Office Hours

Scholarships360
  • 5.0 (3)
  • EDUCATION

Scholarships360’s Office Hours podcast explores the trends shaping higher education while breaking down what they mean for students and families today. Host Will Geiger sits down with leaders across the field, including VPs of Enrollment, EdTech founders, and Directors of College Counseling, to unpack the ideas, challenges, and innovations driving the future of higher ed and turn them into actionable advice for students and parents navigating the process of admissions and financial aid.

  1. 8H AGO

    Finding the Right College for You with Andrew Linnehan

    In this episode of Office Hours, Andrew Linnehan, Former Senior Associate Director of Admission & Former Director of Communication and Audience Engagement at Northwestern University, stresses the importance of students choosing a college that is right for them. He goes into detail about the factors students should consider when choosing a college, along with strategies that allow students to dive deeper and look beyond data points and statistics listed on a college brochure or website.  In an age where college admissions is crowded with noise and chaos from outside perspectives, especially with social media, Andrew recommends that students start thinking about what kinds of communities would be a good fit for them and look into colleges during their junior year of high school. This allows students to come into their senior year with more confidence and clarity.

    51 min

  2. MAR 10

    The True Cost and Value of College with Shawana Singletary

    In this episode, Chief Enrollment Officer at Adelphi University, Shawana Singletary, shares some great advice for high school students and families about actions they can take before senior year to start preparing for applying to colleges. She also breaks down the misconception that students coming into college should have their whole career figured out. Instead she encourages students to come in with an open mind so they can fully explore their interests and lean into their strengths, and remember that college is an investment in their future.  Shawana also recommends that students and families not be discouraged from applying to schools solely because of sticker prices. She gives some examples of different merit scholarships offered at Adelphi, and also reinforces the importance of filling out the FAFSA. Between scholarships and need-based aid, many students don’t actually pay the sticker price for college.

    41 min

  3. MAR 3

    College Admissions in a Time of Change with Dr. Angel Pérez

    In this episode, Dr. Angel Pérez, CEO of NACAC, gives his perspective on the shifting trends in higher education following the pandemic, including how the current political landscape is affecting both cost and admissions. One of these trends is Direct Admissions, which is a new admissions process many schools are adopting that can be advantageous to students and families. Dr. Pérez also touches on the affordability of college and how many students end up not paying the full sticker price for tuition. He wraps this episode up with some tips for students on how to navigate the admissions process in the age of AI and the importance of authenticity in applications.

    26 min

  4. FEB 24

    Evaluating College Value with Justin Draeger

    About this episodeIn this week's episode, Justin Draeger, the Senior Vice President for Affordability at Strada Education Foundation and a longtime former leader in the financial aid community, breaks down some myths surrounding net price and the price students pay. He also describes how student loans can be a useful tool as long as students and families apply guardrails. He says that loans are not a problem themselves, but unmanageable debt is, especially when students don’t complete their program or borrow too much relative to what they can expect to earn with their degree. He recommends using outcomes data such as completion and repayment statistics, to evaluate schools, while remembering those numbers reflect institutional performance, not a student’s worth. Justin emphasizes looking for “financial fit” by comparing offers side by side, and checking whether grants and scholarships are predictable and renewable year to year. He also explains how to approach financial aid appeals: be clear on whether your request is need-based or merit-based, bring new, specific information to the table, and ask questions early to cut through the complexities of the system. Mentioned in this episodeStrada Educational Foundation - Justin's organization, focused on helping clear the path between education and workCollege Scorecard - Federal data set to help evaluate schools by Justin's suggested metrics

