The Bubble Lounge (Highland Park & University Park Texas)
The Bubble Lounge Podcast is hosted by Martha Jackson and is the leading hyper-local podcast covering Highland Park and University Park, Texas. With more than 350 episodes and over 190,000 listens, the show has become a trusted voice connecting the Park Cities community.
Each week, Martha sits down with community leaders, business owners, athletes, and residents to spotlight the people, places, and conversations shaping life in the Park Cities. Episodes explore philanthropy, lifestyle, wellness, fashion, relationships, local business, and the moments that bring neighbors together.
What sets The Bubble Lounge apart is its focused reach. Designed for an influential, community-minded audience, especially women and families in Highland Park and University Park — the podcast delivers authentic storytelling paired with strong local impact.
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The Bubble Lounge (Highland Park & University Park Texas)
Navigating College Admissions with Casey Gendason
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If you’ve been quietly wondering why college admissions feel so much harder than when we applied, this episode is for you. I sat down with Casey Gendason, a trusted college advisor in our community, to break down what has changed, what colleges actually care about now, and how families can navigate the process without losing their minds.
We talk timelines, school lists, essays, testing strategies, and the biggest mistakes families make without realizing it. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a breath—this conversation will get you grounded, informed, and back in the driver’s seat.
To learn more about Casey Gendason Guidance click here
This episode is supported by: Advance ER
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Setting The New Admissions Landscape
SPEAKER_03Welcome to the Bubble Lounge. I'm Martha Jackson. If you've tried to wrap your head around the college admissions process lately, you've probably realized it's nothing like when we applied. What used to be about test scores and GPA has now turned into essays, holistic reviews, and a mysterious thing called demonstrated interest. So today we're cutting through the noise with someone who knows exactly what's going on behind the scenes. I'm joined by Casey Gindison, someone who has assisted many in our community with the college application process. We're talking about what's changed in emissions, what colleges are really looking for, and how to build the right school list and how students can develop a story that stands out without losing their sanity or yours in the process. Whether you've got a senior knee deep in applications or a freshman just getting started, this episode is packed with insight you'll want to hear. Let's dive in. Casey, welcome to the show.
SPEAKER_00Thank you
Casey’s Path Inside Admissions
SPEAKER_00for having me.
SPEAKER_03Well, you're very well known in the neighborhood as a college admissions expert. Tell us how you got into this. What makes you an expert?
SPEAKER_00I have spent many years helping families navigate this process that started with a stint in college admissions. So I went to Emory University for my undergraduate degree, loved it, and then decided to stay and work in their admissions office. And I was there for four years reading applications. I served on the admissions committee, moved around the country to talk about Emory and about admissions. So I really learned how colleges read applications and the nuances and the challenges and the decisions that go into filling a freshman class. And after four years, I decided to make the shift to the high school side. And I moved to Dallas in 2004 to work at St. Mark's. And I was in their college counseling office for 16 years, helping students and their parents navigate this nutty process. Wow. So I learned more about admissions, but also how to guide families, the highs, the lows, the emotional parts, the big wins and the celebration, and also how to pick ourselves up after news that we may not have wanted to receive and move on from it. And so I really learned how to help students tell stories to colleges, which really is the way that you can create a compelling application.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
Holistic Review And Test Optional Reality
SPEAKER_03Well, I know so much has changed, of course, since I went through a hundred years ago, but even in just the past five, 10 years, tell us kind of some of the things that are going on now that are different now.
SPEAKER_00The demographic interest that colleges have has shifted. So we've seen a real shift towards colleges always wanting to be diverse, but really putting an emphasis on first generation to college students. And so that has changed the target audience for colleges. And so students who are not first generation their family to go to college absolutely still are getting into fabulous schools, but we're having to all cast a much wider net than we ever did. Right. And that's a part that I really encourage families to embrace and to think about is that there are colleges that immediately come to mind that you may be interested in, but there are also so many other great places out there. And we all have to be looking at a range of schools, selectivity-wise, perhaps where they're located. And that's what produces options.
