The College Essay Guy Podcast: A Practical Guide to College Admissions

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Hi, friends, and welcome back to our series, "On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling." I'm Tom Campbell, former Pomona and Holy Cross admissions officer, and one of the CEG podcast co-hosts, alongside my lovely colleagues Tillie and Ethan. In this series, we take a close look at personal essays written by real students, talking about why we love them, what makes them work, and how they came to be.

In this episode, we break down an essay that we're calling The Translator. This student, who worked with one of our amazing essay coaches Lavon Robinson a few years back, wanted to share how he acted as a translator not just for his brother on the autism spectrum, but for other neurodivergent students in his school and wider community. It's a model for anyone who wants to write an essay about a relationship that's been particularly meaningful to them, but is nervous about making the essay too much about the other person.

If you're the kind of person who enjoys seeing how things get made, whether it's a great meal, a film scene, or a piece of writing, I have a feeling you might enjoy this one.

Lavon (he/him) has always been a coach. From managing fundraising campaigns, teaching swimming, and school counseling, Lavon finds joy in coaching others to find their joy. He earned his BA in Business from Illinois Wesleyan University and his M.ED from DePaul University. He also has a College Counseling Certificate from UCSD. He currently works as a school counselor at an independent school in Chicago after spending eight years as a college counselor at a large suburban high school. He has hosted webinars with 500+ families on how to best work with their school counselor and visited various colleges around the country for professional development. His students have been accepted to colleges including Northwestern University, the University of Southern California, Williams College, and the University of Florida. At the core of his work is building connections with unconditional positive regard as he works with students to build trust and reach their potential. He understands the college admissions process is stressful and takes the most joy in supporting students to relieve anxiety while going through the process.

We hope you enjoy.

Play-by-Play

3:15 – Lavon shares his path from school counseling to becoming a CEG essay coach
6:52 – What kinds of students does Lavon tend to be matched with as a CEG essay coach?
9:29 – How does Lavon use CEG's brainstorming exercises to help students reflect, even outside of essay coaching?
10:49 – What has surprised Lavon most about being an essay coach, and how has his perspective grown?
13:01 – Do college essays need a title?
14:06 – Lavon introduces the student behind "The Translator," and how he arrived at CEG already deep into drafts about his brother
18:41 – How many drafts did it take to find the right balance between the brother and the student himself?
21:16 – Which brainstorming exercises helped unlock the "translator" theme?
27:01 – How does Lavon connect a student's roles and identities to CEG's admission nutrients?
31:30 – Lavon reads the essay, which we're calling "The Translator"
36:27 – Which admission nutrients show up throughout the essay?
38:26 – What works well in this student's opening paragraph?
45:13 – How did Lavon help the student build more vulnerability into each draft?
46:13 – How does bringing in his own emotional experience keep the essay focused on the student, even while writing about his brother?
47:52 – How can students write about their extracurriculars without over-explaining them?
53:00 – How did Lavon coach the student to write about his research in an accessible way?
54:11 – What does it mean to be "strategically general" in a college essay?
59:48 – How does closing turn the essay's focus back to the student himself?
1:04:53 – Why small, specific details are what take an essay from good to great
1:05:59 – Closing thoughts

Resources

"The Translator" Essay
CEG's College Admission Nutrients (aka The Great College Application Test)
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

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Hi friends, and welcome back to the podcast.

Today's episode is a special behind-the-scenes look at a live application review I did with Anna, a high school senior I met last year. We recorded this about ten days before her early deadlines, and she was kind enough to let me walk through her entire application in real time: her personal statement, her activities list, and all of her supplemental essays for Yale.

Fun fact: Anna emailed me a couple months later to let me know she actually got into Yale (congrats again, Anna!).

In this episode, we get into:

What it was like for Anna to pivot away from a topic that wasn't serving her (ten drafts about her favorite socks, which started to sound like a list)
Her pivot to a new topic: Trivial Pursuit, a board game that's close to my heart
A live read-through of her final personal statement, which touches on family, curiosity, and community
How applying test-optional led her to sprinkle a few more high-level academic moments into her writing
Her supplemental essays for Yale, including her "why us" essay and an academic prompt essay

Anna is a recent high school graduate who loves cooking, sustainable agriculture, and spending time in nature. When she's not cross-country skiing with her school team, she's mentoring friends in the library or volunteering at her local synagogue.

Whether you're a student navigating this process right now, or a parent or counselor supporting students from the sidelines, I hope you find this useful.

Hope you enjoy our conversation.

Play-by-Play:

1:58 – Ten days from her early deadlines, how is Anna feeling?
2:33 – When did Anna start working on her essays, and how much time has she put in?
3:35 – What has Anna learned about herself through this process?
4:26 – Anna walks through her journey to finding a personal statement topic
8:10 – Anna reads her personal statement
12:35 – What values are coming through in Anna's personal statement?
14:26 – What questions does Anna have about her essay?
19:23 – Ethan reviews Anna's activities list and additional information section
21:33 – Anna reads her "Why Yale" essay
23:14 – What academic opportunities and programs excite Anna about Yale?
29:06 – Anna reads her "Why Major" essay
31:25 – How can Anna weave more specific, "geeky" language into her soil health essay?
38:48 – The short takes: four 200-character response
- 38:48 – What inspires you?
- 42:28 – A course, book, or piece of art you'd create
- 47:14 – A significant influence outside your family
- 48:56 – Something not included elsewhere in your application
56:44 – Anna reads her community essay
1:02:35 – How Anna might sharpen the essay with a couple more specific details?
1:04:41 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

How to Write the Yale Supplemental Essays: Guide + Examples
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

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Hi, friends, and welcome back to our series, "On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling." In this series, we take a close look at personal essays written by real students, talking about why we love them, what makes them work, and how they came to be.

In this episode, we break down an essay called "The Stomach Whisperer" about a student who used to lie on her grandmother's stomach and wonder if the echoing gurgle I'd just heard was caused by the molasses or by the cinnamon.

I'm joined today by Tillie Gottlieb, a former admission officer turned Director of College Counseling who I'm so happy to say now works with me full-time at College Essay Guy. In this episode (thanks to Tillie's background), we get to analyze a personal statement through three different lenses: admission officer, college counselor, and lover of creative non-fiction. If you're the kind of person who enjoys seeing how things get made, whether it's a great meal, a film scene, or a piece of writing, I have a feeling you might enjoy this one.

Tillie Gottlieb is an educator and creative producer with fifteen years of experience in the world of higher education admissions and counseling. After earning her Bachelor's from Whitman College and her Master's in Education from Middlebury, Tillie navigated the complexities of college admissions from both sides of the desk—serving as a Director of College Counseling, a reader for USC, and overseas as an independent educational consultant. She is also a filmmaker and performer who has spent a career at the intersection of systems-level thinking, centering equity, and storytelling. At CEG, she translates her background into leading webinars and workshops, sharing free content on our social media channels, and serves as a senior college counselor, helping students turn their values and lived experiences into something people can actually feel.

Enjoy.

Play-by-Play:

2:09 – When Tillie looks at a college essay, what are some of the lenses that she looks through?
5:07 – Tillie shares context on the essay and what she loves about it
5:43 – Tillie reads the essay we're calling, The Stomach Whisperer
9:40 – What stands out from the lens of an admission officer?
11:50 – What works well in the opening paragraph?
16:49 – How does the writer use descriptive language to show various personal qualities?
18:11 – How can students use "geeky language" to express their intellectual curiosity?
23:18 – What techniques does the writer use to subtly weave in a challenge as they gain confidence in their choice of major?
27:29 – How can students stand out using a more common topic such as an internship?
33:07 – What works well in the closing paragraph?
36:20 – What are some of the values that are coming through in this essay?
38:37 – What is something that Tillie would like students to keep in mind as they're going through this process?
38:55 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

The "Stomach Whisperer" Essay
CEG's College Admission Nutrients (aka The Great College Application Test)
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

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Welcome back to the podcast! Today's episode is hosted by Tom Campbell, a former admission officer and now a college counselor and content creator here at College Essay Guy. This show often reminds us that beneath the essays, the deadlines, and the color-coded college lists, this whole thing is really about people — and today's guest is exhibit A.

Quick disclaimer: this is a feel-good episode. Very "This American Life." If you've ever needed your faith in public education restored, cancel your other plans. In a content landscape where some of the loudest admissions "experts" run on rage-bait and loose credentials, my guest is the opposite. And his name is David Cha.

In this episode I finally sit down with David. We get into:

David's five-minute life story: how a kid from Koreatown, one youth pastor's quiet act of grace, and a hard left turn away from a communications career set David on the path to public education
What it took to build the AVID program from scratch in 2001, overcoming early skepticism to help first-generation students thrive
The evolution of the Bears University Seminar (BUS) and how a team of committed educators scaled a small library workshop into a massive success story
Which CEG resources have quietly become game-changers inside BUS — yes, including the 250 copies of College Essay Essentials he bought as gifts for this year's graduates.
And his hard-won advice for any public school educator trying to build a college-going culture against very long odds
Oh, and at one point David volunteers his own high school SAT score toour dear listeners our dear listeners. I'll let him tell you that one.

David Cha is a veteran educator with 27 years of classroom experience and holds two Masters degrees from Biola and Grand Canyon A recent recipient of the Mayor of Downey's Outstanding Citizen Award, David has built a legacy of impactful college-prep programming at Warren High School. In 2001, he launched the school's AVID program with just 30 students—an initiative that now serves nearly 600 students locally and has expanded districtwide down to the elementary level. David is also the founder of the Bears University Seminar (BUS), a summer essay and application bootcamp established in 2019. What began as a small workshop has grown into a massive success story, recently guiding a cohort of 237 seniors to an incredible 1,373 college acceptances across the UC and CSU systems and beyond.

Whether you're an educator, counselor, parent, or student, I think you'll come away reminded that while admissions can feel impossibly complex, changing a student's life often starts with something beautifully simple: one person taking the time to invest in another. Let's get into it.

We hope you enjoy.

Play-by-Play:

3:52 – What is David's background?
4:59 – What inspired David to change his career plans and become a public school teacher?
7:50 – How did David build and fund a brand-new student support program from scratch?
13:30 – How has the program expanded across the school district over the years?
14:41 – Why did the team design their student framework to focus on long-term life fulfillment rather than just getting into college?
16:52 – How can a dedicated mentor completely change the academic trajectory of a struggling student?
20:46 – What words of encouragement does David offer to educators who are feeling overwhelmed or losing faith in their work?
25:25 – How did David turn online writing exercises into a structured summer essay curriculum for his students?
32:20 – What are the college acceptance statistics for the bootcamp students?
34:51 – How does David help his students continue their college application journeys independently after the summer workshop ends?
35:33 – Tom shares his own background story of how he first started working with College Essay Guy
37:26 – How can strong student advocacy help an applicant's unique story stand out during the review process?
38:23 – How can collaborations with local CBOs and college representatives help first-generation students access high-quality resources?
43:16 – What are the biggest cultural and mindset shifts required to help students navigate the college application process more effectively?
44:25 – How can schools guide first-generation families on college and class choices as early as possible?
49:19 – How can counselors help students highlight collaboration and teamwork on their applications?
50:42 – What are the practical logistics and daily structure of David's student bootcamp?
58:03 – How can schools leverage real admissions officers and guest experts to inspire and guide applicants?
1:01:39 – What has David learned over the years from putting together his program?
1:05:56 – Closing thoughts and advice for counselors

Resources:

CEG's College Admission Nutrients (aka The Great College Application Test)
Paying for College in Four Steps
College Essay Guy's Values Exercise
College Essay Guy's Essence Objects Exercise
College Essay Guy's 21 Details Exercise
College Essay Essentials
The Matchlighters Scholars Program
College Essay Guy's Supplemental Essay Guides
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

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Hi, friends, and welcome back to our series, "On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling," where we take a close look at personal essays written by real students, talk about why we love them, what makes them work, and how they came to be.

