Your College Bound Kid | Admission Tips, Admission Trends & Admission Interviews
by Mark Stucker
From the publisher
Admission Tips, Admission Trends & Admission InterviewsAdmission Interviews Our mission is to "make college knowledge available to all." Each Thursday, the "Your College-Bound Kid" podcast will discuss a hot college topic in the news; we will answer a question or two that listeners send in, we will
What Your College Bound Kid | Admission Tips, Admission Trends & Admission Interviews is recognised for
Binge-worthy
Rated 4.6 or better AND 300+ episodes. Episode count alone says nothing — plenty of shows are long and mediocre — so this is the two together: worth getting into, with somewhere to go.
Every distinction here is either computed from the whole catalogue or picked by us and labelled as such. How each one is decided
Good for
Collections Your College Bound Kid | Admission Tips, Admission Trends & Admission Interviews landed in, based on what its reviews say.
What parents actually say
High confidence · 105 detailed reviewsPlenty of detailed reviews to work from, so these patterns are pretty dependable. We summarise the 105 reviews long enough to describe the show, out of 114 in total — one-line raves don't tell you much.
Why parents put it on
The moments it actually gets used for.
- Parents enjoy it tooTop6
See what they saidHide
- “As a parent with one in high school and one in college, I relate to and appreciate the perspectives shared.”
- “As a parent of a high school Senior and a high school Junior, this podcast has been so helpful as we go through this college search and decision process.”
- Great for car rides4
See what they saidHide
- “Mark and his team share their broad-ranging and in-depth expertise regarding the complex process of college admissions with rare honesty, authentic compassion and always a peak…”
- “I listen to this podcast when I drive.”
What it's about
What comes up when parents describe it.
- Feelings & empathyTop6
See what they saidHide
- “The pandemic has totally changed the landscape and Mark and team were instrumental in helping me get informed enough to better partner with my daughter in the very long, emotion…”
- “With kindness and compassion.”
- Life lessons & values4
See what they saidHide
- “Thanks to them we learned about ‘spikes’ and how college look at students as part of an overall class, the value (and non value) of extracurricular activities and in particular…”
- “Above all, I highly respect the values this podcast instills in making college information accessible, and in spreading the message that there is a great college fit for every s…”
What it feels like
The mood parents describe.
- EducationalTop35
See what they saidHide
- “Best when the pieces are focused on facts.”
- “Both of my children worked closely with two different experienced and highly ethical independent educational consultants (IECs), and I can say without hesitation that these prof…”
Who's actually listening
From the 3 reviews that name a child's age.
- Teens (13+)3
How to read this: each number is how many reviews raised that topic in their own words — not a percentage or a score. Bars compare topics within a box only, so the longest bar is whatever came up most here, marked Top. The dots above show how much evidence we have, not how good the show is.
This summarises what reviewers said. It isn't our verdict, and we don't write reviews ourselves. See exactly how every number is calculated.
About Your College Bound Kid | Admission Tips, Admission Trends & Admission Interviews
In the publisher's own words, as they describe the show on its feed.
Admission Tips, Admission Trends & Admission InterviewsAdmission Interviews Our mission is to "make college knowledge available to all." Each Thursday, the "Your College-Bound Kid" podcast will discuss a hot college topic in the news; we will answer a question or two that listeners send in, we will interview a "thought leader" in the world of college admissions, and do a "deep-dive," we call Spotlights on a College. Every Monday, we have a second episode to discuss a "hot topic" and interview a "thought leader" in the admissions or college life world. YCBK combines "in-depth knowledge" with a light, easy-to-listen conversational style. We have eight co-hosts, six college counselors, and two current admissions officers, including an Admissions Dean
Parent reviews (114)
Real reviews from real parents — the ones we gather from public sources link back to where they were written, and the ones written here are marked as such.
Listened to Your College Bound Kid | Admission Tips, Admission Trends & Admission Interviews?
Tell other parents what you thought. It takes a minute and genuinely helps.
Too much introduction
I get too frustrated by the long long introduction stuff that last forever and almost longer than the actual show that I just leave. Just have a specific title and dive into it right away so that you don’t lose people. I feel like it’s more about you than about the topic.
Me Berle · Sep 2026
Hot and cold.
Best when the pieces are focused on facts. U Chicago piece was fluff and marketing. Susan tried to be objective about her alma mater but the mom was pure marketing and fluff. Pushed the school way too hard. Please no more of mom’s pumping their kid’s school. Brings down the credibility of the podcast which is otherwise so credible.
