Shift - College admissions in a changing world

Tips for international students applying to US colleges

It's not easy being an international student applying to US colleges - the competition is fierce and you have to learn a lot about the process on your own. Erik Kolb is an independent college advisor that has worked with hundreds of international US college applications around the world. In this episode, Erik shares his top tips for international students applying to US colleges, including how to structure your application, how to expand your resume beyond great grades and test scores, and more.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

To ace the SAT or ACT, train as athletes or musicians do

Most students approach the SAT and ACT the wrong way. If they want to improve their chances of success, they need to treat these exams like a skill, not a single point in time. Valerie Erde is the founder of Veridian Prep, and loves to use data to inform the test prep process. In this episode, Valerie shares her philosophy, including how to think about the prep process and how to maximize your performance on 'game day'.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

How to find your passion and life an authentic life - that also boosts your college application

So much of college applications these days is clubs, extracurriculars, and your essay. But rather than forcing a love of robotics because you think it's what colleges want, you'll actually be happier and have a better application if you focus on what you're truly passionate about. Of course, finding this passion can be hard. That's where this episode's guest Marina Lee can help. Marina is the founder of Cogita Education and has been in the admissions world for more than 25 years. In this episode, she shares her tips for supporting students in not just building a great college application, but in finding their passion and recognizing their own strengths.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

Test prep strategies for students with learning challenges (ADHD and more)

Preparing for the ACT or SAT is hard enough on its own - and it can be even more difficult for students with learning challenges. Alexis Avila is the founder and CEO of Prepped and Polished, a tutoring and test prep company with a focus on executive function coaching. In this episode, Alexis shares his tips for neurodivergent students when doing ACT or SAT prep, including how to get testing accommodations, how to overcome test anxiety, and how to improve your concentration and focus while preparing for the exam.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

How to mentally prepare in order to get the most value from your ACT and SAT practice tests

Mastering practice tests is crucial to getting a top ACT or SAT score. Dave Lynch, founder of StudyLark, has tutored students on the SAT for almost 20 years. In this episode, Dave shares his tips for making the most of your practice tests, including mental preparation, environment preparation, and how to use the test results to inform your future prep focus.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

Best questions to ask before and on your campus visit

Campus visits aren't necessarily a way to suck up to to your top choice school. Instead, think of them as an opportunity to learn if that school is right for you. Mark Cruver, founder of Capstone Educational Consultants, has been helping students get into college for over a decade. In this episode, Mark shares his tips for preparing for your campus visit, including the best questions to ask both to determine if the school is the right fit for you, and, yes, to impress the admissions staff.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

Tips for minimizing your student loans

Student loans can be a huge boat anchor on the ship of your future finances, and getting ahead of the problem now can make a big impact on your young adult life. John Baylor, founder of OnToCollege, works with over 700 high schools around the nation to help their students get into college. In this episode, John shares his tips for minimizing your student loans, including taking advantage of scholarships and more.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

Specific strategies for each ACT section

How do you maximize your score on each ACT section? Scott Webster of Clayborne Education has tutored hundreds of students on the SAT and ACT. In this episode, he shares his specific strategies for each section of the ACT: Reading, English, Math, and Science.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

Specific strategies for each SAT section

How do you maximize your score on each SAT section? Scott Webster of Clayborne Education has tutored hundreds of students on the SAT and ACT. In this episode, he shares his specific strategies for each section of the SAT: Reading, Writing & Language, Math (calculator), and Math (no calculator).
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.

The current information asymmetry around test-optional is hurting students

Shane Bybee has run Bybee College Prep for almost a decade and has helped thousands of students get into colleges all around the country. And nowadays, he sees students and parents come to him woefully misinformed about what test optional actually means. The current paradigm is hurting students' chances by leading many to think they shouldn't prepare to submit test scores when they actually should. Shane and Tyler dig in and discuss further in this episode.
Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the ACT exam - visit https://achievable.me to try our course for free.