In this episode, I'm joined by Amber Patterson, Regional Director of Admission at Texas Christian University. This conversation does two things at once. We read a real student essay closely, line by line, and we get inside an admission reader's head to understand what's actually landing as she reads through it.

We get into:

What Amber hopes to learn about a student when she sits down with their personal statement
Why TCU has chosen not to use any AI to read applications, and the human moments she says a machine can't pick up
How the reading process actually works at TCU
A full breakdown of an essay called "The Silent Assassin," starting with Amber's take on why a clever hook may matter less than students think
How to nest a small, everyday challenge inside a larger essay (the hybrid structure), and how a common challenge can be than enough
How to subtly weave an extracurricular activity into your essay, and how to actually use the additional information section
Amber's honest take on AI for students: where it helps, and where to avoid it

Amber Patterson is a first generation, non-traditional college student who earned her Bachelor's degree in Ethnic Studies from Cal State East Bay and a Master of Human Relations degree in Inclusive Leadership from the University of Oklahoma. After a decade as a college counselor in California public high schools, she moved into higher ed and now serves as Regional Director of Admission at Texas Christian University. She has served on WACAC's Executive Board and currently chairs Professional Development for the Regional Admission Counselors of California. What she loves most about this work is helping students find their path to higher education and fostering an environment where every student's unique experiences are valued.

I loved this conversation, and Amber's care for students comes through in every answer. I hope you enjoy it too.

Play-by-Play:

2:21 – What is often happening in admission offices in June?
3:43 – What does Amber look for in a personal statement?
5:05 – What is the application reading process like at TCU and what is the role of the personal statement?
8:59 – What conversations are happening in the TCU admissions office around using AI for application review?
12:56 – What is the human "feeling" a great essay creates, and why is it so hard to teach a machine to find it?
15:34 – Do college essays need titles?
17:10 – Amber reads the essay, which we're calling "The Silent Assassin"
21:40 – Why does a clever hook matter less than students think?
24:42 – How does the author show leadership qualities through the essay?
26:58 – Why is "show, don't tell" an effective storytelling technique for college essays?
31:39 – How can students nest a challenge into the essay without it being the whole story?
36:40 – When should students weave an activity into the personal statement?
39:51 – Where is it best for students to mention their intended major?
41:00 – What can students include in the additional information section?
43:54 – What does the admission reader learn about the student through their proudest moment in high school?
50:01 – How much information might an admission reader catch in a quick read?
51:58 – What advice does Amber have for students around AI use?
54:15 – What does Amber hope that students will keep in mind throughout this process?
55:19 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

The "Silent Assassin" Essay
Should I Discuss Mental Health in My Personal Statement or College Application? (And If So, How)?
512: Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Counselor Perspective
513: Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Admission Officer Perspective
514: Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Student Perspective
How to Use the Common App Additional Information section and Challenges and Circumstances section: Guide + Examples | College Essay Guy
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

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Hi, friends, and welcome back to our series, "On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling." where we take a close look at personal essays written by real students, talking about why we love them, what makes them work, and how they came to be.

In this episode, I'm joined by Hillary Dickman, Senior Assistant Director of Admission at Colorado College. In past episodes, we've really broken down these essays and gotten into the nooks and crannies of what makes them work. But in this episode, I really wanted to get a sense of how Hillary sees essays from an admission reader's perspective.

We get into:

What Hillary hopes to learn about a student when she sits down to read their essay
What a great essay can do that the rest of the application can't
How much essays matter and whether or not that's changed over the last few years.
Why Colorado College does not have any AI reading essays or applications and doesn't have plans to.
She gives us an inside look at what it's like having your essay read in committee by as many as 13 people, and
There's a moment in the episode where she imagines that I'm the co-reader reading the application with her and gives me the notes that she would give on the student if I was in the admission office with her.

I loved our conversation. I hope you enjoy it too.

Hillary Dickman is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area and holds a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Speech Communication from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She began her career in higher education teaching at the University of Cincinnati and the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Since 2021, she's been part of the admission team at Colorado College, and has also navigated the college admission process as a parent — her older daughter is a recent graduate of Wellesley College, and her younger one is a student at Colorado College.

Play-by-Play:

2:12 – What is often happening in admission offices during April and May?
3:14 – When Hillary reads a college essay, what is she hoping to learn about a student?
4:55 – What can a great essay do that the other parts of the application cannot?
6:05 – Hillary sets context for the essay and the student who wrote it.
7:35 – Hillary reads the essay, which we're calling, "Where I Grew Up."
11:59 – How does the author explore community building through this essay?
15:09 – What is the benefit to orienting the reader towards the topic early in the essay?
17:43 – Hillary describes the process of reading applications in teams and presenting files to a partner.
20:35 – Hillary breaks down how an admissions committee works.
24:15 – Hillary shares what makes it easy to advocate for a student and why real self-reflection stands out.
26:23 – Ethan and Hillary break down why a recurring theme and unique details can make your essay stand out when admissions officers are reading quickly.
31:12 – Why does Colorado College choose not to use AI systems to read student applications?
35:23 – How do small, specific memories keep an admissions officer engaged in your story?
40:06 – Does Hillary see the importance or role of the college essay changing in the future?
46:43 – What does Hillary love about her job?
49:12 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

"Where I Grew Up" Essay
State of College Admission - National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)
What do colleges look for in students?
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

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In this episode, we break down an essay that is one of my new favorites. It's conceptually rich because even though it's on molding clay, it could be considered any of these montage types: I love/I know, Essence Objects, Skills/Superpower, Identity, Home, or Uncommon extracurricular activity. That's not a goal I'm suggesting you pursue, by the way, just interesting to note.

To discuss it, I'm joined by Calvin Pickett, the Director of Essay Coaching here at CEG. Calvin has been a college essay coach for more than eight years, and a lover of words and stories since he can remember. Calvin studied English Literature at Vassar before earning his master's in Secondary English Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. He believes in the potential for this college essay writing process to be transformational for students, and loves helping them see and shape their own stories in ways that empower self-knowledge and self confidence and lead to exciting college opportunities.

If you're a craft nerd at heart (the kind of person who watches behind-the-scenes footage twice), I hope you'll feel right at home.

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play:

2:16 – Calvin sets context for the essay and the student who wrote it
3:40 – Calvin reads the essay, "Molding Clay"
9:23 – How did the author come up with her topic?
11:21 – Calvin and Ethan discuss the first paragraph and how it grounds the reader
14:31 – How does the author use insight in her second paragraph to convey details that might not be elsewhere in her application?
18:49 – How do the author's core values guide her metaphors and examples throughout the essay?
20:53 – What is a montage essay and how did the author decide on which parts to include in the final draft?
23:47 – What is the balance between "showing" or "telling" in a college essay?
29:26 – How does the author's unique voice help her stand out?
32:52 – How can students weave in parts of a challenge or narrative into their montage essay?
38:31 – How important is a strong closing paragraph?
42:43 – What are some key concepts from this essay that students can apply to their own writing?
48:31 – Why might students choose to avoid AI in the college essay writing process?
51:40 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

"Molding Clay" Essay
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

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In this episode, we share an essay that begins: "Robes are the textile version of comfort food; they're my chicken noodle soup." And it is indeed about the different robes the student wears and how each one reveals a different aspect of who the author is.

I'm joined today by Andrew Callery, a college counselor at Detroit Country Day School who aside from his work helping his students tell their stories has, for the past 9 years, in his free time volunteered in our Matchlighters Scholars Program, where we pair high-achieving, low-income students with amazing counselors for 10 hours of free one-on-one support. If you are a high-achieving low-income student applying to college this year or are a counselor interested in volunteering, we'd love to have you.

In today's episode, Andrew and I get into:

Where this idea came from in the first place
How the student chose which different sides of herself to focus on
How students can briefly weave a learning difference into a single paragraph
Two tips for sticking the landing when it comes to the ending of your personal statement

If you're the kind of person who enjoys seeing how things get made, whether it's a great meal, a film scene, or a piece of writing, I have a feeling you might enjoy this one.

Andrew Callery (he/him) is a graduate of Villanova University (B.A.) and the University of San Francisco (M.A.), where he studied Psychology with an emphasis in counseling. He's worked in both public and private high schools as a counselor and loves helping students craft essays that are genuine reflections of their lived experience. He uses active listening techniques to help students uncover unique ideas for essays that capture various aspects of their identity, values, challenges overcome and lessons learned, all the while blending in a healthy dose of humor and empathy. Andrew has worked for a number of years as an admissions reader with a highly selective institution, and has read thousands of essays as a result. He's currently working as a full-time college counselor at an independent school near Detroit, where he lives with his wife and two children.

Enjoy.

Play-by-Play:

2:47 – Andrew introduces the "robes" essay and the brainstorming exercise that inspired it.
4:41 – What are the benefits of brainstorming and "going broad" with early ideas?
5:57 – Andrew reads the essay, "Robes"
11:26 – What stands out for Andrew in reading the essay today?
12:25 – How did Andrew help the student identify the core values and life experiences to include in her essay?
17:22 – How does a simple, relatable metaphor immediately ground the reader in the student's world?
19:40 – How did the student weave in her experience with dyslexia without making it the central focus of her essay?
23:17 – What questions can students ask themselves to turn a simple anecdote into a meaningful "so what" moment?
26:02 – How can students weave in extracurricular achievements without sounding like they are bragging?
31:35 – How can a student effectively balance personal interests with academic goals in an essay?
35:27 – How did the student's love for thrifting from the 21 Details exercise become a metaphor for her interest in sustainable engineering?
39:28 – How can focusing on the future help a student find the right way to end their essay?
42:32 – What does Andew enjoy most about working with students on essays?
44:16 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

"Robes" essay
Admission Nutrients
The Roles & Identities Exercise
21 Details Exercise
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

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Hey friends, and welcome back to the College Essay Guy podcast. Today's episode is a special follow-up with Alisha, who you might remember from our series last season where we walked through her personal statement process step-by-step. Now that she has officially received her results, Alisha is back to share the final chapter of her journey and reflect on the experience of reaching the finish line.

In this session, Alisha and I explore:

The emotional ups and downs of receiving college acceptances and rejections
Alisha's advice for students currently navigating the application process
What she might have done differently looking back, and
The "big reveal": Where she got in, where she didn't, and where she's headed next

Whether you're a senior waiting on your own results, a junior just starting the path, or a parent or counselor looking for a real-world perspective on how the process ends, I hope you'll find Alisha's reflections both grounding and insightful.

