Honors programs and colleges--What are they, and how can we evaluate them?

Keep calm amidst chaos: advice for the class of 2021

College admissions 2020-21 is characterized by surging applications from a shrinking pool of college-bound students.  What are we to make of the admissions process?   Listen in as Ginger Mayfield interviews Leigh Moore about the stressors sustained by the class of 2021--and their parents.  (Unedited transcript available.)

Achievers, artists, and elites: a conversation with Bill Deresiewicz

Episode #14 of the Real College Matters podcast Is heavy on the "real" and a little lighter on the "podcast"--an uncut, unfiltered conversation between Leigh and Bill Deresiewicz, the writer who has most influenced her college advising practice.

In a departure from Bill's usual speaking venues--his most recent being with New York University--Bill gives generously of his time to talk with Leigh not only about his latest publication but also about the provocative essays and books which call into question our culture's troubling assumptions about higher education.

A transcript Is provided but has not been edited for accuracy.

 (Link to new book) The Death of the Artist:  How Creators Are Struggling to Survive In the Age of Billionaires and Big Tech

(Bill's website)

Selected writings:

• Solitude and Leadership (text of speech given to West Point cadets In 2010)
• The Disadvantages of an Elite Education
• On Political Correctness 

Other books:
 A Jane Austen Education:  How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship, and the Things That Really Matter

Excellent Sheep:  The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life

Cultivating gratitude amidst APs, applications, and anxiety

For our Thanksgiving week podcast, we were joined by Vanderbilt University sophomore Harrison Stuart.  Ginger and Leigh spoke with Harrison about a particular discipline he adopted during his senior year In high school.   What began as a well-intentioned set of tasks ultimately became transformational for Harrison and continues to impact his experiences. 
Enjoy! 

Controlling the College Search, Covid-19 Style

2020 has taken a lot from us, even if we have been able to dodge the Covid-19 virus itself.  College applicants and their parents often experience a loss of control over the admissions journey they had anticipated,  of which the inability to visit colleges Is just one example. Importantly, though, there are opportunities provided by the changes, elements within one's control.  Listen in as athletics specialist Katie Andersen joins Ginger Mayfield, Dana Strull, and Leigh Moore explore the best ways students and parents can exercise control throughout the admissions process. 

Link to fast survey which triggers availability of college research resource list

Link to expected family contribution (EFC) estimator

Honors programs and colleges--What are they, and how can we evaluate them?

(Want to queue to a topic of choice?  Go to "chapters.") We hear a lot about honors programs at large public universities, but often not until the end of the application process.  What should a family look for when evaluating whether or not an honors program should be part of the student's college forecast? 

Our guest on this episode Is John Willingham, author of Inside Honors: Ratings and Reviews of 40 Public University Honors Programs.  The fifth edition of Inside Honors, released In late September, is packed with enough data and meaningful insights that students and parents can make good, informed decisions. 

John's scholarship In this area is unmatched, and we were thrilled to have him on the show. Check out his website, too!