A Slice with 'Dice

Corey Alderdice

A Slice with ’Dice is a weekly podcast exploring leadership, talent development, and the human side of high-performing systems. Drawing on decades of experience in gifted education and public leadership, host Corey Alderdice examines how institutions identify potential, navigate change, and create cultures where people can thrive. Each episode blends thoughtful reflection with practical insight for educators, leaders, and anyone interested in how talent and transformation intersect in real-world settings.

  1. 2d ago

    Why Demonstrated Interest Matters More Than Ever in Selective College Admissions

    As selective college admissions continues to shift, strong students and families need to understand not only how to build a strong application—but how colleges interpret genuine interest. In this jumbo-sized episode, Corey Alderdice explores why “demonstrated interest” may play a greater role in the upcoming admissions cycle, especially as some selective universities move away from traditional supplemental essays and as application numbers continue to rise. Building on the previous episode’s look at recent changes in selective admissions, this conversation goes deeper into the practical realities behind the process: how colleges think about yield, why some institutions want stronger signals that admitted students are likely to enroll, and how families can approach the process thoughtfully without turning it into a game. With summer underway, now is the perfect time for students and families to begin diving into the many moving pieces of college admissions. From building a balanced college list to researching which schools track demonstrated interest, attending official admissions events, using early application plans wisely, and preparing for possible deferrals or waitlists, this episode offers practical guidance for making interest visible in ways that are authentic, appropriate, and student-led. The goal is not to manufacture enthusiasm or chase every admissions tactic. It is to begin with fit, understand the technical landscape, and help students communicate clearly when a college is more than just another name on the list. For additional thoughts from Corey, visit coreyalderdice.com. You can also follow him on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, BlueSky, YouTube, Instagram, and Threads.

    22 min

  2. 5d ago

    Tulane Killed the ‘Why Us?’ Essay. That Matters More Than You Think.

    Why did Tulane drop its “Why Tulane?” essay—and what does that tell us about where college admissions is heading? The change may seem small, but it points to a larger shift from what students say about fit to what their application behavior reveals. Corey Alderdice, a national voice on talent and transformation, explores how colleges are increasingly reading demonstrated interest through behavioral signals like Early Action, Early Decision, campus engagement, timing, and enrollment predictability. Using Tulane as a case study, this episode considers why the old “love letter” essay may matter less in an era of application inflation, AI-assisted writing, and sophisticated yield management. For additional thoughts from Corey, visit coreyalderdice.com. You can also follow him on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, BlueSky, YouTube, Instagram, and Threads.

    9 min
  3. Coming Soon: College Before College

    May 23

    Coming Soon: College Before College

    Dual enrollment and early college programs have rapidly shifted from specialized opportunities into a defining feature of modern American education. Students are earning college credit earlier than ever before, but the rise of acceleration is also raising deeper questions about quality, purpose, pressure, and what education is ultimately supposed to become. Corey Alderdice, a national voice on talent and transformation, previews this special Summer School series exploring how acceleration became normalized, why achievement is increasingly measured through accumulation, and how the growing overlap between high school and college may fundamentally reshape the future purpose of higher education itself. Learn more about the current landscape of college-level learning in high school in the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnership's report Beyond Rigor: Closing the Quality Gap in State Dual Enrollment Policy. For additional thoughts from Corey, visit coreyalderdice.com. You can also follow him on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, BlueSky, YouTube, Instagram, and Threads.

    3 min

  4. May 20

    If It Surprises You, We Failed

    Clarity doesn’t make a school easier—but it does make it more trustworthy. And in selective environments, that difference matters more than we often admit. Corey Alderdice, a national voice on talent and transformation, explores what it would mean to design schools with trust in mind from the very beginning. Building on the tension between trust and power in higher education, this episode turns to selective high schools as a proving ground—places where questions of fairness, rigor, access, and student experience aren’t theoretical, but lived in real time. The conversation moves beyond admissions mechanics to something deeper: purpose, alignment, and the responsibility institutions carry to make their intentions legible to the students and families they serve. At the center is a simple but demanding idea: nothing about a school experience should come as a surprise. Not the pace, not the expectations, not the challenges. And if it does, that’s not a failure of the student—it’s a failure of the institution to explain itself clearly. This episode offers a framework for thinking differently about selective education, not as something to defend after the fact, but as something to design with clarity, coherence, and trust at the core. For additional thoughts from Corey, visit coreyalderdice.com. You can also follow him on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, BlueSky, YouTube, Instagram, and Threads.