Alisha is a current high school senior who loves science, movies, and discovering new places. When she's not studying the brain, she's mentoring younger students through her program Running Start or planning her next adventure.

Hope you enjoy our session.

Play-by-Play

1:48 – How is Alisha feeling now that the application process is over?
2:58 – What did Alisha learn about herself through the process?
4:50 – How did getting an early acceptance change Alisha's outlook on the process?
6:37 – How did Alisha approach choosing a major for her applications?
7:18 – Alisha walks through her acceptances, deferrals, and waitlist offers
11:40 – How did Alisha evaluate her options to find the right fit?
12:43 – What advice does Alisha have for students currently writing their personal statements and building a college list?
17:10 – What would Alisha do differently if she could go through the process again?
19:51 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

Alisha's Podcast Episodes:
- 617: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 1): The Sand Essay with Alisha, HS Senior
- 618: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 2): Discovering Values Through Revision with Alisha, HS Senior
- 619: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 3): How Reflection Leads to Insight with Alisha, HS Senior
- 622: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 4): Supplemental Essay Deep Dive with Alisha, HS Senior
- 707: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 5): Making the Decision with Alisha, Class of 2026
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

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Hi, friends, and welcome back to our series, "On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling" where we take a close look at personal essays written by real students, talking about why we love them, what makes them work, and how they came to be.

In this episode, I had the honor of sitting down with Wendy Zheutlin, who is not only one of my essay coaches but has been a volunteer for the past four years with our Matchlighters Scholars Program. This is the program where we pair high-achieving, low-income students with amazing counselors for 10 hours of free one-on-one support. And if that sounds interesting to you, whether you are a student or a counselor, we'll link in the show notes where you can find out more.

This episode is a rare opportunity. Whereas normally we break down essays written by students, this was actually a personal statement written by Wendy herself as part of a course that I led for counselors. So this is her own personal statement, not written for applying to college, and it's one of my favorite essays.

We talk about what it was like for Wendy, who doesn't identify as a writer, to write this story, a few techniques she uses to communicate a lot in just a few words, and that ineffable moment when you figure out what a story is about.

If you're the kind of person who enjoys seeing how things get made, whether it's a great meal, a film scene, or a piece of writing, I have a feeling you might enjoy this one.

Wendy Zheutlin works independently and with CEG as a college essay coach. After earning her BA in psychology from UCSC and her MA in film from Stanford, Wendy went on to work on social issue documentaries in film and TV. While raising her family, Wendy worked in both an elementary school and public library. Open and honest, Wendy builds trust and provides a safe environment in which students can begin a joyful journey of self-reflection and discovery as they write college essays that capture their spirit, their values, their experiences that engage readers.

Enjoy.

Play-by-Play:

2:04 – What is Wendy's background, and what motivated her to experience the essay process from the "inside out"?
4:27 – Wendy reads her personal statement, "Raspberry Sky."
11:45 – What was the writing process like for Wendy?
15:14 – How can short, factual sentences create a more impactful story?
18:11 – How did reading children's picture books influence Wendy's approach?
19:17 – How does the plum blossom motif serve as a metaphor for new beginnings?
21:58 – How can contrast show the different sides of a hard experience?
26:13 – What did Wendy discover about her story through multiple revisions?
28:31 – Why is subtle humor a useful tool when sharing a difficult experience?
30:21 – How can a writer identify the "orienting moment" or core message of a story?
36:18 – How can parentheticals be used to pack a lot of detail into a short section?
39:48 – What advice does Wendy offer for writing about difficult experiences?
43:27 – How can the process of "meaning making" help both the author and reader discover something new?
44:54 – What does the essay's conclusion reveal about growth?
48:48 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

"Raspberry Sky" Essay
Matchlighters Scholars Program
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

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Show Notes:

Hi, friends, and welcome back to our series, On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling. In this series, we take a close look at personal essays written by real students, talking about why we love them, what makes them work, and how they came to be.

In this episode, we break down an essay on… wait for it… baseball. Wait, what? But Ethan, I thought writing about a common topic was a fast track to blending in. And yes—in many cases, it can be. But this essay offers a great example of how a familiar topic can become something more layered, specific, and personal.

To dig into how that happens, I'm joined by Kaila Barber: essay coach at CEG, Associate Director of 1-on-1 Coaching, and professional track star. Together, we explore how to stand out with a common topic, how to weave in challenge without letting it take over the story, and one specific technique for crafting a strong, memorable ending. If you're the kind of person who enjoys seeing how things get made, whether it's a great meal, a film scene, or a piece of writing, I have a feeling you'll enjoy this one.

Kaila Barber has been helping students prepare for college in various capacities since 2018. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a master's degree in Global Health, a bachelor's degree in PreProfessional Science, and a minor in Education, Schooling, and Society, Kaila decided to serve her local school district as an educational assistant. For two years, she worked closely with students who had learning differences, tailoring lesson plans and materials to better suit the needs of her students. Kaila enjoys walking side-by-side with students, guiding them through their memories and insights, while they discover new ways to make meaning from their lives that can be highlighted in creative and compelling essays.

We hope you enjoy.

Play-by-Play:

2:07 – Who is the student behind the essay, and what made his approach to a sports topic stand out?
4:44 – Kaila reads the essay we're calling, "The Stains on My Baseball Pants"
8:40 – What stands out about the essay's use of showing vs. telling?
10:27 – How did the essay evolve from a baseball topic into a montage centered on stains?
12:56 – How does the essay incorporate themes of identity and belonging without making them the central focus?
15:38 – How were the different "stains" chosen to represent key parts of the student's story?
- 19:52 – What does the kimbap stain reveal about family, culture, and leadership?
- 22:00 – What does the dirt stain reveal about growth, belonging, and identity?
- 26:57 – What new role or identity is revealed through the eye black blotch paragraph?
- 31:51 – What does the "parents' pilot" metaphor reveal about the student's role in his family?
- 36:20 – How does the ending bring the theme of "stains" back while highlighting community and belonging?
40:15 – What does Kaila hope students take away from the essay writing process?
41:31 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

"The Stains on My Baseball Pants" Essay
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

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In this episode, we explore an essence objects essay, which is to say an essay that was written about objects in the author's room, each one of which reveals a different aspect of their life. I'm joined by Ali McKeon, an essay coach and program advisor here at College Essay Guy. Ali worked with the student who wrote this essay, so she gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the process of working with this student, how the topic came to be, plus the questions she asked along the way. For those of you who love seeing how things get made, whether it's a great meal, a film scene, or a piece of writing, this episode offers a little window into that process.

Ali McKeon is a writing coach and veteran college admissions essay specialist with a BA in English from Stanford University and MFA from UC Irvine. She is passionate about building her students' confidence in the writing process and developing them into strong self-advocates for their individual learning needs. One of the highlights of her career has been mentoring bright students with learning differences. In addition to teaching, she is an arts entrepreneur, former professional ballet dancer, and mom to a busy toddler.

We hope you enjoy.

Play-by-Play:

1:50 – Who is the student behind the essay, and what stood out about working with her?
4:29 – Ali reads the essay, which we're calling "Tiny Windows into My Being"
9:00 – What ideas inspired the student's writing?
10:35 – What makes an "objects in my room" essay stand out?
12:36 – What is an "essence objects" essay, and how does it connect to the montage essay structure?
13:23 – How did the student decide which objects to include in the opening paragraph?
18:02 – How can students weave accomplishments into an essay without sounding like they're bragging?
20:22 – Why does pairing achievements with curiosity strengthen this paragraph?
22:18 – In what ways does the essay show the student is more than just a STEM student?
26:24 – How does the author reflect on her cultural identities?
30:42 – What led the student to include the migraine story in the essay?
36:50 – What makes this essay's ending so effective?
41:26 – What does Ali enjoy most about working with students on essays?
45:21 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

"Tiny Windows into My Being" Essay
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

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Welcome back to the College Essay Guy podcast and our series On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling. I'm one of your cohosts, Tom Campbell, former Pomona and Holy Cross admissions officer, turned essay coach and college counselor.

In this series, we look at real personal statements from real students: what choices were made, what was revised, and why it works.

For this episode, we sit down with Jane Longley, one of our amazing essay coaches here at CEG, to unpack an essay that one of her student wrote titled "The Pilgrim and The CEO." It tells the story of two challenging yet rewarding experiences central to one student's identity and growth: hiking the Camino and starting her own skincare line. They seem like wildly different journeys in that bite-sized, one sentence description, but as you'll see from the essay, they're anything but disparate. This essay, which seamlessly tells two stories in tandem, is a masterclass on balance. Which is really what college essays are all about. On one side, they should genuinely reflect the student — their voice, their lived experiences, the moments that have shaped how they see the world. On the other, they need to do some real work: helping an admissions reader understand the student's character, values, and potential, and making it easier to advocate for them in committee.

We'll walk through key excerpts, unpack the strategic decisions behind them, and share practical insights for counselors, teachers, and anyone guiding students through the writing process.

Jane Longley has been an essay coach for eight years. She graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Modern Languages and spent ten years teaching in the UK before moving to Nicaragua, where she has lived for more than two decades. Along the way, Jane trained in Person-centred Therapeutic Counselling and Boarding Education — experiences that inform how she works with students today. As an essay coach, she focuses on helping students clarify their ideas, identify meaningful through-lines in their experiences, and find language that feels precise and authentic. And we, for one, are so glad she's come to share her expertise and her calming British accent with you all.

We hope you enjoy the episode.

Play-by-Play:

2:18 – What is Jane's background in essay coaching?
4:54 – Jane shares context for the essay and what it was like working with the student who wrote it
8:47 – In what ways can brainstorming exercises uncover unexpected topic ideas?
9:49 – How does the values exercise serve as the foundation for an essay?
15:06 – What other brainstorming tools helped shape the student's direction?
18:05 – How did the student's early topic ideas transform into a final product?
21:42 – What influenced the essay's final structure?
29:40 – Jane reads the essay, "The Pilgrim and The CEO"
34:16 – Tom shares his initial thoughts on the essay
35:46 – Jane shares how the author developed the two narratives in the introduction
39:07 – How did the student decide what essential context about the Camino needed to stay?
41:39 – How did authenticity shape the student's decision to include moments of unpreparedness?
44:34 – How did the student identify the specific, vivid details that brought each journey to life?
51:53 – How did collaboration become a central theme across both journeys?
55:20 – How did the student's honest reaction at the end of the Camino strengthen the essay?
59:30 – How does the tone shift from collaboration to appreciation in the final paragraphs?
1:00:53 – How can students revisit the same experience across essays without repeating themselves?
1:03:52 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

"The Pilgrim and the CEO" Essay
The Values Exercise
The Roles and Identities Exercise
The 21 Details Exercise
The Essence Objects Exercise
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

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Welcome back to our series, "On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling." In this series, we take a close look at personal essays written by real students, talking about why we love them, what makes them work, and how they came to be. On Becoming speaks not just to the craft of writing, but to what I believe the personal statement is at its best: a record of becoming, the often messy, hopefully meaningful process of finding yourself… through the process of storytelling.

