College Bound Mentor

College Bound Mentor
  • 5.0 (20)
  • HOW TO
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Lisa, Abby, and Stefanie know college. They also know students. With over 30 years combined experience mentoring young people, they'll show you why understanding yourself is the key to finding the right college. Each episode, hear trends, case studies, and interviews with students who have gone through it all - giving you valuable insight to survive the college application process and beyond. Hosted by Lisa Bleich, Abby Power, and Stefanie Forman, Partners of College Bound Mentor.

  1. Extra Credit '25: What Happens if You Don't Get Into Your ED (Early Decision) School?

    12/18/2025

    Extra Credit '25: What Happens if You Don't Get Into Your ED (Early Decision) School?

    Now that Early Decision (ED) results are back - and students are either thrilled or disappointed - we wanted to look back at our first interview with a student, Zoe, who shares her experience not getting into her first choice Early Decision school. She reveals her feelings when she first got denied, why it was actually a blessing in disguise, and her advice to rising seniors. Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

    28 min
  2. Dealing with College Decisions Dropping with Jenna Schebell of The College Navigators

    12/04/2025

    Dealing with College Decisions Dropping with Jenna Schebell of The College Navigators

    With college decisions coming out in the coming weeks, we're entering one of the most stressful times for high school students & parents. There are so many emotions you're bound to experience, and it's hard to resist comparing yourself to other aspiring college students. In this episode, we welcome on Jenna Schebell, Founder of The College Navigators. She's an Independent Educational Consultant (IEC) with over 20 years of experience in college admissions. Hear how to navigate the news on college decisions, what to actually believe on social media, how to block out the noise in this extra stressful time, how to regroup if things don't work out the way you'd hoped, and how to own your path as an aspiring college student - no matter what it looks like. Connect with Jenna at TheCollegeNavigators.com and on Instagram @TheCollegeNavigators, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

    51 min
  3. Making the Most of Summer with Your College Application in Mind

    11/20/2025

    Making the Most of Summer with Your College Application in Mind

    It's never too early to start figuring out what your student will be doing next summer. There are endless options, but which one will be the most rewarding - for personal growth AND adding to that resume? In this episode, we first cover how to make the most of your summer experiences, how to nail the outreach letter for internships, and whether it's still beneficial to get a summer job. Then, we share case studies so you can hear how high school students with very different passions & interests used their summer experiences to make a truly remarkable impact on their communities - and in turn, their college applications. Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

    42 min
  4. Should You Work with an IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)? With Kristina Dooley

    11/06/2025

    Should You Work with an IEC (Independent Educational Consultant)? With Kristina Dooley

    An IEC (Independent Educational Consultant) can be a huge help on your student's high school & college journey. How do you know whether an IEC is right for you - and what should you look for in an IEC? In this episode, we welcome on Kristina Dooley, a Certified Educational Planner and Founder of Estrela Consulting - a multi-consultant educational consulting firm based in Ohio. In addition to her 18 years of experience as an IEC, Kristina has previously served as a college admission officer, a school-based college counselor, and as a Past President of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA). Hear what an IEC actually does, the dynamic between school counselors & IECs, key questions to ask an IEC to find out if they're the right fit, the drastic ways the industry has changed in the last 5 years, and why campus visits are more essential than ever. Connect with Kristina at EstrelaConsulting.com and on LinkedIn, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

    47 min
  5. A Conversation with Parents: College Admissions Trends 2025

    10/22/2025

    A Conversation with Parents: College Admissions Trends 2025

    Want to know the key trends & takeaways in college admissions for 2025? We've got you covered. In this webinar, hear why the demographic cliff is real, how schools are using AI in admissions, how to show you're a great fit for your major, why standardized testing is making a comeback, and what's happening with supplemental essays. Watch the webinar on YouTube, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

    34 min
  6. Extra Credit: How to Handle the Why College/Why Academic Interest Essay with Lisa Marker-Robbins

    10/08/2025

    Extra Credit: How to Handle the Why College/Why Academic Interest Essay with Lisa Marker-Robbins

    Some of the trickiest essays to pin down on college applications are the Why College/Why Academic Interest essays. This has never been more true than today, so we wanted to bring back our interview with special guest Lisa Marker-Robbins, Founder of Flourish Coaching, who's helped over 4,000 high school students and young adults gain the insight, experiences, and confidence they need to successfully embark on their post-high school path. She busts some myths about the Why College/Why Academic Interest essays, reveals some findings of her study of the Top 50 public universities and their admissions practices, and shares her best advice for students who truly don't know what to major in. Get Lisa's resources at FlourishCoachingCo.com/Majors and check out her College and Career Clarity podcast, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

    30 min
  7. Applying to College without Going Broke with Jeff Levy

    09/25/2025

    Applying to College without Going Broke with Jeff Levy

    What's new with financial aid? A lot. In this episode, we welcome back returning guest Jeff Levy, Co-Founder of Big J Educational Consulting, who's been an educational consultant since 2007. Hear the latest changes impacting financial aid, the key deadlines for the FAFSA application and CSS Profile, how common full ride scholarships actually are, things to keep in mind when saving for college as it relates to financial aid, and how to maximize your potential for merit aid. Check out Jeff's resources at BigJEducationalConsulting.com and connect with him on LinkedIn, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

    53 min
  8. Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for You with Jeff Selingo

    09/11/2025

    Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for You with Jeff Selingo

    What's more important: where you go to college, or what you do in college? Jeff Selingo has written about colleges and universities for more than 25 years and is a New York Times bestselling author of four books. His latest, Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for You, draws on more than two years of research and a survey of some 3,000 parents to give families permission to think more broadly about what signals a "good" college and then the tools to discover their dream school. Hear the Top 5 biggest changes to college admissions in recent years, why you should dig deeper into the universe of colleges to attend, the growing importance of value when it comes to your college choice, the most surprising things Jeff learned while writing the book, and the importance of learning broad skills vs. specialized skills in college. Check out Jeff's new book Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for You, and Subscribe to College Bound Mentor on your favorite podcast platform and learn more at CollegeBoundMentor.com

    42 min
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5
out of 5
20 Ratings

About

Lisa, Abby, and Stefanie know college. They also know students. With over 30 years combined experience mentoring young people, they'll show you why understanding yourself is the key to finding the right college. Each episode, hear trends, case studies, and interviews with students who have gone through it all - giving you valuable insight to survive the college application process and beyond. Hosted by Lisa Bleich, Abby Power, and Stefanie Forman, Partners of College Bound Mentor.

Information

  • Creator
    College Bound Mentor
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    41
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 College Bound Mentor
  • Show Website
    College Bound Mentor

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