DragonDay90 · Jun 2026
Great College Admissions Podcast
I found this podcast a few months ago, and I’ve listened to a bunch of the current and past episodes. I appreciate the way Mark and the other hosts break down a big process into smaller pieces. My daughter is currently a junior, so I’ve taken a bunch of notes! Thanks for all you do!
ilgirl51 · Feb 2026
YCBK ROCKS!
As an IEC I follow a lot of companies and podcasts. The ones I trust snd respect are listed on our website for our students. YCBK has been in the #1 spot now for almost 600 episodes! Thank you Mark and your amazing team!
GoAKALA · Nov 2025
Best College Admissions Podcast
I love YCBK podcast. It is an interesting listen and covers a full range of topics. The hosts are very personable. They give great insight into the college admissions process. I am constantly referencing their podcast when other parents are looking for info. Very timely topics with honest insights. Highly recommend!
CometgirlK · Aug 2025
So angry…. Remove your IEC episode!!
I am writing as a listener, parent of an autistic/ADHD son, and IEC, who loves working with neurodivergent students. I am writing with unbelievable disappointment and anger with the latest episode about IECs. It was wildly misinformed and harmful to all families, particularly those that have children with different/specific/special needs. My son is autistic and has ADHD and I believe it is important to validate parents who want additional support for their children and offer options for them to seek out that support (rather than make them feel like they can’t or shouldn’t seek additional support). The episode was simply wrong and should be removed from the public. If families want an alternative viewpoint about IECs and college admissions support for neurodivergent students, reach out to Rose College Prep (www.rosecollegeprep.com).
greensami3 · Jul 2025
Absolutely Shocked
I’m writing as a listener and a parent of two students in college who graduated from an independent day school in Southern California. Both of my children worked closely with two different experienced and highly ethical independent educational consultants (IECs), and I can say without hesitation that these professionals provided more consistent, personalized, and supportive guidance than what was available through their school-based counselor—despite her being capable and well-intentioned. That’s why I was both disappointed and troubled by the tone and content of the recent podcast episode. The comments made about IECs came across as mean-spirited, petty, and misinformed. I understand that critical discussion is necessary, but what aired felt less like a thoughtful critique and more like a blanket dismissal of an entire profession. This kind of framing is both misleading and unhelpful to families trying to make informed choices. I’m glad this didn’t air years ago when my two children were beginning the process, I would have never sought the valuable support we needed. Perhaps parts 2 and 3 of this segment will provide more balance after the host and co-host receive feedback from listeners. But, based on what was said in part 1, it’s hard to imagine a meaningful shift.
FloatDownTheLiffy · Jul 2025
Comprehensive resource
Mark and the YCBK team provide deep insights into all aspects of college admissions. I never miss an episode, and even look forward to Mondays (and Thursdays) for new content. Sometimes, I even think this team is reading my mind. The topics go deeper than any other resource I have found. Thank you YCBK!
JLite pod · Jun 2025
Questions parents ask
What age is Your College Bound Kid | Admission Tips, Admission Trends & Admission Interviews for?
Your College Bound Kid | Admission Tips, Admission Trends & Admission Interviews doesn't publish an age range, but based on the ages parents name in their reviews it lands with 13–14-year-olds, most often teens (13+).
How long are Your College Bound Kid | Admission Tips, Admission Trends & Admission Interviews episodes?
Most episodes run about 65 minutes, so an episode fits comfortably into a school run or a bedtime routine.
Is Your College Bound Kid | Admission Tips, Admission Trends & Admission Interviews any good?
It holds 4.6 out of 5 from 385 ratings, with 114 written parent reviews, which works out to an A- on our scale.
Is Your College Bound Kid | Admission Tips, Admission Trends & Admission Interviews appropriate for kids?
Your College Bound Kid | Admission Tips, Admission Trends & Admission Interviews is marked clean, with no explicit content flag. Parents describe it as educational.
Where can I listen to Your College Bound Kid | Admission Tips, Admission Trends & Admission Interviews?
Your College Bound Kid | Admission Tips, Admission Trends & Admission Interviews is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Amazon Music and other podcast apps. It's free to listen to.
Why do parents recommend Your College Bound Kid | Admission Tips, Admission Trends & Admission Interviews?
The point that comes up most is "parents enjoy it too" — mentioned in 6 of the 105 reviews we analysed.
