In this week’s episode you will hear

In the News (2:32): Andy Strickler shares some of the changes admissions offices are making due to financial pressures. Part 3 of 3 (Length 14 minutes)

This week’s question (42:05): Interview: Mark Stucker and David Blobaum, The Co-Founder of Summit Test Prep Debate whether selective colleges should make the SAT or the ACT mandatory – Preview of Part 1 of 3

• David Blobaum gives his backstory
• David says what his test score policy would be if he were working at a highly selective school and here is a hint, I don’t agree with him
• I ask David what he thinks about using AP scores instead of SAT or ACT scores
• David gives some proof that colleges are using test scores
• David shares why he feels selective colleges need to use test scores in their admissions decisions.
• I share some other factors that can be used besides test scores that in my opinion, are better to use than test scores
• I share the primary reason why I am not in favor of test-mandatory admissions
• I share a creative idea that he would like to see colleges use that allows some use of scores without them having inappropriately too much weight in the admissions decisions. (Length 26 minutes)

This week’s interview (1:12:08): College Spotlight-Jim Bok Interview, Understanding Swarthmore College – Preview of Part 1

• Jim Bock tells his story from leaving Austin, Texas and heading to Swarthmore, first as a student
• Jim shares how he answers the question, I’ve never heard of Swarthmore, what can you tell me about Swarthmore
• Jim explains how Swarthmore’s founding is different from Haverford, another Quaker school that they are often compared to
• Jim shares the intellectual qualities that when he is reading a file, makes him think, this could be a good match for Swarthmore
• Jim shares the Personal Qualities that Swat values
• Jim explains how Committee Based Evaluation, also known as CBE works at Swarthmore College and how they use CBE to evaluate an admission applicant
• Jim explains the difference between reading a file with CBE vs the traditional way they read files before they implemented CBE
• Jim shares why he finds reading by school group helps the admission file reading process

Mark’s recommended resource of the week (57:46): The Admissions section of each website: Here is a section that says what Swarthmore looks for in a student: Apply to Swarthmore :: Admissions & Aid :: Swarthmore College

College Spotlight : N/A

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