The College Spy Podcast
By Michelle McAnaney
The College Spy PodcastApr 02, 2024
#12: Parenting Advice for Complex Kids: An Interview with Diane Dempster of Impact Parents
Join us for our interview with Diane Dempster (CPC, PCC, MHSA) of Impact Parents. As a coach, educator and speaker, Diane works with parents of complex kids of all ages to figure out how to allow their students to become more independent. Diane shares the four roles that parents can take on - director, collaborator, supporter, champion - and helpful advice for parents to shift their style as kids grow and mature. You’ll also learn why connecting and building trust with your student is fundamental to having those meaningful conversations and how this applies to the college admissions process.
Also in this episode:
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Admission Tip of the Day: Make a list of the resources you think you will need on campus like a writing lab, math tutor or internship support. Make sure that your list of target universities includes these resources and pay them a visit while you are on campus.
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College Spotlight: Rhode Island School of Design
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Key points in this episode
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2:15 Meet Diane Dempster of Impact Parents
3:55 The four types of parenting roles (director, collaborator, supporter, champion)
6:05 Why working with someone who is not the parent can be helpful
9:27 Why kids say ‘I don’t know’
10:24 Setting a day to talk college
14:08 What coaching requires
15:22 ‘Getting help’ as an adulting skill
16:36 How to get help from Impact Parents
20:32 The College Spy’s Tip of the Day
21:21 College Spotlight on the Rhode Island School of Design
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Read the podcast transcript: https://thecollegespy.com/s/The-College-Spy-Podcast-Episode-12-Transcript.pdf
Get your free guide from Impact Parents: https://impactparents.com/spy
Learn more about Diane and Impact Parents: https://impactparents.com/
Register for the next College Admissions 101 session: https://thecollegespy.com/coursesandcamps/college-admissions-101
Learn more about The College Spy and the admissions advisory services offered by Michelle and her team -- Go to The College Spy Website
Contact Michelle McAnaney at Michelle@TheCollegeSpy.com
#11: Is a B in a Harder Class Better Than an A in an Easier Class?
In this spring episode, Michelle covers a hot topic - academic rigor. As parents and students look to make course selections for the upcoming school year, this episode provides useful guidance and considerations they may not have though of yet when choosing classes.
Learn what colleges are looking for regarding academic rigor. Dive into what academic rigor means and why it’s not just AP and IB courses. Why do colleges want to see students who are choosing to challenge themselves in high school? And what does it predict about future college success? This episode will help parents and students make smart choices for their fall high school classes.
Also in this episode:
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Admission Tip of the Day: On college visits, let your child express their opinion first and then you, as the parent, chime in afterwards. To find out what they really think, let your child process the experience on their own and form an opinion before you voice yours.
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College Spotlight: Vanderbilt University
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Key points in this episode
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1:48 Definition of academic rigor
2:56 The job of an admissions advisor
4:04 The qualities that strong academic rigor demonstrates
5:01 The College Spy’s recommendation on academic rigor
5:42 Common concerns from families
9:10 How to get your specific college admissions questions answered
9:39 All about College Admissions 101
11:40 Tip of the Day
12:27 College Spotlight: Vanderbilt University
15:02 Interesting facts about Vanderbilt
15:46 Interview with a Vandy student
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Read the podcast transcript: https://thecollegespy.com/podcast
Register for the next College 101 session: https://thecollegespy.com/coursesandcamps/college-admissions-101
Learn more about The College Spy and the admissions advisory services offered by Michelle and her team -- Go to The College Spy Website
Contact Michelle McAnaney at Michelle@TheCollegeSpy.com
#10 From Campus Design to Experiential Learning: An Interview with Elliot Felix that Might Change How You Evaluate Potential Colleges
In this episode, Michelle McAnaney of The College Spy interviews Elliot Felix, author of “How to Get the Most Out of College: 127 Ways to Make Connections, Make it Work for You, and Make a Difference.” We discuss spaces on campus like libraries and residence halls that can help prospective students decide which college would be the best for them. We also discuss the shift from papers to projects, the importance of experiential learning and research tips to navigate college websites to find out what you really want to know.
Elliott combines his background in architecture with his graduate education to help universities create their future campus design and student experience. He founded Right Spot Strategy, a higher ed consultancy and has worked with over 100 universities on the entire student experience including Carnegie Mellon, MIT, NYU, NC State, and the University of Virginia.
