From MIT Dreams to the Perfect Fit: A Dad’s Real College Planning Journey

From MIT Dreams to the Perfect Fit: A Dad’s Real College Planning Journey

What happens when your student's college plans take an unexpected turn? In this special parent spotlight episode, host Peg Keough sits down with College Aid Pro parent Michael Dodge to discuss his family's journey through the college admissions and financial aid process. From early dreams of engineering schools like MIT and Georgia Tech to discovering the perfect fit at Kenyon College, Michael shares the lessons, surprises, and emotional moments that shaped his son Tyler's college search. 🎓 In this episode, we cover: ✅ Why finding the right college fit matters more than chasing rankings ✍️ How Tyler's plans shifted from engineering to creative writing—and how his parents adapted 🏫 The importance of looking beyond well-known colleges 📋 How building a balanced college list can reduce stress and improve outcomes 💰 What families should know about financial aid projections and award letters 📈 How a successful financial aid appeal reduced costs by more than $24,000 per year 📝 Why essays and supplemental applications are often the most challenging part of the process 👨‍👩‍👦 Advice for parents navigating admissions, financial aid, and college decisions for the first time 💡 Key Takeaway: The best college isn't always the most famous one—it's the place where your student will thrive academically, socially, and financially. Michael's story is a powerful reminder that the right fit often comes from keeping an open mind, trusting the process, and looking beyond the schools everyone already knows. 🎵 This episode's song pick: Two of Us by The Beatles, chosen by Michael as a meaningful father-son anthem that perfectly reflects the journey he and Tyler have shared together. 🎧 Listen to our full podcast playlist here: https://hubs.li/Q03kvxZn0 [https://hubs.li/Q03kvxZn0] 📚 Resources & Links 🔢 Understand your college costs for FREE → Create your MyCAP Account: https://hubs.li/Q03PTJ_x0 [https://hubs.li/Q03PTJ_x0] 📄 Student Loan Fact Sheet → https://hubs.li/Q04cmnWD0 [https://hubs.li/Q04cmnWD0] 💰 Get 15% OFF sitewide with code COLLEGETRY15 → https://collegeaidpro.com [https://collegeaidpro.com] 🎙️ The Old College Try is your weekly guide to admissions, financial aid, scholarships, student loans, and smarter college planning. Subscribe and follow so you never miss an episode!

SAT vs. ACT: What Families Need to Know About Test Scores in 2026

Should your student take the SAT or ACT? Do test scores still matter? And if a college is test-optional, is it really optional? In this episode, host Matt Carpenter and co-host Peg Keough are joined by College Aid Pro admissions expert Joe Korfmaker to break down everything families need to know about standardized testing in today's admissions landscape. Joe brings experience from both the high school counseling and college admissions sides of the process, helping families understand how test scores fit into admissions decisions, scholarship opportunities, and overall college planning. In this episode, we cover: 📝 The key differences between the SAT and ACT 💻 How the new digital SAT works (and what's changed) 📊 Which students tend to perform better on each test 🎯 How many times a student should realistically take the SAT or ACT 🏫 What "test optional," "test required," and "test blind" actually mean 📈 Why test scores still matter at many colleges—even in a test-optional world 💰 How higher scores can unlock additional merit scholarships 🔍 How to decide whether to submit scores to specific colleges ⭐ What superscoring is and how it can help students maximize their results 📚 Why building the right college list matters more than obsessing over a single test score The episode also includes an important FAFSA update from the Department of Education, including new changes that allow families to see FAFSA results and corrections in real time—making financial aid planning easier and faster than ever. 💡 Key takeaway: Standardized tests still matter, but they shouldn't drive your entire college strategy. Take a practice SAT and ACT, choose the test that fits your student best, take it two or three times, and focus just as much on financial fit and college affordability as you do on admissions. 🎵 This episode's song pick: Wagon Wheel by Darius Rucker — Joe Korfmarker's ultimate summer road-trip anthem and a guaranteed crowd singalong. 🎧 Listen to our full podcast playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7qS [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7qS]... 📚 Resources & Links 🔢 Understand your college costs for FREE → Create your MyCAP Account: ⁠https://hubs.li/Q03PTJ_x0⁠ [https://hubs.li/Q03PTJ_x0⁠] → Student Loan Fact Sheet: ⁠https://hubs.li/Q04cmnWD0⁠ [https://hubs.li/Q04cmnWD0⁠] 💰 Get 15% OFF sitewide with code COLLEGETRY15 → ⁠https://collegeaidpro.com⁠ [https://collegeaidpro.com⁠]

College Admissions Q&A: Financial Fit, Merit Aid, GPA Myths, and Test Scores Explained

