Just Admit It!

Ready for the truth about college admissions? IvyWise’s Just Admit It! podcast features the most straightforward, practical, and up-to-date higher ed information and college prep advice for students, families, and educators around the world who are navigating the complex and competitive admissions process.

Semester 10: Episode 10: Christine G., Formerly at Boston University
May 28, 2025 – 31:23
Semester 10: Episode 9: Chris, Former Associate Dean of Admissions at Wesleyan University
May 14, 2025 – 29:21
Semester 10: Episode 8: Tasha, Formerly at Boston University and USC
Apr 30, 2025 – 25:34
Semester 10: Episode 7: Amanda, Formerly at Brown and The New School
Apr 16, 2025 – 26:31
Semester 10: Episode 6: Christine, Former Assistant Director of Admissions at Yale and Georgetown
Apr 2, 2025 – 30:28
Semester 10: Episode 5: Rachel, Former Assistant Dean of Admissions at Swarthmore College
Mar 19, 2025 – 28:57
Semester 10: Episode 4: Rod, Former Associate Director of Admissions at Case Western Reserve University
Mar 5, 2025 – 27:41
Semester 10: Episode 3: Amy, Former Admissions and Financial Aid Officer at Harvard
Feb 19, 2025 – 29:10
Semester 10: Episode 2: Lloyd, Formerly at Yale and Vassar
Feb 5, 2025 – 32:37
Semester 10: Episode 1: Alecia, Former Assistant Director of Admissions at Duke University
Jan 29, 2025 – 26:52
Semester 9: Episode 8: Social Media for Success
Dec 11, 2024 – 32:54
Semester 9: Episode 7: Academic Enrichment Beyond School Walls
Nov 27, 2024 – 28:55
Semester 9: Episode 6: Giving Back While Gaining Skills — Meaningful Volunteer Opportunities
Nov 13, 2024 – 40:23
Semester 9: Episode 5: Leadership 101 — Essential Skills to Make an Impact
Oct 30, 2024 – 28:01
Semester 9: Episode 4: From Interest to Expertise — Leveraging Research Mentorship
Oct 16, 2024 – 32:06
Semester 9: Episode 3: Summer Success — Academic Programs on College Campuses
Oct 2, 2024 – 33:39
Semester 9: Episode 2: From Hobbies to Highlights — Extracurriculars to Focus On
Sep 18, 2024 – 30:47
Semester 9: Episode 1: What Does It Mean to Build Your Profile?
Sep 4, 2024 – 50:06
Semester 8: Episode 8: How to Build a Strong Candidacy, No Matter Your “Chances”
May 29, 2024 – 34:52
Semester 8: Episode 7: The IvyWise KnowledgeBase
May 15, 2024 – 30:05
Semester 8: Episode 6: Data and Test-Optional Policies
May 1, 2024 – 32:45
Semester 8: Episode 5: Using Data to Build Your Balanced College List
Apr 17, 2024 – 34:12
Semester 8: Episode 4: What Are My Chances? Probability and Chance Calculators
Apr 3, 2024 – 36:21
Semester 8: Episode 3: Data Versus Anecdotal Evidence
Mar 20, 2024 – 32:09
Semester 8: Episode 2: Admissions Data Is Everywhere. But What Matters?
Mar 6, 2024 – 35:00
Semester 8: Episode 1: Trustworthy and Untrustworthy College Admissions Sources
Feb 21, 2024 – 35:47
Semester 7: Episode 10: What Does It Mean To Be ”Flat” or ”LMO”?
Dec 15, 2023 – 29:26
Semester 7: Episode 9: What Is Yield and Why Does It Matter?
Dec 1, 2023 – 34:38
Semester 7: Episode 8: What Is a Hook?
Nov 17, 2023 – 27:10
Semester 7: Episode 7: What Is Demonstrated Interest?
Nov 3, 2023 – 37:54
Semester 7: Episode 6: What Does It Mean To Build Your Profile?
Oct 20, 2023 – 35:46
Semester 7: Episode 5: What’s the Difference Between "Test-Optional" and "Test-Blind"
Oct 6, 2023 – 33:11
Semester 7: Episode 4: What Are the Different Types of Early Action Applications?
Sep 22, 2023 – 34:00
Semester 7: Episode 3: What Are ”Grit” and ”Fit”?
Sep 8, 2023 – 29:59
Semester 7: Episode 2: What Is a ”Pointy” Student?
Sep 1, 2023 – 26:34
Semester 7: Episode 1: What Is an Admissions Committee?
Aug 18, 2023 – 36:04
Semester 6: Episode 10: What Is NYU Like?
Jun 28, 2023 – 34:44
Semester 6: Episode 9: How Should I Tackle College Application Essay Prompts?
Jun 14, 2023 – 44:26
Semester 6: Episode 8: What Is Stanford University Like?
May 31, 2023 – 31:17
Semester 6: Episode 7: Whom Should I Ask for Letters of Recommendation?
May 19, 2023 – 34:19
Semester 6: Episode 6: What Is Yale University Like?
May 4, 2023 – 37:24
Semester 6: Episode 5: How Important Are Transcripts and Course Rigor?
Apr 20, 2023 – 39:27
Semester 6: Episode 4: What’s Going On With Standardized Testing?
Apr 7, 2023 – 30:42
Semester 6: Episode 3: What Is MIT Like?
Mar 24, 2023 – 41:26
Semester 6: Episode 2: What Is Columbia University Like?
Mar 17, 2023 – 32:40
Semester 6: Episode 1: What Is the U.S. Holistic College Admissions Rubric?
Mar 10, 2023 – 44:00
Semester 5: Bonus Episode: What Should I Do if I Got Deferred?
Dec 15, 2022 – 33:08
Semester 5: Episode 11: How Can College Students Prepare for Grad School/the Workforce?
Dec 15, 2022 – 39:27
Semester 5: Episode 10: What Makes a Strong STEM and/or Pre-Med Student?
Dec 8, 2022 – 43:58
Semester 5: Episode 9: What Are the Most Common Mistakes You See in College Applications?
Nov 17, 2022 – 46:52

Recent Reviews

umpsd107

Such a valuable resource for students, parents and educators!

I love this podcast! Each episode is packed with incredibly useful information in a way that is very easy to digest. Great college prep advice and higher ed insight! Very useful and practical tips for students, parents and educators alike. Thank you, IvyWise!
Jdub#

Really good

This is a great podcast. The content is really helpful. There were a few episodes with sound issues - it sounded like the speakers were taking big gulps of air which was distracting. The content is worth listening to so try to though.
bousgotchaloose

10/10

Amazing content and insight. A must listen for student, educators, and parent who want the ‘secret sauce’ on admissions. Great work!
namie name name

Interesting!

I’ve learned a lot about the inner workings of college admissions, and colleges as businesses, from just the first episode. I like this level of insight!