This is Jennifer Gonzalez welcoming you to episode 69 of the Cult of Pedagogy Podcast.

In this episode, we're going to talk about three surprising mistakes students make when

trying to get into college and what they should be doing instead.

I know a lot of you teach high school and middle school.

And for many of your students and their families, getting into a good college is a top priority.

It turns out that some of the conventional wisdom on how to get into those colleges is inaccurate.

In other words, doing the things most people tell you to do in order to get into a highly

competitive college might not actually help you at all.

What's worse, a lot of those things can be incredibly time consuming, energy draining,

and expensive.

My guest today, Shiraag Shamosian, has had plenty of experience with college applications.

He attended Cornell University and UCLA himself.

Spent some time as an admissions interviewer at Cornell.

And now, through Shamosian academic consulting, he teaches students and their families how

to achieve college admission success.

Over the years, Shiraag has learned what factors really make colleges take notice.

And what he has to share here might surprise you.

If your students are actively or even passively thinking about what they need to do to be accepted

by the college of their choice, my hope is that you'll share this episode with them and

their parents.

For myself, as a parent of a delightful trio of preteens, I was relieved and excited to

hear Shiraag's advice.

...