In this episode, we slow things down and focus on a single essay, which the author calls "Much Ado About Nothing." Together, we take this essay apart, looking at the storytelling choices on the page, the deeper ideas underneath them, and how the essay captures a moment in the student's becoming.

Dr. Greg Ungar is a professor at the University of Denver. Greg grew up in California and spent six years working on the assembly line at General Motors before finding his way to college, where reading (and thinking) changed the direction of his life. Greg went on to study philosophy and theatre arts at UC Berkeley, and later earned advanced degrees across a wide range of disciplines, including sociology, criminal justice, acting, and theatre and drama. He's someone who has spent a lifetime thinking deeply about identity, work, class, performance, and what it means to make meaning out of lived experience.

We hope you enjoy.

Play-by-Play:

3:23 – Why do Ethan and Greg love reading stories and poetry together?
5:34 – Do college essays need a title?
6:47 – Greg reads the essay, "Much Ado About Nothing"
12:03 – What does Ethan love about this essay?
13:25 – What did Greg notice while reading?
19:23 – How does the author use structure to keep the reader engaged?
25:02 – How can humor be used in college essays?
30:58 – How does the author show different roles and identities throughout?
40:24 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

"Much Ado About Nothing" Essay
College Essay Essentials
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

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Welcome to a brand new series here on the podcast I'm calling "On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling." In this series, we'll dig deep into college essays from past students, talking about why we love them and how they came to be.

For me, this title "On Becoming" speaks not just to the craft of writing (how a story came to be), but to what I believe the personal statement is at its best: a record of becoming… the beautiful, sometimes messy process of witnessing someone learn to better understand themselves, articulate their values, and claim their voice in the world. Whether you're a student, parent, educator, or just someone who loves great stories, we hope there's something here for you.

In our first episode, I sit down with Amanda McRaven, a dear friend and one of my first hires at College Essay Guy. In this episode, we dig into:

Two of our favorite essays from former students
A little behind the scenes of how they came to be, and
The techniques that helped these stories reveal truths about the students who wrote them.

Amanda McRaven is an artist, teacher, theater director, and storyteller living in the Pacific Northwest. She's a veteran educator and writer with over 15 years of experience coaching students through the college essay process. But what really sets Amanda apart is her approach. She helps students mine their lives for meaning—to find the gold in seemingly ordinary moments, and to connect the dots between experiences in ways that feel alive, honest, and deeply human.

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play:

3:20 – Something these two essays have in common
4:32 – How does Amanda help students find creative ways to tell their stories?
5:50 – What did early drafts of the "My Desk" essay look like?
6:45 – Amanda and Ethan analyze the intro paragraph of the "My Desk" essay
- 13:24 – Analysis of paragraph 2 – Laptop
- 19:30 – Analysis of paragraph 3 – Stack of books
- 26:11 – Analysis of paragraph 4 – Bead Bracelet
- 31:59 – Analysis of the final paragraph – Conclusion
34:49 – Ethan introduces the "Magic" essay
- 41:30 – What did the student's writing process look like for the "Magic" essay?
- 47:55 – How does the author incorporate values and extracurricular activities together with the topic?
- 51:22 – How can students find more uncommon connections or topics to write about in their essays?
- 56:20 – What can students take away from the "Magic" essay?
58:34 – What does Amanda enjoy most about working with students on essays?
1:00:13 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

"My Desk" Essay
"Magic" Essay
College Essay Essentials
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

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Welcome back to the College Essay Guy Podcast. Today's episode is hosted by Tom Campbell, Community Manager & Senior Essay Specialist at College Essay Guy and a former admission officer at Pomona College and Holy Cross.

We've polled the thousands of students who participate in our live webinars and courses and ask what they're favorite subject is, and consistently, STEM reigns supreme. By a lot. In this episode, Tom sits down with Jay Zhang, college counselor at College Essay Guy, to dig into the biggest questions students and families have about preparing for and applying to STEM programs. Together, they explore:

What students should know about STEM coursework, rigor, and testing—and where there's more flexibility than most people realize
How to think about majors, specialization, and which colleges to consider beyond the usual short list
Common STEM student archetypes, including late starters, students unsure which direction to take, those in high-pressure STEM "bubbles," and students worried that elite summer programs are the only path forward
And more.

Jay Zhang holds a B.S. in Microbiology from UCLA and an M.A. in School Counseling from NYU, and he's spent over a decade helping STEM students navigate selective admissions—especially within the UC system. He's also a former UCLA scholarship reader and interviewer, so he's seen exactly what works. Jay brings a strength-based, big-picture approach to STEM planning—and when he's not counseling students, you'll probably find him hiking at Crystal Cove or driving all the way from Orange County to LA for his haircut (hey, clearly, this is a man who knows his priorities).

We hope you enjoy the episode.

Play-by-Play:

2:14 – What are some early memories of Jay and Tom learning STEM in school?
5:44 – Jay shares his background and where he grew up
7:55 – What are some high school courses that students interested in STEM could plan to take?
11:33 – What should STEM students know about standardized testing?
14:33 – How can students better understand different STEM pathways and majors?
17:55 – What are some lesser-known colleges or programs that students could explore?
24:03 – What are some strategies for broadening a student's college list?
30:01 – How can students balance prestige with selectivity and other factors that are important to them in finding the right fit?
32:46 – How can students explore diverse interests in STEM?
38:52 – What can high school juniors and seniors do to show interest in STEM if they're just getting started?
46:11 – What helps students in competitive STEM "bubbles" move beyond comparison culture?
50:26 – How can students build on personal experiences that spark their interest in STEM?
53:30 – How important are prestigious summer programs for students interested in STEM?
59:25 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

Firestarter Exercise
What is STEM?
STEM Majors
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

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Hey friends, and welcome back to the College Essay Guy podcast. Today's episode is a behind-the-scenes look at Alisha's supplemental essays. If you've been following our Inside the Personal Statement Process series, this episode zooms out a bit—you'll hear us work live through several of her supplements and talk through how to bring clarity, intention, and personality into each one.

In this session, Alisha and I explore:

What makes a great "list" response for Columbia—and how to avoid filler
How to refine a topic that feels "too common" into something that might stand out a little more
A simple way to use the roles & identities exercise to focus a short essay
Strategies for approaching the "navigating differences" essay, and
How to tackle a "Why us" and a "why major" essay

Whether you're a student working on your own essays right now, a parent supporting from the sidelines, or a counselor guiding students through this process, I hope you'll find something useful here.

Alisha is a current high school senior going through the application process who loves science, movies, and discovering new places. When she's not studying the brain, she's mentoring younger students through her program Running Start or planning her next adventure.

Hope you enjoy our session.

Play-by-Play:

1:24 – How is Alisha's writing coming along?
2:56 – Alisha reads her Columbia list responses.
5:45 – Ethan gives feedback on the list draft.
7:31 – Ethan introduces the Columbia lived-experience prompt.
8:25 – Alisha reads her draft.
9:30 – How did Alisha choose her topic?
16:31 – Ethan suggests an exercise for refining her draft.
25:41 – Alisha reads her draft of the "navigating differences" prompt.
31:37 – Ethan helps Alisha clarify each side's perspective in her disagreement example.
38:41 – Ethan introduces the adversity prompt and Alisha reads her response.
45:27 – Ethan encourages Alisha to center the essay on the value she names (autonomy) and make the story more specific.
48:29 – Alisha reads her response to the "Why Columbia" prompt.
50:27 – Ethan and Alisha identify what genuinely sets Columbia apart for her.
56:17 – Alisha reads her response to the "Why major" prompt.
58:12 – Ethan helps Alisha frame her essay around the central theme she has chosen: the interdisciplinary nature of neuroscience.
1:04:36 – Ethan and Alisha explore how students can research their major when they're unsure what career they want.
1:15:15 – Ethan and Alisha reflect on the drafting process and what comes next.

Resources:

The Values Exercise
The Roles and Identities Exercise
Why This College Essay Guide + Examples
How to Write the "Why this Major" College Essay
How to Write the Columbia University Supplemental Essays: Examples + Guide 2025/2026
O*NET Career Research Tool
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

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Welcome back to the College Essay Guy Podcast. This is a very special session with a dear friend of mine and an honored guest in my world, Joan Liu. Joan is the founder of Second Chance, an organization that helps high achieving students from around the world secure full scholarships to universities after their original offers fall through. This conversation is adapted from a live webinar that we hosted where Joan shares some of the most practical, candid advice I've heard for international students who are looking for full financial aid and for the counselors who support them.

In our conversation, we talk about:

What a competitive, full-need international applicant really looks like
Some common mistakes that students make when applying to colleges and universities in the United States
Why creating a global list and not just a US-centric list can open up new opportunities
Joan's advice for counselors who are guiding students through this sometimes really complex process.
And more.

Joan Liu has been a college counselor for the past 25 years, across top secondary schools in the US, UK, Turkey, and Singapore. She is a graduate of Cornell University and Columbia University. Joan is known in the admissions field for her financial aid expertise, and her ability to place students at universities with a full ride. In 2018, Joan mobilized a team of colleagues to support 60 Nepali students who had lost their scholarships from a university in Texas, USA. Joan did not stand by and watch this higher ed crisis. She assembled a team, and these teams stepped forward and re-seated all of the students at universities in the US, Canada, Middle East, and East Asia, with 10+ million in financial aid and scholarships - after the admissions cycle was OVER for that year. That experience led to Joan founding the non profit, Second Chance at Higher Ed, which supports talented students needing financial support, in accessing higher education at the last minute, after the US cycle is over. Folks, that's full rides after April 1 - no other organization has ever done this - and Second Chance is first in its category. Just a few months ago, SC went into its 7th cycle, helping 53 students from 23 countries earn a full ride in less than eight weeks. These students included refugees from Syria, Jordan, and Palestine.

Whether you're a student dreaming of studying abroad or a counselor helping students try to reach that dream, we're hoping that you'll find something useful in this episode.

Play-by-Play:

2:36 – What is Second Chance and how did it get started?
3:34 – What is the typical profile that colleges look for in an international student who is competitive for full financial aid in the United States?
8:00 – How do admissions officers evaluate international applicants compared to U.S. students?
11:59 – What are the most common mistakes that full-need international students make when applying to colleges and universities in the US?
21:53 – What does it mean when a college says they are need-blind for international students?
23:02 – How important is early action for international students?
23:53 – How should international students think about SAT/ACT? What if testing is difficult to access?
31:34 – How important is English proficiency?
32:51 – How should full-need international students think about developing their college list?
41:22 – How does the financial aid process differ for full-need international students?
46:03 – How can students learn more about Second Chance?
51:35 – If a student is rejected from Early Decision, can they still be considered for Regular Decision?
53:09 – If a student does not have a school counselor, how do they submit a school report or other documentation required for applications?
55:11 – How is the application process different this year than in the past?
56:35 – How can students compensate for an average or low GPA?
58:13 – How can counselors best advocate for their full-need international students?
1:02:17 – Closing advice

Financial Aid Resources:

Second Chance
EducationUSA
RESOURCES — BigJ Educational Consulting
International Applicants – CSS Profile | College Board
International Student Application for Financial Assistance (ISAFA)
International Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC)

College Essay Guy Resources:

College Application Hub for International Students
How to Use Jennie Kent and Jeff Levy's Financial Aid Information Excel Sheets
4 Major College Application Deadlines to Keep in Mind
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

Podcasts:

CEG Podcast Episode 205: That One Time a University Revoked More Than 60 Full Scholarships (And What You Can Do About It)
CEG Podcast Episode 211: Financial Aid Tips for International Students (and Their Counselors)—2019 Version
CEG Podcast Episode 122: Which Schools Are the Most Generous With Financial Aid? (International Version)

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The transition from high school to college is something that thousands of students struggle with each year, and it's not something people really talk about. There's a lot of pressure for students to "have it together" in some broad sense. That's why today I'm excited to talk to Dr. Jill Grimes, Dr. Jill Grimes, author of The ULTIMATE College Student Health Handbook: Your Guide for Everything from Hangovers to Homesickness, for a frank conversation about things that are often stigmatized.

