The Highway to Higher Ed

Alexander W. Merrill
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Welcome to The Highway to Higher Ed, the podcast that considers issues facing students applying to college as they attempt to make the transition into higher education.

  1. How College Applicants Can Standout During the Admissions Process: Trends and Process Changes

    11/30/2025

    How College Applicants Can Standout During the Admissions Process: Trends and Process Changes

    In this episode of Highway to Higher Ed, Alex talks to Nina Berler of unCommon Apps. Nina advises high school students and their families, focusing on how applicants can differentiate themselves in the admissions process. Previously, Nina was college counselor and curriculum consultant at The Hudson School in Hoboken, New Jersey. She has also advised educational startups. Prior to transitioning to K-12 education, Nina directed the Executive Education business for KPMG. Nina is a Professional Member, Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), and a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). Her blogs and articles have appeared in forbes.com, Parentology, College Confidential and LINK for Counselors. In this episode Nina and Alex talk about; Nina’s background, how she got into college counseling, some of her challenges, how student should prepare for college interviews, suggestions for things to do after the interviews, how the process has changed, trends parents should be aware of and some parting advice for parent of students partaking in college interviews.

    50 min
  2. Balancing Faith and Education: College Applications for Islamic Students

    10/16/2025

    Balancing Faith and Education: College Applications for Islamic Students

    In this episode of Highway to Higher Ed, Alex talks to Hamzah Henshaw of Five Before College. Born and raised in Boston, he accepted Islam in 1994 while attending St. Mark’s, a suburban boarding school in Southborough, MA. He graduated from Harvard College, where he concentrated in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations with a minor in economics. He began his career in the field of Islamic Finance, working for Rockefeller in New York and Saudi Arabia. Hamza transitioned to the field of education and got various opportunities to teach at the top institutes around the world. He has been Dean of students at Al-Noor Academy overseeing the dual enrollment program, and serving as the college/guidance counselor for the high school. During COVID, when everything shutdown and whole the world turned to online, he began to share his experiences online and helped thousands of students in various parts of the world with diverse backgrounds. That became a stepping stone for his current initiative: Five Before College. Alex and Hamzah discuss; Hamzah’s background and path into teaching, how he transition into college counselling, methodology in his consulting, helping Islamic students pursue higher education while remaining true to their faith, his impressions of the landscape evolution in the current age and finally shares a story of a students college essay which got him a call from the President of Mexico.

    44 min
  3. Parenting with Purpose: Strategies for Raising Kids with ADHD

    09/14/2025

    Parenting with Purpose: Strategies for Raising Kids with ADHD

    In this episode of Highway to Higher Ed, Alex talks to Melissa Bildner of Live Better Training. With almost 20 years of experience living with and parenting kids with ADHD and executive function challenges, this unique situation has empowered Melissa to develop a unique and practical set of skills and strategies to living with kids who have ADHD. Formally trained as a Certified Professional Coach, an ADHD Parent Coach and Personal Trainer, Melissa also has training in Collaborative Problem Solving from Dr. Stuart Ablon at Think Kids. Her personal experiences combined with her formal training make her uniquely qualified to provide an authentically supportive and empathetic coaching experience, allowing parents to feel heard and understood and combine this feeling with offering practical strategies that parents can easily implement into their own parenting style. In this episode Alex and Melissa discuss; her background, how having kids and a husband with ADHD has helped her be more effective, the challengers she’s faced balancing business and being a parent, listing different parts of her practice, sharing success stories and changes and also sharing advise for parents of students she coaches.

    38 min
  4. Changing Minds: Helping Bring the Emerging MeRT Treatment to Forefront

    11/07/2024

    Changing Minds: Helping Bring the Emerging MeRT Treatment to Forefront

    In this episode of Highway to Higher Ed, Alex talks to Gregg Pauletti of RCHI Group and the brand new Changing Minds organization. After completing his Masters in Counseling at PACE University, Gregg was trained by the preeminent scholar in the field of Cognitive Remediation, Dr. Alice Medalia from Columbia University, in the NEAR Model of Cognitive Remediation. Gregg is the co-founder of Changing Minds of Stamford, highlighted by emergent MeRT treatment. MeRT targets specific brain patterns and quite literally reprograms the brain He went on to help develop and direct the first non-residential cognitive remediation program in Connecticut. In this interview he is joined by his colleague Tobias Halene MD PhD and together they discuss; their backgrounds and how the got involved with MeRT, the services of Changing Minds, why Changing Minds was set up, the process, outcomes for clients with ADHD, the risks, personal experiences with the process and how MeRT stacks up in the cognitive landscape.