    11 min

  5. May 13

    Rebuilding Trust in Colleges Isn’t a PR Problem

    Higher education doesn’t have a messaging problem—it has a trust problem. And the more openly institutions acknowledge that reality, the more complicated the path forward becomes. Corey Alderdice, a national voice on talent and transformation, explores the tension at the heart of higher education’s current moment. Using the recent report from Yale University as a starting point, this episode examines what happens when elite institutions name concerns about cost, fairness, transparency, and academic rigor—not as outside criticism, but as internal reflection. The conversation moves beyond the report itself to consider a deeper question: whether colleges and universities can meaningfully rebuild trust without giving up the very mechanisms that have long defined their power and prestige. As peer institutions signal agreement but hesitate to act, a paradox emerges. The honesty required to restore credibility can also fuel external criticism and internal caution, creating a narrow path between defensiveness and reform. This episode sets the stage for a broader conversation—not just about higher education, but about any selective system navigating the balance between excellence, access, and public trust. For additional thoughts from Corey, visit coreyalderdice.com. You can also follow him on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, BlueSky, YouTube, Instagram, and Threads.

    11 min

  6. May 9

    Teacher Appreciation Week Got Meme-ed by the US Dept. of Education

    A Teacher Appreciation Week meme campaign from the U.S. Department of Education may have been designed for engagement, but its fictional teacher choices revealed something deeper about how educators are feeling right now. Beneath the nostalgia and internet humor is a surprisingly honest portrait of exhaustion, dedication, passion, and the desire to be heard. Corey Alderdice, a national voice on talent and transformation, explores how characters like Ms. Frizzle, Mrs. Puff, Elizabeth Hoover, Miss Nelson, and Ms. Fowl became more than simple appreciation graphics—and why sometimes the subtext accidentally tells the truth. For additional thoughts from Corey, visit coreyalderdice.com. You can also follow him on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, BlueSky, YouTube, Instagram, and Threads.

    12 min

  7. May 6

    Not Faster—Fuller: What Early College Credit Makes Possible

    Curiosity isn’t disappearing from higher education—it’s being squeezed by cost, structure, and the pressure to get it right the first time. But what if the very tools designed to accelerate students could instead give that curiosity room to breathe? Corey Alderdice, a national voice on talent and transformation, explores how the argument that colleges have stopped rewarding curiosity intersects with the rise of early college experiences like Advanced Placement, dual enrollment, and concurrent credit. Rather than treating accumulated credits as a fast track to graduation, this episode reframes them as a form of academic margin—space that allows students to double major, study abroad, pursue internships, and explore disciplines without the constant pressure of efficiency.  At the center of the conversation is a fundamental question: are we designing systems that push students to finish faster, or ones that allow them to experience more? For additional thoughts from Corey, visit coreyalderdice.com. You can also follow him on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, BlueSky, YouTube, Instagram, and Threads.

    11 min

  8. Apr 29

    STARS College Network and the Future of Rural Talent

    Some students grow up surrounded by opportunity so constantly that college feels like the next obvious step. For many small-town and rural students, though, the challenge is not a lack of talent, but the quieter difficulty of seeing ambitious futures clearly enough to believe they are truly within reach. Corey Alderdice, a national voice on talent and transformation, explores the work of the STARS College Network and why helping rural students aspire matters so much. This episode examines the idea of aspiration gaps, the powerful message students receive when institutions make clear they are wanted and valued, and the many strengths rural students already bring with them. Corey also reflects on why this work is about more than college access alone. It is about belonging, visibility, and making sure geography does not quietly determine the size of a young person’s future. For additional thoughts from Corey, visit coreyalderdice.com. You can also follow him on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, BlueSky, YouTube, Instagram, and Threads.

    12 min
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Ratings & Reviews

3
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

A Slice with ’Dice is a weekly podcast exploring leadership, talent development, and the human side of high-performing systems. Drawing on decades of experience in gifted education and public leadership, host Corey Alderdice examines how institutions identify potential, navigate change, and create cultures where people can thrive. Each episode blends thoughtful reflection with practical insight for educators, leaders, and anyone interested in how talent and transformation intersect in real-world settings.

Information

  • Creator
    Corey Alderdice
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    147
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Corey Alderdice
  • Show Website
    A Slice with 'Dice