Content warning: We get into some pretty serious topics such as mental health, drinking, and sex. The views and information shared in this podcast are for educational and informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health, treatment or medication.

In our conversation we cover a wide range of topics, including:

What are some simple, science-backed tips for getting better sleep in a dorm room?
How does caffeine or other medications affect sleep quality?
Dr. Jill's Rule of 3 for navigating homesickness
How can students tell the difference between typical stress and something that really needs attention?
How do medications like antidepressants interact with other substances, and why is that something students need to take seriously?
What are some simple ways students can take care of their bodies during this big life transition?
And more

Dr. Jill Grimes is a nationally recognized medical media expert, award-winning author, and proud mom of two awesome college graduates. Dr. Grimes' passion project is The ULTIMATE College Student Health Handbook: Your Guide for Everything from Hangovers to Homesickness, Oprah's choice for Best Book in her 2025 Best Gifts for Grads List. With over 20 years of experience in private practice and academic medicine plus 7 years working directly with college students in a busy university health center, Dr. Jill brings a unique blend of real-world medical expertise, evidence-based medicine, and relatable advice for parents and students alike. Dr. Grimes loves creating and thinking outside the box, in or out of the medical world. She and her daughters relished their decade of scouting and many years of mother-daughter service through the National Charity League.

We hope you enjoy.

Play-by-Play:

3:09 – Dr. Jill shares her background and identities
4:32 – What are some of the questions that Dr. Jill often hears in her work?
5:58 – What advice would Dr. Jill give to first-year students?
7:32 – Why does getting involved early make such a difference?
9:46 – How can students get better sleep?
14:39 – How do caffeine and ADHD meds impact sleep quality?
16:37 – What should students know about melatonin and over-the-counter sleep aids?
20:29 – What's Dr. Jill's "Rule of Three" for easing homesickness?
28:04 – How can students reduce anxiety and test stress?
33:27 – How do students know when normal stress becomes a mental health concern?
38:21 – What should students know about nutrition and the effects of alcohol on the body?
44:20 – What advice would Dr. Jill give to students who decide to drink alcohol?
47:59 – How can families approach conversations about sex and consent?
49:48 – What should students know before visiting a doctor on their own?
52:50 – What does Dr. Jill hope that families will keep in mind through this transition?

Resources:

The Way Meditation App
Drunk Calc
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

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Hey friends, and welcome back to the College Essay Guy podcast. Today's episode is the third and final episode in our series called Inside the Personal Statement Process. If you're just tuning in, this series takes you behind the scenes as I work one-on-one with Alisha, a current high school senior applying for the Fall 2026 term. Find Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

This episode was recorded just a few days before Alisha submitted her early applications. The focus of this episode is on one of the most challenging—and perhaps, the least discussed—aspect of writing the personal statement: insight.

In the session, Alisha and I explore:

What is insight?
How do you find good insights?
What are the kinds of questions that can lead to insights?
And more

Whether you're a student working on your own essays right now, a parent supporting from the sidelines, or a counselor guiding students through this process, I hope you'll find something useful here.

Hope you enjoy our session.

Play-by-Play:

1:16 – It's just days before her Early Decision deadline. How's Alisha feeling?
2:21 – What is "insight," and why does it matter in an essay?
3:30 – Alisha begins reading her latest draft, Wherever the Road Takes Us
4:08 – Ethan gives his thoughts on Alisha's intro
5:37 – Paragraph one: Curiosity
11:04 – Paragraph two: Creativity
11:52 – How does art make Alisha a better scientist?
14:20 – Paragraph three: Empathy
21:20 – Alisha uses the Values Exercise to identify potential new insights
28:19 – Paragraph four: Community
32:47 – Paragraph five: Conclusion and the "empty jar."
35:53 – Ethan recaps final notes and next steps
39:50 – Alisha and Ethan reflects on the writing process and Alisha's growth
41:34 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 1): The Sand Essay with Alisha, HS Senior
Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 2): Discovering Values Through Revision with Alisha, HS Senior
The Values Exercise
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

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Hey friends, and welcome back to the College Essay Guy podcast. Today's episode is part two of our series called Inside the Personal Statement Process. If you're just tuning in, this series takes you behind the scenes as I work one-on-one with Alisha, a current high school senior applying for the Fall 2026 term. In the first episode, we got to know Alisha through her brainstorming and outline.

In this episode, we pick up right where we left off — Alisha's second draft. We get into:

How did the new outline work for Alisha?
How to approach trimming—not just words, but how Alisha can focus on a particular idea or value in the session to help her find her focus and what to trim
How to align the insights that you have in your paragraphs with the examples
And more

Whether you're a student working on your own essays right now, a parent supporting from the sidelines, or a counselor guiding students through this process, I hope you'll find something useful here.

Hope you enjoy our session.

Play-by-Play:

1:24 – How is Alisha's writing coming along?
4:10 – Alisha shares her goals for feedback
5:50 – Alisha reads through her second draft
11:13 – Alisha shares her thoughts on the draft
15:10 – Ethan makes suggestions for trimming by focusing on values that Alisha wants to communicate to the reader
- 16:40 – Paragraph one: Curiosity
- 23:10 – Paragraph two: Empathy and nurturing
- 32:50 – Paragraph three: Creativity.
- 39:50 – Paragraph four: Pakistan.
46:40 – Ethan and Alisha map next steps for Draft 3
49:22 – Alisha shares new revision ideas and closing thoughts

Resources:

Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 1): The Sand Essay with Alisha, HS Senior
How to Cut Down Words in Your College Essay
How to Write the Columbia University Supplemental Essays: Examples + Guide 2025/2026
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

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In our new series, Inside the Personal Statement Process, we're taking you behind the scenes with Alisha, a current high school senior working through applications right now. If you've ever wondered what it's like working with Ethan in a session, this is the podcast for you!

You might remember a similar series last season with Cassidy, where we got to see her whole application process. Rather than focus on the whole application, I wanted to just dive specifically into working with Alisha through the personal statement process.

In Part 1, Alisha and I get into:

How did Alisha approach brainstorming and outlining for her personal statement?
What brainstorming activities helped Alisha to pick her topic?
Reading through Alisha's first draft of her personal statement
Creating a reverse outline of Alisha's first draft to set her up for writing the second draft
And more!

We hope you enjoy our session!

Play-by-Play:

1:40 – Getting to know Alisha through her brainstorming materials
- 2:12 – Values
- 3:10 – "I love, I know" exercise
- 5:32 – Superpowers
- 6:32 – Career interests
- 12:00 – "Roles and Identities" exercise
- 15:09 – "Essence Objects" exercise
17:37 – Alisha discusses her personal statement topic
19:00 – Alisha walks through her essay outline and examples
31:55 – Alisha reads the first draft of her personal statement
35:45 – Alisha shares her thoughts on her draft
38:50 – Ethan gives feedback
46:00 – Ethan walks through the process of creating a "reverse outline" for draft two

Resources:

The Values Exercise
The Roles and Identities Exercise
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

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In today’s episode, I’m joined by my long-time colleague, and our Chief People Officer here at CEG, Sandy Longworth. Sandy has worked as a therapist, a researcher, college counselor — among other things — and has spent years studying the role that narrative storytelling plays in how teens develop their identities.

Important note: While Sandy trained as a therapist, and we do talk a lot about therapy in our conversation, I want to make clear that I do not hold that college counseling and essay coaching — or what we do at College Essay Guy — to be therapy. It isn’t. As college counselors and essay coaches — and I’m speaking about us as a profession here — we help students discover the skills, qualities, values, and interests they’ll bring to a college campus… and then express those parts of themselves in writing.

Having said that, when I was first introduced to Narrative Therapy in 2012, I was struck by how some of its techniques — like reframing, for instance, which involves finding alternate perspectives on a set of events, something sometimes called “re-storying” — overlap with some of the things that happen in essay coaching sessions… and that’s the territory Sandy and I explore in this conversation.

In this episode, Sandy and I get into:

How adolescence is a key time for identity development, how this process unfolds and why it’s so significant for personal statements
What is narrative identity theory and how do our stories shape who we think we are and can be?
How can narrative therapy techniques help students develop and showcase these qualities?
What are some narrative therapy exercises students can use to reflect on their experiences and write authentically?
And more

Sandy Longworth is a proud first-generation college graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison who earned her M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Seattle Pacific University, completed her doctoral coursework in Child and Family Studies from UW-Madison, and completed her School Counseling certificate at Northern Illinois University.

There’s a little more to her bio, but I’ll let her share that with you directly — hope you enjoy.

Play-by-Play:

3:05 – Sandy shares her background and some of her roles and identities
9:46 – Why is adolescence such a key time for identity development, and how does that connect to the personal statement?
12:20 – What role does narrative storytelling play in how students think about and develop their identities?
24:26 – How can narrative therapy techniques help students develop and showcase these qualities in their college application?
39:32 – What are some practical ways counselors and students can bring narrative therapy techniques into the personal statement process?
41:34 – Sandy leads Ethan through a narrative exercise
53:41 – Ethan and Sandy share impact and reflections
1:01:16 – How could narrative therapy ideas inform a montage-style essay?
1:10:10 – What does Sandy love about this work?
1:13:32 – What resources are available to learn more about narrative therapy?
1:16:15 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

The Dulwich Centre
The Values Exercise
CEG's College Admission Nutrients (aka The Great College Application Test)
College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

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Hi friends, and welcome back to the podcast. In today’s episode, I’m joined by two special guests: Dr. Steven Antonoff and Jay McCann, co-authors of the newly updated 5th edition of The College Finder: Your comprehensive guide to finding colleges that fit YOUR unique path.

In this conversation, we dig into some of the biggest questions students and families face in the college search today, including:

What—if anything—are rankings good for in 2025?
Beyond starting salaries, which outcome metrics actually indicate value?
What’s a responsible way for students to use AI in the search phase—and what should they avoid?
How do you plan a high-yield campus visit (or a virtual substitute) that actually informs fit?
What’s the most productive role for parents at each stage of the process?