SPEAKER_03Sure. Well, it used to be just really all about uh GPA and your test scores. And now it's like more of a holistic view. Tell us more about that.
SPEAKER_00Colleges love to hear about experiences that students have really dug their hands into and sunk their teeth into. They want students to show up knowing here's how you get involved, here's how you move an idea along, here's how you learn to compromise and get along with others and work and collaborate with others. And so colleges are very much viewing themselves as residential communities that need students who are ready to experience and contribute to that component of college. And so the grades still matter for sure. And many colleges are allowing students to go without sending in scores. So test scores can matter depending on the college, but it's really about what have you done that says I'm into something and I know what it means to contribute it. And I want to dive into that aspect of college life.
SPEAKER_03Well, I do like that because not all of us are good test takers. It's not always a good barometer of our intellect and if we're a good student or not. And it seems like that they really want that story. They want to hear, you know, the trials and tribulations you've been through, what got you to this specific college and things like that. But I feel like the test score optional really became popular kind of during COVID, right?
SPEAKER_00Exactly.
SPEAKER_03And you're I personally am not hearing about it as much as I did then. It seems like we're kind of getting back to go ahead and send those scores.
Sponsor: Cambridge Caregivers
SPEAKER_00So we are hearing that because UT Austin, which is a school that many students in our area want to consider, they are requiring scores. The University of Georgia requires scores, state schools in Florida. So we're seeing schools that many students are in our area apply to how are moving back towards requiring scores. And so the mentality is, and the recommendation is let's prep hard for these. Let's put our best foot forward, try to get a score that colleges like to see. And then if it's not quite where we want it to be, then we know again, time to cast in wide net of schools so that you're gonna have many options.
SPEAKER_03Right. Have you ever had that feeling, you know, the one when something just fills off with your parents? Maybe it's small at first, a missed appointment, an unopen stack of mail, or just a shift in energy. Deep down, you know they might need more help than they're letting on. That's why I asked Adam Lampert, CEO of Cambridge Caregivers, to join me today. Adam, what are the signs families should be watching for?
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SPEAKER_03And I love that Cambridge doesn't treat this like a transaction. It's a relationship. You're matching caregivers who truly care with families who need peace of mind and expect the best. If your gut is telling you it's time, don't wait for a crisis. Visit Cambridge Caregivers.com or call 214-649-9922. That's 214-649-9922. Cambridge Caregivers, trusted in-home care, right here in the neighborhood.
Sponsor: Mother Modern Plumbing
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Why Applications Take So Much Time
SPEAKER_03Well, you know, so many of us parents, we we kind of revert back to how things were back in our day. What surprises parents the most about how things have changed?
SPEAKER_00I think parents are surprised at how much time it takes to complete applications. Oh, yeah. I think that because it's digital and everything is online, we perceive it to be a smoother and faster process. It's smooth, but it's not fast. It takes time for students to write essays that are not in line with what they're writing at school. These are much more touchy-feely, much more personal. Students do not have that exposure, perhaps like we did. And we also do not give as much feedback to students in their writing like we received when we were in in high school and college. And so it takes longer, I think, for students to really get comfortable putting themselves on the page and not writing what sounds good, but actually writing what happened and how they were stretched and what they learned from it. And so much of the way that you can convince a college I'm going to add to your campus is by really sharing what unfolded and opening up to the college, which is challenging for anyone to do, let alone teenagers, when they're not accustomed to to doing it.
SPEAKER_03Okay, that makes so much sense. And you can't really recycle your essay. You can't just say, okay, I've written this amazing thing. We're giving it to everyone, right?