    38 min

  5. FEB 17

    Getting the Most out of Community College with Dr. Aarti Dhupelia

    About this episodeIn this episode, Dr. Aarti Dhupelia explains that community college is an affordable, local, and career-aligned path that can deliver some of the highest return-on-investment outcomes in higher education. She makes the case that community college should be seen as a bold first choice for many students. They stay closely connected to local employers, offer flexible schedules for working learners, and provide multiple “on-ramps” to success, such as transferring to a four-year university, entering the workforce after an associate degree, or combining work and school along the way. She also shares what she sees in the community college students she works with: resilience, maturity, and a strong work ethic shaped by balancing jobs, family responsibilities, and classes at the same time. She explains why all these traits make them desirable candidates for the workforce. She also outlines the biggest barriers community college students face, including basic needs insecurity, navigating complex college systems, and not always getting a fair shot from universities or employers. To help students thrive, she encourages them to seek help early and often. She also stresses the importance of building relationships with advisors, and pursuing work-based learning like internships and apprenticeships. She ends by emphasizing that students don’t have to do it alone, and every credit earned is momentum toward a brighter future. Mentioned in this episodeOne Million Degrees - Aarti's organization. One Million Degrees accelerates community college students’ progress on career pathways to economic mobility.City Colleges of Chicago - Chicago's public community college system, and One Million Degrees' biggest partner.

    36 min

  6. FEB 10

    Unpacking College Loans and ROI with Matt Carpenter

    In this episode, Matt Carpenter, the cofounder of College Aid Pro, guides students through the process of appealing financial aid offers, advises parents who feel they have fallen behind in the admissions process, and describes the transparency issue in college pricing today. He goes into detail about the many advantages of college, both personal and professional, and describes the effects of the federal student loan caps that passed in 2025. He also theorizes on the reasons behind rising college costs and gives a great rule of thumb for deciding how much debt your family should be comfortable taking out. He stresses that major, not just college choice, should affect a student's tolerance for loans. The episode closes with some reasons why college continues to be an important investment in today's world. Mentioned in this episodeCollege Aid ProWhat is the Student Aid Index?Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway

    37 min

  7. FEB 3

    Bridging Campus to Career with Dana Stephenson

    About the episodeIn this episode, Dana Stephenson, the co-founder and CEO of Riipen, offers a comprehensive framework for how education can shift to set students up for stronger careers. He makes the case that the classroom and on-the-job learning should be united, not separated, and offers several ways to implement this. He describes how part-time or remote work can be incorporated into a student's schedule, and offers a 'scaffolding' model to help scale students up from short-term, low-stakes work projects to longer-term, high-stakes initiatives. Dana makes the case for a tighter feedback loop between educators and employers. He argues that employers should be letting educators know what prepares students for the workforce, and what doesn't. He also goes into some of the character-building benefits of working a job that students stand to benefit from. Finally, Dana advises students to pick a major that genuinely motivates them and to prioritize programs with experiential learning. He closes with some thoughts on how AI will change the way startups do business. Mentioned in the episodeRiipen - Dana's company. A project-based learning platform for educators, learners, and employers.Council of Independent Colleges - A partner of Riipen.U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Employer Provided Innovation Challenges (EPIC) initiative - A project-based learning initiative from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that also partners with Riipen.

    46 min

  8. JAN 27

    Managing the Cost of College with Jeff Mavros

    About this episodeOn this week's episode, Jeff Mavros, the Director of Admissions at Illinois State University, discusses what parents and students get tripped up on when it comes to college shopping. He suggests reframing affordability as managing the cost of college via smart planning, budgeting, and understanding how much each family can feel comfortable paying and borrowing. He also explains the importance of filling out the FAFSA early, and how state grants like Illinois' MAP Grant can make college affordable for low-income families. He dives into some hidden costs of college, such as transportation, textbooks, and housing, and gives strategies to be a frugal college student, such as student discounts. Jeff also describes different paths to a degree, such as two-year, four-year, and transfer pathways. He encourages students to consider long and short-term outcomes when deciding on a college, rather than only looking at the up-front price.

    39 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Scholarships360’s Office Hours podcast explores the trends shaping higher education while breaking down what they mean for students and families today. Host Will Geiger sits down with leaders across the field, including VPs of Enrollment, EdTech founders, and Directors of College Counseling, to unpack the ideas, challenges, and innovations driving the future of higher ed and turn them into actionable advice for students and parents navigating the process of admissions and financial aid.

Information

  • Creator
    Scholarships360
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    28
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Scholarships360