Jay McCann is co-author of The College Finder, now in its fifth edition since Steve’s original publication in 1993. He earned his graduate degree at San Diego State University, where he was part of the Native American Scholars and Collaborators grant, focusing on education and community engagement. Jay began his counseling career in Denver Public Schools, where he served as department chair, before moving to Valor Christian High School and now The Westminster Schools in Atlanta. He is also the founder of Future to Find College Consulting, and he lives in Atlanta with his wife, Erin, and their three young children.

Dr. Steven Antonoff has more than 30 years of experience in higher education. He is the author of College Match and The College Finder, both highly regarded resources for students and counselors. Steve holds a PhD in Human Communication Studies, an MA in Education from the University of Denver, and a BS in Psychology from Colorado State University. He is the former Dean of Admission & Financial Aid, Executive Director of Admissions & Student Affairs, and Dean of Students at the University of Denver. A founding chair of the American Institute for Certified Educational Planners, he helped launch the first certification program, training initiatives, and textbook for IECs. His work supports low-income and first-generation students through IB programs, Denver’s Latino Association, and College Summit. He is the recipient of IECA’s Professional Achievement Award, now named in his honor.

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play:

4:37 – What do students need to understand about themselves before they start their college search?
5:45 – What are some common gaps between what students say they want and the schools they choose?
7:37 – How much time should students spend reflecting on what they want in a college?
11:23 – What, if anything, are rankings good for in 2025?
15:42 – Beyond starting salaries, which outcome metrics actually indicate value?
19:15 – How can students evaluate the strength of a specific program at a college?
22:49 – How can students get a real sense of campus culture?
27:12 – How should students (and counselors) categorize colleges when building a list?
32:44 – How many colleges should students apply to?
33:53 – What’s a responsible way for students to use AI in the search phase—and what should they avoid?
38:14 – How should students and families think about Early Action and Early Decision?
42:34 – What’s the most productive role for parents in this process?
45:46 – What’s one action step seniors should take before applying?
48:12 – What are a few must-have resources for the college search and application process?

Resources:

Books, Guides, and Tools

The College Finder
3 Step Guide to Choosing a College That's Right for You
Fiske Guide to Colleges
SchoolBuff (Dr. Antonoff’s website)
Future to Find (Jay’s website)

College Research Platforms

College Navigator
CampusReel
CampusTours
College Scorecard
Net Price Calculator Center

Reflection + College Planning

Roles and Identities Exercise (with Counselor Notes)
How to Decide Whether to Apply Early Action (EA) or Early Decision (ED)
Challenge Success (Stanford)
Making Caring Common (Harvard)
CEG Podcast Episode 503 with Trisha Ross Anderson (Making Caring Common)
College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

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Welcome back to the podcast. It’s September, which means many students are building the list of colleges they’re applying to.

Today I’m joined by New York Times Bestselling Author, Harlan Cohen, who walks us through his 13 most common mistakes students make when they’re creating their college list.

We cover, among other things:
The importance of shifting from what “they” want… to what you want
The problem with rankings
The importance of doing “future math”
Why treating college as a one-year experiment can lower the stakes
And more

Harlan Cohen is the New York Times bestselling author of The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into In College and six other titles (over 1 million copies in print). His social media accounts have over 1.5 million followers and he hosts a popular podcast. He is the founder of Best First Year, a college success coaching program for students and parents. Harlan lives in Chicago, Illinois with his wife and three children.

Harlan also has a wonderful college readiness and success program called Best First Year. His coaching guides parents and students from college search all the way through the first year on campus. You can use code CEG for a nice little discount.

We hope you enjoy.

Play-by-Play:

3:12 – Understanding the importance of college choices
5:54 – Mistake #1: Focus on being wanted
12:12 – Mistake #2: Start with rankings
16:45 – Mistake #3: Let scarcity and fear guide you.
19:56 – Mistake #4: Make this about the rest of your life.
23: 11 – Mistake #5: Don’t have a plan (SEPFA).
27:21 – Mistake #6: Expect instant access to clubs and activities.
34:01 – Mistake #7: Don’t look for merit aid and financial aid.
38:21 – Mistake #8: Don’t do future math.
41:26 – Mistake #9: Don’t talk to current students on campus.
44:02 – Mistake #10: Want to impress friends and family.
46:06 – Mistake #11: Don’t visit at the best time.
47:01 – Mistake #12: Follow friends and significant others to campus.
47:54 – Mistake #13: Assume everyone graduates (nope).
54:38 – What does Harlan hope students and families will keep in mind as they go through this process?

Resources:

Harlan Cohen’s Best First Year (enter the code “CEG” for a discount)
CEG Podcast Episode 207: 17 Things to Do Before Going to College
CEG Podcast Episode 109: How to Figure Out Which School is Right for You
CEG Podcast Episode 121: Which Schools Are the Most Generous With Financial Aid? (US Version)
Murphyjitsu: an Inner Simulator algorithm
College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

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Hi friends, and welcome back to the podcast.

This one’s going to be short—and honestly, it’s an episode I didn’t think I was going to record. Why? Well, if you’ve been following along with Cassidy’s journey over the past year, you know we’ve covered a lot: from brainstorming her personal statement, to revising her supplements, to weighing her college acceptances.

And when we wrapped Part 5, I figured we could leave it there. I thought it might be enough to know she had some great options.

Silly me.

You wrote in. You wanted to know: Where did she end up?

So here we are: the final chapter (well, really the beginning) of Cassidy’s college journey. In this quick update, Cassidy shares where she’s heading this fall, why she chose it, and how she’s getting ready for this next step. Huge thanks to Cassidy for letting us in on the process.

I hope you enjoy.

Play-by-Play

1:45 – How has Cassidy been spending the summer and preparing for college?
2:36 – Cassidy shares which school she will be attending this Fall
4:03 – What factors influenced Cassidy’s final decision?
7:37 – What advice would Cassidy share with students and families going through this process?
8:43 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

How to choose which college to attend: Key factors to consider
College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

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Welcome back to the podcast! This is our sixth and final chapter of our series on admission nutrients — qualities that can make for a healthier, more meaningful college admission process… and life.

In case you missed it, we started with collaboration, with Raissa Diamante (Director of admission from Harvey-Mudd College), then I sat down with Deanna Dixon, (Dean of Admission at Smith College) to talk about leadership, then Tom met with Dysean Alexander (Assistant Director for West Coast Admission at Lafayette College) to talk about consistent engagement and Nathan Faust (Loyola Marymount University) to talk about service to others.

Today we conclude the series by talking about intellectual curiosity with Hillary Dickman from Colorado College. In our conversation, Hillary and I cover a lot of ground, including:

What is intellectual curiosity in the context of the college admission process?
Where does intellectual curiosity show up in a student’s application?
Why is it important in the admissions process at Colorado College and how does their approach to identifying intellectual curiosity differs from other liberal arts colleges?
What is Colorado College’s latest supplemental essay prompt?
Advice for both students and parents as they navigate this process
And more!

Hillary Dickman is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area and holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Speech Communication from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She began her career in higher education teaching public speaking, interpersonal communication, and intercultural communication at the University of Cincinnati and the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Since 2021, she’s been part of the admission team at Colorado College, where she’s worked on scholarship programs, the counselor advisory board, and now focuses on print and email marketing. She’s also navigated the college admission process as a parent — her older child is a recent graduate of Wellesley College, and her younger one is a student at Colorado College.

I hope you enjoy this conversation. I certainly did.

Play-by-Play:

3:09 – What do college admission counselors do during the summer?
4:55 – What are some of the roles that Hillary plays at Colorado College?
8:56 – What makes Colorado College a unique school?
10:39 – What is intellectual curiosity in the context of the college admission process?
17:43 – Where does intellectual curiosity show up in a student’s application?
22:29 – What are some examples of intellectual curiosity from over the years?
32:29 – What do students or parents misunderstand about intellectual curiosity?
40:01 – Why is intellectual curiosity important at Colorado College?
48:22 – What is Colorado College’s latest supplemental essay prompt?
57:10 – What if the thing I’m curious about has nothing to do with my major?
1:00:18 – What advice does Hillary give to students for writing their personal statement?
1:04:03 – How long does Hillary spend reading an essay and the application as a whole?
1:09:54 – How does Hillary recommend students get started with the writing process?
1:13:58 – What are Hillary’s thoughts on using ChatGPT in the application process?
1:18:16 – What is demonstrated interest and why is it important to Colorado College?
1:24:00 – What does Hillary hope that students and parents will keep in mind throughout this process?

Resources:

College Partnerships with CEG
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: Flow, the secret to happiness (TED)
CEG Podcast Episode 506: Demonstrated Interest: What Is it, Why Is it Important, and How Do You Show it? with Dean of Enrollment Christine Bowman
What is Demonstrated Interest? A Practical How-To Guide
College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

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In Episode 5 of our series on Admission Nutrients, Tom Campbell is joined by Nathan Faust, Admission Counselor at Loyola Marymount University, to talk about Service to Others / Community Impact. In their conversation, they get into:

Why service to others and community impact is a valuable nutrient to fold into your high school experience—and life
Tips on communicating your service and community-impact initiatives to admissions officers
Examples of how this nutrient may overlap with the others
Advice for counselors on how to explain the value of this nutrient to students and families
And more!

Nathan Faust is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University where he earned both his B.A. (2019) and M.A. (2023) in English. After brief stints in finance and sports management, he joined the admission team in 2021 as a regional recruiter in the Pacific Northwest, where he works with students from Oregon and Washington. Nathan is passionate about educational opportunity, enjoys connecting with students, and values demystifying the admission process. In his free time, Nathan enjoys creative writing, the highs and lows of cheering for the Portland Trail Blazers, camping in mosquito-less places, and spending time with friends also in mosquito-less places.

We hope you enjoy.

Play-by-Play:

4:40 – Why is service to others important at Loyola Marymount University (LMU)?
6:36 – How does LMU view service hours differently and why?
16:55 – How does service to others impact wellbeing?
23:56 – How can students best communicate their service work on their application?
29:40 – How can students weave in service to others in the personal statement?
33:45 – Where else does service to others show up in the application?
41:03 – FAQs about service to others
- 41:43 – What if I want to talk about my mission trip?
- 43:30 – What if I quit my service endeavor?
- 43:47 – What if my service program was discontinued?
- 44:42 – How do I know what really counts as service?
- 45:34 – What if I didn’t really take anything away from this service opportunity?
47:10 – Closing thoughts and advice for students

Resources:

Why Giving Is Good for Your Health (Resident Psychologist Susan Albers, Cleveland Clinic, 2022, )
Why I changed my mind about volunteering (Rachel Cohen, Vox, 2024, )
Workplace Wellness Programs
Why Meaningful, Long-Term Volunteer Opportunities Are The Key To Engaging Your Top Talent (William Aruda, Forbes, 2022)
How to Use the Common App Additional Information section and Challenges and Circumstances section: Guide + Examples
College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

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In Episode 4 of our series on Admission Nutrients, Tom Campbell is joined by Dysean Alexander, Assistant Director for West Coast Admission at Lafayette College, to discuss Consistent Engagement. In their conversation, they get into:

Why consistent engagement is a valuable nutrient to fold into your high school experience
How it’s talked about in an admissions office, and how admission readers like Dysean (and his team at Lafayette) measure it
Tips on “translating” your own examples of consistent engagement to an admission officer audience
Advice for counselors on how to explain the value of this nutrient to students and families
And more!