Also in this episode:
Admission Tip of the Day
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College Spotlight: Williams College
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Key points in this episode
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2:33 Main Segment: Interview with Elliot Felix
8:20 How libraries are changing from places to access information to places to create information
8:53 The transformation from papers to projects
10:53 How using the library is linked to students graduation rates
16:20 How to engage with helpful services on campus
18:05 Students concerns about making friends and getting along with roommates
19:20 Funding on campus and how that connects to choosing a college
22:40 College 101 by The College Spy covering how to build a college list, how to choose from the ACT & SAT, the college application timeline and an overview of financial aid
24:08 Tip of the day about listing hobbies on college applications
24:45 College Spotlight: Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts
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Read Elliot Felix’s book: https://www.elliotfelix.com/book
Listen to Elliot’s podcast: https://www.elliotfelix.com/podcast
Read the podcast transcript: https://thecollegespy.com/podcast
Register for the next College 101 session: https://thecollegespy.com/coursesandcamps/college-admissions-101
Learn more about The College Spy and the admissions advisory services offered by Michelle and her team: https://thecollegespy.com/
Contact Michelle McAnaney at Michelle@TheCollegeSpy.com
#9 Great Advice for Future Engineers: An Interview with Sol Rosenbaum of The Engineering Mentor
In this episode, Michelle McAnaney interviews Sol Rosenbaum, an engineer and founder of The Engineering Mentor about the soft skills engineers need that aren't taught in college, as well as various factors a high school student could consider as they search for a perfect college, such as ABET certification and the ability to sit for the professional licensing exam. They also discuss whether selectivity is important when choosing an engineering program.
Also in this episode:
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Admissions Tip of the Day: Reasons High School Students Need a Resume
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College Spotlight: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
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1:32: Main Segment: Interview with Sol Rosenbaum
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27:04: Help with College Visits from the Talking College™ Campus Visits card deck
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28:00: Admissions Tip of the Day: Reasons High School Students Need a Resume
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28:44: College Spotlight Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology: 28:44
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The Engineering Mentor website: https://www.theengineeringmentor.com
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Podcast Transcript -- Go to Episode 9 Transcript
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Learn more about The College Spy and the admissions advisory services offered by Michelle and her team -- Go to The College Spy Website
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Contact Michelle McAnaney at michelle@thecollegespy.com
#8 How School Counseling differs from Independent Educational Consulting: An Interview with Piet Lammert of DiriGo College Consulting
In this episode, Michelle McAnaney speaks school counselor and independent educational consultant, Piet Lammert, about the differences between school counselors and independent educational consultants, how to use your school counselor more effectively and reasons to hire an independent educational consultant.
Also in this episode:
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Admissions Tip of the Day: Estimating the Cost of College with Net Price Calculators
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College Spotlight: Bowdoin College
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1:29: Main Segment: Interview with Piet Lammert.
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35:46: The College Spy Can Speak at Your School.
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36:23: Admissions Tip of the Day: Net Price Calculators.
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37:06: College Spotlight Bowdoin College.
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Dirigo College Consulting Website: https://www.dirigocollegeconsulting.com
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Podcast Transcript -- Go to Episode 8 Transcript
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Listen to a recording of The College Spy’s Extracurricular Activities Webinar HERE
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Learn more about The College Spy and the admissions advisory services offered by Michelle and her team -- Go to The College Spy Website
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Contact Michelle McAnaney at michelle@thecollegespy.com
#7 The Transition to College: An Interview with Dale Troy of Crush College Stress
In this episode, Michelle McAnaney speaks with Dale Troy about the transition to college. They talk about a proactive approach to parenting teens that will help teens develop the independent skills and confidence and thrive in college.
Also in this episode:
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Admissions Tip of the Day: Reasons to tour colleges early (before grade 11).
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College Spotlight: DePauw University.
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2:40: Main Segment: Interview with Dale Troy.
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31:53: College Admissions 101.
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33:11: Admissions tip of the day: Tour colleges early.
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33:37: College Spotlight: DePauw University.