SPEAKER_00Well, the good news is the main essay that we hear so much about, the college essay, that is sent to each college. So we do not have to write a new main essay. However, many colleges have what we call supplemental responses that are specific to the college. And while prompts overlap, it's usually not a right one and send it to each college. They do have to be manipulated and tweaked because colleges want to feel the love. Colleges want to know you want to go to their school. So many colleges expect you to have researched their school and can really articulate what is it that we offer that excites you and that you're going to take advantage of and how you're going to contribute to it. And that takes time on top of everything else that students have unfolding and going on in their in their lives. So allocating time for this is a challenge. I recommend getting started in the summer before the senior year with the actual applications and the essays. We start the process before then, but the actual applying really does need to take place summer before senior year in terms of preparing the essays and the applications. Because once August hits, you can start applying. And there are advantages at some colleges when you get the application on the early side.
Essays, Supplements, And Starting Early
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And so getting ready and getting going and practicing how to write these essays is important so that you're putting your best foot forward.
SPEAKER_03Well, I really like the idea of getting it done during the summer because once school starts, especially that senior year, it is just like full force.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. It is because you are going to write with a clear mind and you're going to be willing to really pull yourself into what you're writing when you do not have other papers to write and test the study for. And so I find that we do our best writing when we're not having to juggle other academic responsibilities. Families can still go on vacation, students can still have fun, but we do need to get a lot of work done during the summer before the senior year.
SPEAKER_03Okay. I'm really hoping that we're going to get it right a second time because my first child did not do it that way. And that sounds like the better approach.
SPEAKER_00Yes, I always say the bad ways November one is a big deadline. I was like, I do not want to spend Halloween with you working on your applications. You're not going to want to be with me either. So we need to, we need to work ahead.
SPEAKER_03Oh my gosh. Well, do you have any good stories of kids that were maybe hung up on a specific college? They weren't really open to others. That one didn't work out. And then you ended up helping guide them to like find the perfect fit.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. So I think of a specific student who really had their eyes on going to college in California. They have family there and they have spent a lot of time there. And they really felt like Southern California was just the ideal place for them to go to go to school. Exactly. I don't blame them, especially based on weather and uh the overall feel. And when those decisions came down the pipeline, the student did have an option in California, but was not what they had hoped for. And so I made them still apply to many other schools. And they realized as they started to learn about and go visit with the idea of I could be attending this school now that I've been admitted, some other colleges, particularly this in this case, in the east on in the northeast and on the east coast, they realized those were my people. Oh. Like this is actually the space I want to be at because a lot of these students share my similar interests. And there's so much going on here. I perceived that the best place to be would be in California. And I realized, yes, that's would have been a great option, but there's so much going on in this other location. And they thrived, met lots of great people, did well, and the rest is history. So I think of students that sometimes think that a certain location or a certain spot really is where they would thrive.
Fit Over Fantasy: A Student Story
SPEAKER_00And they come to realize there's so many other places out there that have people they want to be around and programs that they're excited about and a social experience that really does fit their personality.
SPEAKER_03Okay, that's a great story. I think that'll give a lot of people some hope out there. Well, I love that you have a background working in actual college admissions. No one that we've talked to before has that background. And I have just always been so curious. I want to know all the behind-the-scenes stuff. What goes on when you're looking at those uh applications and what does it take to fill this freshman class?
SPEAKER_00So the university does set some goals each year. Okay. And the goals don't change that much from year to year, but there are goals in terms of geographics, where students are coming from. Sometimes colleges say, we'd like to see more students from the Pacific Northwest, or we feel like this area, and it could be in Texas, actually. When I was working in Atlanta at Emory, Texas was not a state that was highly represented across the student body. Although there are a lot of college students who are college bound in Texas. So some years that was a priority to try to encourage more students from this area to apply. So their priorities are also some gender balances that take place from year to year. Sometimes the previous freshman class has more females than males. And so sometimes it plays into that as well. Diversity is always a big priority for colleges. And then from there, the applications are divided across areas of the country. So admission officers are assigned certain parts of the country and do typically an initial read on the applications from that area. Okay. And they are the first one to take a look at it, evaluate the extracurriculars, the rigor of the curriculum, the grades, the scores, if the scores are required, and decide is this an application we want to move forward for further discussion? Do we thank the student for applying? And it was a good chance to stretch, but it's never going to work out. Or we're thinking, oh my gosh, we have to have this student. This person's just absolutely amazing. Very few people in that category. And so the that big middle, that big center is then discussed in a committee situation among
Inside The Committee Room
SPEAKER_00maybe three, four, five admission officers to decide what will happen to that, to that application.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00So human eyes do read these applications and they are often discussed among multiple, multiple people. Oh, wow. So one person is not deciding the future. That's what people would say to me. And I was 22, I was ages 22 to 26 when I did admissions. People's future is in your hands. I'm like, okay, sort of. Like I'm not the final decision maker. And I was doing an initial read to determine should a committee take a look at this at this application.
