Best college admission podcast ever👏👏Thank you so much the YCBK team👍👍

I cannot overstate how amazing all this free, specific, in-depth information about every topic college admissions. Stuck has top experts, a deep look at a variety of colleges, and a calming mix of realism and idealism that is unique and grounding.

This is an amazing free resource that has ZERO ads! The hosts cover several different topics on each episode. I seem to always learn something new in each episode— highly recommended! Topics include: college planning advice, answering listener questions, addressing current issues in the news, interviews with knowledgeable experts, and specific college spotlights.

I like that you relay current, valuable information in an interesting, and not panic-inducing way. Also that you don’t sugarcoat the obvious.

I’ve listened to this podcast for the past year and plan to continue to listen for the next few years while my kids are in high school. Each episode has been tremendously helpful in understanding the college admissions landscape and more. It covers current topics with a lot of depth.

Interesting information, but it’s very frustrating to have interviews broken up into different episodes, especially given the poor search ability within the Apple Podcast app.

This is a show that doesn’t sugarcoat the info and they do not avoid controversial topics.

I’ve been doing a lot of research, have read a bunch of books, and this podcast is the most helpful resource I’ve found for understanding and navigating the process. It’s NOT like when we applied to college. At all. (Btw ignore the titles and just listen to episodes from new to old, skipping sections that don’t apply to your family.) Thank you Mark and team!!

I listened to most YCBK episodes for over a year, spanning all of 2023, as we prepared to send our kid to college. There is much information here that is incredibly valuable and that you won’t get anywhere else. It’s a great view into how admissions officers think. On the other hand, I was frequently frustrated by the persistent racial biases of the hosts. There was almost a denial that race is a major hook at selective institutions: whenever they would list ‘hooks,’ race was either excluded or mentioned last. One co-host seemed, after every mention of white students, compelled to add “who are often the most privileged.” (She works at a very expensive private school.) Colleges were chided that they needed to “do the work” to admit more black students. It felt like every episode had multiple comments about race, even when that was not germain to the topic. Race is a high priority for this podcast, and maybe that’s fair, as it may represent the views of admissions officers as a whole. Coverage of the lawsuit against Harvard was particularly biased (those plaintiffs just “don’t understand”). The content is also unorganized, so I found myself skipping around a lot. To get the most out of it, you need to listen to several episodes back to back. The long digressions are easy to deal with by skipping ahead. I learned a lot from my year of listening, but the insights were scattered across many, many hours. And it felt like the hosts’ strongly support the admissions process being a tool primarily to provide racial equity and that this is the primary axis schools should use when building a diverse class. A more diverse (by viewpoint, not skin tone) set of hosts would make this a better listen.

I like all your content, but I really appreciate your recent comment that you don’t know what to say about the war. I empathize as I don’t know what to say either. I have wonderful friends and acquaintances both Jewish & Muslim. Sometimes the most honest thing we can say is I don’t know.

Lots of in-depth, helpful information.

The YCBK team tells the hard truth about college admissions and offers great insights into every stage of the process. DO NOT apply to college without this gem of insider tips and interviews. I discovered YCBK too late in the process to avoid rookie mistakes that could have saved our family thousands in application fees and college visit costs. Our child ultimately received a number of great offers from best fit schools but YCBK could have saved us so much time, money, stress, and tears. Throw away the rankings and listen to the YCBK team. Your child’s future and your family’s finance will benefit from the wisdom here. Mark and Vince and Julia will boost your spirits during a tough process. Good luck to all the newbie parents and college applicants. It really will all work out in the end.

Before you do ANYTHING - hire a college counselor, start looking at schools, certainly start applying do yourself a favor and start tuning in to this podcast. We go to a very well resourced private school and even at those schools the college counselors do very little to help kids and parents through the process. Why? Because it’s BRUTAL and there are no easy answers. This team’s honest dialogue (be prepared for some scary truths) and helpful guests provide the insights you need to navigate this process with a sense of realistic expectations. Thanks to them we learned about ‘spikes’ and how college look at students as part of an overall class, the value (and non value) of extracurricular activities and in particular for us, how to think about skills like music. Our kid was fortunate enough to get into the ‘impossible to get into RD schools’ (begins with a ‘W’) and also into a highly selective Ivy but we went in with open eyes and were not surprised along the way. We saved a ton of money (we did not use a college counselor but we did help our kid stay on track), confusion and angst. I’m listening to the 2024 recap and their assessment and all I do is nod my head because of the insights I had along the way through this podcast. Thank you, Mark, Linda and the entire team!

This is a one stop informational podcast on all things college admission. I have been listening regularly for several months and highly recommend!