    50 min
  5. Helping Find the Right Collegiate Fit (And Being Ready for It) with Meghan Lahey

    05/20/2024

    Helping Find the Right Collegiate Fit (And Being Ready for It) with Meghan Lahey

    In this episode of Highway to Higher Ed, Alex talks to Meghan Lahey of Steinbrecher & Partners. Meghan has designed a multi-session program and handbook for college-bound students and their parents, giving numerous presentations on navigating high school successfully, college readiness and finding the right fit. She also ran two comprehensive school leadership programs – Caprice Advisors and Peer Leaders – helping scores of students develop their talents and abilities. Within this episode she discusses with Alex her background, the types of student she works with, how she works with them, listing numerous organizations helping students transition out of therapeutic programs. Meghan also discusses her challenges, how the pandemic has changed her business and gives some advice for parents and student considering a transitional program.

    44 min
  6. Looking at Therapeutic Schools as an Option with Therapeutic Educational Consultant Jennifer Benson

    03/29/2024

    Looking at Therapeutic Schools as an Option with Therapeutic Educational Consultant Jennifer Benson

    In this episode of Highway to Higher Ed, Alex talks to Jennifer Benson, a Therapeutic Educational Consultant at the School Solution, a consultation and placement service for families with a child who is struggling in his or her current environment despite therapeutic and academic supports. Jennifer and Alex discuss Jennifer’s background, what got her into education consulting, what the School Solution is, the types of students they work with, their signature service, their philosophy, options for therapeutic schools, the intake process, the impact it can have on the families of students and advice for parents of students who are looking at therapeutic schools as an option.

    26 min
  7. Standardized Testing for Secondary Schools and the Importance of the Tests on the Application Process with Lemon Tree Learning CEO Molly Levine

    03/08/2024

    Standardized Testing for Secondary Schools and the Importance of the Tests on the Application Process with Lemon Tree Learning CEO Molly Levine

    In this episode of Highway to Higher Ed, Alex talks to Molly Levine, the co-founder and CEO of Lemon Tree Learning and brings a wealth of experience, with a career spanning over 15 years, dedicated to supporting families and students in the domains of test preparation, general academic assistance, and executive functioning support. In this episode Molly and Alex talks about Molly’s background, her partnership with her husband, the services Lemon Tree offer, standardized testing for secondary schools, the similarities and differences between ISEE, SSAT and SHSAT tests, the importance of the tests on the application process, the impact of the post-pandemic era on secondary school testing and advice for parents of younger students looking at secondary testing.

    50 min
  8. Post-Pandemic Trends with Estrela Consulting Founder Kristina Dooley

    01/09/2024

    Post-Pandemic Trends with Estrela Consulting Founder Kristina Dooley

    In this episode of Highway to Higher Ed, Alex talks to Kristina Dooley, the founder of Estrela Consulting. Previously she’s served as the Assistant Director of Admission at Hiram College (OH) and as the Director of Admissions and Marketing at Andrews Osborne Academy (OH). In addition to her work with students, Kristina has served as President of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) and President of State of Mind: Hudson, a non-profit mental health organization. Within this episodes Alex and Kristina discuss how Kristina got into college consulting, her time as the President of the IECA, certification programs for college consulting, her thoughts on prototypical midwestern small liberal arts schools, their strengths and shortcomings, her favorite schools in the Midwest, how the post-pandemic era has impacted these school and Kristina’s thoughts on the current trends students and parents should be aware of.

    52 min
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About

Welcome to The Highway to Higher Ed, the podcast that considers issues facing students applying to college as they attempt to make the transition into higher education.

Information

  • Creator
    Alexander W. Merrill
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    49
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2023
  • Show Website
    The Highway to Higher Ed