Podcast
Office Hours
Hosted by Scholarships360 · EN
Scholarships360’s Office Hours podcast explores the trends shaping higher education while breaking down what they mean for students and families today. Host Will Geiger sits down with leaders across the field, including VPs of Enrollment, EdTech founders, and Directors of College Counseling, to unpack the ideas, challenges, and innovations driving the future of higher ed and turn them into actionable advice for students and parents navigating the process of admissions and financial aid.
16episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
How ReUp Education Is Helping Students Finish What They Started with Scott Lomas
Apr 2800:45:39Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Chief Strategy Officer at ReUp Education Scott Lomas joins Will to shed light on one of higher education's most overlooked challenges: the more than 40 million Americans who have started college but never earned a degree. Scott breaks down the scope of the problem, the common barriers and friction points that prevent students from re-enrolling, and why the re-enrollment rate for this population sits at just around 2%.Scott explains what institutions that are succeeding in this space are doing differently, from removing administrative friction to understanding the unique motivations of adult learners returning to school. He also discusses the role of employers, state governments, and ReUp Education itself in helping students finish what they started.
Transcribe →Direct Admissions, True Cost, and the Future of College Search with Luke Skurman
Apr 2100:38:20Tap to summarizeIn this episode, CEO and founder of Niche Luke Skurman shares the origin story of the platform, from its early days as College Prowler publishing physical college guidebooks to becoming one of the most widely used college research tools in the country. Luke explains how a frustrating college search experience of his own inspired him to build a resource centered on student life and user-generated content, not just academics.Luke then dives into two of Niche's most exciting recent innovations: direct admissions and True Cost. He breaks down how direct admissions is shifting the power dynamic in favor of students and families by pairing upfront admission offers with scholarship awards, and shares how the product has grown to over 170 partner colleges. He also discusses True Cost, Niche's new tool designed to give students and families a clear, apples-to-apples comparison of what college will actually cost them long before decision day.
Transcribe →The Story Behind Scholarships360 with Will Geiger and Brian Geiger
Apr 1400:27:40Tap to summarizeIn this special episode, co-founders of Scholarships360 Will Geiger and Brian Geiger share the origins of the platform and offer practical advice for students navigating college admissions and scholarship applications. As first-generation college students themselves, both brothers found that clear, accessible resources were hard to come by, and built Scholarships360 to fill that gap.Will and Brian also bust some common college myths, including the misconception that students will pay the full sticker price for college, and encourage students to carefully review their financial aid award letters and advocate for themselves throughout the process. They also touch on the evolving role of AI in scholarship applications, stressing the importance of researching the AI policies of any scholarship you're interested in. They round things out with two key pieces of advice: start exploring scholarship opportunities early and don't overlook hyper-local scholarships as part of your overall strategy.
Transcribe →Rethinking the College Admissions Journey with Dr. Jay Jacobs
Apr 700:38:54Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Vice President of Enrollment Management at the University of Vermont Dr. Jay Jacobs breaks down some of the misconceptions students have about the University of Vermont, and what makes this school a great place for both in-state and out-of-state students. He specifically highlights their financial aid options, retention rates, and exciting programs the university offers.Dr. Jacobs also dives further into the admissions process at UVM at a holistic level, and explains the sorts of topics and qualities that UVM students exhibit. He wraps up the episode by reminding students that the admissions process is only the start of their higher education journey.
Transcribe →How Aquinas College Is Rethinking the College Experience with Brian Matzke
Mar 3100:45:06Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Brian Matzke, Vice President for Enrollment Management at Aquinas College reaffirms the purpose of admissions counselors; to help students find the best possible fit for college. He encourages students to visit schools and pursue classes and topics that interest them.Brian also dives deeper into the culture of Aquinas college, the four pillars of the Catholic Dominican tradition, and how modalities like their block schedules for first year students help facilitate a smooth transition into college life.
Transcribe →A New Model for American Universities with Ben Crocker
Mar 2400:44:29Tap to summarizeIn this episode, University Dean and Director of Admissions at the University of Austin Ben Crocker dives into the formation and ethos of the University of Austin, and what makes this institution different from traditional higher education models. He starts by talking about the university's mission, which is to re-center teaching in the American education system and fix the broken financial model of universities by not charging tuition.Ben continues by diving into the radically simple admissions process at UATX, which only takes into account standardized test scores. He explains that this allows for a simpler process that cuts out the lack of transparency or "black box" of college admissions.
Transcribe →Finding the Right College for You with Andrew Linnehan
Mar 1700:50:51Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Office Hours, Andrew Linnehan, Former Senior Associate Director of Admission & Former Director of Communication and Audience Engagement at Northwestern University, stresses the importance of students choosing a college that is right for them. He goes into detail about the factors students should consider when choosing a college, along with strategies that allow students to dive deeper and look beyond data points and statistics listed on a college brochure or website. In an age where college admissions is crowded with noise and chaos from outside perspectives, especially with social media, Andrew recommends that students start thinking about what kinds of communities would be a good fit for them and look into colleges during their junior year of high school. This allows students to come into their senior year with more confidence and clarity.
Transcribe →The True Cost and Value of College with Shawana Singletary
Mar 1000:41:10Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Chief Enrollment Officer at Adelphi University, Shawana Singletary, shares some great advice for high school students and families about actions they can take before senior year to start preparing for applying to colleges. She also breaks down the misconception that students coming into college should have their whole career figured out. Instead she encourages students to come in with an open mind so they can fully explore their interests and lean into their strengths, and remember that college is an investment in their future. Shawana also recommends that students and families not be discouraged from applying to schools solely because of sticker prices. She gives some examples of different merit scholarships offered at Adelphi, and also reinforces the importance of filling out the FAFSA. Between scholarships and need-based aid, many students don’t actually pay the sticker price for college.
Transcribe →College Admissions in a Time of Change with Dr. Angel Pérez
Mar 300:26:12Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Dr. Angel Pérez, CEO of NACAC, gives his perspective on the shifting trends in higher education following the pandemic, including how the current political landscape is affecting both cost and admissions. One of these trends is Direct Admissions, which is a new admissions process many schools are adopting that can be advantageous to students and families.Dr. Pérez also touches on the affordability of college and how many students end up not paying the full sticker price for tuition. He wraps this episode up with some tips for students on how to navigate the admissions process in the age of AI and the importance of authenticity in applications.
Transcribe →Evaluating College Value with Justin Draeger
Feb 2400:38:00Tap to summarizeAbout this episodeIn this week's episode, Justin Draeger, the Senior Vice President for Affordability at Strada Education Foundation and a longtime former leader in the financial aid community, breaks down some myths surrounding net price and the price students pay. He also describes how student loans can be a useful tool as long as students and families apply guardrails. He says that loans are not a problem themselves, but unmanageable debt is, especially when students don’t complete their program or borrow too much relative to what they can expect to earn with their degree. He recommends using outcomes data such as completion and repayment statistics, to evaluate schools, while remembering those numbers reflect institutional performance, not a student’s worth.Justin emphasizes looking for “financial fit” by comparing offers side by side, and checking whether grants and scholarships are predictable and renewable year to year. He also explains how to approach financial aid appeals: be clear on whether your request is need-based or merit-based, bring new, specific information to the table, and ask questions early to cut through the complexities of the system.Mentioned in this episodeStrada Educational Foundation - Justin's organization, focused on helping clear the path between education and workCollege Scorecard - Federal data set to help evaluate schools by Justin's suggested metrics
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