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Sponsor: SA Oral Surgeons
SPEAKER_00So colleges are all about their yield rate. They want to admit a very small number of people to become very, very selective. And then they want to yield the highest number of people possible who are admitted to the university. So this admit rate, keep it low, because that way it's really tough to get in. And that people really get excited about a school that maybe is hard to get into. And then the yield rate is how popular we are.
What Demonstrated Interest Really Means
SPEAKER_00So the colleges, especially for rankings purposes, really try to control that yield rate because they want it to be as high as possible. They want everyone who gets in to say, I'm coming. And so, in order to determine what's the likelihood of that student enrolling, colleges look at how the student has demonstrated interest during the process. Have they visited campus? Or when an admission rep comes to their high school, did they participate in that session? Or did the rep do an evening presentation at a local hotel and the student attended? And nowadays it's webinars. We a lot of colleges offer a webinar maybe two, three, four times a month. Has the student participated in that webinar? So it's a matter of saying during the process, I've taken the time to research you and engage with you. Therefore, if I get in, I will give some serious consideration to this school versus just going online, checking some boxes, completing the application, tossing it in and thinking, I'm probably not going to go there. But I just want to see if I can get in. Or I I feel like a lot of students in my school are applying. I think I I would enjoy it as well, the school as well. I'm going to go ahead and apply to. So the college is trying to avoid people getting in and saying, Oh, that was nice, and moving on. I at least want you to give some serious consideration to attending their school. So you have to show love to every college you apply to. Sure. The first step is getting on the mailing list. Very easy. You Google the name of the school mailing list and you fill it in electronic form. That's step one. Step two would be to engage perhaps virtually in these webinars because the colleges can monitor when you participate in one of their scheduled online programs. Okay. And then the next step would be perhaps a campus visit, or if the rep comes to our area, participating in a session that way. Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to do all of those things. So like once you visit, you have checked the box for sure for demonstrated interest. Going back four times does not help quadruple your chance of getting in. And if you visit, and then yes, you can go to the session at your high school, great. But if you have a math test the next day, you should stay in class and get ready for the math test. So it's showing some love to each college, but it's not to the extreme of the more you do, the higher your chances. It's demonstrating that you have taken the time to get to know the school.
SPEAKER_03Okay, that's really good to know. Well, let's
Building A Balanced College List
SPEAKER_03talk about building your list of where you're interested in going. You talked about the student that was dead set on California. You know, I've only been through this process once, and my daughter was very headstrong on one place only, tried so hard to discourage that, but I couldn't get through to her. It all ended up working out just fine. But let's talk about building our list.
SPEAKER_00Of course. So it's intimidating, it's a little overwhelming. There are over 3,000 colleges in the country, four-year schools. We need a funnel. We need this filter to narrow it down. And so to build the list, I like to recommend using criteria to get there. And most students over time, their sophomore and junior year, can start to identify what's a priority for them and what's a must, what's a must-have and what's a would like to have. And having two to four must-haves and two to four would like to haves can get us this really helpful list of criteria to then create this accurate and wonderful list of colleges. Criteria means for some students climate. They want to be in a warmer weather, they want to be in colder weather, they want to be in driving distance to home. They want to have to get on an airplane to go to college. They don't care about the distance. Some students would say it's a certain academic area I want to study. Some students would say, I want the big game day experience. I want school spirit. I want high energy. I want that pride. Some students want to be in a sorority or fraternity. Some students want a religious element to the school or a community there that they can they can lean on for social and religious purposes. Some students need small classes. Some get very nervous participating in class. They actually want to be in some larger classes where they can just soak up what's around them. Some need helpful advising. Some are very independent students. So starting to think about what are my must-haves or what do I feel like I need to be able to thrive and what would I like to have, not an absolute. And then using that to build the list is how I would I would go about it. I also recommend a few warm-up visits when you the students a sophomore and beginning maybe of the of the junior year. What I mean by that is we're lucky to live in a state that has a lot of colleges.