Episodes
60 to play, newest first
YCBK 680: Do You Speak Up If You Feel Your Student Is About To Select the Wrong College
Oct 4, 2026 · 66 min
In this episode you will hear: Susan Tree and Mark Stucker discuss the following question, what does a parent do if they feel that your student is about to select a college, and you believe they are not selecting the best college for them-1 of 3 Andy joins Mark to answer a Frequently asked question, "How do colleges actually find students". This is the deepest dive we have ever done on Student Search. Part 2 of 3 Preview for Part 2 q Andy explains how Slate is used by admissions officers and how Slate helps Search q Andy discusses the three different models that are out there when it comes to how a college implements Student Search that he referred to in part 1 of our interview but now he talks about the pros and the cons of each of these three approaches q Andy and Mark discuss how colleges are no longer only using the College Board and the ACT to buy lists of names from, and Andy talks about how colleges are always examining the ROI on their different sources of feeder lists for q Andy drops a big demonstrated interest tip on our listeners about what colleges can learn from when a student adds their name to Big Future or to the Common App Recommended Resources JG Talks: Helping p
YCBK 679: How Colleges Actually Find Students (Students Search Explained)
Sep 30, 2026 · 71 min
In this episode you will hear: (18:45) Chris Teare and Mark Stucker discuss an article that appeared in the Atlantic on August 30th, entitled, "A Society of Cheats"; the article is written by John Paul Rollert (44:37) Andy joins Mark to answer a Frequently asked question, "How do colleges actually find students". This is the deepest dive we have ever done on Student Search. Part 1 of 3 Preview for Part 1 q Andy explains what Student Search is, aka Proactive Recruitment q Mark explains some of the various ways that colleges find and recruit students, and Mark and Andy discuss why Student Search is by far a more comprehensive approach to finding students q Andy discusses the different criteria that a school can choose to use when they are trying to target students through student Search. q Andy explains the three different models that are out there when it comes to how a college implements Student Search Recommended Resources JG Talks: Helping prospective and current college students achieve success Colleges that allow self-reporting of test scores Colleges that Allow Self-Reporting of SAT and ACT Scores Great source for questions about finances and college Edvisors: Financial Aid, S
YCBK 678: Do Colleges Give Less $ to Students If They Apply Using Early Decision?
Sep 27, 2026 · 58 min
In this episode you will hear: Andy joins Mark to answer a Frequently asked question, "Do colleges give a student less money if they apply by using Early Decision because they know the student has to come, and doesn't have any leverage, so why lead with your best financial aid or merit-based scholarship offer? Mark and Christina interview Adam Miller, The VP of Enrollment at Whitman College, Part 3 of 3 Understanding Whitman's Ten Percent Promise Preview for Part 3 ¢ Christina compliments Whitman for their courage to be bold ¢ Mark shares a few very specific things that he likes about Whitman's plan ¢ Mark makes a prediction of how this plan will impact visits ¢ Adam talks about how students can still qualify for academic scholarships and talent-based scholarships, up to $45,000, but obviously the academic and talent-based scholarships are not stackable with the 10 percent promise ¢ Undocumented and International students cannot complete the FAFSA but Whitman does have special scholarships for these populations ¢ Adam talks about the 90 million dollars they recently raised for financial aid ¢ Christina talks how rare it is for a college to show this level of transparency ¢ Adam goe
YCBK 677: Can Your HS Counselor Call Colleges and Advocate for your Acceptance?
