Not Your Mom's Admissions

SAT and ACT Prep: When to Start, What to Expect, How to Choose

Start too early and it fizzles. Start too late and it's a scramble. Test prep timing matters more than most families realize. In this episode of Not Your Mom's Admissions, Bridget and Kyla sit down with James Eno, founder of James Eno Tutorials [https://www.jamesenotutorials.com/] and a 20-year veteran of SAT and ACT prep, to discuss what test prep looks like at each stage. ✅ How to approach prep at each grade level and which resources to utilize ✅ What makes a tutor worth the investment, and what to ask before signing on ✅ The score improvement range that's realistic, and recommended number of tests taken ✅ Why some students are quietly switching from the SAT to the ACT (and how to know which test fits) Test prep doesn't have to be a year of stress. With the right plan and the right timing, the work feels manageable and the results follow. 💡 Want more? Head to scholarco.com [http://scholarco.com/] for free guides and rising senior planning resources.

Should You Apply Undecided? A Strategic Guide to College Major Selection

For most applicants, picking a major isn't really picking a major. It's choosing a neighborhood. In this episode of Not Your Mom's Admissions, Bridget and Kyla break down how to think about major selection without overcommitting a 17-year-old to a career: ✅ What an academic narrative actually is, and how it differs from a declared major ✅ When going undecided is safe, and when starting in the right "neighborhood" matters more ✅ How direct-entry programs (architecture, engineering, business, nursing) change the calculus ✅ The school-versus-major question, and how to weigh both when building a college list Major selection is a series of strategic choices, not a single forever decision. The goal: applications that read as focused and genuine, built around real intellectual curiosity rather than guessed-at career commitments. 💡 Want more? Head to scholarco.com [http://scholarco.com/] for free guides and narrative development resources.

Navigating Learning Differences and Accommodations — with Elena McGahey

Successfully navigating learning differences doesn’t end at the diagnosis. In this episode of Not Your Mom's Admissions, Bridget and Kyla sit down with Elena McGahey, a special education teacher and founder of Stronger Foundations Coaching, to break down how students with learning differences (and their families) can advocate effectively. ✅ How to coach a student to write emails to teachers ✅ The accommodations available, the different processes at public and private schools, and the path to getting them for standardized tests ✅ Why neuropsychological evaluations need to be updated every three years ✅ Summer strategies that target specific skill gaps, from reading aloud to executive functioning projects Whether the diagnosis is in hand or still being explored, the path through accommodations is mostly about pacing and partnership, and starting earlier than expected. 💡 Want more? Head to scholarco.com [http://scholarco.com/] for free guides and learning support resources.

The College Readiness Skills No One's Talking About — with Mark Talaga

Getting in is one milestone. Being ready is another. In this episode of Not Your Mom's Admissions, Bridget and Kyla sit down with Mark Talaga, owner of the Center for Identity Potential [https://www.centerforidentitypotential.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnuHRSp4Swl2O10V60Tox8WVIn0mFKAsoKn6IUTGbFm9BUPVeRXrkERlmCi1M_aem_0LI0H7CeiErJlh2WIB_NbQ]and host of the Hopelessly Gifted [https://www.hopelesslygifted.com/] podcast, to unpack what college readiness looks like. ✅ How to spot readiness gaps before move-in day, including academic, emotional, and life skills ✅ The "predict and prescribe" framework for matching trouble areas with campus support before challenges arise ✅ Communication exercises families can run this summer, including drafting emails for hard moments before they happen ✅ When a gap year makes sense, and what intentional use of that time looks like Readiness isn't a fixed line. It's a set of skills that can be named, practiced, and grown and why starting these conversations early matters. 💡 Want more? Head to scholarco.com [http://scholarco.com/] for free guides and rising senior resources.

Early Decision, Public Flagships, and Testing: What Changed This Cycle?

Decisions are in. The patterns are becoming apparent, with a few worth noting. In this episode of Not Your Mom's Admissions, Bridget and Kyla break down the trends they’re seeing across this admissions cycle and how they might inform planning for the next one. ✅ Why early decision continued to be a strong strategy, and what happens when applicants overreach or opt out ✅ How highly selective majors like life sciences and engineering raise the stakes on early-round strategy ✅ Why dropped supplements and Common App adoption increase application volume, while reinstated testing requirements decrease it ✅ Which categories of schools ran hot this cycle (public flagships especially in the South, big football programs) and where applicant interest cooled Trends like these don't dictate strategy, but they can sharpen the questions families ask going into a new cycle. 💡 Want more? Head to scholarco.com [http://scholarco.com/] for free guides and rising senior planning resources.