Cyndy's Friday Forum

Why a Degree in Europe Deserves a Closer Look

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:33:54 GMT

Can you save time and money by going to Europe for your degree?

Presenters

Denise Cope, President, Affordable Degrees Abroad, denise@affordabledegreesabroad.com
Cyndy McDonald Founder & Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Description

Why should students consider pursuing a full degree in Europe? In this conversation, an expert on EU higher education examines the advantages of this pathway, the types of students most likely to benefit, and the key differences between U.S. and European systems. Designed for IECs, school counselors, military advisors, and nonprofit-based college access professionals, this discussion offers practical guidance for recognizing when Europe may be a strong option for a student.

Guest: Denise Cope

Denise Cope has 20+years of international educational experience. I have lived & worked in Morocco, France, Japan, and Turkey. I was Director of International Education at the University of Denver and sent 4,000 students to about 150 unis around the world. I understand finances abroad, disability support per country/university, how academics are structured across Europe, and how admissions processes per country/university function. I currently help US and dual nationals (with US credentials or IB) do their degree abroad, mainly in Europe. I am currently finalizing my B2 certification in the French language.

Show Notes

Upcoming Virtual Conference: May 6, 2026

For further education on EU Admissions (free virtual conference): EU Admissions 101 for college counselors and IEC's — Affordable Degrees Abroad

Join Linkedin Group

For a community of vetted, like-minded educators who want to learn more about EU admissions, ask questions, share knowledge, join this free Linkedin Group: (24) EU Admissions Institute | U.S. Counselors & IECs | Groups |

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/17523023/

Webinar Recording

How Military Service Can Shape a Student's Future with Chris Martinez

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 20:07:00 GMT

How can your life be transformed by service in the US military?

Presenters

Chris Martinez | Assistant Instructor | christopher.m.martinez1@gmail.com
Cyndy McDonald Founder & Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Description

What possibilities can military service create for a student after high school or college? In this podcast episode and video interview, I talk with Army Officer Chris Martinez about the experiences that defined his career and the lessons he learned through service. His story offers listeners and viewers insights into how military life can build leadership, open educational opportunities, and support long-term personal and professional growth. We discuss different avenues to the military: ROTC, academies and enlistment. Chris provides an inspiring story about the growth and opportunities military service can provide.

Guest: Chris Martinez

COL Chris Martinez, an Assistant Professor at the National Defense University is a seasoned Military Intelligence officer with a career spanning over 25 years. He earned his BS in Business from the University of Delaware and his MBA from Syracuse University. He commissioned through the Army ROTC program in 1998.

Chris has served across the world, from Afghanistan, Bosnia, Belgium to Kuwait, Korea, and more. He’s held high-level roles, including serving as commander of the 650th MI Group in Belgium and as Senior Planner for the U.S. Army G-2. His extensive expertise in Counterintelligence and Human Intelligence is supported by four NATO assignments and a prior role as a Special Agent with the FBI.

An accomplished academic, COL Martinez has been published in numerous media outlets, including the New York Times and Military Review. He carries a profound family legacy of over 145 years of combined U.S. Army service across multiple generations. Currently, he resides in Maryland.

Show Notes

US Service Options

Military Service Academies: https://www.war.gov/Contact/Help-Center/Article/article/2742283/military-service-academies/
Enlisting: Requirements to Join the US Military: https://www.usa.gov/military-requirements
ROTC Programs: https://www.todaysmilitary.com/education-training/rotc-programs

Webinar Recording

College Application Strategies That Work

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 03:13:01 GMT

Would you rather have a smooth glide rather than a hard sprint to college application deadlines?

Presenters

Brad Schiller | Founder & CEO | PROMPT | brad@myprompt.com
Cyndy McDonald | Founder & Coach | The College Counselors Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

New! Admissions Express Work shop & Course

Due to the high demand of this webinar, I decided to create a new, workshop on the topic of managing the college application process to the upcoming 2026 Interactive Workshop series. I am adding an online course to this workshop. This workshop and accompanying course provide guidance for building a streamlined framework to manage the student application process. This workshop will address additional factors to consider in the application framework such as:

Adolescent development
Parental styles and stresses
Applying AI to building and managing application systems
Using project management systems to mange applications

Watch for workshop dates and course details coming soon!

Join the interest list! You'll receive information when details and registration information are finalized.

Prompt

The essay process is a crucial element of the college application process. See free offers from Prompt for college advisors below.

Prompt's free Essay Webinar and Course series for IECs: Webinars are offered every Wednesday for six weeks. Course starts January 14, 2026. Learn more and register.

Prompts Essay Process Playbook Course: You can take this asynchronous, free course on your own, at your own pace: Learn more.

Launch

Brad Schiller also mentions the new program LAUNCH, an IEC business accelerator. I am one of the business advisors for this exciting group. Learn more here.

LAUNCH- An IEC Business Accelerator and Community

Webinar Recording

AI Literacy Essentials for Adults

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 17:56:20 GMT

Are you AI Literate?

Guest/Host

Dr. Jeffrey Neill, Instructor, UCLA Extension: Counselor, Graded, The American School of Sao Paulo, Brazil | jeffreyneill@me.com | http://www.jeffreyneill.com

Cyndy McDonald , PPA/MA, The College Counselor's Coach | cyndy@cyndymddonald.com | www.cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

AI Resources

AICA

Guidance for Ethical AI Use in College Applications: A guide with templates and examples of how to provide clear guidance to students and families on their AI policy. https://www.edhub.ai/policy-guidance

Jeff Neill

My Prompt Library: Favorite ChatGPT Prompts: https://www.jeffreyneill.com/blog/promptlibrary
Jeff's Top 10 AI List: "...Ten AI tools that can meaningfully support your practice, improve your efficiency, and deepen your impact": https://www.jeffreyneill.com/blog/2025/4/10/jeffs-top-10-ai-list

AI Approaches in Applications

What are the college application AI policies? They are all over the place!

Common Application

The Common Application does not forbid use of AI, but it has a strict fraud policy in regard to what constitutes a student's "own original work". The Common App policy currently states:

"Submitting plagiarized essays or other written or oral material, or intentionally misrepresenting as one’s own original work: (1) another person’s thoughts, language, ideas, expressions, or experiences or (2) the substantive content or output of an artificial intelligence platform, technology, or algorithm..."

https://www.commonapp.org/fraud-policy/

UCAS Application

The UCAS application takes a different approach. They know students are exposed to ChatGPT and AI. The topic is addressed in a straight forward mannerl. "A Guide to Using Ai and ChatGPT With Your Personal Statement".

"If you're not already using ChatGPT or other AI tools, you've probably heard about them. But should they be used to help with your UCAS personal statement? Is it cheating? Or can they be helpful in crafting your personal statement?"

https://www.ucas.com/applying/applying-to-university/writing-your-personal-statement/a-guide-to-using-ai-and-chatgpt-with-your-personal-statement

Other College Application Policies

The AICA group (see below) has created an organic, ever growing list of college policies. You can review the list to see individual college application policies for use of AI. Schools such as CalTech, Georgia Tech to BYU and Washington Lee are listed.

https://padlet.com/emilypachecoAI/ai-policies-specific-to-college-admission-e0tmmkyqlq5wo58g

AI in College Admissions

Emily Pacheco founded the NACAC Special Interest Group (SIG) AI in College Admissions (AICA). Here are resources and recommendations for you.

Join the conversation through the Linkedin Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14462636
Learn about upcoming AICA events: https://www.edhub.ai/events-calendar
Catch past events: https://www.edhub.ai/events-calendar

More Professional Development

AI Series Continues

Join Cyndy in December for two more live shows on AI.

AI Literacy for Students | Dec. 5 | Register Here
Admission 2035: The Future of AI in College Decision Making | Dec. 19 | Register Here

HECA Virtual PDI

Learn from leaders in our industry, hear from college admissions deans, and so much more! HECA's Virtual Professional Development Institute (PDI) is January 20-21, 2026. PDI is open to everyone. You do not need to be a HECA member to participate. It is designed for college advisors at all levels of experience.

Learn more about the agenda, tlhe speakers, the faculty and the costs.

Stay In Touch

You can follow both Jeff Neill and Cyndy McDonald to stay in touch and be informed.

Jeff Neill

Subscribe to Jeff Neill's absolutely fabulous AI newsletter: https://techneillogy.beehiiv.com/
Subscribe to Jeff Neill's YouTube Channel. He offers demonstrations and resources: https://www.youtube.com/@JeffNeill1009/videos
Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreyrneill/

Cyndy McDonald

Subscribe to my mailing list (if you are not on it already): https://mailchi.mp/72b3855fa366/email-sign-up-form
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@CyndyMcDonaldsChannel
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7TqHAD0PpzEWviWmIiVY0pY69g2HnZ6h
Connect with me on Linkein: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyndymcdonald/
Connect with me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cyndycoach

View Recording

The Iceberg Beneath Admissions: Strategic Enrollment Management

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 03:29:38 GMT

What goes on behind the scenes at a university?

Speakers

Betsy Ellsworth | Edvice Ann Arbor | betsy@edviceannarbor.com
Carey Thompson | Council of Independent Colleges | jcthompson@cic.edu
Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Links are provided below to resources mentioned in the interview, or that supplement the discussion topic.

Society for College and University Planning: https://www.scup.org/planning-type/strategic-enrollment-management-planning/

Common Data Set Initative: https://commondataset.org/

National Center for Education Statistics; https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds

College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/

Webinar Recording

The Naked Truth About College Transition: Insights from Harlan Cohen

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 19:37:00 GMT

Presenters

Harlan Cohen | harlan@harlancohen.com | www.harlancohen.com
Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com | www.cyndymcdonald.com

Harlan Cohen

Harlan Cohen is a New York Times bestselling author, journalist, and speaker who has visited over 500 college campuses. He is the author of 7 books with over 1 million copies in print. His titles include, Win or Learn: The Naked Truth About Turning Every Rejection Into Your Ultimate Success, The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into In College, and The Naked Roommate: For Parents Only. Harlan is a frequent guest on television, radio, and podcasts. He is the founder of Best First Year ( bestfirstyear.com ), an online college success program for parents and students and hosts a popular podcast. He has over 1.5 million followers across social media (TikTok @helpmeharlan , Instagram @harlancohen , YouTube @helpmeharlan , where he posts college and life tips. Harlan is based in Chicago, IL and lives with his wife, three children, and two dogs.

Show Notes

Harlan Cohen offers resources for counselors, parents and students. You can follow Harlan on social media:

Instagram: @harlancohen
TikTok: @helpmeharlan

More Resources

New Video: How to appeal your financial aid letter
Harlan’s College Success Coaching Program for Parents & Students (Audience: HS Juniors, Seniors, and College Students): Best First Year
Follow Harlan: Instagram | YouTube | Substack | Courses | LinkedIn | Speaking

Publications

Books authored by Harlan Cohen. Watch for future publications, including a book on careers and an updated edition of The Naked Roommate.

The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run into
Win or Learn: The Naked Truth About Turning Every Rejection Into Your Ultimate Success

Books on related topics.

Hacking College: Why the Major Doesn't Matter-- and What Really Does, by Ned Scott Laff and Scott Carlson
Mindset: Carol Sweck.
Grit: Harvard Business (Review Emotional Intelligence Series), by Harvard Business Review, Angela L Duckworth, Misty Copeland, Shannon Huffman Polson, Tomas Chamorro-Prezuzic.

Other Interviews

Like this interview with Harlan? See more on my youtube channel @CyndyMcDonaldsChannel

Webinar Recording

Unlock Your Inner Super Hero Talents

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 02:00:45 GMT

What's your super power?

Guest/Host

Hannah Bookbinder, Owner of AcademicAlly, LLC and My TOAD, LLC, hannah@mytoadapp.com

Cyndy McDonald, The College Counselor's Coach, cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Resources

View Recording

Hannah shares numerous resources that counselors, parents, and students can refer to for additional information.

Organizations/Publications

www.CHADD.org - Children and Adults with Attention Deficit

One of the most significant online resources for parents, caregivers, and young adults. The content is easy to read and understand, providing research-based information.

www.add.org - Attention Deficit Disorder Association

Oriented toward teens/young adults and adults. Content about transitions, including many related to the move to college.

www.additudemag.com -ADDitude Magazine

A valuable publication that provides resources like webinars and school success related to the college transition.

Authored by Hannah Bookbinder

Unlock Your Inner Superhero: Conquering the Challenges of ADHD: Hannah Bookbinder

A highly ADHD-friendly resource that validates the experiences of teens and young adults as neurodivergent individuals, highlights their pre-existing strengths, and empowers them with effective strategies. An excellent handbook for adults in their lives.

My TOAD™ App

A powerful, executive functioning skills app created by Hannah Bookbinder, an ADHD and EF skills coach. This app is for individuals of all ages who struggle with EF skills. This app takes the complex and streamlines it into something simple and more manageable, while promoting personal accountability and advocacy. More information about the book and app can be found at www.mytoadapp.com .

Social Media

Instagram: mytoad_llc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mytoadapp
Pinterest: mytoadllc
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/my-toad-llc-099450368

ADDitude Magazine www.additudemag.com provides resources like webinars and school success related to the college transition

College Admissions Trends You Need to Know

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 21:36:15 GMT

National trends drive local results. What should you know?

Guest/Host

Murphy Miller, Director, Membership Experience & Global Engagement, National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), mmiller@nacacnet.org
Cyndy McDonald, The College Counselor's Coach, cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

NACAC

National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) is dedicated to helping students access and pursue higher education in the United States. It has national and international members. The organization provides advocacy, education, research and more to member institutions and individual members. Below are a few of the resources NACAC offers:

NACAC Resources

NACAC : Organization with national and international members
NACAC Conference: Held in September or October each year.
NACAC College Fairs: Held in-personaland virtually nationally and internationally.
NACAC Affiliates: list of regional NACAC organizations, including International ACAC
NACAC Education: Extensive Education and Training is offered for college admissions professionals.

Publications/Guides

Advocacy

Stories of Impact and Insight

Do you have a story about how recent government actions have impacted students, education or your community? NACAC wants to hear from you. Share your story with NACAC on their Impact Page:

Stories of US Government Impact

View Presentation

View Recording

Admission Tips Learned from Asking the Deans

Sat, 23 Aug 2025 18:51:42 GMT

What can we learn from asking the Deans?

Guest/Host

J ohn Durante, NY high school principal and Podcaster: The College Admissions Process

Cyndy McDonald, The College Counselor's Coach

Show Notes

John Durante Resources

View Presentation

View Recording

Navigating Politics in College Admissions

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 00:29:58 GMT

How tricky is it to navigate politics in a college search?

Presenters

Christine Bowman, Assistant Vice President of Admission, Southwestern University | bowmanc@southwestern.edu
Cathy Finks, Interim Vice President for Enrollment Management, The College of Wooster | cfinks@wooster.edu
Lauren Sefton, Director of International Admission, Rhodes College | seftonl@rhodes.edu
Whitney Bruce, Founder/Owner, WB College Consulting, whitney@wbcollegeconsulting.com
Cyndy McDonald, Founder, Entrepreneur, The College Counselor's Coach cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Student Surveys & Studies

Inside Higher Education: Student Poll by Art & Science Group and
Art & Science Group StudentPoll Report: Politics, Policies and CollegeChoice: It Wasn't a Fluke
CollegeIQ Student Study: How Gun Laws, DEI Policies and Other Factors Impact College Decisions
Encoura: The Politics of Out-of-State Recruitment
American Association of Colleges and Universities (AACU): Public Statement Signed by Colleges: A Call for Constructive Engagement . Currently 660 colleges have signed this statement.

Advocacy

5 Calls App
National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC): NACAC Advocacy in Action
League of Women Voters: Find Your Legislator

Colleges/Universities

Colleges That Change Lives

Check out the Colleges That Change Lives (CTCL) website. Great resources are shared here. View a map of the CTCL campuses and read profiles of each of the campuses.

COLLEGES THAT CHANGE LIVES

Webinar Recording

Creating Innovative College Campus

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 22:08:53 GMT

Can all students find a place to feel at home on campus?

Guest/Host

G reg Zaiser, Vice President for Enrollment, Elon University

Stefano Papaleo, Executive Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Lynn University

Cyndy McDonald, The College Counselor's Coach

Show Notes

Check out the university websites:

View Recording

Smarter College Research

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Sun, 27 Jul 2025 17:43:56 GMT

Can a college search using data be better?

Guest/Host

Louis Newman, Author, Coach and Speaker, info@thinkingcritically.us

Cyndy McDonald, The College Counselor's Coach, cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Show notes from the conversation about reliable and in depth college research sources.

Research Resources

These resources were featured in the Friday Forum discussion, highlighted by Louis Newman.

National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)
NSSE Digital Pocket Guide
Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) faculty survey

Resources from Louis Newman

College Success Author

A best-selling book written for students.

Thinking Critically in College: The Essential Handbook for Student Success (Radius Book Group)

College Success Videos

Subscribe to Louis' YouTube channel, featuring college success coaching videos.

Louis Newman Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@LouisNewman-g7p

College Success Resources

Contact Louis Newman at Thinking Critically to learn more about resources and collaboration with college counselors.

College Launchpad: College Readiness Survey and Transition Plan
Ready, Set, Think: College Prep Bootcamp
Top 10 Tips for College Success.
What You Need to Know Before You Choose a College.

View Presentation

View Recording

Building a Story Brand

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Fri, 23 May 2025 23:42:24 GMT

What's your story?

Guest/Host

Amy Smith, Power Hour Editing, amy@powerhourediting.com

Cyndy McDonald, The College Counselor's Coach, cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Show notes from the conversation with Amy and Cyndy.

Resources from Amy Smith

Amy’s website

How do I reinforce MY branding? See links below…

my website: www.PowerHourEditing.com –
I offer a free planner (my lead magnet), so capturing emails also adds people to my newsletter list. It pops up on the lower right AND appears in other areas of my website.

Socials

I would love to connect with you on Facebook , Instagram , YouTube .

On your website, make it EASY for people to find/connect with you!

Classes

Such a great way to not only market but ALSO serve students who can’t afford private coaching.

Blog

Be the expert your clients expect you to be! Write articles and then SHARE them in your newsletter and on your socials.

Professional Development

Remember, lifelong learning is KEY in any business, especially the college space that is constantly evolving! Evaluate options, and pick the one/s that work best for your needs. I joined these:

HECA - https://www.hecalive.org/
IECA - https://www.iecaonline.com/
NACAC- https://www.nacacnet.org/
Affiates: Regional ACAC- find your regional group on the NACAC website: https://www.nacacnet.org/affiliate-annual-conferences/

Newsletter

An amazing marketing tool!!! Such a great way to talk to prospects and current customers in a visually-appealing, interactive way. I like Aweber, because it’s super user-friendly, and they’ll do a “Blog Broadcast” which sends one automatically if you want. Plus, they include phone support, which is HUGE. Aweber offers a free 14-day trial – Click here to check it out (*Full disclosure – this is my affiliate/referral link)

Visuals

Super easy to create on Canva.com – I like the Pro version, because you can get many more options/features.

Automation is KEY, but do it thoughtfully & slowly. This takes time. The year I added Calendly scheduling was so scary but such a game-changer. I went from emailing/texting/calling to make appointment times to having my Virtual Assistant (aka CALENDLY!) not only do it for me but send reminders, etc. Saved me HOURS of time and added a level of professionalism to my brand AND ease for my students. I added my SCHEDULING link to my website as well & password-protected it.

More of Amy’s Tips: The Four "R"s.

REDUCE friction – make it EASY for prospects to find, engage, and interact with your business!
REMIND – it often takes MULTIPLE reminders and MULTIPLE channels (email/text/etc.), especially when you’re trying to reach teenagers
REUSE – Develop a plan for your students in terms of how you guide them through your process, how you manage the business operations/backend, and how you consistently add value. The reminders you want to share will be very similar year-to-year, so take some time to develop them in your off-season, and then tweak as needed.
RELEVANCE – If your messaging & offerings make SENSE and are RELEVANT, you make it EASY to say YES!

Advice

Bottom line, GO FOR IT! Thank you so much to the AMAZING Cyndy McDonald for hosting me on her Friday Forum. She is a superwoman in our industry and is teaching IECs how to run their businesses after DECADES doing it herself!

Resources from Cyndy

Articles of Interest

Brand Stories

Iconic Fox - lots of relevant articles
Brand Archetypes: The Definitive Guide (36 Examples)
10 Steps to Build Your Brand From Scratch
The Most Common Brand Story Mistakes
Brand Assets: What They Are, Why They’re important, And How To Leverage Them For Success, Shani Leead, Canva

Friday Forums on Marketing

Check out these other Friday Forum recordings on business practices:

Marketing Workshops

Here are some relevent marketing workshops. Learn more and join me!

AI and the IEC
Elevate Your Brand & Master Marketing Strategies
Mastering Initial Client Meetings: Listen More, Close More
The Top 5 Business Mistakes to Avoid

LEARN MORE & CHECK DATES

View Recording

LGBTQIA+ Students: Considerations for Safety & Quality of Life

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 23:03:30 GMT

The necessity of being counselors & advocates.

Guest/Host

Eric Delehoy | Delehoy College Counseling | edelehoy@gmail.com

Cyndy McDonald, PPA/MA, The College Counselor's Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

View Recording

Show Notes

Legislation

Resources you can use to check on LGBTQIA+ related legislation

Legislative Attacks on LGBTQ Rights: https://www.aclu.org/legislative-attacks-on-lgbtq-rights-2025
Human Rights Campaign: https://www.hrc.org/resources/map-state-legislation-lgbtq-rights

Teen Mental Health

Studies show a link between LGBTQUIA+ teens mental health and the state policies where they live. Students have access to a crisis hotline. Calls to the hotline jumped

LGBTQ+ Youth Policy and Mental Health: Indirect Effects: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11682966/
LGBTQ+ Support Hotline: Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/
LGBTQ+ Crisis Hotline: 988: https://988lifeline.org/help-yourself/lgbtqi/

Counselor/Student Resource

Free resources for LGBTQ+ students and their counselors

Campus Q: https://campus-q.com/resource-hub/

Organizations of Support

Many organizations support the queer student community.