SPEAKER_03You have a lot nearby.
SPEAKER_00And so even if your student says, I would never go to college within three miles or an hour of home, or I want to leave Texas, you can visit four, five, six colleges in a short amount of time in Texas or very close to us and learn a lot about colleges. Within walking distance. Absolutely, correct. And so then your student can start to pick out what they like and do not like and then use that to build a list and to make more future visits, which are going to take longer, take more resources, make them more purposeful.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_00That makes perfect. That's how you start to start to build the build the list of schools. And it does take research, and research takes time, which I think parents are starting to notice that maybe their student doesn't do
Beyond Brand Names And Hidden Gems
SPEAKER_00as much research as they would like, which I tell parents is pretty typical at first, um, and it eventually picks up. But some of it literally is starting to read about colleges and looking at what what is the academic setup, what are the colleges' priorities academically, what do they offer in terms of the extracurriculars, and starting to learn more about it from there. But I think if you have the criteria in place, which takes reflection, looking inward, you're likely to then be able to learn about lots of schools. That would be wonderful.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I like everything that you just mentioned, that those are really good things to be thinking about to find your find your fit. But do you feel like a lot of parents and even kids for that matter are getting hung up on, you know, brand name colleges and missing some hidden gems out there?
SPEAKER_00They are, for sure. Absolutely. You know, I often uh said that working at uh St. Mark's really I'm so grateful for the opportunity. I would introduce colleges at the start of each class's admission work and cycle. And and families were interested for the most part in learning about colleges. Come August, everyone's list looks exactly the same. Like try and I try to introduce some other colleges, but for sure, it is hard to embrace the notion of maybe going to a school that is not as well known or that you might have to explain where it's located. I think of a family whose whose boys I worked with and the parents went to small liberal arts colleges for their college experience and have full careers and are doing great. And their boys, as a result, were also looking at smaller liberal arts colleges. And at the end of the meeting, this was back when we wrote everything down on paper, having made a photocopy of the list and handed it to people. Uh, I went to make a copy, came back, and the list was made, maybe mainly small colleges. And the mom said, Are we the weird ones for you? And I knew what she meant. Of course, I tried to ask her, What do you mean? And I said, Yes, you are. Because in in a lot of environments, these smaller liberal arts schools just are not known here. Sure. You know, there are so many fabulous schools on the coasts, um, some in the Midwest too, that really have amazing communities. They take good care of their students. You really figure out who you are and thrive, but they're just not as known. Yeah. And and the truth is, a lot of students would benefit from going to those schools, but they don't have always the big football game and the big basketball game or Greek life or the other rah-rah experiences, which I understand why a lot of students want that. So I do encourage students to go in open-minded. I always say, what should you bring with you to the to a meeting with me? The idea or the excitement to learn about colleges. If you want to learn about colleges, this is gonna go great. Doesn't mean you're gonna apply to all these schools, it doesn't mean you're gonna look at all of them. But if you're excited to learn about schools, you're ready for this, this process. That's the approach and mentality you want to have walking into it.
SPEAKER_03Right. No, I like that a lot. I just feel like living here in the South, we get a little too hung up on these SEC schools. We do. And we can't, they don't have enough spots for all of us to fit in there, right?
SPEAKER_00Correct. Exactly.
SPEAKER_03And uh, you know, and then there's one in particular, UT, that I think we're extra hung
The UT Austin Fit-To-Major Playbook
SPEAKER_03up on. Is there any secrets to getting into UT?