This podcast is such a great blend of giving parents a realistic view on getting into college, and still keep us optimistic about it. I really enjoy this podcast and I feel more aware. Definitely listen to this podcast!

If possible, could you speak more succinctly, and to the point? For example, the Dartmouth episode felt like one big diatribe. More concise dialogue I think will be helpful to listeners who want to get to the point. Other than that, I appreciate the information. Thank you.

One of the best, approachable and knowledgeable podcasts out there regarding the college admissions process. Been listening for years now with 2 kids and it just keeps getting better. The podcast does an excellent job at bringing in experts to talk about various topics and covering sometimes overwhelming info in a very relatable and concise way for parents. You’ll want this podcast playing in your car on your way to college visits with your teen!

Excellent resource to learn up-to-date info about the college admission process. Interesting and insightful interviews. Mark & each co-host has a wealth of experience working in college admissions. Great variety of interviews. On my “must-listen” list of podcasts. Highly recommend!

This is your podcast if you have children in high school or college. Everything you need and want and even things you didn’t know you needed about college and admissions. Fun, entertaining and extremely educational.

My children are years away from college and I am not a Tiger mom. I just want to raise law abiding great human beings. I enjoy all aspects of this show!

I found this a very helpful resource and feels like an insiders scoop! Love the different viewpoints and the realistic approach to the college process.

If you think that your kids will have the same experience with applying to college that you did… or even your older kids did, you are mistaken. YCBK is keeping track of the many ways the admissions system has been changing and they explain it all so parents, students and advisers can understand. I’m grateful for this resource. If you have a middle school aged kid or older, it’s time to start listening to this podcast. Mark Stucker truly cares about sharing his knowledge with everyone. Jump in with the latest episodes and supplement with older segments, college spotlights, and news articles. The episodes are catalogued and searchable on the website and each podcast has notes with time stamps to navigate to the part you want.

I look forward to these extremely informative podcasts every week. The hosts have a wealth of knowledge, and I’ve learned so much about this fascinating (and infuriating) world of college admissions. I also love the newer emphasis on advice for parents of kids in college too since what kids actually do in college is much more important than where they get into college. A+++ Thank you!

The YCBK provides invaluable information and perspective on the college search experience. I highly recommend both the podcast and their website for parents and students who are planning on attending college. The process has changed a lot since I went through it in the 80s, and YCBK is the best resource that I have found for learning about how it works today.

I have been deep diving every episode since we started working with Mark and Lynda. This podcast is excellent!!!

Brilliant commentary. Informative and educational. Highly recommended to parents and students!

This show gets into the weeds regarding all facets of the college admissions process and so much more. Unlike some other podcasts, Mark and his team aren’t selling you their brand. They are providing useful current information.

I honestly can’t wait for each new episode. Been listening for over a year and find this podcast to be the most helpful and informative for college admission and success while there. As a parent with one in high school and one in college, I relate to and appreciate the perspectives shared. All the co-hosts are incredibly knowledgeable and just as important, super nice and down to earth, with different areas of expertise. As a part-time academic counselor and CBO volunteer as well, I find this podcast keeps me up to date on in-the-moment admission trends. The college spotlights are always done honestly and I’ve learned of several hidden gems. Above all, I highly respect the values this podcast instills in making college information accessible, and in spreading the message that there is a great college fit for every student. It brings me hope in the crazy world of college admissions, and often several chuckles too. Thank you, YCBK, for what you do.

Unfortunately, I found this one too late. It is the absolutely best podcast for college applicants and I recommend it to all friends. The topics are varied and informative and I alway take away new information about what colleges are out there and the application process. I am hoping that there will be some focus on graduate programs and wonder if this group of professionals advise graduate school applicants.

I love this podcast and have learned so much - I particularly appreciate the college spotlights and have listened to more than a dozen. My only challenge with this podcast is the part 1, part 2, part 3 interviews. It makes it nearly impossible to go back and find certain content later. Not sure why it’s done this way. But again, I so appreciate the hard work, preparation and useful information in the podcast! Thank you!

I’m a parent who went through to college over 30 years ago and the college application process has changed a lot since then. I started listening to this podcast and picked up so much useful advice to help my son identify colleges and put together successful applications. Mark, Lisa, and the team share their knowledge and experience in a friendly, conversational tone.

I have learned so much from this podcast. The host Mark is a delight. He is warm, relatable, candid, and incredibly knowledgeable. Unlike many Admissions podcast hosts, he isn’t trying to sell his services and there are NO ADS! My favorite parts are the school spotlights, his banter and segments with his BFF Dave, all segments with Julia, and his application tips. Mark and team, keep up the amazing work, and know that you are helping so many of us!