Counselor by day and stand-up comedian by night, Dysean Alexander is a first-generation college graduate of Ursinus College (PA) where he earned a BA in Media & Communications while being an all-conference football player. After his first year as a college admission counselor (Albright College), he served as the Assistant Director For Middle School Enrollment at Moravian Academy (PA), allowing him to gain additional knowledge on high-level high school curriculum and communities. After 6 years working at Lafayette College, he has been able to work with Army ROTC recruitment and POSSE selection, and has covered territories all over the globe, domestically spanning from Long Island, NY to Southern California, where he now serves as Assistant Director Of West Coast Admissions.

Play-by-Play:

2:39 – Welcome and introductions
7:12 – Where does consistent engagement show up in an application?
10:09 – How do institutional priorities impact admission?
19:19 – What does consistent engagement say about the student to an admission reader?
25:50 – How can students brainstorm and prioritize which activities to show on the application?
36:30 – What is the balance of quality over quantity when it comes to activities?
45:05 – FAQs about consistent engagement
45:28 – What if I decide to change activities midway through high school?
52:23 – What if I had to stop my activity?
53:49 – What if I transferred schools and didn’t have time to engage consistently?
57:49 – What are some tips for counselors and educators in this process?
1:07:06 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

College Essay Guy's BEABIES Exercise (Public)
College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

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In Episode 3 of our series on Admission Nutrients, Ethan is joined by Deanna Dixon, the Dean of Admission at Smith College, to dive into leadership and initiative. In their conversation, they get into:

What are a few of the qualities Smith College looks for?
How does their supplemental essay point to their institutional priorities and what they’re looking for in an applicant?
Why are leadership and initiative important from Smith’s perspective?
What does she think about ChatGPT?
When it comes to equity and leveling the playing field, how does she believe the profession is doing?
Advice for students and families going through this process
And more!

Deanna Dixon has worked in college admission since 2006 and currently serves as Dean of Admission at Smith College. As a graduate of a women’s college, she has maintained a deep commitment to women's education and college attainment for marginalized students in general. A parent of a college senior, Deanna appreciates the dedication of college counselors and the shared partnership of matching students to the best school for them. Deanna has a bachelor’s degree from Smith College and a master’s degree in business administration from The Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis.

We hope you enjoy our conversation.

Play-by-Play:

2:09 – Welcome and introductions
2:37 – What are some roles that Deanna plays as Dean of Admission at Smith?
4:59 – What does life look like behind the scenes at Smith?
8:10 – What is yield and why is it important to colleges?
10:01 – What are some of the “positive character attributes” that Smith is looking for?
14:05 – Where do these attributes show up in an application?
17:07 – How does Smith’s supplemental essay point to their institutional priorities?
22:54 – Why are leadership and initiative important from Smith’s perspective?
24:30 – What are some interesting or unconventional examples of students taking initiative or leadership at the high school level?
27:46 – Where does leadership show up on campus at Smith?
31:06 – How have personal statement topics shifted over the years?
36:39 – What’s one of Deanna’s favorite essays she has read?
38:50 – What does Deanna think about ChatGPT?
44:13 – When it comes to equity and leveling the playing field, how does Deanna believe the profession is doing?
49:09 – Advice for students and families going through this process
51:45 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

Tony Jack’s Class Dismissed
3 Step Guide to Choosing a College That's Right for You
College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

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In Episode 2 of our series on Admission Nutrients, Ethan is joined by Raissa Diamante, the Director of Admission at Harvey Mudd College, to do a deep dive into collaboration — why is it important to colleges and where does it show up in the application process? Ethan and Raissa get into, among other things:

What does the admission review process look like at Harvey Mudd?
Why is collaboration particularly important (spoiler: it’s one of the main things they look for)?
Tips for the supplemental essay (side note: it’s a prompt they’ve kept some version of over the past 15 years) via a brief analysis of a real essay from a past student
What does Raissa think about students using Chat-GPT / generative AI for their essays?
What do students miss or get wrong about the college admission process?
Can students write about race in their college application essays?
And more!

Raissa Diamante is the Executive Director of Admission at Harvey Mudd College (HMC) in Claremont, CA. She grew up in a mixed immigration status home and is a proud product of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Raissa believes in the power of data in storytelling as a means to operationalizing change. She takes pride in developing and implementing strategies that help make institutions more representative of our society. Prior to HMC, Raissa was the Director of Multicultural Recruitment at Swarthmore College and worked at the Office for Multicultural Affairs at Barnard College. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley and her Master’s degree from Teachers College, Columbia University. In her spare time, she enjoys playing with her child, working on puzzles, and being an introvert.

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play

2:50 – What are some of Raissa’s roles and identities?
9:02 – What goes on behind-the-scenes in Raissa’s office at Harvey Mudd?
16:50 – Why is collaboration important, from Harvey Mudd’s perspective?
21:24 – Where do collaborative qualities show up in the application?
23:18 – What are some qualities of collaboration that students might not think of?
31:28 – Analyzing a past supplemental essay prompt for Harvey Mudd
41:07 – What does Raissa think about students using Chat-GPT / generative AI for their essays?
48:35 – What do students miss or get wrong about the college admission process?
50:56 – What are some ways that Harvey Mudd is approaching access and equity?
54:32 – Can students write about race in their college application essays?
58:31 – Wrap up and closing thoughts

Resources:

CEG Podcast Episode 605 - Navigating College Applications with AI (Part 1): How High School Teachers and Students Use Tools Like ChatGPT
Navigating College Applications with AI | foundry10
College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

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Welcome back to the College Essay Guy Podcast! Today, Ethan kicks off a brand-new series: Admission Nutrients — qualities that not only enhance a well-balanced college application but can also contribute to a more meaningful life.

In Part 1, Ethan introduces these “nutrients,” breaking down what they are, where they show up in the application, and why they matter. In upcoming episodes, Tom and Ethan will be joined by admission officers from different colleges to take a deeper dive into each one.

In this episode, Ethan shares:

What are Admission Nutrients, and what do they reveal about what colleges value?
Where do these nutrients show up in the college application?
How can students realistically develop these qualities in a way that feels authentic rather than forced?
And more

A quick but important note: At College Essay Guy, we don’t believe that every hour of high school should be spent optimizing for “what colleges want.” Get this: These nutrients are not only qualities employers seek but can also help students create more meaning and purpose in their lives — and yes, sure, help improve college acceptance chances along the way.

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play:

2:18 – Intellectual Curiosity
7:12 – Service to Others
9:38 – Leadership or Initiative
14:09 – Collaboration
16:30 – Consistent Engagement
19:58 – How can students explore and develop these qualities?

Resources:

CEG Podcast Episode 503: What Colleges Want (Part 3): "Positive Character Attributes": What Are They, and How Do You Show Them in Your College Application?
CEG Podcast Episode 413: Intellectual Curiosity + College Admissions: What It Is, Why It Matters to Colleges, and How to Show It
How to Use the Common App Additional Information Section: Guide + Examples
CEG Podcast Episode 213: Self-Directed Learning (Why You Can Quit HS & Be Okay)
How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation | College Essay Guy
Roles and Identities Exercise
College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

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Welcome to Part 2 of 2 of this mini-series on AI in college admission! In our last episode, I interviewed Jen Rubin from foundry10 on how students and counselors are using AI in the college admission process. In today’s episode I’ll get into what colleges have to say, and what I would advise as a result. I’ll get into:

My biggest concern with AI… in general (spoiler: it’s much bigger than college applications)
My concerns related to AI use in the college application process
Common App guidelines + What colleges have to say around AI use
What I believe students might miss out on if they use AI to write their essays for them
My advice to students and counselors

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play:

2:12 – What is Ethan’s biggest concern with AI?
3:29 – CommonApp Guidelines
4:09 – What do colleges have to say about AI use in the application process?
7:05 – What does Ethan believe students might miss out on if they use AI to write their essays for them?
12:00 – Can Chat GPT and AI be useful in certain contexts?
13:34 – AI use and environmental impacts
14:26 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

CEG Podcast Episode 605 - Navigating College Applications with AI (Part 1): How High School Teachers and Students Use Tools Like ChatGPT
Blog Version of this episode – Navigating College Applications with AI: What Colleges Say + CEG's Advice to Students and Counselors
CEG’s Thoughts on AI and College Application Essays
Duncan Sabian – Article on AI Safety
AI 2027
CommonApp Affirmation Statement
College Statements on AI Usage
- Princeton University
- CalTech
- Brown University
- University of California (UC) System
- Gonzaga University
- Southern Methodist University (Graduate)
- University of Melbourne (Outside the US)
As Use of A.I. Soars, So Does the Energy and Water It Requires
Jeff Neill’s Tech-Neill-ogy
College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

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In Part 1 of 2 of this mini-series on AI in college admission, Ethan is joined by Jennifer Rubin, Senior Researcher at foundry10 and Principal Investigator of the Digital Technologies and Education Lab. Jen is a first generation college graduate and, like Ethan, she didn't have a ton of support navigating the college application and admission process. When Chat GPT was released, she wondered: How were students actually using these tools for the college essay and application process? And how can we make sure AI becomes a tool for equity, not another advantage for students who already have access?

In this conversation, Ethan and Jen get into:

Some of the most interesting takeaways from her research
Why higher-income students were more likely to use AI in their applications than lower-income students
How educators can increase their students’ AI literacy
How students can use AI without losing their voice
Resources/tools she recommends for students and counselors navigating this new technology
And lots more.

Jennifer Rubin is a Senior Researcher at foundry10 who investigates how technology shapes youth development, learning, and social connections. She earned a B.A. in Psychology from UC Berkeley before completing a dual Ph.D. in Psychology and Gender and Women's Studies at the University of Michigan. Currently, she is the Principal Investigator of the Digital Technologies and Education Lab, where she leads research on how social media, generative AI, and digital learning environments impact youth development. Her work explores how young people navigate digital spaces, strategies for educators to meaningfully integrate emerging technologies, and the essential skills needed to foster critical engagement with social media and AI tools.

Hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play

2:26 – Jen shares her research background and what she’s been working on
4:06 – What have been the most interesting takeaways from Jen’s research?
5:58 – Why were higher-income students more likely to use AI in their applications than lower-income students?
9:16 – What are some practical ways for educators to increase their students’ AI literacy?
13:02 – How can students use AI without losing their voice?
18:47 – What resources or tools does Jen recommend for students and counselors navigating this new technology?
22:52 – Does Jen see ethical gray areas with teacher use of AI?
29:02 – How are colleges approaching AI use in applications?
32:16 – Do AI detectors actually work?
37:16 – How does Jen use AI in her own work and writing?
43:11 – What does Jen see for the future of AI?
44:32 – What advice does Jen have for students?
46:10 – Advice for caregivers?
46:58 – Advice for educators and counselors?
48:50 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

Navigating College Applications with AI | foundry10
CalTech Admissions AI Policy
Princeton Admissions AI Policy
Common Sense Media AI Literacy Initiatives
Digital Promise: AI in Education Resources
Understanding Generative AI: Caregiver, Teacher, and Student Experiences
College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

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Hi friends, and welcome back to the podcast!