SPEAKER_00UT is 100% about fit to major. That is the approach they use with their admission process, which means when you apply to UT, you are going to select a school within UT, liberal arts, business, engineering, communications, natural sciences, education, social work to rattle them off. And then within those schools, sometimes you have to choose a major as well. Your entire application, especially the su what we call the supplements, the short responses, need to focus on how you're a great fit for that major, which really means what have you done up to this point in high school that says I've already engaged in this area. Not my potential to do well, but I have already played with and wrestled with and interacted with this area, and that's why I'm ready for it and I want it. So if you apply to education, which is easier to get into at UT, we know that. Not not everyone's gonna get in, but it is easier. And you have babysat and tutored and been a camp counselor or volunteered with kids, you're probably on your way. You have a leg up. Exactly, because you are a good fit. If you apply to computer science, which is arguably the toughest major at UT to get into, that in biomedical engineering, and you have not taken any computer science classes, you haven't learned how to program, you don't know what coding languages, but you have a mindset and your brain is wired in a way that you could figure it out, it's gonna be very tough to get in. Okay. So you have to show that you are a great fit for that major. And there is true, some majors are just easier than others. I've had students who have applied to the English major in the College of Liberal Arts and they wrote about literally how much they enjoy writing and how much they enjoy literature. And it was true to a certain extent, but it was a little game to be played because they really wanted to go to go to UT. And then once they get there, then within liberal arts, for sure, they will be able to change their, change their major. So we it is it is important to think ahead on this. I do not feel like you have to start night day one, ninth grade, with knowing the major and the school at UT and what are we going to do to get there. But come sophomore year, and for sure during the junior year and summer going into senior year, we need to make sure you're engaged in some experiences that could align with the area that you may apply to at UT. Oh, very, very important.
SPEAKER_03Okay. Well, we are we've talked about so many things. When exactly is the right time to start the process?
SPEAKER_00I recommend the middle of the sophomore year. Come second semester. Most students are knee deep in conversations or soon to be knee deep in conversations about their courses for the 11th grade year. And they have reached a maturity level where they are ready to talk about their strengths, their interests, subjects they like that will eventually turn into. Let's start to talk about how this is going to play out when you're applying to college. Now, if a student is struggling in nine Grade and needs a third party voice besides their parents to tell them you have to do your homework and this counts. And video games, mainly talking to the boys here, not all, but
When To Start And What To Prioritize
SPEAKER_00you know, does not count as an extracurricular, then it could be beneficial to have a conversation during the ninth grade year. But really, I find that sophomore year, most students are ready to engage in a conversation. And then for sure, during the junior year, is when you want to really start to work on and think and think through a lot of this. But I will say, I do you do not want every single decision to return to how does this look for college? So if you have an interest, and it's not something you would ever do in college or necessarily share with the colleges, but you just really enjoy cooking or you really enjoy outdoorsy experiences, you should go off and do them. Like you should pursue hobbies and interests, even if they're not related to college. Okay. But we, of course, we want some experiences that you can share with with colleges, but you also want to enjoy your high school years. So it's a it's a balance and it can be hard to achieve. But I do encourage students to also go after what they enjoy doing, because chances are you're gonna come across as interesting when you're able to say to a college, I am engaged in these activities and I also have this hobby as well.
SPEAKER_03Right, right. I don't know about you, but when my teenager started driving, I was a nervous wreck. So many things that could go wrong, and God forbid they get into an accident. Sure, we have car insurance, but for some young drivers, the monthly insurance can be higher than the car payment. That's why we're excited to announce that State Farm is lowering their car insurance rates, and you should call our good friend Kathy L. Wall with State Farm on Lovers Lane in Dallas. You see, Kathy and her team don't just sell car insurance. They sell peace of mind. So if an accident happens, they are actively working on your claim so you can put that accident behind you. And best of all, Kathy will personally talk with your teen driver with some straight talk that will help them appreciate the driving privilege you have provided them. So if you're tired of high rates for auto insurance, please call our good friend Kathy Elwall State Farm at 214-350-2692 or visit her website at KathyLall.com and let her know, Martha from the Bubble Lounge sent you. Well, I know that this process can be difficult, uh some potential friction between the parents and the child. Let's talk about how parents can best support their kids without micromanaging and also not constantly saying, how's this gonna look for college?
