Navigating College Admissions | The Positively Healthy Mom Podcast

Welcome back, Positively Healthy Moms! In this episode, host Laura Ollinger sits down with Jenna Schebell, founder of The College Navigators, to demystify today’s college-admissions landscape and equip families with the clarity and confidence they need.

What you’ll learn

• How to stop overwhelm by focusing on what you can control in the application process
• Why colleges care more about context than raw GPA or test scores
• Depth over breadth: building a meaningful activities list that truly stands out
• The real purpose of the personal essay and how to keep it authentic
• Understanding institutional priorities, enrollment trends, and why acceptance rates keep shifting
• Practical tips for crafting a balanced college list that fits academic, financial, and personal goals
• When working with a college consultant makes sense—and plenty of free resources if it doesn’t

Key moments

00:02 Introduction and Jenna’s dual perspective (admissions + high-school counseling)

08:45 GPA vs. SAT and why context matters

14:30 Building a list you’ll love—even if every “reach” says no

22:05 Post-COVID shifts: why Southern and SEC schools exploded in popularity

29:50 “Big fish, small pond?” How campus culture shapes success

36:40 Writing essays that sound like you (and no one else)

45:55 Services Jenna offers: 1-on-1 advising, group coaching, and application reviews

52:10 Final takeaways for parents and teens

Connect with Jenna Schebell

Instagram: @thecollegenavigators

Free guides and timelines: https://thecollegenavigators.com

Connect with Laura Ollinger

Instagram: @positivelyhealthycoach

Podcast archives and coaching programs: https://positivelyhealthycoaching.com

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