Shift - College admissions in a changing world

How one student got into Stanford with an exceptional impact project (plus two more examples)

How do you stand out when applying to Stanford when grade inflation, great test scores, and tons of extracurriculars are common for the typical applicant? For this student, the answer was an impact project. In this episode, Barbara Levanthal of ScoreAtTheTop and Annaline Dinkelmann of TeachMeWallStreet share the story of one Stanford student whose incredible impact project became the centerpiece of his successful application. They also share two additional examples of impact projects and give actionable tips for how to create your own impact project for your community and your college resume.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

What is the Common App and how to make the most of it

If you're applying to colleges nowadays, you may have heard of the Common App. But what is it, who makes it, and how does it help me? Kathy Hart from ScoreAtTheTop has worked with students all over the country to maximize their chances of getting into a great school. In this episode, Kathy walks you through the basics of the Common App before sharing her strategies for leveraging it to create the best applications possible and save time doing so. 
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

The differences between the ACT and SAT, and which students will do best on each

A key question every high school student faces is: should they take the ACT or SAT? Phil McCaffrey has been teaching the SAT and ACT for almost 30 years. In this episode, Phil explains the key differences between the two tests, and gives recommendations for which one you should take depending on your skills and preferences.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

Mega Episode: Deep dive on how to shape your college applications for CS, STEM, business and finance, humanities, and more

Plenty of people offer generalized college application advice, but what about for the specific major you're applying for? We're here to help. Elton Lin, founder of Ilumin Education in California, has helped students get into top programs nationwide for over a decade, and weaves life coaching and career advice into his practice. In this hour-long episode, Elton walks through the specific things you should have on your college application and what colleges are looking for all of the main majors: Computer Science, STEM, business and finance, humanities, and art, drama, and music.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

Walkthrough of how to maximize your financial aid when applying to college

College costs have risen to insane levels, even for formerly 'affordable' schools. Yet did you know that many students don't pay full price? Kailey Ossanna, owner of KO Tutoring, is passionate about helping students receive their maximum financial aid from her own experience with college. In this episode, Kailey tackles common misconceptions about financial aid, shares all of the options that students have for receiving financial aid, and explains how to go about obtaining the most financial aid possible.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

Why you should take AP or IB exams to improve your college resume

In the test optional world we now live in, colleges are looking for new measures of a student's ability. For this, taking AP and IB courses isn't enough - you need to take the AP and IB tests to prove your mastery of the material. Scott Clyburn, founder and director of North Avenue Education, has been a professional educator since 2005 and advises tons of students on academics and the college admission process. In this episode, Scott shares why AP and IB exam scores are so important for differentiating yourself in the college admissions process, and how to strategize which AP or IB exams you should take.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

How to use ACT and SAT practice exams and an error log to maximize your score

Randee Schneeberg, founder of JettPrep, has been advising students on standardized test prep for 24 years. Their student average on the SAT is a 1465, and a 32 on the ACT. How do they do it? In this episode, Randee shares some of her key strategies for improving SAT and ACT scores over time, specifically how to leverage practice exams effectively and using an error log to minimize your mistakes.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

How brilliant people struggle as learners and how to unlock their potential

You would think that the smartest people will always be the best learners, but this is not the case. Often times, the confines of a classroom can lead to a student being unmotivated and uninspired. Ian Siegel, founder of Streamline Learning and author of School Sucks, Your Child Doesn't: The Secret To Unlocking Your Child's Potential, clearly has strong opinions on this topic. In this episode, Ian shares "how smart kids learn", how to support smart kids that are struggling in school, and how to get these smart kids to reach their full potential.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

Hacking MIT admissions: how this college counselor got 100% of his MIT applicants admitted in 2020

How do you get into MIT? Nat Crawford, Stanford PhD, founder of Improve Your English and college admissions counsellor, knows something you don't - he got 3 out of 3 applicants he was advising into MIT in 2020. In this episode, Nat shares why doing well on the ACT/SAT isn't enough to get into the top schools, how to research what your first choice school wants to see, and how to shape your application to fit what your target school is looking for.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

The test optional landscape and recommendations for this year’s juniors and seniors

Should this year's juniors and seniors apply with ACT/SAT test scores or take the option to omit scores? Rachel Elmer and Emily Lubejko are testing and college admissions experts from Private Prep, a national test preparation and college admissions firm. In this episode, they share their insight into the test optional landscape and what factors should determine whether you submit scores to your target schools.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.