The "Getting In" Podcast: Why It's Worth the Listen
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If you haven’t heard, Getting In is a podcast by Slate Magazine’s Panoply podcast network, and it’s all about the college admissions process. Hosted by Julie Lythcott-Haims, former dean of freshmen and undergraduate advising at Stanford University, this podcast is a gold mine for anybody who wants a closer look at the college admissions process.
The podcast follows the path of a group of high school seniors throughout their last year of high school… in real time. Everything is unfiltered, and it’s refreshing to see the ups and downs of each student. This podcast is as real as it gets. It’s described as “your college admissions companion,” and I would highly recommend the podcast to high school juniors, who will make the most of the advice. And here’s why.
The Emotions:
The most memorable episode of Getting In was when one of the seniors opened her response letter from her dream school and recorded it. I could definitely tell she was nervous, and I felt it with her. And then I felt it even more as she read off her own rejection. That’s what makes the podcast all so real. Each senior in the group has their own character, background, goals, and struggles. After all, they are all real students going through a momentous part of their lives. This feature resonates with me because it’s all so relatable.
The Advice:
In the college application process, almost nothing is definite. But it’s reassuring to have tons of advice from college experts; Getting In provides just that. As a companion to the main episodes with student check-ins, the podcast includes Q&A sessions with former college admissions officers and college counselors of highly esteemed schools. All advice can be validated by experts with years of experience under their belts. All sorts of questions are answered about extracurriculars, future planning, test-optional schools, interviews, financial aid, and so much more. The fact that most of the questions are asked by the seniors themselves or listeners who have called in tops it all off because there were questions answered that I know I had.
The Message:
One of my favorite things about Getting In is the genuineness behind the message every expert is conveying. Over and over, they reiterate the same idea that getting into college isn’t about getting into the school your mom can brag about at family reunions. It’s about finding the right college for you, meaning a college you will excel at and love. This is too often overlooked by other sources of advice. There has to be something about a college that draws you to it besides its prestige, and the podcast conveys this in an inspiring way. While still providing the information you need to get into prestigious schools, it advocates for a future with happiness and growth in the picture.
Listening to Getting In has been one of the best things I have done so far in my college applications process. The podcast has given me a new outlook on where I want to be in regards to college. I could not recommend this podcast more to any prospective students out there who are willing to take a quick listen!