SPEAKER_00First, I recommend as a family deciding how often and when you're going to discuss this process. Some families, especially going into the senior year, agree on Sunday afternoons around two o'clock, we will have a half hour discussion, updating each other on what's
Reducing Parent-Student Friction
SPEAKER_00going on, what you're working on, when's it due, and how things are coming along. So I do think having a limit on the amount of college talk can convey to your student that we support you, but this is not going to overconsume our lives for the next year, year and a half to two years.
SPEAKER_03Okay, that is brilliant.
SPEAKER_00I do recommend that I like that. I do recommend having a limit on when you're going to discuss the discuss the process.
SPEAKER_03Okay, that is really great.
SPEAKER_00I also suggest small dose milestones and checklist items so that it is not so overwhelming that it's so easy to put off. Meaning, when I was talking about getting on mailing list for colleges, instead of saying, okay, we need to get on the mailing list for these 20 schools, let's go show it, let's break it up into parts. Okay. Okay. And right now you're in the phase of doing well in school and you're starting maybe to prep for your SAT or ACT, summer going into junior year or during your junior year. We're not going to then book seven college visits within the month and a half before the test. Obviously, I'm being a little, I'm exaggerating a little bit, but we're just gonna, we're gonna take this in parts so that we can focus on what's important and have a timeline of when we'll complete these items without trying to overwhelm our student, which is gonna lead to shutting down and not wanting to share or do or do much.
SPEAKER_03Well, you just mentioned SAT A C T, and I definitely wanted to talk to you more about that. You know, again, that's one of those many things that has changed so much since back in our day.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_03You know, you just went in and took the test. There was no test prep. There were not these giant books to, you know, to help you study for and know how to prepare. And there was not these expensive tutors out there, and we just have an overabundance of resources to help our kids with these tests. Let's talk about the test. How important is it? And should we be investing in these things?
SPEAKER_00So we're now at the point where we say these tests are mildly important to important. They're not as important as they were pre-COVID because still, so many colleges, so many colleges are test optional. And so many, many, many students apply to college without sending in scores and get into fantastic schools. With that said, unless a student really struggles mightily with standardized testing, like real high anxiety
SAT/ACT: How Much They Matter Now
SPEAKER_00or just really, really struggles, it is worth doing some preparation and making at least one attempt at these tests for two reasons. One is we don't know exactly where we're going to apply, and you may end up being interested in a college that does require scores. We don't want to scramble at the last minute to get these tests completed. And second, some test prep at a minimum does help with verbal and math skills in school and just helpful down the road. So there can be benefits of doing some prep. Well, we have to be realistic is if a student does struggle, not mightily, but struggles on these tests, test prep is still probably going to land them in a spot where someone like me would say, let's go test optional when we can. So we have to decide how much value is really the test prep going to be when it comes to these applications? Because you can put all this time and resource into test prep and still go test optional to most of the schools. And so that can be frustrating. And I like to help families figure out what's the value of test prep, what are we aiming for in terms of a score, in terms of the kinds of colleges the student may look at and want to go to? And then is it worth investing in it? But I do think they carry weight. They do. If you can have a score to send off to colleges, more power to you because we're feeding them what colleges, what they like to see. At the same time, or I should say, on the other hand, colleges are mainly test optional. And many, many students out there for sure are applying without scores. And with their grades and their curriculum and their activities and their letters of recommendation, they still look very appealing to colleges.
SPEAKER_03Okay. That's good to know. Lots to think about.
SPEAKER_00Correct.
SPEAKER_03Well, you talk about a lot about students developing their story. What exactly does that mean? Because that's definitely something that's different now.
SPEAKER_00Telling your story means that you're into something. You it gets you, something gets you going, whether that's an academic subject, a sport, a service project, a club at school, a hobby that you have. It means that you found something. Something clicked and you ran with it. You dug into it. You realized that this is important to me, this matters to me. And then I went off and found relevant ways to pursue it. It also means extending yourself, extending yourself and sharing what you love doing with others. What I mean by that is many students like sports. There are many, many positives that come with sports. Most students do not go off and play sports in college, which is completely fine. Really? I still encourage students to play sports, but telling
Crafting A Student’s Authentic Story
SPEAKER_00your story now involves, okay, you're a lacrosse player. So let's find a way to share your lacrosse skills with others, especially with maybe children who do not have the means or the ability to learn lacrosse. So telling your story is how did you build something around what you're into? How did you extend yourself? How did you share it? How did you get something beyond just a personal benefit? But you really shared and showed it to others. That's what building the story is. It's extending what you like doing to another level, taking some initiative in it, elevating it, saying there's a gap or hole here. I'm going to go fill it. That's the telling your story apart. So it's not being one-dimensional. It's saying I have this interest or these interests, and here's how I really develop those, the that experience. And it often involves sharing it and doing it with and for for others.
SPEAKER_03Okay. Got it. Well, do you have any stories of anyone you've worked with that their story really made a difference?
SPEAKER_00Yes. So there was a student who well, I'll say this. Often sometimes these stories develop as a result of some tougher circumstances.
SPEAKER_03Right. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And so, you know, sometimes I tell students, if you don't have those circumstances, you know, feel very blessed and happy that you're in that in that situation. Um, but I I've seen students who have taken a volunteer experience. Like they worked at Ronald, they volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House. It's a popular option. And then their family ended up having some real health issues in the in the family. One of the parents had developed a real health issue and realized that what she had been doing at Ronald McDonald House, helping families who were coming in for treatment and having a place to stay and not being able to take their minds off for a little bit about the treatment and having a warm meal and and having some entertainment and things for their children to do. It was now her turn to accept help from others, which is hard to do. And so a lot of her story was built around she had been doing for others and then found herself in that position where it was like, well, I need the help now and I'm feeling overwhelmed. And was fine, and she wrote about her story was about how she felt that shift and turn and was able to say, I realize that it's okay to ask for help. It's okay to lean on your community, even though I have been doing it for so long, thinking I'm gaining so much from this, I'm loving doing this. And now it was my turn. And I thought that story of maturity and realizing that it's okay to take a pause on something when you need it and lean on others was a very helpful way to grow during her time in high school.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, that's really powerful. I like to hear that. That's a great story. Well, we have talked about so much today, and I just love everything that you've shared with
A Powerful Story Of Growth
SPEAKER_03us. I mean, I think you're gonna help so many people out there. What advice would you have to parents like me who are feeling overwhelmed?
SPEAKER_00You know your child best, and parental insight is so helpful. So as you're as you're maneuvering through this process, you want to listen closely to what your student's saying. You want to be a cheerleader for them, but you also want to be a voice of reason as well. And so having honest conversations and pointing out where has your student really thrived? When have they been their best selves? When have they really launched to another level, whether it be academics or personal growth and what that was like and what we saw in them, to keep that in mind and help the student remember that as they're going through this really challenging process and also a big transition for a lot of their next chapter of life, helping them see that while not judging and while not forcing ideas onto them, but helping them to get there through conversations over time, I think is really, really useful for families.
SPEAKER_03I love it. Well, how can people find you?
SPEAKER_00So they can find me uh through my website, caseygendisonguidance.com, and or just type in my name, CaseyGendison. I'm probably not too many out there with that name. Um, so they'll probably find me that way. And I do have an inquiry forum on my website, and they can fill that out and I will uh be in touch with them.
SPEAKER_03Okay, perfect. Well, as always, I will include a link so you don't have to remember all of that. Well, Casey, thank you so much for your time.
SPEAKER_00My pleasure. Enjoyed it.
SPEAKER_03That's been another episode of the Bubble Lounge. I'm Martha Jackson, and I'll see you next time.
