College admissions is changing—and the headlines don’t always explain what those changes mean for your family.

In Episode 4 of The College Conversation @ EHS, host Hope Toussant welcomes fellow Associate Director of College Counseling Jamie Kim for a candid conversation about the forces shaping colleges and the decisions students face. With practical perspective and a little humor, they explore rising college costs, questions about value, enrollment pressures, changes to academic programs, and the role of international students in campus communities. They also discuss the continuing debate over standardized testing and academic readiness.

And there’s more to discuss: stay tuned for Part II, featuring artificial intelligence and “college admission maxxing.”

The College Conversation @ EHS
A production of the Episcopal High School College Counseling Office

Executive Producer: Hope Toussant
Student Co-Producers: Sofia Buffone & Camryn Love

Have a question or topic you'd like us to discuss? Contact the EHS College Counseling Office at collegeconversation@ehshouston.org.

College Counseling Grade Level Liaisons

Freshmen: Mike Hodgson

Sophomores: Danielle Stadick and Ikechi Achilefu

Juniors: Jamie Kim and Hope Toussant

Seniors: Julie Rollins and Jamy Champenoy

© 2026 Episcopal High School

What happens after a student submits a college application? For this special episode of The College Conversation @ EHS, we sat down with admission representatives from a variety of colleges and universities during their visits to campus.

They take us inside the application review process: what they look for in a student’s file, how they consider different parts of an application, and what they want students and families to understand as they prepare to apply. Their perspectives offer a useful reminder that admission review can look different from one institution to another.

Featured guests:
Kaitlin Bennett, University of Georgia

Genesis Garcia, Knox College

Gail Roberson, Trinity University

Airica Rollins, University of Oklahoma

The College Conversation @ EHS
A production of the Episcopal High School College Counseling Office

Executive Producer: Hope Toussant
Student Co-Producers: Sofia Buffone & Camryn Love

Have a question or topic you'd like us to discuss? Contact the EHS College Counseling Office at collegeconversation@ehshouston.org.

College Counseling Grade Level Liaisons

Freshmen: Mike Hodgson

Sophomores: Danielle Stadick and Ikechi Achilefu

Juniors: Jamie Kim and Hope Toussant

Seniors: Julie Rollins and Jamy Champenoy

© 2026 Episcopal High School

What happens after a student submits a college application? In a special episode of The College Conversation @ EHS, we talk with several college admission representatives visiting campus about how they review applications and what they want students and families to understand about the process.

Hope Toussant, Host

Gail Roberson, Trinity University

The College Conversation @ EHS
A production of the Episcopal High School College Counseling Office

Executive Producer: Hope Toussant
Student Co-Producers: Sofia Buffone & Camryn Love

Have a question or topic you'd like us to discuss? Contact the EHS College Counseling Office at collegeconversation@ehshouston.org.

College Counseling Grade Level Liaisons

Freshmen: Mike Hodgson

Sophomores: Danielle Stadick and Ikechi Achilefu

Juniors: Jamie Kim and Hope Toussant

Seniors: Julie Rollins and Jamy Champenoy

© 2026 Episcopal High School

SAT or ACT? When should testing begin? How many colleges should be on the list? What's the difference between Early Decision and Early Action? And who actually sends all those transcripts, recommendations, and test scores?

If you've wondered about any of these things, you're in good company.

In Episode 2 of The College Conversation @ EHS, Hope Toussant is joined by Ikechi Achilefu, Associate Director of College Counseling, to answer some of the questions the EHS College Counseling Office hears most often from students and families.

Hope and Ikechi talk about choosing between the SAT and ACT, when test preparation should begin, and how test-optional policies fit into today's admissions landscape. They also discuss what makes a balanced college list, why every school on that list, including the probable schools, should be somewhere a student would genuinely be happy to attend, and what families should consider before choosing an Early Decision strategy.

The conversation also gets practical: when to start visiting colleges, what the EHS College Counseling Office sends on a student's behalf, what students are responsible for submitting themselves, and why students need to pay close attention to their email and applicant portals throughout senior year.

And perhaps the most important reminder: your student's college process is not the same college process you experienced 15 or 25 years ago. Ask questions, stay engaged, and use your college counselor as a resource throughout the journey.

Mentioned in this episode:
Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for You by Jeff Selingo

Net Price Calculators
Every college and university receiving federal financial aid is required to provide a net price calculator. Families considering Early Decision should use the calculator on the college's website to get an estimated cost before making a binding commitment.

The College Conversation @ EHS
A production of the Episcopal High School College Counseling Office

Executive Producer: Hope Toussant
Student Co-Producers: Sofia Buffone & Camryn Love

Have a question or topic you'd like us to discuss? Contact the EHS College Counseling Office at collegeconversation@ehshouston.org.

College Counseling Grade Level Liaisons

Freshmen: Mike Hodgson

Sophomores: Danielle Stadick and Ikechi Achilefu

Juniors: Jamie Kim and Hope Toussant

Seniors: Julie Rollins and Jamy Champenoy

© 2026 Episcopal High School

Welcome to the very first episode of The College Conversation @ EHS!

Hope Toussant, Associate Director of College Counseling, and Julie Rollins, Director of College Counseling, kick off the podcast with a conversation about what college counseling at EHS really looks like—and what students and families can expect from the College Counseling Office.

When does the college process actually begin? What should ninth and tenth graders be doing now? And when should families reach out to their college counselor?

Hope and Julie talk about why college planning doesn't have to mean college worrying, how the counseling office helps students and families make sense of an increasingly complicated process, and why you should never hesitate to ask a question—even if you think it's a small one.

In this episode:

• What college counselors actually do (and what we don't!)
• When the college process really begins
• What students should focus on in grades 9–12
• Why starting earlier doesn't mean starting the anxiety earlier
• How the College Counseling Office advocates for EHS students
• Why families should reach out before a small question becomes a bigger one

Most importantly, we hope you'll come away from this first conversation knowing one thing: you don't have to figure out the college process alone.

Welcome to The College Conversation @ EHS. We're glad you're here.

The College Conversation @ EHS
A production of the Episcopal High School College Counseling Office

Executive Producer: Hope Toussant
Student Co-Producers: Sofia Buffone & Camryn Love

Have a question or topic you'd like us to discuss? Contact the EHS College Counseling Office at collegeconversation@ehshouston.org.

College Counseling Grade Level Liaisons

Freshmen: Mike Hodgson

Sophomores: Danielle Stadick and Ikechi Achilefu

Juniors: Jamie Kim and Hope Toussant

Seniors: Julie Rollins and Jamy Champenoy

© 2026 Episcopal High School

Welcome to The College Conversation @ EHS!

A new podcast from the Episcopal High School College Counseling Office, created to provide students and families with clear, practical, and timely guidance throughout the college process.

Join Hope Toussant and members of the EHS College Counseling team for conversations about testing, college lists, applications, essays, deadlines, decisions, and the questions we hear every day from students and parents.

Our first episodes launch September 9. Subscribe now and join the conversation!

The College Conversation @ EHS
A production of the Episcopal High School College Counseling Office

Executive Producer: Hope Toussant
Student Co-Producers: Sofia Buffone & Camryn Love

Have a question or topic you'd like us to discuss? Contact the EHS College Counseling Office at collegeconversation@ehshouston.org.

College Counseling Grade Level Liaisons

Freshmen: Mike Hodgson

Sophomores: Danielle Stadick and Ikechi Achilefu

Juniors: Jamie Kim and Hope Toussant

Seniors: Julie Rollins and Jamy Champenoy

© 2026 Episcopal High School