myths

Host Andrew Palumbo sits down to talk with Marie Bigham, founder and executive director of ACCEPT about her college admissions search, transferring, and the transition to college. Marie and Andrew also spend some time debunking common misconceptions about college admissions in this episode.
Jan 10, 202253:58
Aaron Ray - The Transition to College

Aaron Ray - The Transition to College

Higher education admissions and enrollment expert, Andrew Palumbo, hosts the pilot episode of the Inside Admission podcast, interviewing Aaron Ray, director of opportunity programs at Hamilton College in NY.
This episode of Inside Admission focuses on advice for students and parents on the transition to college and how students can get acclimated to college socially and academically.
Jan 03, 202249:35
Trailer

Trailer

The Inside Admission podcast trailer for season one (starting January 3, 2022).
Dec 31, 202100:20