How Much to Borrow, What to do if Waitlisted, and the State of College Admissions

On the latest episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, host Sally Ganga welcomes three College Coach experts to explore how much might be too much to borrow for college, what steps seniors should take if they have received a waitlist admission decision, and NACAC’s national State of College Admission Report. You can listen to the complete show on the Voice America network or by searching for “Getting in: A College Coach Conversation” wherever you get your podcasts. How Much is Too Much to Borrow for College? Sally is joined first by College Coach finance consultant Tara Piantanida-Kelly. The goal of the college education is to set up a student for success and borrowing too much can have the exact opposite effect! How much a student borrows to finance the college education impacts their lifestyle when they graduate. Tara suggests important questions both students and their parents should ask when considering how much is too much to borrow. What to Do if You Are On a College Waitlist Next, Sally welcomes College Coach admission consultant Kara Courtois. Kara provides important tips and considerations for seniors who have received a waitlist admission decision. Kara advises that it is first important to understand the viability of getting admitted from a waitlist, including whether financial aid is available to students admitted from the waitlist. Kara and Sally walk through the steps of the waitlist process and share tips for what a student can do (and what not to do!) to help their chances of being admitted from the waitlist. State of Affairs in College Admission In the final segment Sally welcomes admission consultant Elyse Krantz. The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) releases a report each year that describes trends and happenings in college admission. Elyse highlights important takeaways from the report including a continued increase in the average number of applications students submit, Early Decision versus Regular Decision acceptance rates, and the increase in colleges using a waitlist as part of their enrollment strategy. Sally and Elyse also discuss trends around demonstrated interest and how that can impact an admission decision. On the next episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, Elizabeth Heaton will welcome guests to discuss admission at Goucher College, financial aid at Babson College, and how to best utilize the resources available at your high school through the college admissions process.