In this episode of Demystifying College Admissions, I’m interviewing Maria Furtado, the executive director of Colleges That Change Lives. The mission of CTCL is to help students and families better understand the college admissions process to find the best college fit possible. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT IN THIS EPISODE: The practicality piece of getting accepted into an Ivy League Why the Ivy Leagues will not be the best for every student. Why it’s a mistake to apply to all 8 Ivy Leagues The importance of being true to yourself. Why there’s a cultural need to meet an expectation Why students need the freedom to be who they are The importance of building your back-up schools How many schools you should have on your final college list What action steps parents can take during their children’s college admissions journey The “Course catalog” exercise!    NOTABLE QUOTES: “All we can do is give our students factual information.” “Is your child amazing in a national or International pool?” “Your parental perspective doesn’t change the fact that these schools (Ivy Leagues) receive 10x the applications than they can admit” “Do you think your child will thrive here?” “Expand your horizons by one” “There’s nothing that’s going to cause a sweeping change”   “Be honest with your answers”   “Own your search” “Be braver” SHOW NOTES:  http://www.juliekimconsulting.com/episode-17-colleges-that-change-lives STRATEGY SESSION:  http://www.juliekimconsulting.com/now