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PODCAST

The College Admissions Edge

Pearl and Andy Lockwood

College admissions tips , strategies and various & sundry, not necessarily politically-correct thoughts on the whole college application and scholarships kit and kaboodle. Brought to you by Pearl and Andy Lockwood, best-selling authors, admissions and scholarships consultants based in Long Island New York, a/k/a one of the spazziest places on earth for college stress, weird ultra-competitive behavior by parents and teens! For more info, visit www.LockwoodCollegePrep.com

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All Episodes

33:44

Top 5 College Planning Mistakes to Avoid in 2025

The College Admissions Edge ·

2025/11/22

College planning mistakes, financial aid pitfalls, and application strategy errors that cost families time and money. Here are the five most common problems and how to avoid them. In this episode of College Coffee Talk, Andy & Pearl Lockwood share the most frequent planning mistakes they see from juniors and seniors and give simple fixes families can use right away to improve admissions and aid outcomes. Topics include: ✔ Building an unbalanced college list with too many reaches ✔

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32:34

The Untold Truth About Breaking Early Decision

The College Admissions Edge ·

2025/11/04

Early Decision can feel like a promise, but what if you change your mind? Can you really back out?In this episode of College Coffee Talk, Andy & Pearl Lockwood unpack a real case study of what happened when a student withdrew from an Early Decision commitment, and how the college reacted. More importantly, they explain what “binding” actually means: legally, ethically, and financially - and what families need to know before they apply ED. Topics include: ✔ What “binding” really means

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15:17

The Common App Essay Trick Most Students Miss

The College Admissions Edge ·

2025/10/27

College essays, Common App mistakes, and the most important question students never realize they’re supposed to answer.In this episode of College Coffee Talk, Andy & Pearl Lockwood reveal what they call the “Invisible Question”—the hidden expectation behind every Common App prompt that separates admits from rejections. Topics include: ✔ Why great writing doesn’t equal a great application ✔ What colleges really want to learn about you ✔ How to answer the invisible question—without

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28:40

Why Your College List Needs A Reality Check

The College Admissions Edge ·

2025/10/24

College list season is here, and a lot of students are getting it wrong. Too many reaches. Not enough merit aid. No financial safety nets. Sound familiar?In this episode of College Coffee Talk, Andy & Pearl Lockwood review real college lists and talk about how to fix the most common mistakes—before it’s too late. Topics include: ✔ What a “balanced” list actually looks like ✔ The reach-target-safety trap students fall into ✔ Why the “dream school” mindset backfires ✔ Financial aid

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18:40

Does Your College List Suck? Fix It Before It’s Too Late

The College Admissions Edge ·

2025/10/07

Too many students build college lists that are unrealistic, unbalanced, and way too expensive. Here’s how to fix that before it's too late.In this episode of College Coffee Talk, Andy Lockwood goes full stream-of-consciousness on how most families mess up their college lists—and how to make sure yours includes real options you can actually afford (and get into). Topics include: ✔ Why most lists are full of “dream school delusions” ✔ How to balance reach, target, and safety realistically ✔

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25:43

What You’re Not Told About Elite College Admissions

The College Admissions Edge ·

2025/09/27

College admissions myths, prestige pressure, and the truth about what really makes a college “good.”In this episode of College Coffee Talk, Andy and Pearl Lockwood tackle the obsession with “rear window sticker colleges” - elite schools that parents want to brag about, but that might not serve their kids best. It’s time to rethink what “best college” actually means. Topics include: ✔ Why harder to get into doesn’t mean better ✔ What’s really behind sticker school obsession ✔ How families

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32:55

The College Advice Your Guidance Office Won’t Give

The College Admissions Edge ·

2025/09/15

Back to school means College Nights, info sessions, and sugar-coated admissions advice. Here’s what they won’t tell you… and what families actually need to hear.In this episode of College Coffee Talk, Andy and Pearl Lockwood pull back the curtain on what really matters in the college admissions and financial aid process. These are the uncomfortable facts your high school probably won’t cover at its “College Night.” Topics include: ✔ What test-optional really means behind the scenes ✔ The

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27:32

College Admissions After DEI: What Changes Now?

The College Admissions Edge ·

2025/09/02

Colleges are stripping out DEI and race‑based preferences—and it’s shaking up admissions and aid strategy for everyone.In this episode of College Coffee Talk, Andy & Pearl Lockwood unpack how the end of affirmative action and shrinking DEI efforts are changing who gets in—and how much support students receive. Topics include: ✔ New admissions signals to use ✔ Scholarships that may vanish ✔ How to adapt your strategy in 2025 📞 Need help with college admissions? Visit

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19:46

Behind the Scenes: Ivy League Financial Aid Mistake

The College Admissions Edge ·

2025/08/23

In this episode of College Coffee Talk, Andy and Pearl Lockwood break down a real case study from one of their clients whose financial aid package from Columbia was completely off. This behind-the-scenes look reveals how even Ivy League schools get it wrong—and what you need to know to protect yourself. Topics include: ✔ How Columbia’s aid offer miscalculated expected contribution ✔ The appeal strategy Andy used to push back ✔ Why even elite colleges make basic aid mistakes ✔ Common red

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27:20

What Students Get Wrong About College Admissions

The College Admissions Edge ·

2025/08/15

In this episode of College Coffee Talk, Andy Lockwood shares a raw, unfiltered account of a real conversation with a Class of 2026 student. Everything was going smoothly—until a single comment changed the tone of the meeting. What happened next says a lot about how students approach the admissions process.Topics include: ✔ The moment students lose admissions officers ✔ What “polish” sounds like vs. what’s authentic ✔ Mistakes families don’t realize they’re making ✔ How advisors handle

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19:31

Think You Don’t Qualify For College Help? Listen to...

