#178 The New Admissions Reality: Prove Your Academic Preparedness with David Blobaum

Flourish Coaching

Jun 10, 2025

In this episode, Lisa and David discuss:

Evolving expectations in college admissions
Challenges in assessing academic readiness amid grade inflation, and how some colleges are responding
Increased reliance on standardized, verifiable academic indicators
Strategic adjustments needed for competitive application success

Key Takeaways:

Colleges increasingly expect students to submit AP exam scores for each AP class listed on transcripts to verify true academic mastery beyond inflated grades.
Objective academic benchmarks—like AP exams, competitions, and certifications from Schoolhouse.world are filling the gap left by discontinued SAT Subject Tests.
Students without AP access, including those in under-resourced schools or homeschooling, can use Schoolhouse.world or CLEP exams to demonstrate subject proficiency.
The selectivity of a student’s intended major, not just the college, can significantly affect how much weight objective academic data carries in admissions.

“Now, when you take an [AP] class in high school, an A in that course does not necessarily reflect content mastery anymore, and college admissions officers will even say this.” – David Blobaum

About David Blobaum:

David Blobaum is a nationally recognized expert on standardized exams and college admissions. He graduated from the University of Chicago with honors from both the college and his major. He is the managing partner at Summit Prep, a supplemental education company specializing in SAT and ACT tutoring. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the National Test Prep Association and is its Director of Outreach. In that role, he has helped educate families on testing and admissions through over seventy TV interviews, podcast appearances, and published op-eds.

Episode References:

#072 Summer is the Key to Academic Success https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/072
#100 Can You Really Trust What Colleges Say Matters in Admission? https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/100
#142 SAT, ACT, and Test-Optional Admissions https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/142
#057 College Admission by Major with Andy Borst https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/057
#149 Boosting STEM Student Success Through Math Contests with Vida John https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/149
#042 Will grade inflation hurt your teen? https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/042
#018 How to Get Freshman Year Free https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/018
Schoolhouse.world: https://schoolhouse.world/
Modern States: https://modernstates.org/
The Nation’s Report Card | NAEP: https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/

Get Lisa’s Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career…(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret).

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