Campus Pride: https://www.campuspride.org/
PFLAG: https://pflag.org/
Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/
GLSEN: for K-12 education: https://www.glsen.org/
Trans Lifeline: https://translifeline.org/
It Gets Better: https://itgetsbetter.org/

Hot Off the Press

Scott Garbini, past president of Higher Educational Consultants Association (HECA), educator, professional college counselor, and advocate knows the questions, challenges and needs of students who are transgender and transitioning to college. His sage advice is empowering and sustaining.

Transition While Transitioning; https://shop.garbinieducationandcareerconsulting.com/product/my-sample-book/

Shifting Gears: Insights from Colleges on Disability Services in Higher Education

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 21:36:40 GMT

How does a student shift from IDEA to ADA?

Guest/Host

Heidi Potrykus, Founder, former Director of Office of Disability Services at Marquette University, IEP College Prep | heidi.potrykus@iepcollegeprep.com

Heather Stout, Director of Operations, Disability Resources and Educational Services, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign hstout@illinois.edu

Cody Marie Mathis, Disability Access Coordinator, services for Students iwth Disabilities, University of Michigan | codymma@umich.edu

Cyndy McDonald, PPA/MA, The College Counselor's Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Looking for resource for your students/parents? Start with the Disability Services Offices at the university or college.

University of Illinois

University of Michigan

Heidi Potrykus

IEP College Prep

US Department of Education

Transition of Students with Disabilities to Postsecondary Education: A Guide for High School Educators

View Recording

Financial Forms, Awards & Appeals

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Sat, 15 Mar 2025 01:53:16 GMT

How is a college financial aid or merit award calculated?

Presenters

Crystal Tate | Crystal Clear College Consulting | crystal@crystalclearcollegeplanning.com
Robin Aijian | University of Puget Sound | rbaijian@pugetsound.edu
Tani Rachkoskie | Goucher College | tania.rachkoskie@goucher.edu
Cori Murphy|Scholars Service Center | cori@scholarscp.com
Cyndy McDonald | The College Counselor's Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Financial Aid Forms, Awards & Appeals- Oh My!

Here are some resources available on college financial aid, forms and the financial aid process. I included the National College Affordability Group as a resource too. The national organization dedicated to providing resources and clarity on college affordability.

College Cost Transparency Iniative : https://www.collegeprice.org/home
Federal Student Aid: https://studentaid.gov/
Counselors and Mentors Handbook o n Federal Student Aid: https://financialaidtoolkit.ed.gov/resources/2025-26-counselors-handbook.pdf
National College Affordability Group: https://www.ncagonline.org/

Colleges That Change Lives

Goucher College and University of Puget Sound are members of the prestigious Colleges that Change Lives (CTCL) group. Learn more obout the colleges Tania and Robin represent:

Goucher College: https://www.goucher.edu/
University of Puget Sound: https://www.puget.edu

Check out the Colleges That Change Lives (CTCL) website. View a map of the CTCL campuses and read profiles of each of the campuses. Each CTCL college offers unique and transformative experiences to students. Find a CTCL tour near you. Tours are offered in the fall, spring and summer. Great resources are shared here.

COLLEGES THAT CHANGE LIVES

Inside Strategic Enrollment: Wielding Financial Aid

Join Cyndy in her insightful 3-hour workshop as she discusses the financial aid changes and unravels the complexity of college affordability. This webinar provides insights into Strategic Enrollment Management and its essential role in college admissions and affordability. Cyndy will walk you through the pivotal use of merit scholarships, demonstrate tailoring college affordability to a unique family circumstance, and share case studies. Receive a presentation you can offer to parents or other interested parties. This workshop is a must-attend for anyone seeking to understand the often daunting landscape of college finance.

Webinar Recording

Crafting College Lists & Vists Using AI

admin@cyndymcdonald.com (Shannice Wangui) — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 20:55:24 GMT

Can AI see something you can't see as a college advisor?

Guest/Host

Kate Sonnenberg | KS College Success | kate@kscollegesuccess.com

Cyndy McDonald, PPA/MA, The College Counselor's Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

View Recording

Show Notes

Using AI

Check out some of the many resources mentioned in the Friday Forum

Resources shared by Kate Sonnenberg

A college list building prompt- detailed, specific prompt to give AI for college list assistance | https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BowhGxYmJ6tyeBpGIMHHb_krqY3HwVwQ2Um6RrXXzhk/edit?tab=t.0
AI College Visit Treasure Hunt- infuse excitement in the college visit process | https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wEd_V17GyYkPIJ_Qy40dcEYBmxoH2gB6/view?usp=sharing

Resources shared by Cyndy McDonald

The New Frontier of AI and Counseling- with Jeff Neill | https://www.cyndymcdonald.com/ai-counseling
Beyond the AI Bot Buzz in Business- with Bob Carlton | https://www.cyndymcdonald.com/ai-in-business
AI in College Admissions SIG- a NACAC special interest group run by Emily Pacheco, Loyola University Chicago https://www.nacacnet.org/who-we-are/nacac-volunteer-leaders/special-interest-groups/ai-in-college-admission-sig/

Resources by Jeffrey Neill

Jeff Neill Website- resources for college counseling | https://www.jeffreyneill.com/
Jeff Neill YouTube Channel -demonstration and resources | https://www.youtube.com/@JeffNeill1009
Tech-Neill-ogy Newsletter Archive | Using AI in college counseling | https://techneillogy.beehiiv.com
Subscribe | Tech-Neill-ogy- newletter on AI | https://techneillogy.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Effective Prompting of Generative AI- PDF on how to create effective prompts in AI | https://drive.google.com/file/d/1j_xMNSDthE6Kqfr_Qz-XVRNChhs9P8qk/view

Questions/Answers

This session generated a lot of questions. Here are Kate's answers to questions that were not answered in the session.

1. Q: How do you let them know? an email? or include it in the initial contract? Can you share the wording of this?

A. I do not address AI in my contract. I address AI in my Policies and Procedures, but only to say that students can not use AI to write their essays. When I want to use AI for the fit assessment—sometime in the late summer before senior year —I start with a conversation with the family explaining the tool, how I safeguard confidentiality, and why I think it is valuable. Then, I send an email summarizing the conversation and ask a parent to reply to the email confirming they are comfortable with me running the fit assessment tool.

2. Q. Does chatgpt tell you where it gets information?

A. My paid version of ChatGPT is now sharing sources.

3. Q. One thing AI doesn’t deal with in this example is institutional priorities.

A. ChatGPT cannot address institutional priorities because they are rarely published/expressed. To the extent we, as an IEC, are aware of priorities, we can prompt the model to include them. You could also ask the model if can find any information about institutional priorities that have been publically reported.

4. Did you come up with the questions on your own in a survey?

A. The questions I use for the fit assessment were adapted from Maria Kalogero in an article she wrote on LinkedIn .

5. Q. You mentioned that you ask for student resume and other documents from the student/families. What other docs do you collect?

A. I do not ask students for resumes—we draft them together in the spring semester of junior year. I do not collect many documents from students. My students start with me in early high school, but I do want a transcript at the of junior year.

6. Q, Do you have students do a formal resume or is it just a simple document with the activities and descriptions and dates, etc. but the format is not like a typical resume:?

A. I have students do a formal resume. I want them to be able to give it to teachers when they submit brag sheets, and it's the basis for our activity descriptions. It's nice to go to college with a resume. Sometimes, they also use it when applying for summer internships.

7. Q, Were both students male?

A. Both students were female.

8. Q. Do you show ChatGPT their full resume or their activities list within character counts?

A. For this exercise, I use the resume. It includes information that the activities list doesn't have, like grades, test scores, and relevant classes.

9. Q. Do you use this for essays, too?

A. I use a different tool for essays, not looking at fit per se. But you could adapt this for essays.

10. Q. I think part of the question was more about the need for a resume when many kids find that the activities list and awards section can capture everything they want to share.

A. Not all students will send a resume to college (in fact, most won't). But they still have a resume that they can use for other purposes and I use the resume as the basis for our activity descriptions.

11. Q Do you use a tool to help create resumes? I wonder if those are considered AI help?

A. I do not use a tool to help create resumes. I am considering allowing students to use ChatGPT for their resume blurbs, but it's an exercise I am working on and it's not going to generate a complete blurb but options for students to review, revise and consider.

Using Virtual Reality to Boost Teen Mental Health

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Sun, 19 Jan 2025 01:36:30 GMT

Could virtual reality lead to better teen mental health?

Guests/Host

Lyndy Barnard, LCSW, Mind & Strength Counseling Service | www.mindandstrength.net
Cyndy McDonald, PPA/MA, The College Counselor's Coach | www.cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Check out the Virtual Reality video Lyndy Barnard shared, plus other resources mentioned in the interview.

Virtual Reality Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkw9PnMR8gs

Dr. McMahon: https://www.virtualrealitytherapyforanxiety.com/

Virtual reality study: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11576610/

C2Care: https://www.c2.care/en/

XRhealth: https://www.xr.health/

Society for Virtual Reality Therapy: https://www.svrt.org/

View Recording

Tips for Applying to Canadian Universities with Susan Lawson

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 17:21:31 GMT

Opportunities abound in Canada.

Study in Canada

Cyndy McDonald and Susan Lawson discuss the differences between the US, Canadian, and other English-speaking education systems, focusing on the Canadian higher education landscape and the application process for universities. They also explore the use of verbal and written questions in university admissions, the application cycle for international students, and the advantages of studying in Canada for international students. Lastly, they touch on the recognition of gap years in Canadian colleges and the importance of looking beyond university rankings.

Show Notes

Many resources are available to support students studying in Canada. Here are a few mentioned in the conversation.

Application Systems

Ontario Universities Application Centre (OUAC) : https://www.ouac.on.ca/
Apply BC (British Columbia) : https://apply.educationplannerbc.ca/

Universities Mentioned

University of Toronto : https://www.utoronto.ca/
McGill University : https://www.mcgill.ca/
University of British Columbia (UBC) : https://www.ubc.ca/
Dalhousie University : https://www.dal.ca/
Queen's University : https://www.queensu.ca/
University of Waterloo : https://uwaterloo.ca/
University of Victoria : https://www.uvic.ca/

Supplementary Tools and Platforms

Kira Talent : https://www.kiratalent.com/

Government Resources

Study in Canada as International Student: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada.html
Canadian Study Permits : https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/study-permit.html

Mastering Client Meetings

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 00:55:59 GMT

Can you talk less and close more?

Guest/Host

Katie Jane Ferrer, Pangaea Life College Consulting, Katie Jane Coaching | katie@katiejanecoaching.com

Cyndy McDonald, PPA/MA, The College Counselor's Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Show notes from the conversation with Cyndy and Katie.

Check out these other Friday Forum recordings on business practices:

Coming Soon: Mastering Initial Client Meetings Workshop

Want to close more new clients in 30 minutes or less? You can build your listening and closing skills in an upcoming, interactive workshop. Receive tools and resources to add to your toolkit. Save the date for this upcoming workshop! Registration will open soon.

Mastering Initial Client Meetings: Listen More, Close More

Jan. 27, 2025 | Mar 24, 2025

Learn More

View Recording

Open Forum: After Election Special

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 21:37:02 GMT

Now what?

Guests/Host

Marie Morris, Beyond18 College Consulting | beyond18collegeconsulting@gmail.com

Whitney Bruce , Whitney Bruce College Consulting | whitney@wbcollegeconsulting.com

Cyndy McDonald, PPA/MA, The College Counselor's Coach | www.cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

While no one has a magic crystal ball to see the future, here are some articles or resources that provide food for thought. The overarching theme from all of the conversations, articles, podcasts and webinars is the power and importance of local advocacy. Stay in touch with your local representatives. Let them hear from you.

Advocacy

NACAC has a newly revised advocacy page. Use your voice and write to your legislators: https://www.nacacnet.org/advocacy/take-action/

Podcast/Webinar

American Council on Education (ACE): dotEDU Podcast Episode: Nov. 7, 2024, What Trump's win and a new congress mean for Higher Education
National Association for College Admission Counseling: Webinar recording, Nov. 20, 2024, Post Election Advocacy and Action
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart: Trump Won. Now What with Heather Cox Richardson :

Articles/Reports

American Council on Education (ACE): Higher Education Builds America (report)
The Chronicle of Higher Education: The Campus in the Second Age of Trump : What to expect, and what to do next.
Inside Higher Education: As Trump Threatens Deportations, Campus Leaders Tread Carefully
The Guardian: What are Donald Trump's plans to overhaul US Colleges and Universities?
Fox News: Trump would need congressional approval to dissolve Education Department, experts say
Washington Post: Trump Pledged to Close the Education Department. What Would That Mean?
New York Times: Trump Higher Education Policy

View Recording

The Intersection of Sports, Admissions and Data on College Campuses

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 21:00:50 GMT

Can sports and college data be used to inform and empower students?

Using Data to Empower Athletes

How can sports and college data be used to inform and empower student athletes and their families when deciding which colleges to apply to? A panel of Sports and data experts dig deep. The conversation focuses on the pivotal role sports play in college revenue to support other majors or programs. The panelists highlight the complexities of student-athlete recruitment and the benefits of college sports to both the campus and the athletes. Popular topics like the Transfer Portal and Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) were included in the discussion, supported by data. Don't miss this interview if you are a student athlete, have a student athlete, coach one or counsel one!

Presenters

Show Notes

Resources from the session

For more questions: www.linktr.ee/iecaathletes

Follow Cyndy's travel journey on facebook with: #cyndyincornwall

Friday Forum Recording

The Power of HBCU's in Today's Society

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 19:13:43 GMT

We must share the mission and the story of Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU's).

Guest/Host

Jasmine Gurley | Senior Director of Brand Marketing & Communications | www.morehouse.edu

Cyndy McDonald, PPA/MA, The College Counselor's Coach | www.cyndymcdonald.com

Exceptional! Inspirational!

Thank you for bringing Jasmine and her story to us!

Show Notes

Morehouse Open House

College Counselors & Access Professionals Symposium | Oct. 10 | Register Here
Students/Parents Open House | Oct. 14 | Register Here

View Recording

Separating Testing Truths from Fiction

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 15:43:23 GMT

How do we keep up with the fast changing landscape of testing?

Guests/Host

David Blobaum | Sumitt Preparation | david@summitprep.us

Mackenzie Lee | Testology Preparation | mackenzie@testologyprep.com

Mike Bergin | Chariot Learing | mike@chariotlearning.com

Cyndy McDonald | The College Counselor's Coach cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

National Test Preparation Organization

https://nationaltestprep.org/membership/

Free Test Preparation Resources

Good info and quotes

List of colleges reverting back to requiring standardized tests

https://summitprep.com/blog/the-next-phase-of-test-optional-admissions/

Collegeboard Landscape Tool

Main Page: https://highered.collegeboard.org/recruitment-admissions/management/landscape
Inforgraphic: https://highered.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/infographic.pdf

Admissions research summary

University of California Academic Senate Standardized Testing Taskforce: https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/committees/sttf/reports.html

Featured quotes from colleges on testing

Links mentioned in discussion

View Recording

Study in the UK

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 20:31:32 GMT

Access a world class eduction in less time and at less cost.

Study in the UK

Cyndy and ElizabethTresnan discussed the benefits of studying in the UK, including the combination of cultural experiences, exceptional teaching standards, cost savings and excellent employment prospects. They also explored the process of applying to universities in the UK, emphasizing the importance of researching each university thoroughly. Lastly, they discussed the cost differences of studying in the UK and the US, the timeline for university applications, and the resources available to support students.

Visit the Study UK website: https://study-uk.britishcouncil.org/

User Story of College Companion Sheets with Kim Derrick

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 14:05:51 GMT

The College Companion Sheets is an amazing tool.

User Stories

The best person to ask about a software or platform is an actual user. Kim Derrick, a user of The College Companion Spreadsheets (by Cindy Allerman), shares with Cyndy McDonald the five things she loves about this tool and where she sees this tool taking her in the future.

Cindy Allerman is an independent educational consultant (IEC) with a technology background. Cindy used her technology expertise and educational experience to create a tool for college counseling professionals: The College Companion Spreadsheets.

The beauty of this tool is that it integrates into systems you already have. You don't need to purchase an additional platform.

For more information about the College Companion sheets: https://collegecompanion.notion.site/

Participants

Kim Derrick | Coach Kim College Counseling | coachkimcollege@gmail.com
Cyndy McDonald | The College Counselor's Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

User Story

Beyond the AI Bot Buzz In Business

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 18:59:02 GMT

How can AI save you time and boost productivity?

Guest/Host

Bob Carlton, College Matchpoint | bob@collegematchpoint.com

Cyndy McDonald, PPA/MA, The College Counselor's Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

The World of AI

Bob shared links to books, podcasts and more in this discussion. Check out the Resources College Matchpoint already has on their website for counselors.

College Match Point Resource for counselors: https://www.collegematchpoint.com/genaicollegecounseling

Guides/Resources/Research

College Match Point Resource for counselors: https://www.collegematchpoint.com/genaicollegecounseling
Ethan Mollick Newsletter: https://www.oneusefulthing.org/
Jeremy Caplan Wonder Tool: https://wondertools.substack.com/
Frank Wilczek: https://physics.mit.edu/faculty/frank-wilczek/

AI Platforms

My Ask AI: https://myaskai.com/pricing
Claude AI: https://claude.ai/login?returnTo=%2F%3F
Ava: College Guided Network: https://www.collegeguidancenetwork.com/

Podcasts

Brene Brown pods: https://brenebrown.com/podcasts/
Brene Brown and Esther Perel Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/esther-perel-on-new-ai-artificial-intimacy/id1494350511?i=1000649832472

Books

What We Owe the Future: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/william-macaskill/what-we-owe-the-future/9781541618633/?lens=basic-books
Unmasking AI: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/670356/unmasking-ai-by-joy-buolamwini/

View Recording

Teaching Life Skills for Teens

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 00:15:31 GMT

Can we help students learn how to adult?

Guests/Host

Elisa Anderson, Crossroads Mentors, elisa@crossroadsmentors.com

Cynthia Tognotti, Upskill, upskill.us@icloud.com

Cyndy McDonald, PPA/MA, The College Counselor's Coach | www.cyndymcdonald.com

View Recording

The New Frontier of AI and Counseling

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 21:41:27 GMT

Can college counselors use AI in a productive and ethical way?

Guest/Host

Dr. Jeffrey Neill, Instructor, UCLA Extension: Counselor, Graded, The American School of Sao Paulo, Brazil http://www.jeffreyneill.com

Cyndy McDonald, PPA/MA, The College Counselor's Coach | www.cyndymcdonald.com

View Recording

Cyndy and Jeffrey discussed the potential and challenges of incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into their work as college counselors, with a focus on its applications in tasks like writing emails, polishing brag sheets, and SAT preparation. They also explored the use of AI tools like ChatGPT, College Genie, and others. Discussion included the importance of data accuracy and transparency when using AI. Lastly, they discussed the integration of AI into the reading and evaluation process of college applications, and the potential of AI detectors in college admissions, emphasizing that AI should enhance, not replace, the roles of counselors.

Show Notes

AI in Action

Jeff is a fount of information and resources! See all the links/references he included in the Friday Forum. He even has his own youtube channel!

https://www.youtube.com/@JeffNeill1009 | Jeff Neill - YouTube Channel -demonstration and resources
https://techneillogy.beehiiv.com/subscribe | Subscribe | Tech-Neill-ogy- newletter on AI
https://programs.collegeguidancenetwork.com/ava-launch-2024 | CGN AI Launch Event- College Guidance Network
https://collegegenie.org/ | College Genie
https://vizly.fyi/ | Vizly: AI-powered data analysis
https://www.finito.ai/ | Finito AI
https://refbuilder.com/ | RefBuilder | Reference Letters Made Easy
https://edficacy.co/ | Edficacy: Ace SAT in less time with Edficacy
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1j_xMNSDthE6Kqfr_Qz-XVRNChhs9P8qk/view | On Effective Prompting of Generative AI….pdf - Google Drive

Supporting Successful Student Transitions

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Sat, 20 Jul 2024 00:51:33 GMT

What can we do on both sides of the desk to help students?

Presenters

Ann Marano, Executive Director, Colleges That Change Lives (CTCL) | ann.marano@ctcl.org
Christine Bowman, Assistant Vice President of Admission, Southwestern University | bowmanc@southwestern.edu
Cathy Finks, Interim Vice President for Enrollment Management, The College of Wooster | cfinks@wooster.edu
Lauren Sefton, Director of International Admission, Rhodes College | seftonl@rhodes.edu
Cyndy McDonald, The College Counselor's Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Colleges That Change Lives

Check out the Colleges That Change Lives (CTCL) website. The summer CTCL tour is starting next week. Other tours are offered in the fall and spring. Great resources are shared here. View a map of the CTCL campuses and read profiles of each of the campuses.

COLLEGES THAT CHANGE LIVES

Supporting Successful Student Transition

The panel discussion explored mental health and other data on student wellness on campus. Coming from both the college and the high school perspectives, strategies for supporting students' mental health and transition beyond high school graduation into college were shared. Lauren shares data highlighting common concerns like social anxiety, academic pressures, and finances among incoming college students. The panelists discuss overcoming barriers to seeking help, such as stigma, paralysis from perfectionism, and lack of self-advocacy skills. They suggest inclusive advising, peer mentoring, role playing, connecting students with resources early. Selecting colleges based on student support systems rather than prestige is also recommended.

Webinar Recording

Helping Teens Manage Anxiety

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 00:01:54 GMT

What can we do to support anxious teens?

Guest/Host

Dr. Jed Applerouth, Founder, Applerouth Tutoring | www.applerouth.com

Cyndy McDonald, PPA/MA, The College Counselor's Coach | www.cyndymcdonald.com

"Best talk. Ever."

"This is an amazing presentation.

I have my list of folks with whom to share these tools."

View Recording

Cyndy and Jed shared their personal experiences with work and academic stress, and discussed the impact of technology and social media on teenage mental health. They also explored the concept of a growth mindset and the importance of self-regulation skills in managing stress and anxiety. Lastly, they discussed strategies for helping students transition from high school to college, and the role of counselors in supporting this process.

Show Notes

Jed covered a LOT of ground in our conversation about anxiety. He mentioned several excellent resources to use to build your knowledge about managing stress and anxiety.

Start with Fundamentals

Mindsight , Dr. Dan Siegal: https://drdansiegel.com/book/mindsight-the-new-science-of-personal-information/

Chatter , Ethan Kross: https://www.ethankross.com/chatter/

Waking up app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/waking-up-meditation-wisdom/id1307736395

Tapping Technique: https://www.calm.com/blog/tapping-technique

Dig Deeper

Interested in learning more about the neuroscience and other research. Check out these resources mentioned by Dr. Jed Applerouth.

Primate's Memoir: https://www.amazon.com/Primates-Memoir-Neuroscientists-Unconventional-Baboons/dp/0743202414
Dr. Dan Siegel: https://drdansiegel.com/books/
Sherry Turkle: https://www.amazon.com/Alone-Together-Expect-Technology-Other/dp/0465031463
Jean Twenge: https://www.jeantwenge.com/
Carol Dweck: https://www.ted.com/speakers/carol_dweck
Marty Seligman: https://www.amazon.com/Learned-Optimism-Change-Your-Mind-ebook/dp/B005DB6S7K/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1504551489&sr=1-1&keywords=learned+optimism+by+martin+seligman
Sian Beilock: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/choke-sian-beilock/1102041290
Temple Grandin: https://www.templegrandin.com/

Conversation Take Aways

1. Counselors can teach students self-regulation techniques such as breathing exercises, journaling, and positive self-talk.

2. Parents should have open conversations with their children about stress management and share personal experiences.

3. Teach students to explore different stress-reduction methods to find what works best for them individually.

4. Educators should reframe academic struggles as part of the learning process rather than indicators of failure.

5. Counselors should continue to encourage students to maintain social connections and engage in physical activities to manage stress.

6. Encourage parents to practice allowing their children to experience setbacks and learn from failures without intervening.

Successful Strategies for Tackling the "Why Us?" College Essay from Susan Knoppow

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Fri, 12 Jul 2024 20:09:36 GMT

What approach works best for the "Why Us?" college essay?

Guest

Susan Knoppow, Founder and CEO, Wow Writing Workshop
Cyndy McDonald Educator, Entrepreneur, Producer | The College Counselor's Coach

Resources

Susan created resources for counselors, advisors and others to use when working with students on college essays. Find this resource: https://wowwritingworkshop.com/cyndymcdonald/

Playing Sports in College: Opportunities & Challenges

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 20:19:00 GMT

Can we separate the myths from realities when it comes to student athletes?

Participants

Kim Chorosiewski, Chair, Innovation & Athletic Recruitment, McMillan Education, https://www.mcmillaneducation.com/

Cyndy McDonald Educator, Entrepreneur, Producer | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Substance or Noise? Frank Discussion about AI and College Essays

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 20:08:36 GMT

How should we be looking at the use of AI in college essays?

Guest

Susan Knoppow, Founder and CEO, Wow Writing Workshop
Cyndy McDonald Educator, Entrepreneur, Producer | The College Counselor's Coach

Resources

Susan created resources for counselors, advisors and others to use when working with students on college essays. Find this resource: https://wowwritingworkshop.com/cyndymcdonald/

Tips for Helping Students Discover and Develop Interests Through Community Based Projects

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 19:44:30 GMT

Can students combine leadership, involvement and community service?

Participants

Gabriela Sanches, Educator, Student Advocate | gabysanchezr@gmail.com
Cyndy McDonald Educator, Entrepreneur, Producer | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Resources

Gabriela mentions many resources she relied on for research and inspiration.

02 RESOURCES

1. The Personal Values Assessment by Barrett Values Centre

a. Personal Values Diagram (from Barrett Values Centre)

2. Self Discovery Exercises Workbook (from What Color is Your Parachute)

3. Fear Setting Worksheet (inspired by TEDTalk by Tim Ferriss)

See more resources she shares here: https://mailchi.mp/cyndymcdonald.com/community-projects

Tips for a Stress Free Essay Writing Experience with Susan Knoppow & Cyndy McDonald

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 22:23:01 GMT

Can college essay writing be less stressful?

Guest

Susan Knoppow, Founder and CEO, Wow Writing Workshop
Cyndy McDonald Educator, Entrepreneur, Producer | The College Counselor's Coach

Resources

Susan created resources for counselors, advisors and others to use when working with students on college essays. Find this resource: https://wowwritingworkshop.com/cyndymcdonald/

Mastering the Blog Part 2: Making Money With A Blog

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Thu, 02 May 2024 15:44:09 GMT

Key to making more money- Write articles people want to read.

Presenters

Luke Ciciliano | Modern Website Design | luke@modern-website.design

Marc Gray | Odyssey College Prep | mgray@odysseycollegeprep.com

Cyndy McDonald | The College Counselor's Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Google Search Tools

Friday Forum

Mastering the Blog Part 1: Key Strategies for College Counselor to Drive Business Growth

Marc's Blog

https://odysseycollegeprep.com/blog/

Learn More

ProBlogger Blog/Podcast

Books

AI Detector

Webinar Recording

Why the Fiske Guide and More with Edward Fiske

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 22:06:57 GMT

What goes into the Fiske Guide and why?

Presenters

Edward Fiske | Author, NY Times Journalist | The Fiske Guide
Cyndy McDonald Educator, Entrepreneur, Producer | The College Counselor's Coach

Show Notes

What's the Value of College? A study completed by researchers Howard Gardner and Wendy Fischman

Live Interview at the Harvard Graduate School of Education Forum: The Real World of College

The REAL World of College: What Higher Education IS and what it CAN BE

Digital versions of Fiske Guide Available through College Planning Platforms:

GuidedPath through Maia Learning: https://guidedpath.net/
College Planner Pro: https://support.collegeplannerpro.com/hc/en-us/articles/229668388-The-Fiske-Guide
CounselMore: https://www.counselmore.com/

The 2025 Fiske Guide will be published in June. Check for it at any location books are sold. To buy the Fiske Guide directly go to the publisher:

Source Books

Professional Development

Loved the Friday Forum? Check out opportunities for upcoming professional development. Select the right opportunity, based on your role as a college advisor. Many of these organizations offer college tours before and/or after the conference. Check each organizations website for more details and registration information.

College Advisor (school, non-profit, military, college, IEC or other)

The best resource for you to use to find professional development opportunities near you is through the National Association for College Admissions Counselors (NACAC)

Sept. 26-28: National Conference: Los Angeles: Learn More
Spring-Summer: Regional Affiliate Conferences: Multiple locations: Learn more
Spring-Summer: College Fairs: Multiple locations: Learn more

Check out the regional affiliate events for your area. They offer exceptional learning and networking opportunities. Many offer college tours.

Independent Educational Consultants (IEC)

The best business and personal investment you can make is in your own professional development. Schedule one or more professional development experiences into your calendar for May/June 2024. Check the organizaiton

May 6-8: Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA): Connecticut: Learn More
May 13-14: National College Affordability Group (NCAG): Virtual: Learn More
June 8-10: Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA): Professional Development Institute (PDI): Atlanta: Learn More
June 11-12: Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA):Professional Development Institute (PDI): Atlanta: Learn More

View Interview

Digital SAT March Launch: How Did It Go?

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 21:16:49 GMT

Overall, the launch was smooth. But the math? What was up with that?

Presenters

Robert Schaeffer | Fairtest.org | bobschaeffer@fairtest.org

Cyndy McDonald | The College Counselor's Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

What is Test Optional?

Fairtest.org defines Test Optional and Test Free on their website:

"Test optional: This is both a blanket term for schools which do not require applicants to submit test scores before admissions decisions are made, including test-free institutions, and a more specific label for the more than 1,700 bachelor-degree granting schools that currently give students the power to choose whether ACT/SAT scores will be considered in the admissions process.

Test-free : This refers to institutions that will not consider ACT or SAT results in the admissions process even if scores are submitted. As of September, 2023, about 86 campuses, including the University of California and the California State University, the nation’s largest public higher education system, are test-free.Test-free is sometimes referred to as “test blind”."

A brief history of the test optional movement is included. The first Test Optional policy was announced by Bowdoin College in 1969.

Test Optional And Test Free List

Fairtest created the most comprehensive list of higher education institutions' test optional policies.

Test Optional and Test Free College List : List of 1900+ ACT/SAT optional institutions and 80+ test free institutions.

I created a short tutorial for using the data on this website. See it below.

Cyndy's Tutorial on the Fair Test List

Articles

Check out articles and blogs on the Fairtest website:

A recent NY Times article covers the opposite of the test debate:

The Misguided SAT Debate

Webinar Recording

Fair Test Tutorial

There is a lot of data on the Fairtest.org website. This short tutorial by Cyndy McDonald gives you shortcuts to understanding and managing the data on the Test Optional list, making it easier to share with students and parents.

New FAFSA: Triumph or Travesty?

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Sun, 10 Mar 2024 22:44:13 GMT

Presenters

Jeff Levy | jefflevy.bigj@gmail.com | www.bigjeducationalconsulting.com
Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com | www.cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Resources

Check out some of the resources referrenced in the show.

Other Shows

Financial aid is a popular topic lon the Friday Forums. Catch videos @Cyndy McDonald's channel here:

What's The Difference? FAFSA or Profile? with Dan Bisig and Cyndy McDonald
Under the Covers: Understanding College Merit Aid Offers with Ron Lieber and Cathy Finks and Cyndy McDonald
Financial Aid: What is it? Who Gets How Much and Why with Peter VanBuskirk

Webinar Recording

Inside Story on Early Admission Plans

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 00:56:27 GMT

Presenters

Peter VanBuskirk | peter@bestcollegefit.com | www.BestCollegeFit.com
Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com | www.cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Peter has been a popular guest on the Friday Forums. Catch videos @Cyndy McDonald's channel on other topics Peter has covered:

Webinar Recording

Mastering the Blog: Key Strategies for College Counselor to Drive Business Growth

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 20:29:48 GMT

How can you make your blog work hard for you?

Presenters

Marc Gray | Odyssey College Prep | mgray@odysseycollegeprep.com

Cyndy McDonald | The College Counselor's Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Google Search Tools

About: Google Search Console
Guide: Google SEO Starter Guide

Example Blog: Before and After SEO

Clarity Would Be Nice (Counselmore)
Why Do Educational Consultants Tour Schools .

Resources Mentioned in Show

Webinar Recording

Do You See Me Now? Building a Brand For Your Ideal Clients

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Sat, 20 Jan 2024 22:24:12 GMT

What is a "brand identity"? How do you build one?

Presenters

Allyn Hulteng | Founder, Principal | Rebel River Creative | allyn@rebelrivercreative.com

Gillette Vaira | Account Executive & Social Media Strategist | gillette@rebelrivercreative.com

Cyndy McDonald | The College Counselor's Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Check out these resources and marketing examples.

Join the Rebel River Creative e-newletter:

https://www.rebelrivercreative.com/

Exceptional example of brand identity:

Applerouth.com

S.M.A.R.T Goals

Forbes Article: The Ultimate Guide to S.M.A.R.T goals

Lead Magnets

WordStream Article: 25 Lead Magnet Ideas (With Examples!) to Feed Your Funnel

Lead Magnet Examples

Upcoming Marketing Workshops

Cyndy offers three hour, interactive workshops. These workshops are designed to give you clarity on marketing, and a workshop to use to get things done! These are the upcoming workshops:

Content Gold: Email Lists and Lead Magnets

Name Your Price: Setting Your Rates

Do You See Me Now? Building A Brand For Your Ideal Clients

Building A Brand Identity Presentation

Webinar Recording

Exploring the Benefits of the New Digital SAT

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 01:05:45 GMT

What does the data show about standardized tests?

Presenters

Jed Applerouth | President | Applerouth.com | info@applerouth.com

Cyndy McDonald | The College Counselor's Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Research on Standardized Test

Significant research has been done on standardized tests:

Raj Chetty Research

https://opportunityinsights.org/paper/collegeadmissions/

Article in the NYT about the research:

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/07/briefing/the-misguided-war-on-the-sat.html

Research out of UC defending the use of tests

https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/_files/underreview/sttf-report.pdf

Webinar Recording

Testing Advantage

If you look at admissions data, you see trends and patterns emerge. What are the admit rates for students not submitting scores versus students who do submit scores. Here is a chart from Applerouth.com.

Is The New Digitized SAT Test Better for Students?

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 18:36:07 GMT

Is the SAT better for students with added technology?

Presenters

Robert Schaeffer | Fairtest.org | bobschaeffer@fairtest.org

Cyndy McDonald | The College Counselor's Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

What is Test Optional?

Fairtest.org defines Test Optional and Test Free on their website:

"Test optional: This is both a blanket term for schools which do not require applicants to submit test scores before admissions decisions are made, including test-free institutions, and a more specific label for the more than 1,700 bachelor-degree granting schools that currently give students the power to choose whether ACT/SAT scores will be considered in the admissions process.

Test-free : This refers to institutions that will not consider ACT or SAT results in the admissions process even if scores are submitted. As of September, 2023, about 86 campuses, including the University of California and the California State University, the nation’s largest public higher education system, are test-free.Test-free is sometimes referred to as “test blind”."

A brief history of the test optional movement is included. The first Test Optional policy was announced by Bowdoin College in 1969.

Test Optional And Test Free List

Fairtest created the most comprehensive list of higher education institutions' test optional policies.

Test Optional and Test Free College List : List of 1900+ ACT/SAT optional institutions and 80+ test free institutions.

I created a short tutorial for using the data on this website. See it below.

Cyndy's Tutorial on the Fair Test List

Articles

Check out articles and blogs on the Fairtest website:

A recent NY Times article covers the opposite of the test debate:

The Misguided SAT Debate

Webinar Recording

Fair Test Tutorial

Generation Z in a Post Covid World

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Sat, 09 Dec 2023 06:50:41 GMT

What's on the mind of today's teens?

Guest

Dr. Corey Seemiller

Professor in Department of Leadership Studies in Education and Organizations at Wright State University

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seemiller/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coreyseemiller/
Website: https://www.thegenzspeaker.com/

Show Notes

As usual in our conversations, other resources were mentioned. Check out the following:

Gen Z Around the World: Understanding the Global Cohort Culture of Generation Z

Dr. Seemiller has been doing research on Generation Z for many years. "Dr. Seemiller recently led the Global Gen Z Study where she worked with 91 research collaborators from around the globe to better understand Generation Z in a post-COVID world. Participants from 81 countries took part in the study, and the research will be published in Gen Z Around the World with Emerald Publishing." The book comes out January 15, 2024.

"Learning about Generation Z from a worldwide perspective can expand our understanding to better work with, engage with, supervise, and educate young people in every corner of the globe."

Pre Order: Gen Z Around the World: Understanding the Global Cohort Culture of Generation Z

Webinar Recording

Open Forum: Admissions 2023

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Sat, 02 Dec 2023 00:24:12 GMT

What caused the most angst in 2023? To you? To students?

Presenters

Kathy Fine | kathy@fineeducationalsolutions.com
Shannon Bergeron | shannon@corecollegeconsulting.com
Sheila Olson | sheila_olson@yahoo.com
Cyndy McDonald ( reid@athletestoathletes.com )

Open Forum: Admissions Seasoon Recap: Topics of Discussion

The discussion was wide ranging. Here is the list of questions we coved in the Open Forum.

Application Deadlines: more ED/REA?
Application Management: more applications? struggles with SSAR? covid impacts?
College Essays: sharing community and lived experiences?
Family Dynamics: more parent involvement? student stress and procrastination?
Financial Aid/Affordability: having the money talk with parents/students?

Articles, Podcasts and More

Admissions Beat Poscast:

https://open.spotify.com/show/5hiriCdlFjU7NZf8wgPx1s

Article: Upward trend for early application

https://www.commonapp.org/files/Common-App-Deadline-Updates-2023.11.01.pdf

Article: Students Define Flexibility in the Classroom

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/04/07/survey-what-flexibility-means-college-students

Article: Direct Admissions

https://www.chronicle.com/article/congrats-you-didnt-apply-but-we-admitted-you-anyway

News Story: Simplified FAFSA form

https://www.npr.org/2023/12/01/1216340219/the-updated-federal-student-aid-form-has-been-simplified

Friday Forum Recording

My Shot: Advising Performing Arts Students

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 22:02:52 GMT

If you had mind control, what performing arts myth would you erase?

Show Notes

Presenter

Chris Andersson, Founder & President | Nothing But Drama | chris@nothingbutdrama.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nothingbutdrama.llc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nothingbutdrama.llc/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-andersson-nothingbutdrama/

Cyndy McDonald | Founder & Coach | The College Counselors Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Resources

Future Artists Program at NYU: https://www.nyu.edu/admissions/high-school-and-middle-school-programs/high-school-programs/tisch-future-artists.html

Summer HS Production & Design Workshop: https://tisch.nyu.edu/special-programs/high-school-programs/drama--production-and-design-workshop

UCLA Interview on Performing Arts

Interview with Chris Andersson: BS/BFA/Conservatory and More

Webinar Recording

Marketing 101: The 80/20 Listening Rule

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 19:54:20 GMT

Are you listening enough?

Presenters

Peter Lampert | Lampert Educational Resources | plampert@lamperteducation.com
Cyndy McDonald | Founder & Coach | The College Counselors Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Peter Lampert

For over 20 years, his approach has been to help families find a great-fit college, maximize all forms of FREE gift aid—scholarships, grants, and tuition reductions—all while preserving the parents’ retirement dreams.

Show Notes

Check out these resources mentioned in the conversation.

Youtube Video

Presentation Slides

What's Shaking The Sports World?

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 22:50:42 GMT

How do the recent changes in sports recruitment affect students?

Presenters

Amy Bryant ( amy@bryantcollegecoaching.com )
Joe Slater ( joe@slateradvising.com )
Katie Andersen ( katie.andersen@collegefitoc.com )
Reid Meyer ( reid@athletestoathletes.com )

Topics of Discussion

As you listen, you will notice the conversation covered a lot of topics. Below are links to resources mentioned in the conversation.

Athlete Mental Health

Morgan's Message

Student Athlete Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) Management

The Student Athlete Advisors

Amy, Joe, Katie and Reid work together in The Student Athlete Advisors to provide knowledge and guidance not only for students, but for college advisors too. Whether you are in a school, non-profit group, or an independent college counselor, you can benefit from the resources or services they offer. If you have years of experience, or just starting out, you can benefit from this service too.

New for 2023 is an online course for counselors covering the topics discussed in this Friday Forum, and more! The Friday Forum listeners receive an additional benefit if they enroll in the Online Course for Counselors. You can ask questions of one of the experts in a free, 30 minute session. This session is included in addition to your course. This is only offered to my Friday Forum audience.

-> The Student Athlete Advisors: Online Course for Counselors

Please use the code: FRIDAYFORUM

Friday Forum Recording

Gap Year Update

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Sat, 07 Oct 2023 01:17:48 GMT

Do colleges care if students take gap years?

Presenters

Carmen Gallegos ( cgallegoes@gmail.com )
Jason Sarouhan ( jason@j2guides.com )
Julia Rogers ( enrouteconsulting@gmail.com )
Julia Schmidt ( jeschmidt051804@gmail.com )
Cyndy McDonald ( cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com )

Show Notes

October is Gap Year Awareness Month

Gap Year Association: Non-profit and standards-setting body for the gap year option. Here counselors can find accredited program listings , data and research , a s tudent planning guide and more. Counselors can join GYA for continuing professional development for $25/year.

Gap Year Exploration Month : Learn more about advocating for Gap Years during October.
Gap Year 101 Handout : Document includes all the basics of gap year.
Gap Year Data : One page document on Gap Year Data. Good for parents.
Data & Research About Gap Years : More details about benefits of a gap year.

J2Guides & Enroute Consulting Resources

Jason Sarouhan

Gap Year 101 Video
Sample Deferral Letter : To send to a college requesting a gap year referral.

Julia Rogers

Gap Year Radio: Julia Rogers' podcast featuring interviews with industry experts and gap year alums.

Webinar Recording

Should I have ChatGPT Write My College Essays?

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:14:14 GMT

What's wrong with enlisting a little help in writing my college essays?

Presenters

Brad Schiller | Founder & CEO | PROMPT | brad@prompt.com
Cyndy McDonald | Founder & Coach | The College Counselors Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Brad Schiller

Brad is the Founder and President of Prompt – a leading college admissions essay coaching company. Prompt’s Essay Management Platform, College Essay Curriculum, and writing coaches are used by over 600 IECs and over 10,000 students per year. Brad is an expert in literacy education, and his recently released English academic literacy curriculum under the Pen brand will be used by 10,000s of students in 2023. Previously, Brad was an Engagement Manager at McKinsey and an independent consultant to the Fortune 500 and private equity firms. Brad holds degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Management Science from MIT.

Show Notes

Brad shared research on the US literacy rate. This research indicates just how hard it will be for college admissions personnel or college advisors to determine if something were written by a human or by an AI tool like ChatGPT. Only 2% of the US population with a high enough literacy level to critically assess written content for truth or accuracy.

AI Resources

Other Interviews

AI and ChatGPT have been popular topics on Friday Forums the past few months. See more on my youtube channel @CyndyMcDonaldsChannel

College Essays and ChatGPT: Problem or Solution? with Brad Schiller
AI for the IEC with Marc Cruver

Webinar Recording

Combining Mind & Movement For Student Success

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 21:02:18 GMT

Do student wiggles turn into student success?

Presenters

Brandon Slade, Founder & President | Untapped Learning | bslade@untappedlearning.com
Cyndy McDonald | Founder & Coach | The College Counselors Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Brandon Slade

Brandon struggled with academics throughout high school, but it wasn't until college that he recognized that his brain did not work like those of his peers. After receiving an ADHD diagnosis, Brandon's goal has been to better understand how the ADHD brain works. After teaching special education for 12 years, he started Untapped Learning. Untapped's mission is to help students with executive function challenges—specifically ADHD and dyslexia.

Show Notes

Books

Smart but Scattered by Peg Dawson
Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything by BJ Fogg
Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones by James Clear
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport
Spark: The Revolutionary New Science Exercise and the Brain by John Ratey
Teach Like a Champion 3.0: 63 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College by Doug Lemov
The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande

Webinar

Brandon's Webinar: https://www.additudemag.com/webinar/executive-functioning-skills-adhd-teens-school/

Video

Simple Neuroscience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGYJhIa8S9Y

Webinar Recording

Executive Functioning Pyramid

Demonstrated Interest: Does It Matter?

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 18:30:00 GMT

Why should students care about demonstrating their interest?

Presenters

Christine Bowman, Southwestern University | bowmanc@southwestern.edu
Jennifer Winge, The College of Wooster | jwinge@wooster.edu
Lauren Sefton, Rhodes College | seftonl@rhodes.edu
Cyndy McDonald, The College Counselor's Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Colleges That Change Lives

Check out the Colleges That Change Lives (CTCL) website. Great resources are shared here. View a map of the CTCL campuses and read profiles of each of the campuses.

COLLEGES THAT CHANGE LIVES

Demonstrated Interest: Does It Matter Presentation

View a presentation this conversation was based on. Session was presented at IECA in May, 2022.

Webinar Recording

Supporting Transgender Students: Mother-Son Story

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 18:15:08 GMT

What barriers can counselors help lift for transgender students?

Presenters

Shannon Bergeron, Core College Counseling | shannon@corecollegeconsulting.com
Sam Bergeron, Hampshire College | sbergeron@hampshire.edu
Cyndy McDonald, The College Counselors Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Shannnon Bergeron

Shannon Bergeron is the Founder of Core College Consulting, based in Austin, Texas. Shannon is a highly experienced and compassionate counselor, skilled in helping students understand their own strengths and goals in order to develop a balanced and realistic college list. Her whole child college counseling™ approach focuses on synthesizing a holistic view of the self for the college application journey, helping students and families reduce stress throughout the process while also helping them come to terms with personal identity and various educational needs, making her highly in demand. Shannon earned a BBA in marketing from the University of North Texas and an M.Ed in counselor education from the University of Maine. She is a member of NACAC, TACAC, IECA, and AICEP.

Sam Bergeron

A new member in the field of college admissions, Sam Bergeron (he/him) is Assistant Director of Admissions for Hampshire College, a private liberal arts school in Massachusetts. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from Hampshire College in 2022, and now works to recruit students from Texas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana, and central Massachusetts. Over the last few years he has spoken on panels about protections for transgender students for the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), Austin ISD counseling staff, and the 2023 Texas ACAC annual conference.

Show Notes

Shannon has organized a resource list for counselors to use to support transgender youth

Protect Trans Students: Resources from "10 Concrete Ways to Protect Trans Students in HS and College"

Organized by Shannon Bergeron

Webinar Recording

AI and the College Advisor

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 21:22:03 GMT

Will AI take over our jobs as college advisors?

Presenters

Mark Cruver | Founder & President | AI for the IEC | mark@capstoneed.com
Cyndy McDonald | Founder & Coach | The College Counselors Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Mark Cruver

Referred to by many as The AI Navigator, Mark’s journey has been anything but artificial. When Mark isn’t working with students and supporting parents as the founder of Capstone Educational Consultants , he’s teaching others how to unleash the power of AI on their business branding messaging, social media content, marketing campaigns, and more. Along with his distinguished credentials as an Independent Educational Consultant, Mark has written articles on AI in Education for the GenAI Newsletter , become Jasper Certified, earned a certificate in AI in Business mirrored from UC Berkley’s AI in Business course, and author of HELP! My Teen Isn’t On Track To College: 10 Tips for Parents on the College Admissions Process

Show Notes

Tools

Three AI tools Mark uses and mentioned in the interview. Mark demonstrated ChatGPT. More and more are being launched.

ChatGPT 3.5 | free version | https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt
ChatGPT 4.0 | $20/month subscription | https://ai-pro.org/get-chat-gpt/
Claude | AI safety & research company with free account: https://www.anthropic.com/company
Jasper | subscription starts at $49/month | https://www.jasper.ai/

Training

To learn more about AI from an IEC —> https://aifortheiec.com

To stay informed of upcoming workshops and trainings offered by Mark on AI —> https://aifortheiec.com/upcoming-events

To reach out to Mark directly and schedule a private coaching session (for fee) —> mark@aifortheiec.com

Webinar Recording

What Does "Being Ready" for College Look Like?

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 21:52:19 GMT

What is the difference between college ready and college capable?

Presenters

April Miller ( april@ldcollegeexpert.com )
Caryl Frankenberger ( caryl@frankenbergerassociates.com )
Ferne Bork ( FerneBork@landmark.edu )
Jasmine Lamb ( jasmine@mansfieldhall.org )
Kathy Fine ( kathy@fineeducationalsolutions.com )

Show Notes

The presenters for this session shared several documents pertinent to helping students prepare for life's transitions. Find the documents in a shared Google folder:

What Does Getting Ready For College Look Like?

Webinar Recording

Pressure & Anxiety: Helping Teens Manage

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 19:55:31 GMT

How far will students go to meet parent or society's demands?

Presenters

Tracy Badua | Author |
Cyndy McDonald | Founder & Coach | The College Counselors Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Tracy Badua

Tracy Badua is a Filipino American author from Southern California, whose books include Freddie vs. The Family Curse and This Is Not a Personal Statement. By day, she is an attorney who works in national housing policy and programs, and by night, she squeezes in writing, family and pup time, bites of her secret candy stash, and sometimes sleep. She currently lives in San Diego, California, with her family and photogenic Maltese. Visit her online at www.tracybadua.com

Show Notes

Website: www.tracybadua.com
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/tracybwrites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tracybaduawrites
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@tracybaduawrites
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tracybwrites
Goodreads – Author: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21150004.Tracy_Badua

Book link: This is Not a Personal Statement: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/this-is-not-a-personal-statement-tracy-badua

Webinar Recording

Getting New Clients: How, When & What's Next?

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 23:17:09 GMT

Is there an industry standard for getting new clients?

Presenters

Katie Andersen President | katie.andersen@collegefitoc.com
Cyndy McDonald | Founder & Coach | The College Counselors Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Katie Andersen

Katie Andersen is a private college counselor in Dana Point, CA. She specializes in working with student-athletes to help them identify schools that are the best fit for both the "student" and the "athlete" as well as guiding them through the college athletic recruiting and application process. Her unique perspective is based on personal experience as a Division 1 soccer player at Duke University, alumni interviewer, college counselor, and experience working for 15 years in the software and web design industries in the United States and Europe. She received her College Counseling Certificate with distinction from UCLA Extension and is a member of IECA and HECA.

Show Notes

Guide For Selecting New Technology Platforms

Blueprint for Adopting or Changing Technology by Cyndy McDonald

College Planning Platforms User Stories

I asked current users to share 5 things the software they use does really well, and 1 thing they wish it did better.

Coupons/Links

If you are trying out any of the college planning platforms, let them know I sent you! This helps me to provide Friday Forum and other resources.

CollegePlannerPro

Coupon code: CYNDYCPP
Set up a demonstration of CPP: https://go.collegeplannerpro.com/request-demo

College Aid Pro

Book a meeting using this scheduling link with Dan Bisig to learn more about College Aid Pro: https://meetings.hubspot.com/dan-bisig/mcdonald-iec-intro-call-
When you do a demonstration with them, let Dan know you were referred by Cyndy McDonald.

360 Planner

Coupon code: Cyndy

Set up a free demo: https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/G652ad961a43348aeb1d86ab03acdc365@360planner.com/bookings/s/6Ss2gOyr9U6YAHqRMT0qKQ2
Set up trial account here: https://app.360planner.com/register

HoneyBook

Learn more about Honeybook here: http://share.honeybook.com/cyndy
Coupon code: cyndy

Cyndy McDonald's Interactive Workshops

Interactive Workshops offered as a small group, interactive experience. View upcoming schedule: https://mailchi.mp/cyndymcdonald.com/workshop

Upcoming workshops

July 12 | Content Gold: Lead Magnets & Email Lists: https://form.jotform.com/230258007302140
Aug 17 | Name Your Price: Setting Your Rates: https://form.jotform.com/230586908846167
Aug 21 | Essay in A Box: https://form.jotform.com/230867550001145
Aug 23 | Content Gold: Lead Magnets & Email Lists: https://form.jotform.com/230258007302140

Presentation

View Presentation and other resources here.

Webinar Recording

Tips for Finding Ideal Clients & Building an Ideal Business

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Sun, 21 May 2023 18:47:25 GMT

Are there ideal clients out there?

Presenters

Shell y Humbach | Founder | shelly@humbacheducationconsulting.com
Cyndy McDonald | Founder & Coach | The College Counselors Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Shelly Humbach

Shelly founded Humbach Education Consulting, LLC. in 2011 and has worked with hundreds of families in the college search and application process. Using the College Success Strategy™ Shelly serves students throughout the United States and provides expert guidance with a dose of humor. Shelly became a Certified Educational Planner in 2015. Shelly enjoys spending time with her husband and three adult daughters and doing anything outdoors: skiing, golf and hiking. She also enjoys reading, travel, cooking and all things at Red Rocks.

Show Notes

Links from the Show

Articles & Resources

An article on time blocking: https://clockify.me/blog/productivity/time-blocking/
Email templates: https://www.collegeessayguy.com/resources/counselor-email-templates
Free resources from Wow Writing Workshop: https://wowwritingworkshop.com/free-pro/

Technology List

List of Most Popular Technology: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zqZT3GT7JyG-JBk5yis_kN2IEdqi0VpV/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=110642416643680005207&rtpof=true&sd=true

Conferences

National College Affordability (NCAG)- starts Monday, May 22. Registration still open https://www.ncagonline.org/events.register/event/EAEC1F6D-7F80-4A6F-BBE5-189A2D2780BA
International ACAC Conference https://www.internationalacac.org/2023-conference

Cyndy McDonald's Resources

Interactive Workshop Schedule: https://mailchi.mp/cyndymcdonald.com/workshop

Upcoming workshops

May 24 | Essay in A Box Workshop Registration: https://form.jotform.com/230867550001145
June 7| (more dates available) Content Gold Workshop Registration: https://form.jotform.com/230258007302140

Webinar Recording

Presentation

What is My Company's Value?

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Wed, 03 May 2023 05:07:10 GMT

Why does it matter how I set my business up?

Presenters

Daniel Koven | Corio Associates | daniel.koven@corioassociates.com
Jay Clark | Lucet Advisors | Jay.Clark@lucetadvisors.com
Cyndy McDonald | Founder & Coach | The College Counselors Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Daniel Koven

Daniel Koven works with closely-held business owners and Independent Educational Consultants. His planning will focus on the well-being of your business, how you can position your business to grow and retain key employees, and exiting your business on your own terms. Outside of his professional activities, he enjoys gardening, finding vintage, mid-century modern furniture, and exploring state and national parks.

Jay Clark

Jay leads a team of advisors from his home base in Denver, CO, where they serve owners of small businesses and pre-retirees around the country. He is a Certified Exit Planner (CExP™) and Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP©). Jay’s team focuses on helping business owners address some of the most profound issues they face around leaving their businesses, internal succession, external sale, key employee retention planning, and estate planning integration. He has been a featured speaker at countless industry conferences, and mentors other advisors around the country. Jay is an avid outdoorsman, active in his church, and lives in Denver, CO with his wife Emily, their three boys, and their dog, Chewie.

Show Notes

Resources shared for your reference

Book

Traction , by Gino Wickman

Webinar Recording

Experiential Learning: Meeting Student's Needs

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Sun, 09 Apr 2023 23:11:50 GMT

Why were some colleges able to pivot easily during covid?

Presenters

Stefano Papaleo | Director Undergraduate Admissions | Lynn University | spapaleo@lynn.edu
Greg Zaiser | Vice President for Enrollment | Elon University | zaiser@elon.edu
Cyndy McDonald | Founder & Coach | The College Counselors Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Stefano Papaleo | Lynn University

Stefano Papaleo, a native of Rome, Italy, began his journey in the US when he was recruited to play tennis for Lynn University in 1993 where he completed a BS in Communications and an MBA in International Business. In 2000 he was offered a position as an International Admission Counselor, and he has been working in the office ever since covering many different roles. In 2011 he was promoted to Director of Undergraduate Admission, overseeing a very talented team of counselors and enrollment management operations within the office.

Greg Zaiser | Elon University

Greg L. Zaiser has served as Vice President for Enrollment at Elon University since June 2012. A graduate of Elon College, Greg is responsible for all aspects of undergraduate and graduate enrollment management at the university. In addition to his membership in a variety of professional organizations including the National Association of College Admissions Counseling, he has served on the NC ACT State Council, as a faculty member for the College Board’s Enrollment Leadership Academy and on the ZeeMee advisory board. Most recently, he served on the Common App advisory committee. The combination of his professional and personal experiences shed considerable light on the current admissions climate and he enjoys sharing them with students and families at this important time of life.

Show Notes

Resources shared for your reference

Lynn University

Elon University

Webinar Recording

Kicking the Impostor Syndrome Out The Door

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 20:21:54 GMT

How can we recognize the true value of our service?

Presenters

Hanna Stotland | IEC | HannaStotland | hanna@hannastotland.com)
Cyndy McDonald | Founder & Coach | The College Counselors Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Hanna Stotland

Hanna Stotland flunked out of high school, got a G.E.D., and went on to graduate from Harvard College and Harvard Law School. Since 1999, she has been an independent admissions consultant specializing in educational crisis management, including Title IX, substance abuse and mental illness. Her recent professional presentations include conferences of the Independent Educational Consultants Association, the Higher Education Consultants Association, nine regional ACACs, and Families Advocating for Campus Equality. She has also been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, CBS News, PBS, and WNYC.

Show Notes

The conversation was lively with Hanna and Cyndy. Some resources for you to view:

Book Yourself Solid, by Michael Port
A Student of Colleges, by Steven Antonoff

Name Your Price

Upcoming workshops I am offering. Register or save the dates now! All workshops are offered 9-12 pm PT/12-3 pm ET. Cost for workshops is $195.00

Apr 6 | Name Your Price
Apr 13 | Essay Workshop in a Box

Webinar Recording

College Essays & ChatGPT: Problem or Solution?

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 17:50:44 GMT

What are the ethical considerations of using ChatGPT in college essays?

Will it be good or bad? That’s the question everyone’s asking. AI has already been used to help students with things like grammar and plagiarism detection, but what about the actual college essay-writing process? Will a computer write a well-written and thoughtful essay? Or will it just spit out something generic and unoriginal? How will the colleges address the issue of AI in essays? Cyndy has invited Brad Schiller, from Prompt, to discuss how AI may change the admissions landscape. Watch Brad demonstrate the power and the limitations of ChatGPT in writing essays.

Presenters

Brad Schiller | Founder & CEO | PROMPT | brad@prompt.com
Cyndy McDonald | Founder & Coach | The College Counselors Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Brad Schiller

Show Notes

What is the Latest US Literacy Rate?, Wylie communications.
Strong Essays Increase Your Admissions Chances By Up To 10 Times, Brad Schiller, Prompt Blog

AI Resource

ChatGPT

Other Interviews

Like this interview with Brad? See more on my youtube channel @CyndyMcDonaldsChannel

Tackling the Covid 19 Essay

Webinar Recording

ChatGPT Example

Here is the text of athe essay generated by ChatGPT. Notice how the essay can be shaped by refining the questions and prompts given to ChatGPT.

Did I Say It WRITE About My Activities?

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 23:03:36 GMT

Should students pay attention to how they write about their activities?

Presenters

Ethan Sawyer | College Essay Guy | ethan@collegeessayguy.com | www.collegeessayguy.com
Cyndy McDonald | The College Counselor's Couach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com | www.cyndymcdonald.com

Ethan Sawyer

Ethan Sawyer is an internationally recognized college essay and admissions expert and the author of the Amazon bestsellers College Essay Essentials and College Admission Essentials. Receiving his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University in Performance Studies, an MFA in Acting from UC Irvine, and two counseling certificates, Ethan’s educational experiences, reading, and training have informed his deep interest in storytelling as a vehicle for personal development and growth, which in turn inspired Ethan to start College Essay Guy. Raised in Spain, Ecuador, and Colombia, Ethan is dedicated to serving diverse communities. With a passion for access and equity, he has provided quality resources for students, families and professional communities alike.

Show Notes

Ethan walked us through several activites he has developed to help students understand and write their Activities section of the application. See those resources in his blog .

Resources in the blog include:

The Epic List of Activities List Verbs
The BEABIES Exercise
The Values Scan
10 Tips for Making Your Activities List Awesome
Activities List FAQ's
10 MOre Great Activities List Examples
The Honors and Awards Section

Other Interviews On College Writing

Like this interview with Ethan? See more on my youtube channel @CyndyMcDonaldsChannel for other interviews on writing in the College Application:

College Essay Brainstorming Tips & Exercises with Ethan Sawyer, College Essay Guy
Acing the Dreaded "Why" Essay with Susan Knoppow, Wow Writing Workshop
Student Essays: Digging Deep to Find Gold with Kieran Lyons, To The Top Education Group
Enough is Enough: Letting Go of the Imperfect Essay with Susan Knoppow, Wow Writing Workshop

College Essay Guy Courses Available Now

Ethan has two courses that just started. It's not too late to join, if you are interested. Register now, so you don't miss a minute of the great content offered by Ethan. Take a look at these classes:

Helping Students Apply to Highly Selective Colleges : 3 week course for counselors/educators. Mar 15, Mar 22, Mar 29, 2023

How to Write the College Application & Supplemental Essays: Part 2 of the Counselor Training Program. Why US Essay, Mar 21: Other Supplemental Essays, Mar 28, More Supplemental Essays, Apr 4.

Use this coupon code for 10% off registration:

CYNDY10

This saves you money and helps support my Friday Forums!

Webinar Recording

Helping Teens Turn Rejection Into Success

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 16:58:03 GMT

Rejection is a difficult experience for a student to endure, but rejection can actually be a powerful motivator. Students can use it to set the stage for greater success in future endeavors. Harlan Cohen, best selling author and renowned speaker (The Naked Roommate and more books) joins Cyndy McDonald for a conversation on how rejection can be a catalyst rather than an obstacle for students.

Presenters

Harlan Cohen | harlan@harlancohen.com | www.harlancohen.com
Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com | www.cyndymcdonald.com

Harlan Cohen

Harlan Cohen is a New York Times bestselling author, journalist, and speaker who has visited over 500 college campuses. He is the author of 7 books with over 1 million copies in print. His titles include, Win or Learn: The Naked Truth About Turning Every Rejection Into Your Ultimate Success, The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into In College, and The Naked Roommate: For Parents Only. Harlan is a frequent guest on television, radio, and podcasts. He is the founder of Best First Year ( bestfirstyear.com ), an online college readiness program and BeforeCollege.TV. He has a large following on TikTok @helpmeharlan and Instagram @harlancohen, where he posts college and life tips. Harlan is based in Chicago, IL and lives with his wife, three children, and two dogs.

Show Notes

Harlan Cohen offers resources for counselors, parents and students. You can follow Harlan on social media:

Instagram: @harlancohen
TikTok: @helpmeharlan

More Resources

New Video: How to appeal your financial aid letter:

New Course for College Freshman: Best First Year Course

Other Interviews

Like this interview with Harlan? See more on my youtube channel @CyndyMcDonaldsChannel

Webinar Recording

Five Elements of The Best College Fit

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 20:49:18 GMT

Historically, barely half of the students who enter four-year colleges in the United States ever graduate. While cost and affordability are understandably blamed for this failure to finish, factors associated with a destination orientation in the college selection process are often at the core ill-fated decision-making. In this webinar, we will consider the value of a student-centered orientation to college planning that begins with an emphasis on reflection and finding purpose, and follows with finding colleges that make sense to the student—that meet the five elements of the best college fit.

Presenters

Peter VanBuskirk | peter@bestcollegefit.com | www.BestCollegeFit.com
Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com | www.cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Carmen collects links discussed and used in the Friday Forum. Here are the ones from this week's session.

Graphic on Five Best Elements For A Best College Fit

We created an infographic on the questions parents should ask financial aid offices before their students apply to the college. Having the answers will help families plan appropriately.

Webinar Recording

Race, Admissions and the Supreme Court

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Sat, 21 Jan 2023 19:29:46 GMT

What are the further implications of taking race out of admissions?

How will our society define the future role of higher education?

The Supreme Court is expected to make a decision in the Harvard and University of North Carolina case about race and admissions soon. What impact would barring race as a factor in admissions have on applications? Enrollment? College Campuses? Our society? Jonathan Burdick, Vice Provost for Enrollment, Cornell University will join Cyndy McDonald for a frank discussion on this crucial topic, with time allowed for audience questions too.

Presenters

Cyndy McDonald | The College Counselor's Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Jon athan Burdick | Vice Provost for Enrollment | burdick@cornell.edu

The Chronicle of Higher Education

The Chronicle of Higher Education is digging into the question of race in admissions by asking, "How did we get here?" The Chronicle is exploring " the big questions at the heart of this debate" by publishing a newsletter twice a week for four weeks. Sign up for the newsletter below.

Seminar Recording

Blueprint for Adopting or Changing Technology

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 21:19:01 GMT

How do you know when you have selected the right technology?

For most people, choosing a new technology ranks right up there with getting a tooth pulled.

For most people, choosing a new technology ranks right up there with getting a tooth pulled. How do you set up your criteria for reviewing technology? Where should you use technology? Where are the holes in your business processes that technology can address? How do you narrow the choices? How do you know you made the right choice? These and other questions will be addressed in this session by Cyndy McDonald.

Presenters

Cyndy McDonald | The College Counselor's Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Resources

Interested in resources shared during this webinar? I collected all the resources into a shared folder.

Seminar Recording

Presentation

The Top 5 Business Mistakes to Avoid as an IEC

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 04:32:51 GMT

Garnered from watching business for 30+ years

As a female entrepreneur, working with hundreds of people in the last thirty years, Cyndy McDonald has observed the same mistakes being made over and over by new or experienced IEC's. In this session, Cyndy will review the top five mistakes and how to avoid them in your practice. How to get new clients, what to charge, how to manage clients are some of the topics discussed.

Presenters

Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Friday Forum Recording

Powerpoint Presentation

View presentation through Slideshare . Create a free account in slideshare to find more presentations on branding in slideshare.

Shared Folder

I put together some documents for your benefit in a shared folder. Contains lots of helpful documents!

Business Resources

Friday Forums:

Free Workhops:

Jan. 17: Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid As An IEC
Jan. 18: Blueprint for Changing or Adopting New Technologies

Paid Workshops: Use Coupon Code: FRIDAYFORUM for $30 discount on workshops

Jan 19, Jan. 25: Reset and Reflect: $195/ 3 hour workshop with follow up meeting REGISTRATION
Feb. 2: Name Your Price: $195/3 hour workshop on setting your rates. REGISTRATION

Coaching:

Group or Individual: New! Groups starting in February, 2023. Learn more here. https://mailchi.mp/cyndymcdonald.com/coachingnow

Mindful Coaching Experience

Whether you are just starting out, or ready to elevate your business to the next level, a coaching experience can help you reach your goals faster, with more confidence, clarity and an expanded mindset. Having a coach who REALLY understands your business, and can help you avoid mistakes as you grow is the best investment you can make. Explore the option of a Group Coaching Experience or an Individual Coaching Experience. Which one is best for you?

LEARN MORE! SCHEDULE 30 MIN. CHAT WITH CYNDY

Are You Ready For College?

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 01:46:11 GMT

How do you know if a student is ready for college? What role does college readiness play in college fit? Students must have not only academic , but intrapersonal and interpersonal skills to take with them to college. Beth Howland, an academic coach and mentor will
highlight aspects of being “college ready” beyond academics, provide ideas for how to support students, and discuss key resources available at most institutions to help students thrive from decision to degree.

Presenters

Beth H owland | bahowland@gmail.com | www.college-navigators.com
Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com | www.cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Beth shared some handouts with the audience today. Plus- a great resource book is thrown in too!

College Readiness-Beyond Academics
How Times Have Changed For College Students
Beyond the Big Test: Noncognitive Assessment in Higher Education : William Sedlacek (resource book)

Webinar Recording

Financial Aid: What is it? Who Gets How Much and Why?

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 23:16:37 GMT

"How much will college cost?", "What can I expect in terms of money for college for my student?", "Does my child qualify for money for college?" "How much money will my child (or myself) have to borrow for college?", " The college's net price calculator says we will pay xxx. Can I trust that number?" As college advisors, we hear these and many more questions from students and parents about paying for college. What is the difference between financial aid and merit scholarships? Who gets money and who is left short? Where do student and parent loans fall into the mix? What should the expectations be for getting money for college? To find the answer, Cyndy has invited author and college expert Peter VanBuskirk for a conversation which goes under the covers, teaching us how colleges really award financial aid and merit aid. How do colleges leverage their funds to maximize outcomes? What is the Financial Aid Matrix? What is differential need analysis? These concepts and more will be part of the discussion on this vital topic.

Presenters

Peter VanBuskirk | peter@bestcollegefit.com | www.BestCollegeFit.com
Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com | www.cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Carmen collects links discussed and used in the Friday Forum. Here are the ones from this week's session.

Five Essential Questions Every Parent Should Ask

We created an infographic on the questions parents should ask financial aid offices before their students apply to the college. Having the answers will help families plan appropriately.

College Financial Aid Comparison Chart

Financial aid comparison charts are a valuable tool. Peter shared an excellent one in his presentation.

Early Financial Aid Reads

S ome colleges will do an early financial aid review for families and students. Cyndy discussed this with Ron Lieber NY Times) and Cathy Finks (The College of Wooster) previously. This was referenced in today's discussion. Check out the past interview and information on Wooster.

Interview with Ron Lieber and Cathy Finks: https://www.cyndymcdonald.com/under-the-covers-understanding-college-merit-aid-offers
Early Aid Estimator at The College of Wooster: https://wooster.edu/admissions/afford/financial-aid/early-aid-estimator/
The College of Wooster: https://wooster.edu/

Blog on Financial Aid

Read Cyndy's latest blog on her personal experience with financial aid. Her experience with financial aid in college fueled her passion for helping students and famlies to navigate college planning and financial aid.

Webinar Recording

Knowledge is Power: Data Literacy for College Counselors

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 16:21:43 GMT

In an era where it seems like there's access to more information than ever, how do college counselors parse through the noise to find reliable data sources, understand data sets, and convey information to students and parents? This session will introduce an overview of data sources in higher education, including IPEDS, Common Data Set, and College Scorecard. It will also review how to gather and utilize data for use in college counseling, and provide recommendations to get started and stay up to date on the latest data trends in higher ed.

Presenters

Eric Rath | eric@ratheg.com
Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Carmen collects links discussed and used in the Friday Forum. Here are a number from this week's session.

Eric's Resources

Instant Data Scraper: Chrome extension

Contact Information

Eric Rathe: eric@ratheg.com

Leigh Moore: leigh@moorecollegedata.com

Chat Links

Articles

See article on Private Colleges and Discount, 2020, published Oct 28, 2022. https://www.highereddatastories.com/2022/10/private-colleges-and-discount-2020.html

See this article: https://nces.ed.gov/blogs/nces/post/timing-is-everything-understanding-the-ipeds-data-collection-and-release-cycle#:~:text=About%25209%2520months%2520after%2520each,the%2520newly%2520released%2520seasonal%2520data.

Slide Presentation

View Eric's slide presentation. This was presented at the recent IECA conference. The slides are offered through Slideshare. You will need a free Slideshare account to download the slides.

Webinar Recording

Not Enough Money to Continue College

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 23:32:31 GMT

What happens when financial aid is ripped away?

As I opened the envelope, I could not believe what I read. The letter from the financial aid office stated I would have no more financial aid for college next year. The news was devastating. I was heartbroken. How would I continue as a student without financial aid? My dream was to be the first in my family to go to college. My mother had a high school diploma. My father never went to high school, let alone college. I had worked and saved money since I was fourteen years old to pay for college. I felt I had come so far, graduating early from high school, getting into CU Boulder, only to have it ripped from me.

I contacted the financial aid office to find out what happened. Was this a mistake? That was my hope and prayer. I was told financial aid rules had changed. My father could borrow money against his cattle ranch land to send me to college. My dad had struggled too long and too hard to get the ranch. He would not borrow against it to pay for my college education. I wouldn’t ask him, because I knew the answer would be “No”. I knew I was now totally on my own. What would I do? Would I have to drop out of college and earn enough money to come back? It was the last thing I wanted to do. I was afraid I would never get back to finish my degree.

I shared my dilemma with a friend. He suggested I look at a college near him in Missouri. It was a small, liberal arts, women’s college. The cost was three times what I was paying. If I could not afford CU Boulder, how would I afford a more expensive school? I had nothing to lose by visiting the college.

I enjoyed the visit to the campus. I liked the personal feel. I liked the idea of knowing my professors. I knew I could get a good education here. I went to the financial aid office with my heart pounding. Could I be admitted as a mid-year transfer? Did they have financial aid to give me? When the admissions director told me the college would not only admit me as a late transfer, but they could give me financial aid too, I was elated! I did not have to drop out of college. I did not have to put my dreams on hold. I transferred from University of Colorado to William Woods in January.

Over the next few years I learned more about the financial aid process. I learned there is a difference between my perspective as a consumer, and the college perspective as an institution. I learned how to choose a college based on my educational needs and my financial needs. I learned how to be an advocate for my needs by communicating with the financial aid office directly.

This was the beginning of a path I have traveled for many years. I have a passion for helping students and families navigate the intricate journey through higher education. I know first hand how intimating the process can be, yet how crucial having the correct knowledge is to making informed choices. Choosing the right colleges to apply to and getting financial aid can impact a student and their families for a lifetime. Through experience, knowledge and perseverance, I became an expert on financial aid and college affordability.

I have trained over 1000 counselors, teachers and administrators from across the country. I have presented in front of national audiences. I started a technology company with coding designed around the financial aid process. It all started with a letter of denial, a spark of determination, and a path to follow.

Paying for College: What You Must Know

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 23:56:42 GMT

How do college goals translate to money for kids?

Paying for college is not a cookie cutter process. Not everyone gets the same financial aid or scholarships. Much is dependent on the college's mission and financial goals. Colleges use "strategic enrollment" to manage how much money to give out and who get's the money. Cyndy McDonald goes through the financial aid process, showing you the inside information on how financial aid and scholarships are awarded.

Presenter

Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Presentation for Parents

This presentation on paying for college is intended for parents/students. You can download the presentation here. Use it as a template for presentations on College Aid and Fit. Feel free to customize this to your needs.

Not Enough Money to Continue College

I have personal experience with financial aid. When I was in college, I had my financial aid ripped away. I was afraid I would have to drop out of college. I shared my story this week in Cyndy's Blog.

Webinar Recording

How Demonstrating Interest in a College Can Hurt Your Pocketbook

Sat, 22 Oct 2022 00:31:27 GMT

Are we giving the wrong advice on demonstrated interest?

Do you find yourself asking colleges how much they consider demonstrated interest in their campus? Do you instruct students to open those emails and respond to invites from colleges to virtual fairs? Did you ever think about how demonstrated interest might harm a student's chances for more money in college? So often our focus is on admissions. But how valuable is admissions alone? If a student can't afford the college, what value is admissions? Former college admissions representative and founder of TuitionFit, Mark Salisbury discusses the downfalls of demonstrated interest rarely considered.

Presenters

Mark Salisbury | mark@tuitionfit.org
Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Resources You Can Use

Here are some blogs and talks you can use

The Simplest Way to Bring Down The Cost of College | Mark Salisbury | TEDxDavenport
How Demonnstrating Interest in a College Can Actually Hurt You | Mark Salisbury | Blog
TuitionFit | Mark Salisbury | Website

Upcoming Friday Forum

Don't miss out on upcoming Friday Forums with Peter VanBuskirk-author and speaker, discussing Strategic Enrollment Management.

Financial Aid: What is It? Who Gets How Much & Why?

Webinar Recording

FAFSA or Profile? What is the Difference?

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 22:02:17 GMT

Helping families navigate the confusing college financial aid forms.

The cost of sending a child to college are at an all time high. More and more families want to access college funding sources through completing a financial aid application. Which ones should they complete? What is the difference? What about special situations? When do colleges use "professional judgement"? Join Dan Bisig and Cyndy McDonald for a frank discussion on financial aid forms and their impact on a student's future in college.

Presenters

Dan Bisig | danbisig@collegeandbeyondllc.com
Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Carmen collects links discussed and used in the Friday Forum. Here are a number from this week's session.

College Aid Pro

A tool counselors can use (requires a subscription) or parents can use (free) to view EFC and other financial aid calculations.

PLEASE NOTE: I am an affiliate for College Aid Pro. It is an excellent product I highly recommend. I believe in it. I want you to get the most out of it too.

https://collegeaidpro.com/ (subscription version- for counselors)
https://mycap.collegeaidpro.com/ (FREE version- for familys)

Want to learn more? Set up an appointment to talk about College Aid Pro with Dan Bisig. You will be glad you did! Having a resource to provide families is important during this time of change and uncertainty in financial aid.

https://meetings.hubspot.com/dan-bisig/mcdonald-iec-intro-call-

More Resources

Here are some more resources mentioned in the show.

Expert Among Us

Derenda King was in the audience on Friday. She mentioned she had written an article on all the upcoming changes in the FAFSA. Here is a link to Derenda’s article & website

Latest and Greatest

To learn the latest on the financial aid changes, plan to attend the federal governments free financial aid conference. This is for the colleges and others tasked with implementing federal financial aid. It is held annually. There is no cost to the conference. It is held virtually.

Virtual FSA Training Conference : Nov. 29-Dec. 2
https://fsaconferences.ed.gov/index.html To be determined

Webinar Recording

Jeff & Jennie's Big Data 2022

Sat, 01 Oct 2022 19:31:34 GMT

Current, accurate and curated data in college admissions is hard to come by.

Current, accurate and curated data in college admissions is hard to come by. Jeff Levy and Jennie Kent go through the Common Data Set, websites and call admissions offices to get data for each admissions cycle on neary 250 colleges/universities. Join us for a discussion with Jenny and Jeff about this year's data. Learn how to interpret the data and use it in your counseling with students and parents.

Presenters

Jeff Levy ( jefflevy.bigj@gmail.com )
Jennie Kent ( jennie.bigj@gmail.com )
Cyndy McDonald ( cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com )

Show Notes

The star of today's show was the data that Jeff and Jennie have collected and published. You can find the three charts on their website (published August 2022):

Early Decision & Regular Decision Acceptance Rates for Class of 2025
Domestic Undergraduate Need-Based & Merit Aid
Financial Aid for International Non-Citizens

View this resource from Jennie & Jeff here: https://www.bigjeducationalconsulting.com/resources

Data Sources

The two most common resources for data are IPEDS (from the government's National Center for Educational Statistics and from the Common Data Set (CDS). More information about these two data sources are available at these websites. Includes questions on the CDS, and more.

Strategic Enrollment Management

Reference was made during the presentation to Strategic Enrollment Management. Cyndy has interviewed other guests about strategic enrollment management. Check out the following (and more) interviews on Cyndy McDonald's Channel.

Interview with Jeffrey Selingo , journalist and best selling author, Who Gets In and Why- about Strategic Enrollment.
Interview with Peter VanBuskirk , former director of admissions from Franklin Marshall, best selling author and speaker

Webinar Recording

Discover Your Genius

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 17:30:08 GMT

What energizes you? That is the core of your innate genius.

We all carry genius inside of us. Sometimes it is hidden. Sometimes it is displayed. How can we find our hidden genius? How can we help our students find their hidden genius? Join world renowned coach and author Kerry Petsinger as she walks you through finding your genius.

Presenters

Kerry Petsinger | kerry@kerrypetsinger.com
Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

Learn more about the services Kerry offers, both her Monday's That Matter and her Discovering Genius courses, both for you (as a counselor) and your students. Using the Discovering Genius course can be incorporated into your overall college counseling approach. Contact Kerry directly to learn more about Discovering Your Genius and for discounts you can offer your students. Tell her you learned about it from Cyndy's Friday Forum!

kerry@kerrypetsinger.com

Website

www.kerrypetsinger.com

Program Offer

Discover your Genius

Webinar Recording

Cultivating Cultural Competencies

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 19:40:49 GMT

We all have hidden biases that influence our behavior.

We all have hidden biases (both favorable and unfavorable) that influence our behavior. How do we become aware of our biases? How can we show respect to the students/families from diverse cultures that we serve? Cyndy has invited Kazue McGregor to teach us more about Cultural Competency. Cultural competency is the ability to effectively deliver services to meet our client’s social, cultural, and sometimes linguistic needs and show families that you truly care.

Presenters

Kazue McG regor | kazuemcgregor@gmail.com
Kathy Fine | kathy@fineeducationalsolutions.com

Show Notes

Assessment

Implicit Bias Test

https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html

Books

Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do - Jennifer L. Eberhardt (2020)

Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People - Mahzarin R. Banaji & Anthony G. Greenwald (2013)

Gaining Cultural Competence in Career Counseling, 2nd Edition – K.M. Evans & A.L. Sejuit (2021), National Career Development Association

Sway: Unravelling Unconscious Bias - Pragya Agarwal (2021)

The Leader’s Guide to Unconscious Bias: How To Reframe Bias, Cultivate Connection, and Create High- Performing Teams – Pamela Fuller, Mark Murphy, Anne Chow (2020)

Centers/Resources

Center for First Generation Student Success

https://firstgen.naspa.org/why-first-gen

National Center for Institutional Diversity

https://medium.com/national-center-for-institutional-

diversity/addressing-asian-american-pacific-islander-college-students-

mental-health-needs-4413a55f49b7

The National Education Association

https://www.nea.org/

IEC Organizations

Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Institute (future events)

https://hecaonline.org/page-1861097

Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Intensive (future events)

https://www.iecaonline.com/dei-educational-intensive/

Webinar Recording

Presentation

Finding Clarity in Careers & Colleges

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 20:10:43 GMT

Student self-reflection leads to better career choices.

One of the most challenging things for students to tackle is declaring a major or selecting a future career. When should we start working with students on this goal? What do teens need to make this an easier process? Is it possible to help students explore this before college? Expert counselor Lisa Marker-Robbins has developed a path for students to follow to find clarity in careers and majors. Lisa will join Cyndy McDonald to discuss what counselors and other adults can do to help and support students in their journey of self discovery to clarity.

Presenters

Lisa Marker-Robbins | Lisa@flourishcoachingco.com
Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes

The discussion centered around the Birkmany Assessment, it's uses and strengths when working with teens. Lisa has developed a course students can take online. Many IEC's offer Lisa's course to their students.

Webinar Recording

Acing the Dreaded "Why" Essay

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 16:00:10 GMT

What is your "WHY"?

Most colleges want to know WHY a student is applying to their illustrious campus. Most students don't fully know what their WHY is. How can you help them figure it out and share their reasons? Let's turn to an expert in college essays to learn the best way to approach these particular types of college essays. Susan Knoppow, CEO of Wow Writing Workshop, will walk us through the ins and outs of WHY college essays, while sharing strategies and tips that you can apply to other types of supplements as well.

Presenters

S usan Knoppow | susan@wowwritingworkshop.com
Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Wow Writing Workshop Resources

Susan and her team created a raft of resources just for our Friday Forum audience. Check the resources out here!

Webinar Recording

Neurodiversity and Mental Health in College

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 21:11:12 GMT

Can neurodivergent youth successfully transition to college?

There is an increased awareness of the mental health needs our teens and young adults in college currently are experiencing. What can we do as counselors to support teens and young adults? What about students with additional needs, such as neurodivergent students? Should students reveal their learning differences on college applications? Join a conversation with clinical psychologist and IEC Eric Endlich, Ph.D., as he discusses mental health needs for youth, and in particular, neurodivergent youth.

Presenters

Eric Endlich | eendlich1@gmail.com
Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Show Notes & Resources

This Friday Forum included a lot of discussion about programs, organizations and more. See full list with links to different resources.

Neurodiversity In College

Webinar Recording

Preparing for Transition to College for Neurodiverse Students

A presentation by Kevin Mayne (formerly with Landmark College) about helping neurodiverse students prepare to transition to college.

Questions To Ask When Choosing A New Program or Platform

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 00:31:42 GMT

Confused and conflicted sorting through software choices?

One of the most important decisions you can make in any organization is adopting technology- specifically software platforms. What steps do you go through to consider, evaluate and select a software? What questions should you ask? How do you know if you made the right technology choice? Join Cyndy McDonald and Katie Andersen, two technology super users, as they walk you through simple steps you can take to make this important decision easier.

Presenters

Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com
Katie Andersen | katie@collegefitoc.com

11 Steps to Choosing a Technology Platform

I can help you with this! Request my article: Eleven Steps to Choosing a Technology . Included is a comparison spreadsheet to use!

Need Help with Technology?

Set an appointment to meet with Cyndy McDonald to go over your technology needs and questions. Having a professional by your side in this process will save you time and money.

Webinar Recording

Scaling Your Business: What's Next

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 06:46:58 GMT

Ask yourself, where do you want to go next?

Moving your business to the next level is both exciting and frightening. What are the steps you should take? What pitfalls should you avoid? When is the best time to scale up your business? What are your goals for scaling your business? What approaches work best? What technology can help you? Gena Lester and Chris Bell joined Cyndy McDonald to share different ideas and approaches to scaling your business, with resources and time to ask questions.

Presenters

Gena Lester | gena@educationprepcenters.com
Chris Bell | chris@bellcollegeconsulting.com
Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Session Resources

Access document in a shared folder with links to resources used in presentation.

There's MORE!

Interested in taking the next steps to scale your business? To manage your practice? Cyndy and Gena can help! Click on links below to learn more.

All Stars Coaching Roundtable: Setting Up For Success in Application Season (SAS) | Cyndy McDonald & Gena Lester
https://takingitonline.com/allstars

How to Grow Your Practice Using Lead Magnets | Cyndy McDonald
https://www.jotform.com/build/222017040601133

Group Coaching Intensive | Gena Lester
takingitonline.com/groupcoaching

Friday Forum Recording

Powerpoint Presentation

View, dowload or share presentation on Slideshare. You need an account on slideshare to download presentation.

Things That Get In The Way of Our Potential

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 17:26:57 GMT

In order to move forward, sometimes we have to look back.

What things get in the way of our potential professionally or personally? Often, the things that get in your way begin with your own thoughts and emotions. Your thoughts and emotions can drain your energy vs. support you in achieving your goals. How can we better understand what's holding us back and then be in control of shifting what appear to be obstacles into opportunities? Former corporate managing director and current life & leadership coach, Paula Adler, joins Cyndy McDonald for a conversation about what we can do to shift from being at the effect of our lives to being at the cause of achieving our life and professional goals.

What if you could learn how to manage your emotions instead of them managing you, so that you can keep calm and stay positive no matter what challenges or hurdles come your way? And, what if you could stop getting caught up in everyone's demands on you, and instead harness your energy and direct it towards what matters most to you -- a life and career for yourself where you feel valued and have a sense of satisfaction and purpose!

Presenters

Paula Adler | paula@paulaadlercoaching.com

Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

About the Presenter

With over 33 years in the professional services industry, Paula Adler has translated her life and work experience into a passionate career as a certified professional coach. On the heels of more than three decades at PwC, and as a Managing Director in a high-pressure, high-demand work environment, she brings the distinct experience and qualities of a natural relationship leader and coach—as well as authenticity and a supportive presence—to the coaching world. Paula is a force for positive transformation, enabling clients to explore both their current realities and potential for future success. She leverages her achievements and her own personal growth to support others in navigating life’s trenches and transitions.

Need a speaker?

Paula offers speaking engagements with groups on Energy Leadership and the variety of ways people can get in the driver's seat of their life. New Paragraph

Friday Forum Recording

Energy Audit Offer

Paula is offering a free energy audit to the Friday Forum audience. Why do an audit? Her website gives you the answer, "Your Energy Audit will help you look at your ‘to do’ list and shed light on what is FILLING YOU UP and WHAT IS DRAINING YOU of energy."

LEARN MORE

Test Optional: College & Counselor Perspectives

Mon, 16 May 2022 14:45:23 GMT

What will Test Optional look like in the future?

There's much uncertainty around test optional policies. Students wonder whether to take the SAT or ACT test or not. What does Test Optional really mean? How does it impact an incoming class? Is test optional/test blind here to stay? Join a panel of liberal arts Directors of College Admissions to discuss these questions and more regarding the current and future status of test optional in college admissions.

Presenters

Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Christine Bowman | bowmanc@southwestern.edu
Lauren Sefton seftonl@rhodes.edu
Ann Marano ann.marano@ctcl.org
Cathy Finks CFINKS@wooster.edu
Steven Antonoff steve@schoolbuff.com

Liane Crane | liane@thecollegedollar.com

Friday Forum Recording

Powerpoint Presentation

View presentation through Slideshare . Create a free account in slideshare to find more presentations on branding in slideshare.

Learn More about CTCL

Colleges That Change Lives Organization features student centered colleges. Learn more about CTCL colleges.

COLLEGES THAT CHANGE LIVES

Finding Work Life Balance

Tue, 10 May 2022 14:54:30 GMT

Have you found work-life balance after covid?

Is work-life balance possible after covid? What changes in our work habits will remain after covid? Are there ways we can save time to create more work-life balance? Leane Crane and Cyndy McDonald tackle these questions and more in a conversation about being an entrepreneur, satisfaction with your life and your business, and lots of ideas for saving time and being a better entrepreneur.

Presenters

Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Liane Crane | liane@thecollegedollar.com

Friday Forum Recording

Powerpoint Presentation

View presentation through Slideshare . Create a free account in slideshare to find more presentations on branding in slideshare.

Business Resources

Download this handy list of technology tools. Use to save time and bring more work-life balance to your day! Download through slideshare. Be sure you have an account (which enables you to download lots of other ideas too!)

Business Technology Tools for the Busy Entrepreneur

Under the Covers: Understanding College Merit Aid Offers

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 18:43:57 GMT

What is the language of College Merit Aid?

Lots of attention is spent on finding merit scholarships at college. Understanding what merit scholarships ARE, and what they are NOT is essential for families and advisors. Join Cyndy McDonald as she interviews NY Times award winning author (The Price You Pay for College) Ron Lieber and Cathy Finks, Executive Director of Admissions at The College of Wooster. Ron pulls the covers back on merit aid, and how to explain it in a meaningful way to parents/students. Cathy will discuss the lead The College of Wooster has taken in building transparency into the college merit and financial aid process for families.

Panelists/Moderators

Ron Lieber | ron@ronlieber.com
Cathy Finks | admissions@wooster.edu
Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com
Liane Crane | liane@thecollegedollar.com

Friday Forum Recording

Digging Into Strategic Enrollment Management Numbers

Sat, 09 Apr 2022 00:18:36 GMT

How are merit scholarships used to drive revenue?

Many colleges use Strategic Enrollment management to build incoming freshman classes, but what does that mean? Does Strategic Enrollment Management affect how financial aid or merit scholarships are offered to students? Cyndy McDonald and Liane Crane explain more about Strategic Enrollment Management, and dig into details using the "Buyers and Sellers" college lists created by author and journalist, Jeffrey Selingo, author of Who Gets In and Why.

Presenters

Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Liane Crane | liane@thecollegedollar.com

Friday Forum Recording

Powerpoint Presentation

View presentation through Slideshare . Create a free account in slideshare to find more presentations on branding in slideshare.

Business Resources

Many resources were shared in this presentation.

Source Book

Who Gets in and Why : Jeffrey Selingo, author
Buyers and Sellers List : Jeffrey Selingo, developer

Fractual Virtual Assistant Company

Iworker: Enrique Yervez | enrique@iworkermail.co

Data Sources

Mindful Coaching Experience

ACT NOW! NEW GROUP COACHING EXPERIENCE STARTING APRIL 2022!

The Top 5 Business Mistakes to Avoid as an IEC

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 20:43:59 GMT

Garnered from watching business for 30+ years

Presenters

Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Liane Crane | liane@thecollegedollar.com

Friday Forum Recording

Powerpoint Presentation

View presentation through Slideshare . Create a free account in slideshare to find more presentations on branding in slideshare.

Mindful Coaching Experience

ACT NOW! NEW GROUP COACHING EXPERIENCE STARTING APRIL 2022!

How an IEC & School Counselor Put Students First

Sat, 02 Apr 2022 16:08:55 GMT

What does school/IEC collaboration look like?

All college advisors are focused on the needs of students first, whether they are school based, community based or independent counselors. How can we work together for the benefit of the students we all serve? Nagla Orlando, a retired high school teacher and owner of Knowledgeworkx4college, and Bre Goetz, counselor at Templeton High School, CA, will share their story of collaboration, giving insights into how to build a collaboration and how we can support each other and the students. Interview by Cyndy McDonald, The College Counselor's Coach, and moderated by Liane Crane, founder of The College Dollar.

Presenters

Nagla Orlando | Knowledgeworks4college

Bre Goetz | Templeton High School

Cyndy McDonald | The College Counselor's Coach

Liane Crane | The College Dollar

Friday Forum Recording

Counselor Release Form

Need a counselor release from? Use our form. Customize it for your needs.

Helping Neurodivergent Students Transition to College Successfully

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 23:35:59 GMT

What should a transition plan for a student look like?

Going from high school to college can be challenging for any student, but it is particularly challenging for neurodivergent students and their families. Understanding the level of service offered at colleges, and how that affects a student's potential success, is important. Creating a plan for students (and families) to follow can help students make this transition successfully. Knowing what questions to ask, what to do with the answers, what to help students plan for, and what to include in the plan is important. Sometimes the plan may include a transition or Gap year program. Speech Therapist and LD specialist, April Miller shares her perspective as a counselor for supporting parents and students in high school to better prepare for college.

Presenters

April Miller | LD ND Foundation | april@ldndfoundation.com

Cyndy McDonald | The College Counselor's Coach | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Friday Forum Recording

LDND Foundation

This website is replete with many resources for counselors, parents and students. Wondering which colleges support LGBTQ Neurodiverse students? Transition programs? Gap Year options? Check out the information.

Marketing with Canva

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 21:48:03 GMT

Tips for building your brand using Canva

One of the most impactful ways for you to share your message and your brand is visually. Canva is a free graphics tool you can use to create any visual or written content. Newsletters? Facebook post? Tiktok video? Check, check! With tools such as content planner and brand kits, you have everything at your fingertips to build your brand. Sylvia Borgo will share tips for identifying your content needs, and how to use Canva to build your brand.

Presenters

Sylvia Borgo | sylvia@djeducationalconsulting.com

Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Friday Forum Recording

Powerpoint Presentation

View presentation through Slideshare . Create a free account in slideshare to find more presentations on branding in slideshare.

Counselor Resources

Sylvia has developed several resources for counselors. Check them out!

College Essay Brainstorming Tips & Exercises

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 01:39:36 GMT

Brainstorming College Essay Ideas

College essay brainstorming tips and exercises are popular with college counselors. Author, speaker and college essay expert, Ethan Sawyer, The College Essay Guy, has many brainstorming activities to help students find the right topic to write about. Ethan will share some of his brainstorming activities, and how they have helped students prepare.

Presenters

Ethan Sawyer | ethan@collegeessayguy.com

Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Friday Forum Recording

Counselor Courses & Discount

Counselor Courses

Courses for counselors start in March. Sign up now! Save money with coupon worth $100 off!

https://www.collegeessayguy.com/how-to-write-a-personal-statement/counselor

https://www.collegeessayguy.com/how-to-apply-for-college/counselor

Coupon code: IKNOWCYNDY for $100 off | Coupon valid until March 31, 2022.

Interested in a CEP Study Group?

An opportunity to prepare and study for the CEP (Certified Educational Planner) certification.

Have you been seeing students for five years or more? Have you considered applying to become a Certified Educational Planner (CEP), but not taken the next step? Need support to prepare for the CEP assessment? Then this group is for you! Join with fellow colleagues to prepare, take and achieve your CEP designation.

Groups will be held on Tues PM or Thur AM in February and March. Each group will meet 4 times. See more details on CEP Registration Form. Click LEARN MORE below.

Pick One? STEP or Engineering?

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 21:52:41 GMT

Are engineers born or made?

Are Engineers born or made? Are high school students developmentally ready to select which STEM or Engineering major to study in college? What preparation do students need for a STEM or Engineering program? What about 3-2 programs? Hollis Bischoff, a STEM/Engineering specialist, joins Cyndy in a Friday Forum to discuss these and other questions about helping students to prepare and select STEM/Engineering majors.

Text Chat from Show

The chat for this session was chock full of colleges names, resources and more rich content.

Presenters

Hollis Bischoff | hollis@collegeunlocked.com

Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Friday Forum Recording

Show Notes & Engineering Resources

Engineering the Engineering Application: Click HERE

Beyond Engineering: Alternative Majors for Those Who Love to Solve Problems: Click HERE

Interested in a CEP Study Group?

An opportunity to prepare and study for the CEP (Certified Educational Planner) certification.

Groups will be held on Tues PM or Thur AM in February and March. Each group will meet 4 times. See more details on CEP Registration Form. Click LEARN MORE below.

What is Professional Development & Why Do I Need It?

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 00:57:34 GMT

How can you grow through professional development?

What is the value of a professional organization? What can we expect to receive from a professional organization? What can we expect to contribute? Why should you strive to become a Certified Educational Planner? Join a discussion on the topic with two professionals, Julia Varriale, Erin Avery and Cyndy McDonald. This session will include a discussion about creating a study group to prepare for taking the Certified Educational Planner assessment. Cyndy will share her experience in taking the assessment.

Presenters

Julia Varriale | juliavarr@ucla.edu

Erin Avery | erinavery@me.com

Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Friday Forum Recording

Interested in a CEP Study Group?

An opportunity to prepare and study for the CEP (Certified Educational Planner) certification.

Groups will be held on Tues PM or Thur AM in February and March. Each group will meet 4 times. See more details on CEP Registration Form. Click LEARN MORE below.

Tips for Adopting or Changing Technology Tools

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 23:53:07 GMT

How do you know when you have selected the right technology?

For most people, choosing a new technology ranks right up there with getting a tooth pulled.

How do you set up your criteria for reviewing technology? Where should you use technology? Where are the holes in your business processes that technology can address? How do you narrow the choices? How do you know you made the right choice? These and other questions will be addressed in this session by Cyndy McDonald and Katie Andersen, two technology geeks. Listen to the conversation about business practices, business structure and the use of technology to help you grow!

Presenters

Katie Andersen | katie.andersen@collegefitoc.com

Cyndy McDonald | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Friday Forum Recording

Presentation

Open Forum: Application Season- Mindful Breath

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 23:32:28 GMT

Applications Experiences in 2021- Predictions for 2022

This Friday Forum was a different format. It was an Open Forum, with lots of great discussion. What was application season like year 2 of the pandemic? We used this time to take a mindful breath, and then shared experiences, observations and predictions for this application season and the next one.

Because this was an open forum, it was not recorded. Join the discussion at the next open forum.

Presentation

Cyndy shared data on early action at University of Georgia, standardized testing in California, and overall interesting data from Jon Boeckenstedt from Oregon State University.

University of Georgia EA Decisions & Data
It's Going to be Hard: UC Admissions announces no alternative to the SAT/ACT "that won't create biased results."
Flagships and Land Grants: What's the Difference? An article for fun on the different ways colleges are named.
An Admissions Recovery? Data showing application trends for 2021-22 @ Inside Higher Ed.
Deadline Trends through Nov. 16. Report by the Common App.

My Country: Military Service & Education

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 17:19:56 GMT

In honor of Veteran's Day Nov. 11, 2021

What should students want to attend a military academy be aware of? What are the challenges veterans face when they come out of the military? What can counselors do to support students, veterans and current military personnel in their educational goals? These and other questions about education for military personnel are covered in an interview Cyndy McDonald hosted with Steven Connelly, a veteran himself. Steve's journey included the US Naval Academy, Harvard Kennedy School, Military Congressional Fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and service as a staff member for the Senate Committee on Veteran's Affairs, among many other experiences.

Presenters

Steven Colley | stevecolley@waypointcollege.com | www.waypointcollege.com

Cyndy McDonald | Mindful Coaching | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Resources from Steve

Information on Service Academies page - https://www.waypointcollege.com/service-academies

Information for Military Personnel- https://www.waypointcollege.com/military

Listen to the Podcast Version- Click here

Video Presentation

A New Chapter in LIfe

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Tue, 02 Nov 2021 16:52:56 GMT

A special announcement: I am leaving GuidedPath.

A Vision

Years ago I had a need. I wanted to spend less time on paper work, and more time with my students. I figured if I had this need, other counselors did too. This led to the founding of the very first college planning platform, MyCCA.net. Before I realized what I was doing, I became a female entrepreneur in technology.

A Surprise

Being an entrepreneur was never a path I envisioned for myself. I saw myself more as a counselor, working with students and families on their educational journey. I did not have a business background. I had never taken a business class or a marketing class. Yet- I had a dream- a vision - for a tool that would make a difference in the lives of students and the counselors who serve them.

A Challenge

Being a woman in business is not that unique or unusual. Being a woman in technology, without a technology background, was unique. I had taken programming in college, and I was married to a database programmer, so I figured, “How hard could it be”? How naive that was.

I learned quickly to communicate, organize and prioritize. I learned to hold my own. One example is the college search process. I had a vision for what it should be. I was told repeatedly that what I had in mind could not be done. It took five years for technology to catch up with my vision, but eventually we were able to implement the tool in the way it was needed. (Years later ACT did a market search and said the GuidedPath Search was the best on the market.) Communicating with development teams located either in the US or other countries brought cultural differences into the mix. This is where my counseling skills were an asset. The challenges were many, but I led the team to work through them

A Page Turned

Eventually MyCCA.net became GuidedPath. Now, GuidedPath is a product of MaiaLearning. This is the next page, the next progression for the company. It is exciting to be a part of a parent company with more resources and a wider reach than GuidedPath. Even more importantly, MaiaLearning shared GuidedPath’s strong commitment to customer service. My next page was turned too. In September 2020 I became a consultant for MaiaLearning.

A Blank Page

Working with GuidedPath the past year has been rewarding. Yet, it has had a different feel and focus, as I have been navigating this chapter alone, without my spouse Lee. My goals, my vision, my purposes in life have shifted. Over the past few months I feel I have been facing a new, blank page in my life. I have been uncertain as to what to write on this blank page.

A New Story Line

I recently returned from a podcast conference and business mentorship program in Scottsdale, AZ (watch for the next blog about it). This experience opened my eyes to many other possibilities. It was an empowering and energizing experience. I have a renewed hope and am casting my eyes again to the future. There are many opportunities for helping entrepreneurs to grow and flourish. especially those, like me, that have little to no experience in business. I know where you are coming from and I know how it feels.

Closing a Chapter

After much soul searching and several restless nights, I came to a very hard decision. Over the past year I have been trying to do it all. After all, isn’t that what we women do? I have come to the difficult realization that I can't do it all. And so, I am announcing I am closing the GuidedPath chapter of my life. As of November 19 2021, I will no longer be a consultant with MaiaLearning (GuidedPath). I have to close one chapter so that other chapters can open.

Writing a New Chapter

Over the past year I have been coaching new and experienced college counselors. This coaching experience has been very fulfilling, and has reignited my passion for teaching. I know the needs you have as a small business owner. I know how to support you to launch your new college counseling practice or provide guidance and expertise as you grow your business. I am developing a more mindful, inclusive business coaching experience.

I will be launching this in January, 2022. If you want to know more, join my Interest list , and I will keep you informed. Feel free to schedule an inquiry call to learn more about Mindful Business Coaching Experiences.

Keep in Touch

Please contact me at cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com . Use the social media links below to keep in touch.

Student Essays: Digging Deep to Find Gold With Kieran Lyons

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 04:56:26 GMT

Finding confidence to share your voice with strangers.

Writing the college essays induces stress and hand wringing not only for students but for parents and their college advisors. How can we help students understand the purpose of the college essays? How can we guide them toward fulfilling these purposes without taking over their writing? Most difficult of all, how can we help them muster the courage, confidence, and trust needed to share their deepest selves with strangers? Kieran Lyons, author of the new book, Let Me In, The Practical College Essay Guide, share his tips and thoughts on guiding students to their best essays.

Presenters

Kieran Lyons | To The Top Education Group | kieran@tothetopeducation.com

Cyndy McDonald | Mindful Coaching | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Listen to the Podcast Version- Click here

Video Presentation

Resources

Visit AMAZON to purchase the new book by Kieran Lyons, published through To The Top Education.

Taming Homesickness in the First Year of College

Sat, 02 Oct 2021 01:31:11 GMT

How will students feel going to a new place, alone, after being sequestered for over a year during covid?

Many colleges will have both freshman and sophomores on campus for the first time this fall. How will they feel going to a new place, alone, after being sequestered for over a year during covid? Providing transition support to both students and parents is more crucial this year than ever before. Lisa Heffernan, award winning author and co-founder of the popular Grown & Flown facebook group is joining Cyndy McDonald, to share tips and tools for helping students handle this transition.

Presenters

Lisa Heffernan | Grown & Flown | grown&flown@gmail.com

Cyndy McDonald | Mindful Coaching | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Listen to the Podcast Version- Click here

Video Presentation

So You Want to be a Doctor?

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 01:07:57 GMT

Is there an advantage to direct admit programs?

Many students focus their future on going into the medical field, but do they know what it takes to prepare? Cyndy led a discussion with admissions expert Luisa Rabe. She dispels myths and gives tips about planning, preparing and getting accepted into both undergraduate and graduate programs. Is there an advantage to applying and being accepted to direct admit programs (such as nursing, PA, BS/MD)? Is a research university a better choice than a liberal arts college? Is Biology the preferred pre-medical major? The answers to these and other questions may surprise you.

Presenters

Luisa Rabe | Pruett-Raber Education Planners | luisa@pruettrabe.com

Cyndy McDonald | Mindful Coaching | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Listen to the Podcast Version- Click here

Video Presentation

Health Profession Resource

Use these resources to enhance your library and knowledge.

AAMC - for all health professions
NAAHP - large, professional organization

Application Services

AMCAS - for allopathic MD
AACOMAS - for osteopathic DO
TMDSAS - for Texas Medical and Dental school app service
CASPA - for physician assistant programs
ADEA- for dental programs
PTCAS - physical therapy central application service

Supreme Court Athlete Ruling- What You Need to Know

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 04:04:17 GMT

Will it send shock waves or just a small ripple?

The recent Supreme Court ruling about athletes and compensation is monumental. Will it send shock waves through the colleges, or just a small ripple? Athletics expert Katie Andersen joins Cyndy to discuss the latest ruling, its implications for athletes, and what we need to know as college advisors to navigate this latest development.

SHOW NOTES

Katie Andersen: katie@collegefitoc.com

Cyndy McDonald: cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Listen to the Podcast Version- Click here

Video Presentation

Check out Dr. Aviva's New Book

Through interviews, mindful exercises and more, Dr. Aviva helps students to understand and unveil their true selves.

Helping Students Reveal their Authentic Selves in College Applications with Dr. Aviva Legatt

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 23:59:41 GMT

What is the Impresiveness Paradox?

Repeatedly colleges tell us it is important for students to dig deep and share information about who the student is and their potential contribution to the college campus. How do they explore their authentic self and put that into a college application? Cyndy is joined by Dr. Aviva Legatt, author and Ivy League admissions expert, who will share tips and tools on this topic from her upcoming book, Get Real and Get In.

SHOW NOTES

Dr. Aviva Legatt: Get Real and Get In | info@ivyinsight.com

Cyndy McDonald: cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

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Video Presentation

Check out Dr. Aviva's New Book

Through interviews, mindful exercises and more, Dr. Aviva helps students to understand and unveil their true selves.

Leveraging Linkedin with Karen Yankovich

Fri, 30 Jul 2021 21:54:39 GMT

What mistakes should you avoid in your Linkedin Profile?

How is Linkedin different from other social media platforms? In what ways can it be used to build your business? What is the difference between the free version and the professional (subscription) version of Linkedin? A Linkedin expert, Karen Yankovich joined Cyndy at this Friday Forum to answer these questions and more. Karen shared tips for using Linkedin to focus your energy to build sustainable relationships, grow your brand, and make more money. You will learn so much from this interview: Leveraging LInkedin with Karen Yankovich.

SHOW NOTES

Three levels of connection to look for in Linkedin:

1. Partnerships

2. Media (journalists, etc)

3. Potential Clients

GOAL: Two times 5

5- Contact 5 people in your Linkedin network each week
5- Contact 5 people you don't know each week

PRESENTERS

Karen Yankovich | www.karenyankovich.com
Cyndy McDonald | www.cyndymcdonald.com

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Video Presentation

Want to Learn More about Polishing Your Linkedin Profile?

Set up an appointment with Karen to learn more about her services to help you polish your Linkedin Profile. Be sure to mention in your appointment request you heard about her services through Cyndy's Friday Forum.

Online Marketing: Expert Tips & Tools to Promote Your Business

Sun, 25 Jul 2021 22:42:06 GMT

Why is video becoming the fastest growing medium online?

Most of us are not experts when it comes to social media, google searches, SEO and other online marketing tools/resources. What should we know? What will get us into trouble if we don't know? Marketing expert Heather Holloway, Holloway Media Services shares tips and tools you can use in online marketing to promote your business.

PRESENTERS

Heather Holloway, Holloway Media Services
Ed Sanderson, Ducerus.com
Cyndy McDonald, Mindful Coaching

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Video Presentation

Special Opportunity: Expert Production of Videos

Are you interested in using videos in your online marketing, but don't have the time to create them? Do you want professionals to produce and distribute your videos? Like the idea of using one video for multiple social media posts? Check into the new crowd source service being offered by Ducerus. Working together will amplify the reach of your social media.

Concerns & Expectations of International Students & Parents

Thu, 27 May 2021 02:03:05 GMT

How International perceptions and expectations have shifted.

Wendy Beato, an International counselor from South Africa joins the Friday Forum for a frank discussion on International students. What are students' concerns as they look at going to school in another country? What are parents' concerns? How does political climate factor into decisions? How do the different countries compare? How do you help international families understand fit? How can advisors help manage concerns and expectations of International Students? Wendy shares her experiences and recommendations for advisors.

PRESENTERS

Wendy Beato, Varsity Abroad
Cyndy McDonald, Mindful Coaching

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Video Presentation

Coffee Talk with 2 Queer Consultants: Making Your Organization Inclusive for All

Wed, 19 May 2021 00:12:50 GMT

Is your organization inclusive for all students?

How can we make our organizations more inclusive? More welcoming to all students and families? What are the challenges LGBTQIA students face? Join Cyndy McDonald for an interview with Scott and Eric as they share their stories and discuss the unique challenges facing today's LGBTQIA clients. They will share steps your organization can take to become more inclusive to all and resources you can use in this journey.

PRESENTERS

Scott Garbini
Eric Delehoy
Cyndy McDonald

Forum Documents

Scott and Eric shared versions of their inclusive documents. Download the example by clicking on the link(s).

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Video Presentation

The College Equity Index: A Spark for Change

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 13:37:46 GMT

How do you know the true racial climate on a college campus?

Many resources are available about college admissions and campus culture, but none evaluate campus culture from a female and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) perspective, until now. The College Equity Index was created by Dr. Debra Felix, Dr. Monica Randall and Sydney Montgomery, Esq. Learn how the index was created, and what was shocking about the information they found. How can this index be used to help you guide women and BIPOC students in their college search and selection.

PRESENTERS

Dr. Debra Felix
Dr. Monica Randall
Sydney Montgomery, Esq.
Cyndy McDonald

SHOWN NOTES

College Equity First : Learn more about The College Equity Index.

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SLATE- Why Do Colleges Love It?

Sat, 03 Apr 2021 23:07:05 GMT

Why is SLATE so popular among colleges?

SLATE is an online platform used by over 1000 colleges to help with recruitment, student success and even help raise money through an alumni network. We will peak beyond the curtains to learn more about SLATE and how it helps colleges meet institutional goals, in an interview with Christine Bowman, Chair of Colleges That Change Lives, and Dean of Admission and Enrollment Services at Southwestern University.

PRESENTERS

C hristine Bowman | Chair of Colleges That Change Lives | Dean of Admission & Enrollment Services | Southwestern University | bowmanc@southwestern.edu
Cyndy McDonald | Founder & Owner | Cyndy McDonald.com | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.co m

SHOW NOTES

SLATE.org : a place you can create an account and see your student outcomes

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Video Presentation

How to Grow Your Business- Even During a Pandemic

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 01:55:33 GMT

What is the ONE thing you can do this year to increase business?

Many people want to expand their business, but are unsure of how to accomplish that. In 2020, during a pandemic, Gena Lester was able to expand her business exponentially. Gena joins Cyndy McDonald to share her out of the box thinking and the steps she took to expand her business, with a corresponding increase of income.

PRESENTERS

Gena Lester | Founder and President | Education Prep Centers | gena@educationprepcenters.com
Cyndy McDonald | Founder & Owner | Cyndy McDonald.com | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.co m

SHOW NOTES

Taking Your Business Online Course: https://www.epccounselors.com/connect
CLUB HOUSE: The Edpreneurs Accelerators Club| @genalester
CLUB HOUSE: @cyndymcdonald
KAJABI: www.kajabi.com
TEACHABLE: www.teachable.com
GUIDEDPATH: www.guidedpath.net

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Video Presentation

Why Study in the UK?

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 03:37:05 GMT

What are the advantages and challenges of studying in the UK?

There are many advantages to students considering doing postsecondary education in the United Kingdom. The British Council is dedicated to helping students, parents and educators understand the education system in the UK. Jenna Hartsell will join Cyndy McDonald to talk about college selection, the British application process and more nuances that go into a UK application.

PRESENTERS

Jenna Hartsell Education Manager | International Education Services | British Council Jenna.Hartsell@britishcouncil.org
Cyndy McDonald | Founder & Owner | Cyndy McDonald.com

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Video Presentation

Show Notes

If you are interested in more information, visit:

Want to Study in the UK?
Resources for Counsellors and Students: Includes different webinars for counsellors
Study UK Guide : Counsellor Handbook for 2020 (downloadable format)
Great British Education Magazine

What Role Does ACT/SAT Test Preparation Play in a Test Optional College World?

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 04:36:08 GMT

What should your advice be to students for testing in 2021?

Many colleges went test optional or test blind in 2020, and will continue that policy in 2021. This change raises as many questions as it answers. Should students still prepare for standardized tests? Which ones? What schedule? When should they turn in scores to test optional schools? Join us for a conversation with the test preparation expert, Tom Ehlers, founder of Method Test Prep.

PRESENTERS

Tom Ehlers | Founder and President | Method Test Prep | tom@methodlearning.com
Cyndy McDonald | Founder & Owner | Cyndy McDonald.com | cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

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Video Presentation

Concrete Ways to Increase College Access in 2021

Fri, 19 Feb 2021 21:52:03 GMT

College Admissions has been challenging due to covid. How can we help?

College admissions has been challenging this year due to the pandemic. How have these challenges affected college access for students? In an interview with Cyndy McDonald, Ethan Sawyer, the College Essay Guy discusses those challenges, and shares ideas for ways counselors can help increase college access in the next year.

PRESENTERS

Ethan Sawyer Director The College Essay Guy
Cyndy McDonald | Owner | Cyndy McDonald.com

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Video Presentation

Show Notes

1. Here's the link to apply for Matchlighters (one-to-one essay help).

2. Here's the link to apply for the Counselor Match Program.

3. Here are all the 40+ ways I shared .

Status Check in : One Year In

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 21:27:39 GMT

March will mark the one year anniversary of Covid-19. Where are we now?

Special Friday Forum:
Status Check: One Year In

What have we learned from the past year? What ways have you adapted your business? What plans should be put in place for the future? Join Cyndy as she leads a discussion on this topic. Includes a poll of the audience about their plans for the next year.

PRESENTERS

Cyndy McDonald | Owner | Cyndy McDonald.com
Barbara Klein | Owner | Barbara Klein

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Is Standardized Testing Teetering?

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 22:21:43 GMT

What lasting effect with Covid-19 have on college testing practices?

Special Friday Forum:
Is Standardized Testing Teetering- with Robert Schaeffer

2020 say many colleges go test optional because of the global Covid-19 pandemic. Join us for a frank conversation with Fair Test Director Robert Schaeffer about the past, present and future prospects of the test optional movement.

PRESENTERS

Rober Schaeffer | Director | Fairtest.org
Cyndy McDonald | Owner | Cyndy McDonald.com

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Video Presentation

Facts to Consider

What Really Matters

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 06:15:33 GMT

During Covid-19 we all face a moment of truth. I faced mine on Nov. 4, 2020, right after the Presidential elections.

I drove away in tears. I had to walk out of the house without saying goodbye to my 2 year old and 4 year old grandsons. I had held the newest grandson for only 40 minutes, on the night before, when he had come home from the hospital. I had traveled from California to Utah to help my son’s family during this beautiful but stressful time of bringing a new baby home. My role was to cook, clean, take care of the two toddlers, so mom, baby and father had time to bond. Now all of that had been taken quickly away.

I packed my bags and quickly headed home. One family member I had interacted with while visiting in Utah had come down with symptoms of the Covid -19 virus, and gotten tested for Covid. On Wednesday, Nov. 4, the test results started coming back- all were positive. I had been exposed to Covid. My heart dropped.

Instead of helping my son and his family, I was fearful I had brought the dreaded Covid-19 virus into their home. Not only was Janae, as a new mom, and her son, as a newborn, at increased risk of infection from the virus. But their two year old son had a compromised auto-immune system. Ashton had miraculously survived an overwhelming sepsis infection that started when he was only 5 days old. His immune system is still very vulnerable to infection and disease, two years later. I was wrenched with worry and guilt. Could I have brought this disease to them unwittingly?

I was heartbroken to leave without telling Aaron and Ashton goodbye. How would a 2 year old and 4 year old feel about having Oma (a German name for Grandma we use) leave so suddenly? I didn’t want to expose them another moment longer. I had to go back to California. I had to get tested for Covid- 19, and quarantine for 14 days.

Over the next few days more family members tested positive for Covid. Then extended family members tested positive for Covid. Their ages ranged from mid sixties to 4 years old. Many of our family members had underlying conditions: chronic bronchitis, diabetes, multiple sclerosis. Fevers, fatigue, headaches, no sense of taste, breathing difficulties- all family members experienced different symptoms, from severe to mild. Two family members went to the hospital. One was admitted and treated with plasma and the antiviral drug Remdesivir. They released him after one night. The hospital needed the bed for other patients.

Over the past few months, in the news, I heard Trump say the virus would “miraculously” disappear on election day. I had many people tell me that too. I didn’t understand it. The pandemic was a once in a century phenomenon. It is a public health crisis. The virus does not distinguish between Republican, Democrats or Independents in political persuasion. It is a human issue, not a political issue. The virus is not bound to our time, our political clock. On Nov. 4, the day after the election, I was driving home, praying for my family members who were diagnosed and struggling with Covid.

I had seen this virus coming for a long time before it entered the US. I had a friend who returned to her home country of China in December 2019 for the Chinese New Year celebrations. In mid January, 2020 , she was in lock down with millions of other Chinese citizens, unable to return to the US. Talking about the challenge of having a complete lock down with children and extended family was a dominant theme in our subsequent conversations. All through January and into February she shared firsthand how she struggled to help her young son understand why he couldn’t go outside, or to help her parents understand the magnitude of the virus and how it could spread. I knew, without a doubt, if the virus went global, we would be facing the same thing in the US. It was just a matter of time.

I was in England in early February, visiting friends, colleges and doing family history research. The corona virus was just emerging in Europe. I watched news reports from Italy . Health providers there were having to make life and death decisions. Which patients could they help with their limited number of respirators? The 30 year mother with 3 children, or the 80 year old great grandfather? What an impossible situation these health workers were put in. Watching this from the UK news, I wondered, when Covid-19 came to the US, what decisions would our health providers be forced to make? This was late February into early March.

My return trip to the United States was scheduled for March 9. By the first week of March there were reports of Covid in Washington. A cruise ship off the coast in California had people on board who tested positive for Covid. The virus had hit the shores of the United States. I returned to California on March 10. On March 13 President Trump declared a national emergency. By March 19, California Governor Newsom issued orders to shut everything down in California, in an attempt to curb the outbreak. ‘Flatten the curve” was the objective.

As I was making the unplanned trip back from Utah to California, I wondered. If I, as an ordinary citizen, could see it was just a matter of time before the corona virus hit our shores, why did our government not see it and act on it? Why are we looking at thousands of US citizens sickened each day by this virus? Why were we looking at thousands of people dying each day of this virus? To just ignore it, to say “it will go away on election day”, does not help anyone. This is a global health issue. This demonstrates the need to have a global response. It is not an “America first” or “xxxx country” first response. Now, more than ever, we need to work together for the common, HUMAN good. Not assign blame and withhold funding from states, cities or international agencies. If I can understand this simple truth, why does our country, especially our President, not understand that?

When President Trump tested positive for Covid and was treated for it, I was hoping he would unite our country and lead in a covid-19 response. That was too much to hope for. Instead he ripped off his mask as he entered the White House, and tweeted, “Don’t be afraid of Covid”, “Don’t let it dominate your life”. Mr. President, that is hard to do when people you love are sick with Covid. When they have to go to the hospital, to be treated and released because the beds are needed for other patients. Because people who believe in you, are refusing to wear masks and put others at risk. Because of the conspiracies you promote, people are trying to break into hospital ICU's . This puts the health care providers, those at the front line, fighting this virus, and their patients, at risk. (If I had needed medical care, this is the hospital I would have likely been admitted to.) This is not putting America first. It is put one's self first. It is irresponsible, selfish, and dangerous.

I was in quarantine for seven days, not knowing if I had covid-19 or not. I had not shown any signs of the virus, yet. I knew it could take up to 14 days to manifest. I waited for the covid-19 test results to come back. Five days after I took the test, the results were in. I was negative. Never before had I felt such relief. I had not exposed my new grandson to this deadly virus, at less than a week old. I had not exposed his mother or siblings to it, when they had already compromised immune systems. I could now emerge from quarantine. But I can’t go back to Utah to help my son and family. The outbreaks are too great in all the states around me. My daughter told me it was safer to stay in California.

Yesterday was my first day out of quarantine. This morning I listened to Anderson Cooper's Friday (Nov. 13) comments, “ What Really Matters” . He talked about the pandemic, and how our response, our responsibilities as individuals, as business leaders, as a community, and as a nation, matter. I agree, what we do, right now, matters. I knew, driving back from Utah (the day after the election) that Covid-19 was not suddenly gone. It was staring me in the face, as it was thousands of other people. That is what matters.

Tonight, to hear a government official advocating for people to rise up against measures designed to help save lives, save people, in the state of Michigan, makes me shake my head in disbelief and despair. Atlas doesn't understand what matters. He doesn't understand what can bring a community, a state, or our country together again.

I may not be able to help my family in person right now. But, I can lift my voice and add to the chorus of others about what matters. Covid-19 is deadly. It is not something to be trifled with. As the holidays approach, please be cautious. Don’t let your vigilance down because of pandemic fatigue. We are truly in this together. Wearing masks, washing hands, maintaining social distance can help keep you and those you love safe. It did for me. It can help you too. Wearing a mask is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of strength. It matters. It is my prayer you and your family will have a joyful and safe holiday. All signs indicate we are in this for a longer duration- possibly into 2022. Let’s make this work together. Follow the CDC guidelines . You never know who it may save. What you do matters.

Using Pinterest to Promote Your Business with Susan Dabbar

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 18:32:34 GMT

How can Pinterest help build your business?

Special Friday Forum:
Using Pinterest to Promote Your Business with Susan Dabbar

Offered by demand! Susan shared tips for expanding your practice through social media, especially Pinterest. Learn what approaches work best for different social media platforms. This is Marketing Part 2 Session. (Part 1: Marketing Mindset: What to Know was offered on Aug. 31)

PRESENTERS

Susan Dabbar | AdmissionSmarts.com
Cyndy McDonald | Cyndy McDonald.com

Listen to the Podcast Version- Click here

Video Presentation

Free Resources: Consultant 2 Consultant

Susan has offered FREE resources to our listeners! Interested in learning more about building YOUR brand? Ready to delve in and explore your online presence? Please take advantage of these resources:

Mastering The Art of Creating A Brand
Online Brand Audit

If you have questions, or want a consultation with Susan Dabbar about YOUR brand, reach her at susan@admissionsmarts.com

Defining College Fit: What REALLY Matters with Edward Fiske

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 17:24:14 GMT

Why was the Fiske Guide started nearly 30 years ago?

Special Friday Forum:
Defining College Fit: What REALLY Matters with Edward Fiske

Why was the Fiske Guide started over 30 years ago? What do the Fiske ratings come from? How are colleges selected to be in the guide? Edward Fiske, New York Times editor and best selling author, answers these and other questions posed by Cyndy McDonald about his book, The Fiske Guide, and transitions in education he has observed over the past thirty years.

PRESENTERS

Edward Fiske | Author, NY Times Journalist | The Fiske Guide
Cyndy McDonald | Cyndy McDonald.com | Visalia, CA

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Video Presentation

2021 Fiske Guide

The 2021 Fiske Guide is now published! You can find it at the following locations:

Exploring IEC Business Models

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 21:08:26 GMT

What is the best way to grow your business?

Special Friday Forum:
Open Discussion: Exploring IEC Business Models

Can you streamline your business, create more time for yourself, and still do what you love? Three different IEC's will share information about their business models. They will host a discussion about different business models to explore for educational consultants.

PRESENTERS

Elana Guerra | Bright Futures Consulting | Houston, TX
Debra Landesberg | My College Resource | Sarasota, FL
Cyndy McDonald | Cyndy McDonald.com | Visalia, CA

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Video Presentation

When Is It Good Enough? Letting Go of the Imperfect Essay

Sun, 27 Sep 2020 19:30:56 GMT

Getting the "perfect" essay misses the point.

Special Friday Forum:
When Is It Good Enough? Letting Go of the Imperfect Essay

Is there a point of diminishing return when working on essays? Listen to Susan Knoppow of the WOW Writing workshop to learn how to help students in the writing process, and how to keep your sanity too! Streamline your essay review skills to save time and aggravation. We’ll discuss:

· Polishing essays without going too far.

· How to prepare students to respectfully deal with well-meaning English teachers, parents and other adults.

· How to use these tips to help your students

Wow Writing Workshop’s CEO Susan Knoppow shares what she has learned during 25 years of teaching writing to students of all types and abilities. Participants will leave the session with tips and tools, plus access to simple worksheets to help apply what they’ve learned.

PRESENTERS

Susan Knoppow | WoW Writing Workshop, www.wowwritingworkshop.com
Cyndy McDonald | Cyndy McDonald Coaching, www.cyndymcdonald.com

Listen to the Podcast Version- Click here

Video Presentation

Presentation

The Power of One Voice

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 05:59:24 GMT

My journey as a female entrepreneur in technology has not been smooth.

As I hung up my phone, I was in tears. I had just been asked by Satish Mirle, the founder and CEO of MaiaLearning, to send out a survey to our GuidedPath customers. It was a turning point for our company. It was also a profound moment in my journey as an female entrepreneur in technology.

The past few weeks had been fraught with stress and uncertainty, both personally and for our company. On July 1 we had announced GuidedPath would be closing down as a college counseling platform. This was less than two months after I lost my husband. Having two losses so close together was almost overwhelming. Add covid-19 on top of everything, and it was a bleak time.

Hard Decisions

The decision to close a company is never done lightly. Our company did not have a choice as to why to close or when to close. The twin issues of Covid-19 and a marked decrease in Chinese-American trade had created an untenable situation for our parent company. They decided to discontinue offering GuidedPath as a product. Notice was given to our users as soon as possible. We knew this was the busiest time of year for them. We wanted to give them as much time as possible. We had been told the development team, hosted in China, was only available until Sept. 30. We had a strict time clock that we could not change.

In preparation to our product closing down, I had reached out to all of our competitors. I wanted them to be ready for the wave of new customers I knew would be coming their way. They were all gracious and supportive. Each of the companies we talked to expressed sadness that their profit was being increased through our demise. It was heartwarming to see everyone in our market unified in one cause: that of serving customers.

Launching A Market

As I reflected back on the history of our market, I felt a great deal of pride. This was a market our company has started, back in 2005. Back then the brand was MyCCA.net. We were the first to say it was time to move the industry of college planning from paper folders and post it notes to technology. We showed it could be done. We talked to college planners, found their needs, and built a system to fit their needs. I remember sitting at a school classroom in Elmhurst College in Chicago, at a HECA conference one summer, asking people for their ideas and needs for a college planner. This is how my husband and I started MyCCA.net.

We started with CD’s that were loaded onto computers. My husband, myself and even our children spent hours burning CD’s (remember that?), putting labels on discs and mailing them out to customers. Early adopters came to our house to learn more about how to use this new fangled tool we had created. They wanted to make their businesses grow and thrive. The first five users turned into ten, and we grew exponentially each year. It was an exciting experience to found an entirely new industry. And now, this new industry had multiple companies offering college planning tools. I knew everyone was in good hands. There were many choices and excellent tools to turn to.

Tough Choices

After the announcement that GuidedPath was closing came out, there was much for each subscriber to GuidedPath to do. Check out the other college platforms. Figure out how to download and store data. Explore how to migrate data from one platform to another. Our users were thrust into a decision they were not ready to make, nor really had time to make.

Then the emails started pouring in. One after another, our subscribers were saying they were having a difficult time finding the right software. As one advisor wrote,

“I am so sad about this. All of the unique features that have been incredibly helpful -- the My Chances page when having the 'get in the reality zone' meeting with student and parent, the information about costs, diversity, the wonderful visual under My College List that so helps when meeting with kids talking about their schools... Fiske... It all saves so much time and really helps the students take more ownership of the process.”

Our subscribers wrote about the superb support, the personal connections they felt to our support team of Andrea and Jennifer Smith. The value of supporting our clients, of making sure the user experience is our top priority, was recognized and applauded. Comments such as this were not uncommon:

“As I used it over the past few months another feature stood out -- the customer service was top notch. They helped me correct problems and understand features. The few times they didn't have a direct solution, they offered a work around. And they were so fast. No query went more than a few hours without a helpful response. Please pass them my thanks.”

A Company Who Cares

One of the alternative products our users were exploring was MaiaLearning. MaiaLearning did several demonstrations. Phil Roybal listed to the needs of multiple advisors. CEO Satish Mirle talked to several advisors, both from the US and abroad. After hearing about advisors needs, their stress, and the difficulties the advisors were having finding the right solutions, he decided something needed to be done. This is when he called me to do a survey. “Find out where your customers are in their decision process. Is it too late to have them stay with GuidedPath?” . This was 30 days into our 60 day count down. After wiping away the tears, I got to work and sent out the survey.

The results of the survey were staggering. 80% said they would stay with GuidedPath if given the chance. Over 80% said they would continue to pay the same price for GuidedPath as they were before. But was it too late to have subscribers stay? For many the answer was “yes”. I had many tell me they wished we had made the announcement even a week prior. In the survey 50% of the subscribers said they had not selected a new company to migrate to. Another almost 30% said they would be able to return to GuidedPath. The emails, the calls, the posts to social media, and the surveys all told a persuasive story: GuidedPath was a tool valued by our users. It was not a tool that was easily replaceable.

Writing a New Chapter

MaiaLearning, armed with this experience and knowledge about GuidedPath, set out to do the right thing by the customers. Satish shared his thoughts in the email to subscribers: “I realized the data was screaming that shutting down GuidedPath at this crucial application season was the WRONG thing to do.” They made an offer to our parent company to purchase GuidedPath. It took longer than expected to close the deal. We were in a quiet period of the acquisition, so we could not say much about it. All we could do was say, “GuidedPath is still in business”. “Our commitment to service and quality has not changed”. Now, we can burst out with the news, GuidedPath has officially joined the MaiaLearning product line.

The GuidedPath team was kept intact. Andrea Lindquist and Jen Smith joined the MaiaLearning teams. I was asked by Satish to head up the IEC division of the company, working as a part time consultant. This allows me time to continue building my coaching and consulting practice. And have time to teach for UCLA and other projects I am involved in.

Eventually GuidedPath will be merged into MaiaLearning. It will be a managed, seamless process. It will be influenced, once again, by the voices of our subscribers. It will not be rushed. MaiaLearning shares the same dedication to customers. Satish, in a letter to the subscribers stated,

“ I personally want you to know the values of GuidedPath for customer service are shared by MaiaLearning. We have your best interests at heart. You are in safe hands.”

Full Circle

In many ways, I feel like I am back at the beginning again, with MyCCA.net. I am talking to advisors who are new to consulting, as well as being new to GuidedPath. I am talking to experienced advisors looking for new ways to scale their practice. And I rejoice in hearing each story, and celebrating each experience. I especially enjoy welcoming each new subscriber (or current subscriber too) to the GuidedPath community. For, in spite of what we have all gone through the past two months, we know we truly are a community.

For that, I am grateful. I just wish I could share this moment with my co-founder, and spouse, my husband. Yet, I can feel his presence and smiles, and his gratitude too, for a happy ending. I realize, my journey as a female entrepreneur in technology has been full of bumps and twists, but it has brought me back to a place I want to be. Of service to the profession of college counseling.

Trends & Patterns in Admissions Data

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 15:46:12 GMT

Why Data Matters

Special Friday Forum:
Finding Trends and Patterns in Admissions Data During Covid

College admissions in 2021 is unlike any other year. Authors of the very popular EA/ED and scholarship data, Jennie Kent and Jeff Levy share thoughts on trends and patterns they have observed in admissions. How will admissions be impacted by the pandemic in 2021 and beyond?

PRESENTERS

Jennie nt | Big J Educational Consulting, www.bigjeducationalconsulting.com
Jeff Levy | Big J Educational Consulting, www.bigjeducationalconsulting.com
Cyndy McDonald | Cyndy McDonald Coaching, www.cyndymcdonald.com

Listen to the Podcast Version- Click here

Video Presentation

Data & Trends

Are ED acceptances going up? The data shows the percentage of acceptances for ED holding fairly steady.

2017: 58.6%
2018: 59.5%
2019: 58.8%

Is the percentage of a class filled with early decision going up? Yes- there is a distinct tick upward.

2017: 29.6%
2018: 29.3%
2019: 31.4%

Are more schools using EDII? Yes the number is expanding.

2017: 85
2018: 92
2019: 111

Has there been an increase in the number of schools offering both EAI and EAII, in addition to ED? Yes- the number of colleges offering both ED and EA (EA 1 and EA2) is expanding tremendously. Data was collected on about 200 of the 240 schools that offer ED. Of those ED schools, the ones also using EA1 and EA2 showed a significant jump:

2017: 2
2018: 11
2019: 25

DATA & TREND RESOURCES

Big J Educational Consulting

Early Decision and Regular Decision Acceptance Rates: Class of 2023 (August, 2020) Spread Sheet
Domestic Undergraduate Need-Based and Merit Aid (August, 2020) Spread Sheet
Financial Aid for Nonresident Alien Undergraduates (August, 2020) Spread Sheet

Cyndy McDonald (through GuidedPath )

International Student Scholarship Schools Spreadsheet
FAFSA Only Private Schools Spreadsheet

Marketing Mindset: What to Know

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 05:45:40 GMT

How can you grow your business?

Special Friday Forum:
Marketing Mindset: What to Know

What exactly is marketing? How does it differ from branding? How do you ramp up your virtual game now during Covid? Susan Dabbar will be joining Cyndy to discuss these topics and answer questions. Susan has years of experience as an engineer, marketer and as an Independent Educational Consultant. As a female entrepreneur, she has built a strong brand, AdmissionSmarts.

Presenters:

Susan Dabbar: AdmissionSmarts: susan@admissionsmarts.com

Cyndy McDonald: Cyndy McDonald: cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

Listen to the Podcast Version

Video Presentation

Free Resources: Consultant 2 Consultant

Susan has offered FREE resources to our listeners! Interested in learning more about building YOUR brand? Ready to delve in and explore your online presence? Please take advantage of these resources:

Mastering The Art of Creating A Brand
Online Brand Audit

If you have questions, or want a consultation with Susan Dabbar about YOUR brand, reach her at susan@admissionsmarts.com

Drive Significant Growth in Your Business through Effective Listening & Preparedness

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 18:58:05 GMT

How can you grow your business?

Special Friday Forum:
Drive Significant Growth in Your Business through Effective Listening & Preparedness

Brian Safdari is a master sales trainer and executive coach. He trains the leaders of multi-million dollar companies on the art of building a business through the science of listening. Join Cyndy as she talks to Brian about what he learned along the way to becoming a top closer. Brian shares how effective listening and preparedness can help drive growth in your business.

Listen to the Podcast Version

Video Presentation

Amplified Adolescent Anxiety During a Pandemic

Sun, 16 Aug 2020 07:03:43 GMT

What can we do to support students?

Amplified Adolescent Anxiety During a Pandemic

Recorded Aug. 14,2020

Jed Applerouth || Cyndy McDonald

In normal times teenagers experience a great amount of stress and anxiety. This stress and anxiety has been amplified during the pandemic. One of the greatest contributors has been the uncertainty around standardized testing options. If students can't go to school, how are they supposed to go take an exam?

View Recording

View Presentation

We use slideshare for presentations. Use your linked-in account to download from the site. If you do not have an account, you can create one for free.

Tips for Choosing a New College Planning Technology

Sat, 08 Aug 2020 08:19:41 GMT

For Educators & Entrepreneurs

Special Friday Forum:
Tips for Choosing a New College Planning Technology

Looking for a new college planning tool? How do you go about comparing different tools? What questions should you be asking? What should you be looking out for? With the news this week about the closure of GuidedPath, many people will be looking for new software solutions. Watch Cyndy McDonald and Katie Andersen's discussion on how to compare software platforms, and what some of the significant differences are in the platforms on the market.

Presentation

The presentation included a lot of information and links to resources. Download the presentation from Slideshare.

Article & Comparison Tool

Dowload the TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT GUIDE

Midsummer Checkin & How to Take the Initial Consultation Up a Notch

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 16:21:13 GMT

For Educators & Entrepreneurs

Who Gets the Covid Warrior Award and the Head in the Sand Award? What is an Initial Consultant supposed to be?

AP results are out, and campuses are getting closer to opening. We will take a mid-summer check in on the Admissions news. The second topic is on Initial Consultations. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. In any service category, the most crucial and yet hardest meeting is the Initial consultation. What do I cover? How long should it be? Do I charge for an initial consultation? How do I know if the client is a good fit for my services? Do I close the deal now? Don't miss out on this conversation with expert Ed Sanderson, Ducerus, Inc. and Cyndy McDonald about different approaches to Initial Consultations with suggestions and research on how to up your initial consultation a notch.

Covid Warrior & Head in the Sand Awards

This week I asked the audience to vote on the Covid Warrior Award and the Head in the Sand Award.

Covid Warrior Award

IECA Virtual Conference

I mentioned I had attended the IECA virtual conference and really benefited from it. I asked the audience who would they nominate for the Covid Warrior award. Overwhelmingly, IECA's Virtual Conference was mentioned! If you want more information about the Virtual Conference, and it's content, please email the conference chair, Rachel King, at rachel@iecaonline.com.

Head in Sand Award

ACT/SAT

The amount of frustration with the testing companies was very evident in our Friday Forum. Overwhelmingly- when asked to nominate a winner for the Head in the Sand award, the answer was "ACT", "SAT", or both! We all know to the solution to this- have all colleges go test optional!

Tackling the Covid Essay

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 02:46:19 GMT

For Educators & Entrepreneurs

Every student will have experienced something Covid-19 related. But should they write about it?

The pandemic has affected every aspect of student lives in past months. Applications such as Common App have added a covid-19 question. How should students approach this essay? Are there topics students should steer away form in this essay? Brad Schiller, co-founder and CEO of PROMPT, a writing platform, and counselor, Stephanie Kennedy, Kennedy College Consulting will join Cyndy McDonald in a discussion of the Covid-19 essay.

Resources to Share

Our presentations and documents are available on Slideshare (a Linkedin company). Find these resources:

Writing Guide: College Essay Writing Guide from PROMPT

Nailing the Inquiry and Balancing Fall on Campus

Sat, 04 Jul 2020 00:31:23 GMT

For Educators & Entrepreneurs

My Friday Forums cover the week's news in education and business and shares various perspectives.

A constant struggle for advisors is really getting to know their students. A constant struggle for colleges is getting to know a student's interests. A constant struggle for students is learning all about themselves. Using surveys with middle school and high school students can turn that struggle into a joyous journey. I have asked Kelly Mogilefsky to join me to discuss the power of using surveys with students. Sit in on an actual session exploring Myer-Briggs personality traits with a student. Learn how Kelly uses surveys in her work with students in an early college program. Includes links to free resources and handouts.

Now Available! Listen to this episode as a podcast. Listen here.

Resources to Share

Our presentations and documents are available on Slideshare (a Linkedin company). Find these resources:

Presentation: Friday Forum: PDF Presentation

Worksheet: Handling Inquiries

No Time for Silence with Susan Toler Carr, PE

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 17:23:13 GMT

Educators & Entrepreneurs

Have you started conversations with students about the civil unrest in communities not only across the country, but around the world?

Are we fully aware of the social, educational and economic gaps that afflict so many students of color populations? Students of Color struggle with feeling academically and emotionally prepared. How can we, as advisors, support them?

Many of us want to help but don’t know what to do. In a special edition of the Friday Forum, Susan shared with us her reality of being a black woman in society today, raising a black son. Listen to this very crucial and timely conversation about why it’s imperative not to remain silent. Students of Color must Matter.

Now Available! Listen to this episode as a podcast. Listen here.

Looking Into A Mirror: Engaging Students Using Surveys for Self-Reflecting

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 14:00:41 GMT

For Educators & Entrepreneurs

My Friday Forums cover the week's news in education and business and shares various perspectives.

Now Available! Listen to this episode as a podcast. Listen here.

Resources to Share

Interested in exploring surveys to use with your students? Kelly shares some of her resources. Cyndy shares a new activity.

Impact of Covid-19 on College Recruitment: Current and Future

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 20:41:35 GMT

For Educators & Entrepreneurs

Friday Forums cover the week's news in education and business and shares various perspectives.

What impact has the current pandemic had on college recruitment, not only for this year, but for future years? How are private colleges being impacted? How are public colleges being impacted? Listen to answers provided by two professionals, Christine Bowman, Dean of Admission and Enrollment Services, Southwestern University, Chair of Colleges That Change Lives Board, and Tony Sarda, Director of Undergraduate and Graduate Admissions, Lamar University, Texas. The discussion was lively and thoughtful.

Now Available! Listen to this episode as a podcast. Listen here.

Parting the Admissions Curtain

Tue, 26 May 2020 14:27:31 GMT

For Educators & Entrepreneurs

Friday Forums cover the week's news in education and business and shares various perspectives.

What will college recruitment look like from the inside during and after Covid-19? We turn to author, popular speaker and former director of admissions Peter VanBuskirk for the answers. Watch Cyndy McDonald and Peter VanBuskirk engage in a frank conversation exploring waitlists, merit and financial aid, and future college admissions practices.

Now Available! Listen to this episode as a podcast. Listen here.

Advisor Perspectives from Across the Country.

Tue, 19 May 2020 19:11:04 GMT

For Educators & Entrepreneurs

Friday Forums cover the week's news in education and business and shares various perspectives.

Cyndy McDonald invited 2 other college advisors to join the forum discussion. Debra Landesberg (Sarasota, FL) of MyCollege Resourc e and Erin Avery (Fair Haven, NJ) of Avery Education , to give a national perspective from coast to coast. Cyndy, Erin and Debra take the current pulse of the admissions landscape.Topics such as using mindfulness in college planning, and to ease anxiety were discussed. Knowing how to pivot during the Covid-19 pandemic was addressed by Debra, as she shared why and how she started MyCollegeResource and BestFitU to meet student, parent and advisor needs. Erin shared mindfulness exercises advisors can use with students. These and other exercises are available in her new book, The College Labyrinth.

Now Available! Listen to this episode as a podcast. Listen here.

Name Your Date & Name Your Price

Fri, 01 May 2020 17:07:06 GMT

Educators & Entrepreneurs

Friday Forum 4: Name Your Date & Name Your Price

Friday Forums cover the week's news in education and business. Top of the news this week was a discussion about colleges returning to campus in the fall. Can they name a date they will open campsu? Some think so. What about the ACT and Collegeboard announcements about remote testing. Some colleges are expressing concern about accepting scores from at home tests. Jamie and Cyndy led a discussion about pricing, and how to assess what your value is, and how to set your pricing. What value do you bring to your clients, and what is that worth?

Downloads Made Easy

New! All our documents and presentations will now available through slideshare . Click on the links below to download. If you don't have a slideshare account yet, set one up. It gives you access to hundreds of presentations in multiple topics!

Now Available! Listen to this episode as a podcast. Listen here.

Friday Forum 4: Name Your Date and Name Your Price

Other Interviews

How to Price Your Service - interview with IEC Barbara Leventhal

Value for Your Services

Today Jamie and Cyndy talked about assigning value for services. It's not about what others are charging. It is more about what YOUR goals are. Start there and move forward in your pricing strategy. Here is a simple form to help you determine where to start.

Friday Forum: Friday April 24, 2020

Mon, 27 Apr 2020 00:36:15 GMT

Your Questions Answered

Friday Forum Recording

This Friday we covered updates on the CARE stimulus act and in college admissions. Jamie answered lots of business questions from last week. What does being "self-employed" mean? Will there be more money from the stimulus package? What colleges announced test waivers (besides Cornell and Wellesley?) for the class of 2021? How will transcripts and AP tests be handled? These and more questions were addressed in this Friday's Forum. Who received Cyndy's award for the week? And the Head in the Sand award for the week? Tune in!

Now Available! Listen to this episode as a podcast. Listen here.

Innovative Education: Minerva Education

In this week's Friday Forum, we discussed colleges with innovative approaches to education. Minerva Education is has a unique approach to the four year educational process. Based on the latest research into learning, Minerva offers a flipped classroom, and experiences across the globe through out each student's four underclass years. Learn more about Minerva in an interview I did with Robin Goldberg, at Minerva Education.

Friday Forum: April 17, 2020

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 13:54:03 GMT

Each week we focus on the week's updates for two areas, college admissions and business. Right now there are many questions, and no answers. In each Friday's forum, two business experts, Cyndy McDonald and Jamie Dickenson, sift through all the chaos of the week, and summarize its meaning for you and your business. Our goal is to give you clear, concise information you can use in your practice.

Can't Come?

Don't worry if you can't attend the Friday Forum. Register anyway, and will will send you a link to the recording when it is ready, along with any handouts or presentations.

Friday April 17, 2020

This Friday we covered updates on the CARE stimulus act and in college admissions. Jamie answered lots of business questions from last week. Will there be more money for the PPP? Should I file for unemployment? In Education we covered topics such as the June SAT rescheduling, colleges still accepting SAT Subjects (or not?). Most importantly, Cyndy gave the Head in the Sand award to ACT for the week. See powerpoint presentation from this week, and this week's recording.

Friday Forum Recording

Friday News Update: Business and College Admissions

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Tue, 14 Apr 2020 20:11:27 GMT

Join us for the Friday News Update: Each week we focus on the week's updates for two areas, college admissions and business. Right now there are many questions, and no answers. In each Friday's forum, two business experts, Cyndy McDonald and Jamie Dickenson, sift through all the chaos of the week, and summarize its meaning for you and your business. Our goal is to give you clear, concise information you can use in your practice.

Can't Come?

Don't worry if you can't attend the Friday Forum. Register anyway, and will will send you a link to the recording when it is ready, along with any handouts or presentations.

Friday April 10, 2020

In the first forum, we covered the latest on the stimulus package, unemployment benefits and small business loans, testing and college admissions. Surveys identify the worries of college students, colleges, and rising high school students.

Friday Forum Recording

Will Colleges Waive Standardized Test Scores for Classes 2020 & 2021?

cyndy@mymcdonaldcc.com (Cyndy McDonald) — Fri, 10 Apr 2020 17:45:48 GMT

Preparing for the ACT or SAT is stressful to students. Waiting to learn your scores on the ACT or SAT tests is even more stressful to students (and parents, and advisors too!) Imagine not needing those scores as a part of your college admissions portfolio? This is what the Covid-19 crisis is stirring up in the college admissions world. To waive the need for test scores or not? To waive for class 2020 and 2021? Or just 2021?

Many colleges or college systems are considering it, or have announced they will waive the ACT/SAT test requirements for at least the incoming class of 2021. Tufts has announced they are adopting a 'let's try it" for 3 years approach, starting with the class of 2021. What other schools have announced a change in testing requirements for the class of 2021, or beyond? I turned to one of the best test preparation companies I know to see if they had started a list of colleges already. Applerouth Test Preparation did not disappoint! Check out their ongoing list of colleges that are waiving standardized tests, modifying the requirements, or throwing in the towel and becoming test optional for the foreseeable future. If you learn of a school changing their policies, send a note to me at cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com I took this list, added categories, and started research. Below is the list so far! This is an ongoing article. It will be updated as news comes in.

Who Might be Next?

I included a 'watch list'. These are larger university systems to watch. Decisions by these large systems, with flagship universities, such as the University of California system, with flagship institutions such as UCLA and UC Berkeley, will set the path for other systems and universities to follow. I am expecting a domino effect over the next few weeks. Let's see how many of these large, state university systems follow University of California and University of Georgia's lead?

Are There More Colleges?

This is list will be evolving over the next few weeks. Please feel free to share news/updates. Together we can keep an ongoing list. As colleges add to the list, the date and the college/university will be added.

April 10, 2020

These colleges/universities have announced test waiver policies for upcoming class of 2021 (and some are beyond). Check individual university websites for details.

PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES

Large State University Systems
California State University System (23 campuses)
University of California (9 campuses)
University of North Carolina System (17 campuses)
University System of Georgia (26 campuses)

Public Universities (Individual)

Indiana

Indiana University
Northwest

Ohio

Bowling Green State University
University of Toledo

Pennsylvania

Mansfield University of Pennsylvania
Millersville University

Oregon

Oregon State University
University of Oregon

PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES/COLLEGES

Ivy League

Harvard

Highly Competitive (0-30% Acceptance Rates)

Tufts
Case Western
Boston College
Scripps College
Davidson College
Boston University
Pomona College
Vassar College
Williams College

Private Universities (50-100% Acceptance Rates)

California

Santa Clara University

Georgia

Mercer University

Indiana

Franklin College

Iowa

Briar Cliff University

Kentucky

University of the Cumberlands

Missouri

Drury University

Southwest Baptist University

Michigan

Albion College

Pennsylvania

Westminster College

Texas

Concordia University Texas

McMurry

Texas Christian University

Trinity University

South Carolina

Limestone College

ON THE WATCH LIST

State of Florida System
University of Texas System
SUNY System
Other Ivy League universities
CTCL Colleges

Currently the total the public university system colleges offering test waivers is 75 campuses. This is 75% of all the universities reporting class 2021 test waivers. Just over 20 other campuses have announced test waivers for next year's class. This puts the total number of waivers at just under 100 now. If another large public university system, such as SUNY (64), Florida (16), or Texas (14) announced test waivers, the number could easily double pretty quickly. This is a developing story- so bookmark this and check for updates frequently.

Looking for Answers During the Covid-19 Crisis

Thu, 02 Apr 2020 16:38:15 GMT

Recently I hosted an open forum through GuidedPath. We expected a handful of people to be interested. We had almost 200 register, and over 100 attend. So exciting to have the community come together so solidly. It also demonstrates the need we all have for information right now. Questions were thoughtful and covered a wide range of topics. Polls were created, based on questions sent in before the forum, to gauge how juniors, seniors, and parents were holding up under these trying circumstances. Questions about managing your practice during these uncertain times were posed as well.

No Answer Yet

So many questions we are all wondering about do not have answers, yet. The issues about testing, May deposit deadlines, and other will be answered in a few weeks. Other questions, about the impact on juniors and colleges, may take months, or even years, to have clear answers. It was very helpful to share questions, thoughts and inspire each other as we try to navigate this uncertain time. I have put together a summary of the questions posed during the forum.

STUDENT/PARENTS

What are seniors wondering most about?

Will school start in the fall? Students and parents are worried that they won’t be able to start on campus in the fall.
Should I go far away from home? Both domestic and international students are worried about going too far away.
Do I have to make a decision and deposit by May 1?

What are parents wondering most about?

My income is down, how do I tell the college?
My assets are reduced, how do I tell the college?

ADVISORS

What are advisors wondering most about?

Admissions

Will it be easier for students to come off waitlists this year?
Will more colleges extend May 1 deadlines?
How will colleges handle parent income or asset reductions?
Will colleges count online classes taken as Pass/Fail?
What if the students are not able to take tests?
Will colleges waive standardized test requirements?
Will the scholarships based on standardized test scores be changed?
How will different systems, such as UCAS, University of California, etc accommodate the lack of test scores.

Counseling

How do I put together a college list without test scores or other data?
How do I manage meeting with students all virtually?
What can students do in the next few months to differentiate themselves as a rising senior?
What is the best way to counsel students/families about test optional choices next year?
How will colleges adjust financial aid offers, both for incoming students and rising seniors?

Resources

College Admissions Tools: from NACAC . Colleges will post changes to May 1 deposit dates here.

Higher Education News: Inside Higher Education and The Chronicle of Higher Education

More Forums Coming!

The need for weekly updates on this ever evolving situation was made pretty clear on Friday. A decision was made that more online meetings would be beneficial. Announcing the Friday News Update. It will be a weekly forum summarizing the College Admissions updates for the week. We will invite the shakers and movers to join us in these Friday Forums to help keep you informed!