What does “financial fit” actually mean? Should your student take the SAT or ACT? Do weighted GPAs really matter? And how do merit scholarships actually work? In this month’s College Admissions Grab Bag episode, host Matt Carpenter and co-host Peg Keough answer real questions submitted by families navigating the college process right now. From financial aid strategy to GPA confusion to choosing colleges without knowing a major, this episode is packed with practical advice families can use immediately. In this episode, we cover: 🎓 What “financial fit” really means — and how to avoid colleges your family can’t realistically afford 💰 Why borrowing limits and financial planning matter more than ever 📝 SAT vs. ACT: Does one look better to colleges? 📊 Weighted vs. unweighted GPA explained (and why colleges recalculate anyway) 🤔 What to do if your student has no idea what they want to major in 🏫 The difference between colleges vs. universities and private vs. public schools 💸 How merit aid actually works — and which students are most likely to qualify 📈 Why starting college planning early can create more scholarship opportunities later 💡 Key takeaway: College planning gets much less stressful when families understand both the academic and financial side of the process early. Financial fit matters just as much as admissions fit. 🎵 This episode’s song pick: Waylon Jennings classics, including Luckenbach, Texas, Lucille, and Good Hearted Woman — Matt’s road-trip soundtrack recommendation after returning from Zion National Park. 🎧 Listen to our full podcast playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7qS [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7qS]... 📚 Resources & Links 🔢 Understand your college costs for FREE → Create your MyCAP Account: ⁠https://hubs.li/Q03PTJ_x0⁠ [https://hubs.li/Q03PTJ_x0⁠] → Student Loan Fact Sheet: ⁠https://hubs.li/Q04cmnWD0⁠ [https://hubs.li/Q04cmnWD0⁠] 💰 Get 15% OFF sitewide with code COLLEGETRY15 → ⁠https://collegeaidpro.com⁠ [https://collegeaidpro.com⁠]

College Visits 101: When to Go, What to Ask, and How to Avoid Costly Mistakes

Are you planning college visits but not sure where to start? In this episode, host Peg Keough sits down with CAP financial aid expert Jonathan West to break down everything families need to know about college visits — from sophomore year exploratory tours all the way to decision-day campus trips. In this episode, we cover: * Why college visits matter (and how they impact demonstrated interest) * When to visit — and what's different about each stage of the process * What to do beyond the official tour (career placement offices, Facebook parent groups, student newspapers, and more) * How to have real conversations with current students * Why you should understand your financial fit before you ever set foot on a campus * Virtual tour tips for families who can't travel 💡 Key takeaway: Don't visit schools you can't afford. Know your numbers first — your family's stress level will thank you. 🎵 This episode's song pick: Jaded Lover by Jerry Jeff Walker, chosen by Jonathan West — a nod to late-70s North Carolina and the legendary club PB Scott's in Blowing Rock. 🎧 Listen to our full podcast playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7qSwvLBniTzxsEiPABTp4D?si=pYMyk37AQ8Gsn9Q_4IeXLw [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7qSwvLBniTzxsEiPABTp4D?si=pYMyk37AQ8Gsn9Q_4IeXLw] 📚 Resources & Links 🔢 Understand your college costs for FREE→ Create your MyCAP Account: https://hubs.li/Q03PTJ_x0 [https://hubs.li/Q03PTJ_x0]→ Student Loan Fact Sheet: https://hubs.li/Q04cmnWD0 [https://hubs.li/Q04cmnWD0] 💰 Get 15% OFF sitewide with code COLLEGETRY15→ https://collegeaidpro.com [https://collegeaidpro.com] Follow us:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/collegeaidpro/ [https://www.instagram.com/collegeaidpro/]💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/college-aid-pro/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/college-aid-pro/]📧 Email: support@collegeaidpro.com [support@collegeaidpro.com]

College Admissions Is a Chess Match: How Families Can Stop Playing Checkers

What if the biggest mistake families make in the college process happens before they even apply? In this episode, Matt sits down with College Aid Pro expert and former USC Director of Financial Aid, JP Schmidt, for an inside look at how colleges really operate—from admissions strategy to financial aid packaging to the business side of higher education. JP shares what he learned working behind the scenes at one of the country’s most competitive universities, why rankings can be misleading, and how colleges strategically shape both admissions and aid offers. They cover: * Why most families approach college planning backwards * The difference between “best school” and “best fit” * How colleges determine financial aid behind the scenes * Why two families with similar finances can get very different aid offers * The reality of “meeting 100% of need” * How colleges use pricing, scholarships, and prestige strategically * Why building a smart college list starts with budget conversations early * The biggest financial mistakes families make before senior year Plus, JP shares the exact framework he uses to help families create college lists that align academically, personally, and financially—without sacrificing long-term financial stability. 🎧 Whether you’re a parent of a freshman or a senior making final decisions, this episode will completely change the way you think about college planning. Student Loan Fact Sheet: https://hubs.li/Q04cmnWD0 Website: ⁠⁠https://collegeaidpro.com Create a FREE MyCAP Account: https://hubs.li/Q03PTJ_x0 Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/collegeaidpro/⁠⁠LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/college-aid-pro/⁠⁠Email: ⁠⁠support@collegeaidpro.comPLUS Get 15% OFF site wide with coupon code COLLEGETRY15 💰