Syosset High School Principal John Durante received the John B. Muir Excellence in Media Award from the National Association for College Admission Counseling on Saturday, Sept. 20, following the release of hundreds of podcast episodes centered on the college admissions process.
“Never in a million years did I think that I would be able to be recognized on such a large stage,” he said.
The national award honors an individual who has made significant contributions to the college admission counseling field through media. Durante’s “The College Admissions Process Podcast,” which he started over three years ago, now garners approximately 15,000 to 20,000 listeners each month.
Each podcast episode interviews a college representative and focuses on that school’s academics, extracurriculars, admissions process, and social life, offering students and their families an insight into their top choices.
Earlier this year, Durante released a book, “Straight From the Admissions Office: Insider Strategies for College Applications,” which compiles much of the information from his podcasts.
Durante said he has attended the National Association for College Admission Counseling’s annual conference for the past three years, but didn’t know that he was a candidate for the award until he was informed over the summer that he would receive it. This year’s award ceremony and conference took place on Saturday, Sept. 20, in Columbus, Ohio.
“To be recognized by such an organization was such an honor for me. One of the biggest honors, honestly, of my life,” he said.
Durante said he thought it was “mind-boggling” that he was the recipient, especially since he doesn’t work in the college admissions process.
“I was really just humbled and blown away because at the end of the day, I’m a high school principal. I don’t work in college admissions,” he said.
Durante has been at the Syosset Central School District for over 30 years. He joined the staff in 1994 as a foreign language teacher and has acted as school principal since 2010.
Durante said the award confirmed that “all the work is well worth it.”
He said his podcast was inspired by his own experience with the college admissions process, and that his mission with the podcast was to give “fair and equitable” resources to families undergoing the same thing.
“When I went through the college admissions process with my own family, we felt the stress, the emotions tied to it. And so that’s what prompted the idea of coming up with the podcast, where I’m interviewing all of these college admissions reps, really to give access to all families and to really add value to each and every student,” he said.
Now that his daughters have both graduated from college, Durante said he wants to continue to help others navigate the process. He said that he will continue providing resources and conducting interviews “as long as it’s making an impact.”
“Doesn’t matter whether you’re from New York, California, high income, low income, or anything and everything in between. It’s really just providing access for free,” Durante said.
For more information on Durante’s podcast and book, visit www.collegeadmissionstalk.com.
