The Truth about College Admission

Kelley Lips, Associate Vice Provost of Enrollment at Emory University and former Oxford College student, shares perspectives from her first-gen background and enrollment leadership. She unpacks Emory’s Oxford two-year start, benefits of spring and summer entry, why colleges offer alternative pathways, and practical guidance for juniors and seniors weighing different start-term options.

Rick Clark, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management at Georgia Tech and author of The Truth About College Admission, gives a concise take on admissions trends and practical tools. He covers shifts in computer science interest and AI across curricula. He discusses rethinking internships and co-ops, using the Common App smartly, and how institutional priorities and financial conversations shape choices.

Rick and Brennan are joined by Gerry McCrory and Ashley Smith from Scoir to talk about the platform, their recent data reports, advice for juniors beginning the admission process, and tools on Scoir that everyone from families to counselors can use.LINKS:Truth About College Admission Newsletter"Getting into college is getting easier" - The Hechinger ReportScoirHosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick ClarkGuests: Gerry Mcrory, Ashley SmithProduction: Jack Purdy

Jeff Selingo, journalist and bestselling author who writes about higher education, discusses why he wrote Dream School and urges families to widen their college search. He explains how to judge campus resources during visits. He reframes college value around price, outcomes, and hands-on learning. He shares examples of schools offering strong return and talks about guiding his own daughter’s search.

Returning from their winter breaks, Brennan and Rick go through their items to watch for in 2026, books they're reading, tips for the current application cycle, their words for the year, and preview a couple guests who will be on the show this semester.LINKS:Brennan Barnard on ForbesThe Application Trail12-Hour Walk"AI is scoring college essays" – LA TimesTruth About College Admission NewsletterHosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick ClarkProduction: Jack Purdy

Denise Pope, Ph.D., co-founder of Challenge Success and Stanford lecturer, dives deep into student well-being and the realities of college admissions. She reveals how admissions are a major stressor for teenagers, fueled by misconceptions about what colleges truly value. Denise discusses the dangers of a scarcity mindset regarding college fit and how many students overload on AP courses. She advocates for prioritizing personal fit over rankings and emphasizes the importance of authenticity in applications, while encouraging families to support students' mental health.

Lisa Keegan, Vice Provost for Enrollment Strategy at William & Mary, shares her insights on college admissions and the importance of understanding a school's culture. She reflects on her own college choice, advising families to be open-minded. Lisa discusses strategies for assessing campus life through social media and encourages juniors to explore a diverse range of schools. She emphasizes authenticity in decision-making and the need for alignment between institutional mission and student values, urging students to think beyond selective schools.

Today we highlight Brennan Barnard's visit to the Office Hours podcast where him and host Will Geiger talk about the myth of the "dream school" and how to frame the college search process before diving into the AI transformation happening in the college admissions world.LINKS:Truth About College Admissions NewsletterOffice Hours PodcastOffice Hours Host: Will GeigerOffice Hours Guest: Brennan BarnardTACA Host: Rick ClarkTACA Production: Jack Purdy

Today, we divert off the beaten path for The Truth About Admission Podcast as we highlight Rick Clark's appearance on the Something Personal podcast, where he goes into his lessons learned from multiple decades of working in college admissions, how to pay for college, and his advise on keeping perspective during the college search process.LINKS:Truth About College Admission NewsletterSomething Personal Podcast FeedSomething Personal host: Amy LaburdaSomething Personal guest: Rick ClarkTACA Production: Jack Purdy

Rick and Brennan are joined by Emily Roper Doten, Dean of Admissions at Brandeis University, to talk about her experiences in helping develop liberal arts programs for the current job economy and how her career leading up to Brandeis has influenced her ability to be a leader in her space.LINKS:Truth About College Admissions Newsletter"Brandeis Pours $25M Into Careers-Focused Liberal Arts" - Inside Higher EdHosts: Brennan Barnard, Rick ClarkGuest: Emily Roper DotenProduction: Jack Purdy