Sep 23, 2026 · 62 min
In this episode you will hear: (10:16) Hillary joins Mark to answer a question from a school-based counselor who wants to know if she can make advocacy calls for her students to colleges. (35:36) Mark and Christina interview Adam Miller, The VP of Enrollment at Whitman College, Part 2 of 3 Understanding Whitman's Ten Percent Promise ¢ Adam explains why Whitman still accepts the CSS Profile instead of having their own individual, separate form ¢ Adam explains why they ended up going up with 10%, as opposed to 11 or 12 or 13 percent, for what they would ask families to pay for tuition ¢ Christina asks what happens if your applicant pool is less well-resourced and the 10% brings in less revenue than they anticipate, and they are locked into it ¢ Christina asks: By providing so much transparency, you lose the ability to use discretion if the numbers don't add up, so what are you getting in return for this? Adam has a great answer ¢ Mark shares his perspective that the 10% promise will appeal to more high-pay and full-pay families, and he explains why he feel this way ¢ Adam talks about some of the specific families who will really benefit from Whitman's new 10% Promise ¢ Christina asks
YCBK 676: Things You Need to Know If You Are Transferring to a New High School
Sep 20, 2026 · 69 min
In this episode you will hear: (10:32) Susan joins Mark to answer a question about how to transfer to a new high school from the 11th grade to the 12th grade when the transferring was because of bullying. (41:36) Mark and Christina interview Adam Miller, The VP of Enrollment at Whiman College, Part 1 of 3 Understanding Whitman's Ten Percent Promise ¢ Adam explains what the 10 Percent Promise Is ¢ Adam explains how assets are usually handled at most of Whitman's peer schools and how that differs from Whitman is doing ¢ Christina asks Adam what he learned from the six years when they were doing full tax return reviews before students applied that they applied to their knowledge in the rollout of the new 10 percent promise, and Adam shares several things ¢ Adam answers the question Christina asks, when you were doing hundreds of pre-reads, did you get flooded with pre-reads, only to find students didn't enroll, and Adam shares the benefits of doing an early read? ¢ Adam and I discuss how they love how Whitman can adjust to accommodate the family where the CSS Profile helps a family ¢ Adam explains how a pre-read is different from a net price calculator Recommended Resources JG Talks:
YCBK 675: Why 70 Colleges Now Partner with Verto for Transfer Admissions-5 of 5
Sep 16, 2026 · 55 min
In this episode you will hear: (04:44) Mark interviews Mitch Gordon and Jennifer Ziegenfus-Verto Education Part 5 of 5-Preview v Mitch talks about how safe the sites that the students are at are v Jen talks about how a visit she took from Boulder to the London site, and it was transformational for her understanding of the magic of Verto v Mitch talks about whether a student or parent can visit an overseas site before they commit v Mitch tells us more about how Parents Days work v Jen talks about where someone who is interested in Verto should go next to learn even more about Verto v Mitch talks about his vision about he envisions Verto will look like in 2032 when Verto is 15 years old v We close with Jen and Mitch going on the hot seat in our lightning round (34:55) Mark and Christina interview Adam Miller, The VP of Enrollment at Whiman College, Part 3 of 3 Understanding Whitman · Adam discusses how practically does being "need-aware" look like at Whitman · Adam discusses what Whitman needs to work on to be an even better college · Adam talks about what Walla Walla is like as a town · Adam talks about the weather in Walla Walla, Washington · Adam talks about the wine culture in Wa
YCBK 674: Why 70 Colleges Now Partner with Verto for Transfer Admissions
Sep 13, 2026 · 65 min
In this episode you will hear: Mark interviews Mitch Gordon and Jennifer Ziegenfus-Verto Education Part 4 of 5-Preview v Mitch talks about how hard covid was extremely hard on Verto and he talks about what was it that allowed Verto to survive and then thrive through Verto v Mitch talks about what residential environment is like for students v Mitch talks about the course offerings are that are available at each location v Mitch talks about how they added several stem heavy partners and how they wanted certain courses to be provided so they added these courses v Mitch talks about how they find faculty for Verto v Mitch talks about the average class size and he talks about what his very ambitious goal is when it comes to the quality of the teaching faculty v Mitch talks about some of the experiential learning that occurs as part of the Verto experience v Jen talks about the extracurricular opportunities that are available v Mitch talks about the importance of community and connection at Verto v I ask Mitch and Jen what Verto needs to do better and they share specific things that they want to improve Mark and Christina interview Adam Miller, The VP of Enrollment at Whiman College, Par
YCBK 673: Understanding Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington
Sep 9, 2026 · 53 min
In this episode you will hear: (08:53) Mark interviews Mitch Gordon and Jennifer Ziegenfus-Verto Education Part 3 of 5-Preview Jen and Mitch talk about the growth of students who are now choosing Verto as their first choice and how, increasingly, students are starting with Verto as their first-choice option Mitch explains the college counseling that Verto provides for students who want to start with Verto, and how they have their own version of the Common App Jen talks about how incredibly important it is for Verto to have an academic team and an academic advisory board so Verto can have the right classes for students Jen talks about how the Verto model is set up for students to graduate in four years Mitch talks about the cost of attending a Verto program and Verto's commitment to access. Mitch talks about the Global Citizenship scholarship, and some of the other scholarships that Verto offers Mitch talks about what is covered and not covered in the Verto fees Jen talks about how excursions are built into the Verto experience Mitch talks about what qualifications are required for a student to transfer back, and we talk about how Verto can avoid sending a student
YCBK 672: How Can I Know What My Actual Miscellaneous College Expenses Are
Sep 6, 2026 · 59 min
In this episode you will hear: Mark interviews Mitch Gordon and Jennifer Ziegenfus-Verto Education Part 2 of 5-Preview v Jennifer goes in some depth explaining when and how a university recommends the Verto option for students v Mitch explains what he means by the "glass half full" approach to when a student gets a Verto offer v Mitch talks about more selective colleges have partnered with Verto in recent years v Mitch talks about the experiential learning that happens at Verto v Mitch explains how he had his epiphany of how college can be a great benefit to the colleges v Jen was the Vice Chancellor at CU Boulder and she explains what the "value add' is to the colleges and she explains two distinct pathways that students come to their college from Verto; she describes the Direct Transfer Pathway to Verto and the traditional path where the college recommends Verto v Mitch talks about how Verto is creating the largest Transfer Network in the world and how it is an international network and how it is growing fast v Mitch talks about the year Verto started and what the early years were like; he also talks about what Verto looks for when they a select a college partner v Mitch talks ab
YCBK 671: How Verto Education Became the World's Largest Transfer Pathway to College
Sep 2, 2026 · 50 min
In this episode you will hear: (22:15) Mark interviews Mitch Gordon and Jennifer Ziegenfus-Verto Education Part 1 of 5-Preview v Mitch Gordon shares his backstory v Mitch is a serial entrepreneur with all of his ventures being related to students having overseas experiences; he shares a few of his other educational ventures v Jennifer Ziegenfus give her fascinating backstory, and friends, you should have your student listen to Jennifer's background because it is textbook case for why I don't think students need to have it all figured out at 18, in terms of what they want to do with their lives v Mitch shares why he hired Jen, and what she does for Verto that is living out the values of Verto v Mitch shares what the mission of Verto Education is v Mitch shares how Verto challenges students v Mitch shares the nuts and bolts of how Verto works v Jennifer explains how her role is to be the liaison to support their partner colleges v Jennifer explains in depth how Verto does orientation, how Verto helps prepare students and their families for their transition to their overseas site where they will be living in the fall v Mitch talks about the two primary ways in which students find Vert
YCBK 670: Understanding Clemson University
Aug 30, 2026 · 62 min
In this episode you will hear: Mark interviews Dr. Rick Barth, Director of Undergraduate Admissions Part 4 of 5 and 5 of 5 µ Rick talks about extracurriculars, and whether they are part of the application decision µ Rick talks about the times when work impresses the admissions officers µ Rick talks about the difference between "in state and out of state" applicants µ Rick shares the number of instate vs out of state applicants, and he shares the acceptance rate for instate vs out of state applicants µ Rick gives the numbers for Fall admit, summer admit and the bridge program µ Rick talks about how transfer admission works and he shares one thing that he wishes applicants to Clemson who don't get in, know µ Rick talks about how Bridge favors in-state students but he talks about the times when they will take out of state students µ Rick talks about one major that is a real institutional priority µ We talk about the test score that is worth submitting to Clemson and Rick gives us a level of candor that is rarely heard, especially on a podcast µ Rick talks about Honors College at Clemson µ Rick talks about what Honors College is looking for µ Rick talks about how important the student
YCBK 669: If My Student Checks the Box For Aid, Does It Decrease Their Admissions Chances
Aug 26, 2026 · 60 min
In this episode you will hear: (11:38) Mark and Christina answer a question from a listener about how, "checking the box" impacts admissions at a "Need-Aware" college (34:06) Mark interviews Dr. Rick Barth, Director of Undergraduate Admissions Part 3 of 5 Preview of Part 3 of 5 µ Rick talks about how Clemson ranks students, even when they do not provide a class rank, and he talks about the quality controls they put in place to make sure they are as accurate as possible µ Rick talk about the way in which Clemson profiles how students have done from different high schools at Clemson and how this factors into how they read an admission file µ Rick talks about how is rigor assessed µ Rick talks in detail of how the academic review is done µ Rick answers the question, Is Clemson test-optional or test-mandatory µ Rick talks about how the acceptance data of test optional students compares to the acceptance rate of test submitters µ Rick talks about how factors like essays, recommendations, activities and demonstrated interest play a role, or don't play a role in the admission decision process µ Rick talks about how students can show interest and how it is a waste of everyone's time µ Rick