Rephonic
Artwork for Ol' College Try
Financial Aid
College Admissions
FAFSA
College Planning
Department Of Education
Student Loans
CSS Profile
Scholarships
Federal Student Loans
College Affordability
College
Liberal Arts Colleges
Merit Scholarships
Early Decision
College Aid Pro
Private Scholarships
Student Aid Index
Financial Aid Appeals
Parenting
Pell Grants

Let’s give the college planning game an Ol’ College Try—together. New episodes every Thursday at 12PM ET. Ol’ College Try is your go-to podcast for students, families, and educators ready to tackle the college planning process with confidence. Hosted by Matt Carpenter, Co-Founder of College Aid Pro, and Peg Keough, Director of Education, each episode breaks down the ins and outs of financial aid, ... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes74Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Education

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Ol' College Try

Latest Episodes

Senior year isn't just about applications, acceptance letters, and graduation it's one of the biggest emotional transitions your family will ever experience.

In this special episode, Peg Keough is joined by life coach and former educator Suzanne Han... more

YouTube

Why does college cost so much and who's actually responsible?

In this episode of Old College Try, Matt Carpenter and CAP's Director of Education, Peg Keough, take a step back from day-to-day college planning to explore the bigger picture behind skyr... more

YouTube

Major federal student loan changes officially took effect on July 1 and the impact could be far bigger than most families realize.

In this episode, host Matt Carpenter and CAP's Director of Education, Peg Keough, break down the new Parent PLUS Loan ... more

YouTube

Got questions about paying for college? In this month's Q&A episode, host Matt Carpenter and CAP's Director of Education, Peg Keough, tackle some of the most common questions families are asking right now—from scholarships and financial aid to borrow... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

Recent Guests

Michael Dodge
Dad who went through the college planning process with his son Tyler
College Aid Pro client
Episode: From MIT Dreams to the Perfect Fit: A Dad’s Real College Planning Journey
Joe Korfmarker
Career college counselor and expert guest
College Aid Pro
Episode: SAT vs. ACT: What Families Need to Know About Test Scores in 2026
Jonathan West
CAP Financial Aid Expert
CAP - College Aid Pro
Episode: College Visits 101: When to Go, What to Ask, and How to Avoid Costly Mistakes
JP Schmidt
Financial aid and admissions expert; former Director of Financial Aid at University of Southern California
University of Southern California
Episode: College Admissions Is a Chess Match: How Families Can Stop Playing Checkers
Jenna Schebell
Seasoned admissions expert who has held admissions office and leadership positions in college admissions and college counseling; founder of College Navigators
College Navigators / College Navigator
Episode: Inside College Admissions: How Schools Really Decide Who Gets Accepted
Dr. Jason Slone
Book author, former dean, and professor
Georgia Southern University / College Aid Pro
Episode: Too Rich for Aid, Too Poor to Pay: Inside College Costs with Dr. Jason Slone
Mike Hunsberger
Subject matter expert on federal government student loans; military veteran
College Aid Pro
Episode: The End of Student Loan “Blank Checks”: What Families Need to Know Now
Mark Hernandez
Stanford graduate, veteran high school teacher, and college essay consultant
Episode: A Stanford Grad’s Advice on Elite Colleges, Admissions & College Fit
Jocelyn Pearson
Owner and founder of The Scholarship System
The Scholarship System
Episode: Private Scholarships Demystified: How to Find Them, Win Them, and Avoid Costly Mistakes

Hosts

Matt Carpenter
Host of Ol' College Try; Co-Founder of College Aid Pro
Peggy Keough
Director of Education; Co-host of Ol' College Try; education expert

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 26 ratings
  • False information

    Hosts say people should consider their rental properties as businesses instead of investments, which is contrary to written government guidance. Hosts say they ignore the government guidance. They are having people falsely fill out the FAFSA to qualify for more financial aid.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    water4days
    United States7 months ago
  • Great content, hope you expand

    Thanks so much College Aid Pro for finally moving into the podcast space. I’m at a point in my life where I cannot sit down and watch webinars in the evenings, but I’ve appreciated these weekly updates I can listen to on the go. I appreciate your up to date information and breaking down the latest news. I hope that in the future, you will begin to cover some of your webinar topics in these podcasts. You have a wealth of knowledge, and I appreciate you sharing it with us in this format. My only c... more

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    TripletsLaunch2027
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

A critique notes the use of expletives should be toned down for a professional tone.
One review highlights the value of organizing complex aid rules into accessible strategies.
Listeners appreciate up-to-date, actionable guidance and the host team's practical approach.
Another listener praises willingness to cover timely FAFSA updates and real-world planning.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Q&A: Scholarships, Parent PLUS Loan Changes & How Families Actually Pay for College
Q: How does a $200,000 income family pay for college with limited savings?
Even with higher income, many colleges offer need-based or merit aid to some extent; it's important to build a targeted list, run the numbers for each school, and consider strategies to reduce reported financial need through pre-planning and professional guidance.
Q&A: Scholarships, Parent PLUS Loan Changes & How Families Actually Pay for College
Q: Could I start saving in a 529 if my child is a rising senior? Is it too late?
529s offer tax-free growth for qualified education expenses, but for short timelines the advantage is smaller; if possible, use 529s while also evaluating need-based and merit aid, and consider state tax perks where available.
Q&A: Scholarships, Parent PLUS Loan Changes & How Families Actually Pay for College
Q: What if we don't qualify for a Parent PLUS Loan?
If a parent is denied, the student may borrow an additional $4,000 per student across four years through the Federal Direct Loan, but families should also explore private or state options early and consider an endorser if appropriate.
Q&A: Scholarships, Parent PLUS Loan Changes & How Families Actually Pay for College
Q: How does my kid get scholarships?
Focus on need-based aid first, then look for merit-based college scholarships; private scholarships can help but typically cover a small slice of cost, so build a plan around the college's offered aid and supplement with private funds only when it makes a meaningful dent.
SAT vs. ACT: What Families Need to Know About Test Scores in 2026
Q: Should a student take the SAT or the ACT, and how should families decide?
Do a full-length practice test for both, compare which one feels better, and then pick one to focus on for junior year. If scores are strong, submit them; if not, rely on test-optional or test-free options and focus on overall fit and affordability.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Ol' College Try

What is Ol' College Try about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A pragmatic show focused on making college planning more affordable and less stressful through practical guidance on financial aid, scholarships, student loans, and admissions strategy. Episodes repeatedly cover test scores, financial fit, merit aid, campus visits, waitlists, and timing around decision deadlines, often featuring seasoned college counselors and admissions experts who translate complex aid rules into actionable steps for families. Noteworthy strengths include timely updates on policy changes, a strong emphasis on early planning, and a candid, experience-driven approach that blends insider perspectives with real-world family scenarios. This combination likely appeals to students, parents, and educators seeking clear, goal-orie... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Ol' College Try?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Ol' College Try. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Ol' College Try and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Ol' College Try get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Ol' College Try, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Ol' College Try?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Ol' College Try, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Ol' College Try have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Ol' College Try has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

How many episodes of Ol' College Try are there?

Ol' College Try launched a year ago and published 74 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Ol' College Try?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Ol' College Try?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Ol' College Try from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Ol' College Try?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Ol' College Try. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Ol' College Try?

Recent guests on Ol' College Try include:

1. Michael Dodge
2. Joe Korfmarker
3. Jonathan West
4. JP Schmidt
5. Jenna Schebell
6. Dr. Jason Slone
7. Mike Hunsberger
8. Mark Hernandez

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days