The College Admissions Edge ·

2025/08/01

FAFSA for high-income families, CSS Profile pros and cons, and financial aid tips for families who think they make too much to qualify.Here’s what you need to know.In this episode of College Coffee Talk, Andy and Pearl Lockwood discuss whether families who don’t qualify for need-based financial aid should still file the FAFSA or CSS Profile—and why skipping it could cost you in other ways. Topics include: ✔ Why some merit aid requires FAFSA or CSS Profile submission ✔ How the FAFSA

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30:02

New Law Could Cost You Thousands In College Aid

The College Admissions Edge ·

2025/07/26

Major changes are coming to New York’s college financial aid system in 2025. In this episode of College Coffee Talk, Pearl and Andy Lockwood break down two critical developments:1. The Universal FAFSA mandate for all NY high school seniors 2. The new $65,000 lifetime cap on Parent PLUS loansTopics Covered:-How the FAFSA Simplification Act impacts your ability to get aid -Why skipping the FAFSA could cost you merit money -What the new loan cap means for families paying for elite

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36:47

ACT Score Jump: 17 to 31 — Real Tutoring Case Study

The College Admissions Edge ·

2025/07/23

ACT tutoring case study, how to raise your ACT score fast, and proven test prep strategies from real students. Learn how one teen jumped from 17 to 31, and how your kid can too.Andy Lockwood interviews ACT tutor Marissa U about one of her most dramatic student turnarounds: a 17 ACT score transformed into a 31 (and counting). They break down exactly what changed, what worked, and how the student's mindset, strategy, and schedule made all the difference. 🎯 Topics Covered: ✔ The biggest

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34:47

3 College Essay Mistakes That Could Cost You Admission

The College Admissions Edge ·

2025/07/18

College essay mistakes, Common App essay fails, and admissions tips, all based on real examples from our weekend bootcamp. These writing errors can sink even great students.In this episode of College Coffee Talk, Andy & Pearl Lockwood share real case studies from their latest in-office essay bootcamp. You'll see the most common college essay mistakes students make, and how to fix them fast. Topics include: ✔ 3 real essay mistakes from high-achieving students ✔ The problem with generic

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34:16

Can You Lie on Your College Application in 2025?

The College Admissions Edge ·

2025/07/12

Lying on college applications, Common App essays, race/ethnicity, fake extracurriculars: and how the NYC mayor candidate got away with it. What does this mean for you in 2025?Today on College Coffee Talk, Andy Lockwood dives into the bizarre and very real story of a NYC mayoral candidate who allegedly lied on his college application: race, background, extracurriculars, all of it. ✔ What admissions officers actually check for ✔ Whether you can really lie and get away with it ✔ Why this

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22:27

New Law Could Destroy Student Loans: What Families...

The College Admissions Edge ·

2025/07/04

Student loans, parent loans, FAFSA changes, college financial aid, and federal loan limits are all about to change—big time.In this episode of College Coffee Talk, college advisors Andy and Pearl Lockwood break down the hidden student loan changes buried in the federal “Big Beautiful Bill” that could affect millions of families starting with the Class of 2026. ✔ Subsidized loans ending in 2026 ✔ New $50K loan caps for students and parents ✔ Why many families will face $70K+ per year in

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20:34

Essay Mistakes That Kill Applications | How to Stand...

The College Admissions Edge ·

2025/06/30

College supplemental essays are one of the most overlooked and important parts of the college application. Learn how to write essays that stand out and avoid the mistakes that get students rejected. In this clip from College Coffee Talk, Andy Lockwood explains: ✔ What admissions officers actually want to read ✔ Why vague, generic essays backfire ✔ How to show real interest in a school ✔ The importance of specificity and authenticity ✔ Smart strategies to boost your essay impact ✔ Why these

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13:48

The Grinch Who Saved Her College Dreams (With Hard...

The College Admissions Edge ·

2025/06/13

In this episode, Andy Lockwood recounts a recent client meeting that got real—fast. A high-achieving 10th grader wanted to apply to a Top 12 college.But when Andy reviewed her junior year course load, he gave her the advice no one else had the guts to say: You’re not competitive yet. ✔ Why skipping an AP could cost you an Ivy ✔ What “rigor” actually means to admissions officers ✔ The 60/40 formula elite schools use to evaluate applicants ✔ The extracurricular bar you really need to clear ✔

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31:08

FAFSA Changes 2025: Student Loan Limits & Financial...

The College Admissions Edge ·

2025/06/08

FAFSA changes, Department of Education cuts, student loan limits, financial aid mistakes—these updates could affect every college-bound family in 2025 and beyond.In this clip from College Coffee Talk, college advisors Pearl and Andy Lockwood explain how proposed congressional reforms might drastically limit student and parent borrowing. Plus, what you can do now to boost your chances of receiving merit or need-based aid. 🎓 You’ll learn: ✔ What the new $50,000 lifetime loan cap could mean

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89:50

Financial Aid Myths for High-Income Families (Debunked!)

The College Admissions Edge ·

2025/06/05

Think you make too much to qualify for college financial aid? Think again. In this episode, college advisor Andy Lockwood interviews CPA Rick Darvis to reveal powerful, little-known tax strategies that high-income business owners—especially lawyers, doctors, and entrepreneurs—can use to potentially unlock tens of thousands in financial aid.✔ The #1 mistake high-income families make on the FAFSA ✔ Why most accountants miss these college tax strategies ✔ Legal ways to reposition assets and

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209 results

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