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Crush College Stress Website: https://crushcollegestress.com
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Dale Troy’s Facebook Group, College Parent Support Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CollegeParentSupportCommunity
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Podcast Transcript -- Go to Episode 7 Transcript
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Learn More about College Admissions 101: https://thecollegespy.com/coursesandcamps/college-admissions-101
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Learn more about The College Spy and the admissions advisory services offered by Michelle and her team -- Go to https://thecollegespy.com/
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Contact Michelle McAnaney at michelle@thecollegespy.com
#6 Holiday Gift Guide for Parents of Teens
In this episode, Michelle McAnaney, college admissions expert and founder of The College Spy, gives you a list of holiday gifts that teens really want and need. Michelle developed this list based on her conversations with students and her knowledge of what students need both to get into college AND be successful once they get there.
Also in this episode:
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Admissions Tip of the Day: Why you need to be careful building a college list if your GPA is boosted by elective courses.
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College Spotlight: University of Pittsburgh
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- 1:32: Main Segment: Holiday Gift Guide for Parents of Teens
- 8:45: The College Spy's College Admissions 101
- 10:03: Admissions tip of the day: Electives and GPA
- 11:05: College Spotlight: University of Pittsburgh
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For the Holiday Gift Guide in Writing -- Go to https://thecollegespy.com/blog
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For a transcript of this episode -- Go to https://thecollegespy.com/s/The-College-Spy-Podcast-Episode-6-Transcript.pdf
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To learn more about The College Spy and the admissions advisory services offered by Michelle and her team -- Go to https://thecollegespy.com/
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Contact Michelle McAnaney at michelle@thecollegespy.com
#5 The College Essay
In this episode, Michelle McAnaney, college admissions expert and founder of The College Spy, discusses the college essay and how it fits into the college application as a whole. Learn about the purpose of the college essay, how to choose a topic, off-limit topics, and The College Spy's tips for writing an effective essay. Michelle also discusses how to determine what part of the application is most important to each college.
Also in this episode:
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Admissions Tip of the Day: Optional Essays
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College Spotlight: Vassar College
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- 1:43: Main Segment: The College Essay
- 11:25: How The College Spy can help with college essays
- 12:20: Admissions tip of the day: Optional essays
- 13:29: College Spotlight: Vassar College
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Learn more about college essays -- Go to https://thecollegespy.com/blog/the-role-of-the-essay-in-your-college-application
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Podcast Transcript -- Go to https://thecollegespy.com/s/The-College-Spy-Podcast-Episode-5-Transcript-The-College-Essay.pdf
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Learn more about The College Spy and the admissions advisory services offered by Michelle and her team -- Go to https://thecollegespy.com/
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Contact Michelle McAnaney at michelle@thecollegespy.com
#4 College Application Deadlines
In this episode, Michelle McAnaney, the founder of The College Spy, and her co-host, Justin McAnaney, discuss the five types of college application deadline: Early Decision, Early Action, Restrictive Early Action, Regular Decision and Rolling Decision. As students plan for college, an understanding of how each type of application deadline can affect their admissions chances as well as how a deadline at one college can limit the deadline choice at another college should be a key part of planning the admissions process.
For more information on this topic, see:
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The College Spy Blog: 5 Types of College Application Deadlines
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#3 College Letters of Recommendation
In this episode, Michelle McAnaney, the founder of The College Spy, and her co-host, Justin McAnaney, discuss letters of recommendation. We review where the letter fits into the college admissions process and how, from whom and when to ask for a letter recommendation. We address strategies for working with school counselors, teachers and others to obtain strong recommendation letters and some pitfalls to avoid as students work through this key element of the college application.
#2 Test Optional College Admissions
In this episode, Michelle McAnaney, the founder of The College Spy, and her co-host, Justin McAnaney, discuss test optional college admissions policies. We review what "test optional" means for the student and the college and why colleges are increasingly adopting these policies, especially in connection with the COVID-19 virus. We address how students should plan for admissions to test optional colleges and universities.
For a list of the 1,000+ test optional colleges and universities in the United States and additional information on standardized testing, see:
The National Center for Fair and Open Testing: https://www.fairtest.org
#1: COVID-19 and College Admissions
In this episode Michelle McAnaney, the founder of The College Spy, and her co-host, Justin McAnaney, discuss the impact COVID-19 is having on college admissions and how high school juniors and seniors will need to move forward with their college search and selection process despite the disruption caused by the virus. This is a developing topic that changes day-to-day as colleges, standardized testing providers and high schools continue to update their responses to the virus. The following are key resources for parents and students as they navigate college planning and admissions at this challenging time:
College Virtual Tours:
College Search Resources:
https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
For information about the SAT, SAT Subject Tests and AP Exams:
For information about the ACT:
For information about Test Optional admissions policies: