https://simplecast.com The Wiser Way: College Admissions Explained The Wiser Way is Collegewise’s weekly podcast dedicated to cutting through the chaos of college admissions. Hosted by Na’ama Landau and Paul Kanarek, the show offers an honest, grounded look at what actually matters in this ever-changing landscape. Each week, we unpack trends, debunk myths, and share story-behind-the-story insights from more than 40+ years in the admissions world. Whether you're parenting a stressed-out student, supporting your counseling caseload, or navigating your own admissions journey, you're in the right place. 2020 en Wed, 22 Jul 2020 13:00:07 +0000 Sat, 22 Nov 2025 01:46:27 +0000 https://getwise.simplecast.com The Wiser Way: College Admissions Explained https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/61e8b829-390f-49f7-8b87-c72d0bd2fee4/e8d6b6e0-9765-4c43-af42-2a800b5754bd/3000x3000/screenshot-202025-11-21-20at-205-42-41-20pm.jpg?aid=rss_feed https://getwise.simplecast.com episodic The Wiser Way is Collegewise’s weekly podcast dedicated to cutting through the chaos of college admissions. Hosted by Na’ama Landau and Paul Kanarek, the show offers an honest, grounded look at what actually matters in this ever-changing landscape. Each week, we unpack trends, debunk myths, and share story-behind-the-story insights from more than 40+ years in the admissions world. Whether you're parenting a stressed-out student, supporting your counseling caseload, or navigating your own admissions journey, you're in the right place. Kevin McMullin false https://feeds.simplecast.com/VuSqsFzk university, parenting, admissions, advice, applications, college Collegewise naamal@collegewise.com 430617fd-3ae0-4975-a351-7cd24b6ab2ab Episode 08 - Rapid-Fire Myth Destruction Follow Arun on Twitter: @ArunWise

Follow Collegewise on Instagram: @collegewise

Get admissions-related updates and resources at collegewise.com/covid

Get Wise: College Admissions Explained  is produced by Collegewise, the nation’s largest admissions counseling organization. With over 60 expert counselors and 40 testing and curriculum tutors, we’re out to change the way families approach college admissions.

Want to learn more about the Wiser Way? Follow us @collegewise or visit collegewise.com for guides, webinars, and in-person events.

 

]]> Wed, 22 Jul 2020 13:00:07 +0000 naamal@collegewise.com (Arun Ponnusamy, Nicole Pilar) https://getwise.simplecast.com/episodes/s108-rapid-fire-myth-destruction-pqO52pUQ Follow Arun on Twitter: @ArunWise

Follow Collegewise on Instagram: @collegewise

Get admissions-related updates and resources at collegewise.com/covid

Get Wise: College Admissions Explained  is produced by Collegewise, the nation’s largest admissions counseling organization. With over 60 expert counselors and 40 testing and curriculum tutors, we’re out to change the way families approach college admissions.

Want to learn more about the Wiser Way? Follow us @collegewise or visit collegewise.com for guides, webinars, and in-person events.

 

]]> Episode 08 - Rapid-Fire Myth Destruction Arun Ponnusamy, Nicole Pilar 00:43:54 Do colleges reserve spots for valedictorians? Is it harder to get a job with a humanities degree? Will a letter of recommendation from Oprah get you into Stanford? In the Season 1 finale, we take a hammer to some of the most stubborn (and ridiculous) myths, lies and misconceptions about college admissions, as told to us by the Collegewise counselors doing this work every day. Do colleges reserve spots for valedictorians? Is it harder to get a job with a humanities degree? Will a letter of recommendation from Oprah get you into Stanford? In the Season 1 finale, we take a hammer to some of the most stubborn (and ridiculous) myths, lies and misconceptions about college admissions, as told to us by the Collegewise counselors doing this work every day. false full 8 1 d9a8673e-aa54-4c82-bef2-671e6b601ca8 Episode 07 - You don't need a title to be a leader. "Take me to your leaders: What college admissions deans are looking for" by Brennan Barnard

Follow Arun on Twitter: @ArunWise

Follow Collegewise on Instagram: @collegewise

Get admissions-related updates and resources at collegewise.com/covid

Get Wise: College Admissions Explained  is produced by Collegewise, the nation’s largest admissions counseling organization. With over 60 expert counselors and 40 testing and curriculum tutors, we’re out to change the way families approach college admissions.

Want to learn more about the Wiser Way? Follow us @collegewise or visit collegewise.com for guides, webinars, and in-person events.

 

]]> Mon, 29 Jun 2020 20:20:34 +0000 naamal@collegewise.com (Kevin McMullin, Arun Ponnusamy) https://getwise.simplecast.com/episodes/s107-you-dont-need-a-title-to-be-a-leader-kT0Oermc "Take me to your leaders: What college admissions deans are looking for" by Brennan Barnard

Follow Arun on Twitter: @ArunWise

Follow Collegewise on Instagram: @collegewise

Get admissions-related updates and resources at collegewise.com/covid

Get Wise: College Admissions Explained  is produced by Collegewise, the nation’s largest admissions counseling organization. With over 60 expert counselors and 40 testing and curriculum tutors, we’re out to change the way families approach college admissions.

Want to learn more about the Wiser Way? Follow us @collegewise or visit collegewise.com for guides, webinars, and in-person events.

 

]]> Episode 07 - You don't need a title to be a leader. Kevin McMullin, Arun Ponnusamy 00:50:24 Collegewise founder Kevin McMullin is back to discuss the fundamentals of leadership as it relates to college applications. Find out why being elected class president won’t impress admissions officers, why some of the most compelling stories of high school leadership come from students who aren’t formally in charge of anything, why some of the best opportunities to lead lie within your own passions and community, and how a kid named David Husslebee made a name for himself with a set identical Hawaiian shirts. Collegewise founder Kevin McMullin is back to discuss the fundamentals of leadership as it relates to college applications. Find out why being elected class president won’t impress admissions officers, why some of the most compelling stories of high school leadership come from students who aren’t formally in charge of anything, why some of the best opportunities to lead lie within your own passions and community, and how a kid named David Husslebee made a name for himself with a set identical Hawaiian shirts. leadership, admissions, college admissions false full 7 1 64399186-8f37-49bc-bc8c-1a3ca5b96956 Episode 06 - The sticker price is not the price. Bonus viewing:

Is College Still Worth It? | Patriot Act with Hasan Minaj on Netflix

Follow Arun on Twitter: @ArunWise

Follow Collegewise on Instagram: @collegewise

Get admissions-related updates and resources at collegewise.com/covid

Get Wise: College Admissions Explained  is produced by Collegewise, the nation’s largest admissions counseling organization. With over 60 expert counselors and 40 testing and curriculum tutors, we’re out to change the way families approach college admissions.

Want to learn more about the Wiser Way? Follow us @collegewise or visit collegewise.com for guides, webinars, and in-person events.

 

]]> Mon, 22 Jun 2020 18:24:43 +0000 naamal@collegewise.com (Arun Ponnusamy, Casey Near) https://getwise.simplecast.com/episodes/s106-the-sticker-price-is-not-the-price-kkO2vZ6r Bonus viewing:

Is College Still Worth It? | Patriot Act with Hasan Minaj on Netflix

Follow Arun on Twitter: @ArunWise

Follow Collegewise on Instagram: @collegewise

Get admissions-related updates and resources at collegewise.com/covid

Get Wise: College Admissions Explained  is produced by Collegewise, the nation’s largest admissions counseling organization. With over 60 expert counselors and 40 testing and curriculum tutors, we’re out to change the way families approach college admissions.

Want to learn more about the Wiser Way? Follow us @collegewise or visit collegewise.com for guides, webinars, and in-person events.

 

]]> Episode 06 - The sticker price is not the price. Arun Ponnusamy, Casey Near 00:53:06 This week we take a deep dive into college costs. We explain why the sticker price (the one colleges put on the website) is usually not what you pay. We discuss how to decide if a college is a good financial fit, what makes any particular college a “good value," and the invisible forces at work on how we think about which colleges are “worth it.” Our guest is Casey Near, Executive Director of Counseling at Collegewise. Casey is a former admissions counselor at Mills College, avid book reader, part-timer Mainer, and full-time smarty pants. This week we take a deep dive into college costs. We explain why the sticker price (the one colleges put on the website) is usually not what you pay. We discuss how to decide if a college is a good financial fit, what makes any particular college a “good value," and the invisible forces at work on how we think about which colleges are “worth it.” Our guest is Casey Near, Executive Director of Counseling at Collegewise. Casey is a former admissions counselor at Mills College, avid book reader, part-timer Mainer, and full-time smarty pants. college costs, tuition, admissions, financial aid, university false full 6 1 b3491966-1897-4f77-8897-8f11ff10cf07 Episode 05 - Every year of high school matters. Follow Arun on Twitter: @ArunWise

Follow Collegewise on Instagram: @collegewise

Get admissions-related updates and resources at collegewise.com/covid

Get Wise: College Admissions Explained  is produced by Collegewise, the nation’s largest admissions counseling organization. With over 60 expert counselors and 40 testing and curriculum tutors, we’re out to change the way families approach college admissions.

Want to learn more about the Wiser Way? Follow us @collegewise or visit collegewise.com for guides, webinars, and in-person events.

 

]]> Mon, 15 Jun 2020 13:00:23 +0000 naamal@collegewise.com (Collegewise) https://getwise.simplecast.com/episodes/s105-every-year-of-high-school-matters-UAjJU9LU Follow Arun on Twitter: @ArunWise

Follow Collegewise on Instagram: @collegewise

Get admissions-related updates and resources at collegewise.com/covid

Get Wise: College Admissions Explained  is produced by Collegewise, the nation’s largest admissions counseling organization. With over 60 expert counselors and 40 testing and curriculum tutors, we’re out to change the way families approach college admissions.

Want to learn more about the Wiser Way? Follow us @collegewise or visit collegewise.com for guides, webinars, and in-person events.

 

]]> Episode 05 - Every year of high school matters. Collegewise 00:53:29 Our guest this week is Nicole Pilar, Collegewise's resident admissions super-nerd. Listen in as Arun and Nicole dig into the details of how (and why) each year of high school matters when you submit applications. They discuss how admissions officers weigh each year of your high school transcript, how to address a "rough" year of grades in the application, why you shouldn't be afraid to devote your time to the things that make you happy, and a whole lot more. Our guest this week is Nicole Pilar, Collegewise's resident admissions super-nerd. Listen in as Arun and Nicole dig into the details of how (and why) each year of high school matters when you submit applications. They discuss how admissions officers weigh each year of your high school transcript, how to address a "rough" year of grades in the application, why you shouldn't be afraid to devote your time to the things that make you happy, and a whole lot more. false full 5 1 d621b6a2-1d3a-4f88-b41f-82b88d8e4bc9 Episode 04 - Test scores are never the most important thing. Free test prep: https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep

Follow Arun on Twitter: @ArunWise

Follow Collegewise on Instagram: @collegewise

Get admissions-related updates and resources at collegewise.com/covid

Get Wise: College Admissions Explained  is produced by Collegewise, the nation’s largest admissions counseling organization. With over 60 expert counselors and 40 testing and curriculum tutors, we’re out to change the way families approach college admissions.

Want to learn more about the Wiser Way? Follow us @collegewise or visit collegewise.com for guides, webinars, and in-person events.

 

]]> Mon, 8 Jun 2020 13:00:17 +0000 naamal@collegewise.com (Arun Ponnusamy, Paul Kanarek) https://getwise.simplecast.com/episodes/s104-testing-is-never-the-most-important-thing-jjZqPjt2 Free test prep: https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep

Follow Arun on Twitter: @ArunWise

Follow Collegewise on Instagram: @collegewise

Get admissions-related updates and resources at collegewise.com/covid

Get Wise: College Admissions Explained  is produced by Collegewise, the nation’s largest admissions counseling organization. With over 60 expert counselors and 40 testing and curriculum tutors, we’re out to change the way families approach college admissions.

Want to learn more about the Wiser Way? Follow us @collegewise or visit collegewise.com for guides, webinars, and in-person events.

 

]]> Episode 04 - Test scores are never the most important thing. Arun Ponnusamy, Paul Kanarek 00:47:39 This week's fundamental truth: Test scores are never the most important thing. Our guest is Paul Kanarek. Paul is a co-founder of The Princeton Review, where he spent 30+ years as Senior Vice President before leaving to become a managing partner at Collegewise. In that time he’s developed some “strong” opinions on just about everything related to college admissions, notably a deep skepticism of entire American testing industry. The irony is not lost on him. This week's fundamental truth: Test scores are never the most important thing. Our guest is Paul Kanarek. Paul is a co-founder of The Princeton Review, where he spent 30+ years as Senior Vice President before leaving to become a managing partner at Collegewise. In that time he’s developed some “strong” opinions on just about everything related to college admissions, notably a deep skepticism of entire American testing industry. The irony is not lost on him. false full 4 1 d3dd822f-cd3e-435f-a22e-58a7c2151a1e Episode 03 - Community service is not about the hours. Follow Arun on Twitter: @ArunWise

Follow Collegewise on Instagram: @collegewise

Get admissions-related updates and resources at collegewise.com/covid

Get Wise: College Admissions Explained  is produced by Collegewise, the nation’s largest admissions counseling organization. With over 60 expert counselors and 40 testing and curriculum tutors, we’re out to change the way families approach college admissions.

Want to learn more about the Wiser Way? Follow us @collegewise or visit collegewise.com for guides, webinars, and in-person events.

 

]]> Mon, 25 May 2020 17:18:51 +0000 naamal@collegewise.com (Tom Barry, Arun Ponnusamy) https://getwise.simplecast.com/episodes/s103-community-service-is-not-about-the-hours-8AgKzstZ Follow Arun on Twitter: @ArunWise

Follow Collegewise on Instagram: @collegewise

Get admissions-related updates and resources at collegewise.com/covid

Get Wise: College Admissions Explained  is produced by Collegewise, the nation’s largest admissions counseling organization. With over 60 expert counselors and 40 testing and curriculum tutors, we’re out to change the way families approach college admissions.

Want to learn more about the Wiser Way? Follow us @collegewise or visit collegewise.com for guides, webinars, and in-person events.

 

]]> Episode 03 - Community service is not about the hours. Tom Barry, Arun Ponnusamy 00:36:47 This week we explore the role extracurriculars play in admissions. Do colleges look more favorably at certain activities? What do they mean by "sustained and meaningful" service? What if you want to build a hovercraft instead? Our guest is Tom Barry. Tom is a veteran college counselor, a former admissions officer at Colorado College, Stanford grad, and noted flannel enthusiast. This week we explore the role extracurriculars play in admissions. Do colleges look more favorably at certain activities? What do they mean by "sustained and meaningful" service? What if you want to build a hovercraft instead? Our guest is Tom Barry. Tom is a veteran college counselor, a former admissions officer at Colorado College, Stanford grad, and noted flannel enthusiast. college applications, community service, admissions, college admissions, college false full 3 1 cd042f65-99d1-4d57-a8e4-283fdab226c2 Episode 02 - What you do is more important than what you study. Follow Arun on Twitter: @ArunWise

Follow Collegewise on Instagram: @collegewise

Get admissions-related updates and resources at collegewise.com/covid

Get Wise: College Admissions Explained  is produced by Collegewise, the nation’s largest admissions counseling organization. With over 60 expert counselors and 40 testing and curriculum tutors, we’re out to change the way families approach college admissions.

Want to learn more about the Wiser Way? Follow us @collegewise or visit collegewise.com for guides, webinars, and in-person events.

 

]]> Mon, 18 May 2020 19:53:55 +0000 naamal@collegewise.com (Nandita Gupta, Arun Ponnusamy) https://getwise.simplecast.com/episodes/what-you-do-is-more-important-than-what-you-study-QQ__8Tn8 Follow Arun on Twitter: @ArunWise

Follow Collegewise on Instagram: @collegewise

Get admissions-related updates and resources at collegewise.com/covid

Get Wise: College Admissions Explained  is produced by Collegewise, the nation’s largest admissions counseling organization. With over 60 expert counselors and 40 testing and curriculum tutors, we’re out to change the way families approach college admissions.

Want to learn more about the Wiser Way? Follow us @collegewise or visit collegewise.com for guides, webinars, and in-person events.

 

]]> Episode 02 - What you do is more important than what you study. Nandita Gupta, Arun Ponnusamy 00:45:08 This week Arun is joined by former Stanford admissions officer Nandita Gupta for an open conversation on the eternal question: "What should I major in?" And the more important question, "Does it really matter?" This week Arun is joined by former Stanford admissions officer Nandita Gupta for an open conversation on the eternal question: "What should I major in?" And the more important question, "Does it really matter?" majors, admissions, careers false full 2 1 08dfad9a-0a1d-4f36-a659-db0736781086 Episode 01 - There is no magic formula. Follow Arun on Twitter: @ArunWise

Follow Collegewise on Instagram: @collegewise

Get admissions-related updates and resources at collegewise.com/covid

Get Wise: College Admissions Explained  is produced by Collegewise, the nation’s largest admissions counseling organization. With over 60 expert counselors and 40 testing and curriculum tutors, we’re out to change the way families approach college admissions.

Want to learn more about the Wiser Way? Follow us @collegewise or visit collegewise.com for guides, webinars, and in-person events.

 

]]> Mon, 11 May 2020 21:11:04 +0000 naamal@collegewise.com (Kevin McMullin, Arun Ponnusamy) https://getwise.simplecast.com/episodes/0101-RqA3_ntP Follow Arun on Twitter: @ArunWise

Follow Collegewise on Instagram: @collegewise

Get admissions-related updates and resources at collegewise.com/covid

Get Wise: College Admissions Explained  is produced by Collegewise, the nation’s largest admissions counseling organization. With over 60 expert counselors and 40 testing and curriculum tutors, we’re out to change the way families approach college admissions.

Want to learn more about the Wiser Way? Follow us @collegewise or visit collegewise.com for guides, webinars, and in-person events.

 

]]> Episode 01 - There is no magic formula. Kevin McMullin, Arun Ponnusamy 00:49:20 Arun and Collegewise founder Kevin McMullin break down the stubborn myth that colleges have a formula for getting in. They discuss the human element in college admissions, why students should think twice before choosing activities because they "look good," and how all of this might look in the time of COVID-19. Arun and Collegewise founder Kevin McMullin break down the stubborn myth that colleges have a formula for getting in. They discuss the human element in college admissions, why students should think twice before choosing activities because they "look good," and how all of this might look in the time of COVID-19. formula, admissions, college, covid-19 false full 1 1 72822035-bfe2-4ae5-9c54-fb0de483b03f Introducing Get Wise Mon, 23 Mar 2020 22:43:12 +0000 naamal@collegewise.com (Collegewise) https://getwise.simplecast.com/episodes/introducing-get-wise-Ob77HFQa Introducing Get Wise Collegewise 00:01:35 Introducing Get Wise: College Admissions Explained. Introducing Get Wise: College Admissions Explained. false trailer 1