I started listening to YCBK almost two years ago when I was getting ready to start the process with my twins. I started by going through old episodes and listening to topics that were interesting to me and now I’m a subscriber who regularly listens to both episodes each week. I’ve now gotten through the process and will be sending my boys to college in Fall 2023 however I’m still a loyal listener and enjoy listening to the team (even though I have no other children). They’ve also started providing content on what happens after you decide on a college which I have found to be great. Mark is also super responsive if you message him and is generous with his time. I’ve recommended this podcast to friends with younger kids and will continue to do so.

This is one of the best college podcasts out there Mark and the hosts are awesome and so knowledgeable. Thank you.

I started listening to Mark and his team about a year ago when I was trying to educate myself about the latest and greatest information on college admissions and how to successfully prepare for and complete college admissions process. Needless to say, this is not YOUR college admission process (or even your last kid’s college admissions process). The pandemic has totally changed the landscape and Mark and team were instrumental in helping me get informed enough to better partner with my daughter in the very long, emotional, tiring , and ultimately rewarding process. Their podcast is and will be THE podcast I will be recommending friends and family that are going to be undertaking the college admissions process.

I have a kid going to college and this show has provided a wealth of information to help me navigate the process!!

This podcast has it all - relatable, expert and kind hosts who are honest and lay bare the landscape that is college admissions. So much important information that is in easily digestible bites so you don’t get overwhelmed. I also love that they don’t shy away from difficult topics - affirmative action, inequality, finances, politics as it relates to college, etc. Honestly, I think I will keep listening even after my youngest finishes school - I just feel smarter after listening to these guys. Plus - I love their banter with each other and want to know that they and their families are doing well. Love from Palo Alto!

New listener - so I have a lot of catching up to do but already seemed to be very informative. A little confused by the format, especially with interviews split over multiple episodes but I guess I’ll get used to it…too much good content not to

Amazing resource for college bound students, parents, teachers, admissions staff, and school counselors!! Mark and his team are thorough and always talk about the hot topics in the college admissions world. I love going to the website and accessing previous college highlights by region. Definitely recommend!

I started listening to this podcast last year when my son was a freshman just to get an idea of what was ahead of us. The YCBK Team does a wonderful job sharing timely, insightful, and important information. Their consistent message of finding the right college fit for each student individually is what all parents need to hear. Thank you Mark, Lisa, and Linda for bringing a message of student centered education and sharing your expertise with all of us!

This podcast is really great and provides a very balanced overview of many different topics related to applying to college. Parents, students, and high school counselors can all benefit from this show! I’ve learned a LOT since I started listening several months ago and have told all my friends about it. 🙂

I’ve been listening for years due to personally advising both of my children through their admissions journey. Insights based on expertise and current research are a refreshing break from “popular” and outdated admissions advice.

The YCBK podcast provides a wealth of information related to college admissions. It goes way beyond the basics of applying to college and covers current issues in the changing college admissions landscape. The reviews of colleges are in-depth and highlight each college’s strengths. The host and cohosts are knowledgeable and compassionate, and clearly have a mission to help students and their families find their best match college.

As a parent of a high school Senior and a high school Junior, this podcast has been so helpful as we go through this college search and decision process. Thank you!

I am a high school counselor and have found this podcast to be incredibly engaging and informative. Mark and his cohosts provide a balanced perspective and focus on “best fit” rather than the “go to the most elite school you can get into” mentality that is all too pervasive in many circles. As Mark puts it, “college is not a prize to be won but a match to be made.” A must-listen for both parents and counselors!

I have found Mark’s in-depth information incredibly helpful as we navigate this college process. He’s so positive !

Provides insightful, in-depth, balanced, and ultimately reassuring perspectives on the college admissions process.

YCBK is the best college admissions podcast, period. Mark and his team give you the most comprehensive education of the enormous and multifaceted subject of college admissions. Mark brings together thought leaders in all sides of the admissions process from admissions officers to college counselors, Deans, tutors, College presidents, coaches, parents, test experts and financial experts. He is so generous with his knowledge. Mark will tell you the truth! With kindness and compassion. He lives his mission of bringing transparency to what is a very opaque industry in order to give parents the ability to help their child find the right fit school, academically, emotionally and financially. My version of the hot seat: if I could have lunch with one person to discuss college admissions, I’d choose Mark :)

Some other college-related podcasts tend to be formulaic or salesy. This podcast provides solid advice on a lot of timely topics.

The content of this podcast is absolutely unbeatable. Mark takes me on an unparalleled deep-dive into the college admissions world going on today. I honestly don’t know what this podcast is missing - I wish the 2 hour episodes were actually 4 hours. I’m not sure if I’ve ever felt that way about any content out there. Great stuff every episode.