You hit submit. Now what? Lisa and Josh go behind the admissions curtain to explain applicant portals, who actually reads your application, holistic review, admissions committees, updates, mistakes, AI, institutional priorities, and why qualified students can still hear no.

What does college recruiting REALLY look like from a coach’s side? Army West Point Head Men’s Soccer Coach Brian Plotkin joins Lisa and Josh to talk recruiting emails, camps and showcases, admissions, scholarships, walk-ons, NIL, parent involvement, and why grades may open more doors than your highlight reel.

Juniors, it is officially your turn. Lisa and Josh break down what the Class of 2028 should actually be doing now: SAT/ACT planning, junior-year grades, activities, summer opportunities, college visits, recommendation relationships, and why your college list absolutely SHOULD change.

Performing arts admissions come with their own calendar. Lisa and Josh are joined by audition coach Jacqui Touchet to talk pre-screens, Unifieds, audition material, rejection, BFA vs. BA, balanced college lists, and how performers can prepare without losing the joy that made them artists in the first place.

Does one B ruin your chances? Do you need every AP or a giant passion project? And why does your portal suddenly say your transcript is MISSING? Lisa and Josh bust some of college admissions’ biggest myths, tackle avoidable application mistakes, and explain when a scary-looking portal message actually deserves your attention.

College interview coming up? Before everybody starts panicking, Lisa and Josh explain how much interviews actually matter, the questions students are likely to hear, how to prepare without sounding rehearsed, what to wear, what to ask, and why students should remember they are interviewing the college too.

Liane Crane of The College Dollar joins Lisa and Josh to explain FAFSA, CSS Profile, financial aid deadlines, grants, loans, 529 plans, and how families can calculate what a college will actually cost.

SAT or ACT? Test-prep expert Megan Dorsey joins Lisa and Josh to explain test anxiety, practice baselines, testing timelines, retakes, and what actually helps students improve without letting testing take over their lives.

How much should parents help with college applications? Lisa and Josh welcome admissions expert Mary O’Malley to discuss student ownership, authentic essays, the Common App, family stress, and why an acceptance letter is not a parenting report card.

College acceptances are in. Now how do you choose? Lisa and Josh break down how to compare financial aid, academics, admitted student experiences, honors programs, campus fit, and prestige before making the final college decision.

The decisions are here. Accepted, denied, deferred, or waitlisted, each answer requires something different. Lisa and Josh break down what each college decision means, what students should do next, when a Letter of Continued Interest makes sense, and why parents should lead with love before jumping into strategy.

Your college applications are submitted, but the process is not over. Learn what to do while you wait, from demonstrated interest and campus visits to senior grades, portals, financial aid, and senioritis.

Early Decision can be a powerful college admissions strategy, but it is not a shortcut. In Episode 9 of The Drop In, Lisa and Josh explain ED vs. EA, REA, ED1 vs. ED2, financial aid, application deadlines, and how families can build an organized college application plan.

Strong college recommendation letters are not manufactured senior year. They grow from genuine relationships, specific classroom moments, and teachers who truly know how a student thinks, responds to feedback, and grows. Lisa Clay and Josh Hudley explain who to ask, when to ask, what to provide a recommender, and why requirements vary dramatically by college.

Colleges are not counting how many clubs a student joined. They are looking for initiative, depth, impact, and evidence of genuine involvement. In Episode 7 of Drop In, former admissions officers Lisa Clay and Josh Hudley explain how students can find meaningful activities, make a real contribution, and describe their experiences effectively in the Common App.

Test optional, test blind, test required... and now the CLT? Lisa and Josh cut through the chaos of college testing policies and give families a clear framework for the question they hear most: should I submit my scores? Learn how to read a school's median score, why your intended major can change the answer, and the merit-aid trap that catches families off guard.

Supplemental essays may be short, but they can have a major impact on a college application. In Episode 5 of Drop In, Lisa and Josh explain how to write strong “Why Us,” “Why This Major,” extracurricular, perspective, and short-answer essays. They share college-specific examples from Texas A&M, Georgetown, UF, Wake Forest, and UT Austin, plus common mistakes admissions officers notice immediately. Learn how to avoid generic responses, show authentic fit, use every word strategically, and submit supplemental essays that sound specific, thoughtful, and genuinely like you during the application process.

Your college essay isn't about finding the perfect topic — it's about letting your real voice show up on the page. Lisa & Josh break down the "show don't tell" principle, what admissions officers actually remember, why polish without substance fails, how AI-written essays hurt your chances, and what makes a personal statement truly stand out. New episodes every week.

Building a college list shouldn't cause panic, it should build confidence. In this episode of Drop In, Josh and Lisa break down how to build a college list based on fit, not just names.

Most families start with a "panic list" (dozens of schools thrown on with no real strategy). Josh and Lisa reveal the framework they use with every Decision Drop family to turn that chaos into a focused, confidence-building college list built on reach, target, and likely schools.

Your GPA isn't what you think it is. Former admissions officers Lisa and Josh break down how colleges recalculate GPA, why rigor matters more than a perfect transcript, and why senior grades still count. Plus: the truth about grade inflation, school profiles, and playing it too safe. Real talk for students and parents navigating the college application process.