Many of you have been following Cassidy, a current high school senior, as she navigates the college application process. We've walked through her brainstorming exercises, her personal statement writing, and her supplemental essays.

And now, at long last, Cassidy has received her college acceptances. Rather than reading the email she sent me, I replied, "Hey, I know you got your acceptances. What if we do a live reveal on the podcast?" So, I genuinely don’t know yet where she's been accepted. Huge shoutout to Cassidy for agreeing to do this live!

In this conversation, we dive into a range of things, including:

The extent to which Cassidy felt she had a successful application process vs. successful outcomes (and the difference)
Which schools she was accepted into
Important factors in making her final college decision, focusing on what my team calls the "6 Fs" of college fit: focus, fellowship, finances, future, family, and feeling
What she did well, and what she’d do differently

I also guide Cassidy through a fun, quick exercise—one you (or your student) can also try—that can be completed in one day, one hour, or even one minute.

Cassidy is a current high school student going through the college application process. She lives in the Bay Area, loves ballet, identifies as a “yapper,” and knows a lot about Biology.

Hope you enjoy it.

Play-by-Play

2:11 – Welcome and check-in
3:31 – To what extent does Cassidy feel like she had a successful application process?
4:48 – Cassidy shares her college decision results!
8:13 – To what extent does Cassidy feel she had successful outcomes?
9:02 – Ethan introduces the six F’s of college fit for Cassidy’s top choice schools
- 10:43 – Focus
- 12:12 – Fellowship
- 13:32 – Financial
- 14:52 – Future
- 16:53 – Family
- 17:41 – Feeling
20:36 – Cassidy reflects on what stands out at each school she is considering
23:40 – How to choose which college to attend in one day, one hour, or one minute
29:39 – Reflecting on this process, is there anything Cassidy wishes she had done differently?
31:10 – Wrap up and closing thoughts

Resources:

How to choose which college to attend: Key factors to consider
College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

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Welcome back to the podcast! Ethan is joined today by Angel Pérez, CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). Angel has just written a new book on leadership called The Hottest Seat on Campus. It’s written for leaders on college campuses, but the advice he gives is applicable to leaders everywhere, whether you are a college counselor leading in your office, a parent leading in your home, or even a student leading in your school or community. In their conversation, Angel and Ethan discuss:

How does Angel define leadership?
Why is detachment so important (and how do we do it)?
What’s the number one thing Angel believes will lead leaders to success in the future?
What is deep work and why do we love it so much?
Lots more.

The advice is practical, given the challenges facing higher education, we believe it’s timely… and we hope you find it useful.

If you haven’t met Angel Pérez, he is CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). In this role, he represents more than 25,000 admission and counseling professionals worldwide committed to postsecondary access and success. Named by a Forbes article in 2019 as the most influential voice in college admissions, he strives to build an educational ecosystem that better represents today’s society. Prior to joining NACAC in July of 2020, Dr. Pérez served in secondary and higher education leadership positions across America, most recently, as Vice President for Enrollment and Student Success at Trinity College in Connecticut. He is an advocate for counselors everywhere, an important ally in the work of increasing access to higher education, and I’m so glad to call him my friend.

Play-by-Play

2:03 – Welcome and check-in
3:56 – Angel shares what his book is about, why he wrote it, and who it’s for
5:50 – Why is it important to talk about leadership right now?
9:04 – Superpower #1: The Power of Solitude
15:23 – Superpower #2: The Art of Detachment
24:00 – Superpower #3: Inspiration through Inclusivity
36:45 – Superpower #4: Mastering Self-Management
42:31 – Superpower #5: The Power of Showing Up
50:24 – Superpower #6: The Power of Focus
54:55 – Superpower #7: Shift Your Mindset
1:04:26 – Getting comfortable saying “I don’t know”
1:12:57 – Which superpowers do Angel and Ethan want to work on over the next year?
1:20:07 – Closing thoughts and sharing goals

Resources

6 ‘Superpowers’ Every Leader Needs | The Chronicle of Higher Education
The Hottest Seat on Campus by Angel Pérez
The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership: A New Paradigm for Sustainable Success by Diana Chapman, Jim Dethmer, and Kaley Klemp
Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout by Cal Newport
Maker Time vs. Manager Time
College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

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To kick off Season 6, Ethan shares some practical resources based on a new framework he's been exploring. If you’re a regular listener, you’ll already be familiar with something we call the Roles and Identities List, which is a huge menu of roles (things like “catalyst” and “change-maker” and “party-bringer”) — Ethan has used it as a get-to-know-you exercise with a number of previous guests.

In case you missed it, check out Part 1 of this mini-series where Ethan walked through some practical exercises for students and parents based on the Roles and Identities framework.

But what about counselors? We who spend our days (and often nights) answering emails, phone calls, texting and generally caretaking in 100 different ways… Today’s episode is the second of two where Ethan will share some exercises that counselors can use to recognize patterns they may fall into at times and how they might practice more self-care and show up more fully for their students. Ethan explores:

How can counselors make sure we fill our own cups (and not just our coffee cups)?
How can we make sure we’re even more spacious and resourced… so that we’re able to give back from a full cup, and with a full heart?
And more.

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play

0:08 - What is the Roles & Identities Framework?
5:34 - Exercise #1 : The Roles & Identities List
11:39 - Exercise #2: The “shadow” version
21:30 - Exercise #3: The “foil” to your role
23:20 - Closing thoughts

Resources:

The Roles and Identities Exercise
College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

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Today’s episode is the first of two where Ethan will dive into a few short, practical exercises for students and parents that can help them figure out things like how they’d like to focus their time as they go through this process. He gets into, among other things:

The philosophy behind the Roles and Identities framework
Some hands-on exercises that students can do — whether in 9th, 10th, or 11th grade — that can help them, for example, plan summer/EC activities, or even map out their college application.
A simple but powerful exercise for parents thinking about who they want to be in this process—since let’s be honest it isn’t the students who are learning about themselves here.

Stay tuned for Part 2 where Ethan will share some exercises that counselors can use to recognize patterns they may fall into at times and how they might practice more self-care and show up more fully for their students.

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play

3:36 - What is the Roles & Identities Framework?
6:57 - Exercise #1 (for both students and parents): The Roles & Identities List
8:59 - Exercise #2 (for students): Using the Roles & Identities list to plan your summer or extracurricular activities
11:30 - Using The Values list to expand on your roles and identities
13:23 - Which parts of you will you show in your college application?
18:21 - Exercise #3 (for parents): Who do you want to be in this process?
27:50 - Closing thoughts

Resources

The Roles and Identities Exercise
The Values Exercise
100+ Summer and Extracurricular Ideas — Based on Your Roles and Identities
100+ Summer and Extracurricular Ideas — Based on Your Values
College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

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In today’s episode, Ethan is joined by Akil Bello to talk about standardized tests, rankings, and the cost of college. They dig into some common misconceptions about college including:

Are most colleges returning to requiring standardized testing scores?
Is it too hard to get into college?
Are highly-ranked colleges better?
Is it true that most colleges now cost more than $100,000 per year to attend?
And more!

Akil Bello is an educator, strategist, researcher, policy consultant, and advocate for equitable access to education. For more than 30 years, he’s worked every job you can imagine related to admission testing and college access from tutor, to test prep company founder to CEO and now works as the Senior Director of Advocacy at Fair Test. When he is not moonlighting reading college applications for a public university, he serves on several advisory boards, writes articles for Forbes, and helps his wife parent their college freshman and HS junior.

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play:

1:56 - Akil shares a bit about his background and identities
3:57 - What is Fair Test and what does Akil do as Senior Director of Advocacy?
6:03 - Myth #1: Most colleges are returning to requiring standardized testing scores.
11:25 - Myth #2: Universities are returning to standardized tests because they help attract students of color?
13:40 - Myth #3: Standardized test scores are a reliable predictor of GPA in college.
16:18 - Myth #4: It is harder than ever to get into college.
19:25 - Myth #5: The higher the ranking, the better the school.
27:59 - What are some good questions that students can ask themselves when developing a college list?
29:52 - Myth #6: College is expensive.
33:59 - Myth #7: A particular essay, extracurricular, or passion project gets students into college.
37:34 - What are some good questions that students can ask themselves when considering whether or not to submit a test score?
43:26 - What are some good questions that students can ask themselves if they are considering writing about race in their college essay or application?
46:44 - Akil shares advice to parents and students who are navigating this process
51:28 - Wrap up and closing thoughts

Resources:

College Essay Guy’s Roles and Identities Exercise
CEG Resources Post-SCOTUS Decision
College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

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In our most recent series on storytelling and identity, Ethan sat down with his screenwriter friends to do a deep dive into the creative process, the power of storytelling, and how identity plays a role in both. In this bonus episode, the tables are turned as Ethan is interviewed by CEG Essay Coach, Ali Pineo. In their conversation, Ethan and Ali get into:

Ethan’s background and how his identity has evolved over the years
The roles Ethan identifies with most: connector, harmonizer, and seeker
How Ethan measures success in his personal and professional life
His journey from aspiring screenwriter to teacher and writer
Brainstorming Ethan’s own personal statement as if he were writing it today
And more

Ali Pineo is a writing coach and college admissions essay specialist with a BA in English from Stanford University and MFA from UC Irvine. She is passionate about building her students’ confidence in the writing process and developing them into strong self-advocates for their individual learning needs. She has spent thousands of hours coaching admissions essay writing and tutoring AP English and US History,. and the highlights of her career center around her mentorship of bright students with learning differences. In addition to teaching, she is an arts entrepreneur, former professional ballet dancer, and mama to a busy toddler.

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play:

1:41 - Introductions
2:48 - Ethan shares the roles he identifies with most
10:36 - What does Ethan’s identity of “Connector” mean to him?
14:34 - How does Ethan distinguish between the “Connector” and “Harmonizer” roles?
20:16 - Do any roles conflict with other identities?
25:13 - How does Ethan balance his many roles?
28:37 - How does Ethan measure success in his personal and professional life?
33:20 - In what ways have Ethan’s career aspirations changed over the years?
37:00 - How does Ethan define his role as a “Culture-Tender?”
43:55 - What has Ethan been writing about lately?
47:18 - Ali shares her a bit about her background, roles, and identities
52:33 - How do Ethan’s outward identities overlap with his inner world?
56:48 - Brainstorming Ethan’s own personal statement as if he were writing it today
1:11:37 - Closing thoughts and wrap-up

Resources:

College Essay Guy’s Roles and Identities Exercise
Listen: Five Simple Tools to Meet Your Everyday Parenting Challenges
College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

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In this three-part series, Ethan sits down with his screenwriter friends to do a deep dive into the creative process, the power of storytelling, and how identity plays a role in both. In Episode 3, Ethan is joined by screenwriter Ryan Maldonado, known for his work on AMC’s Parish, Hulu’s Death and Other Details, Amazon’s Hunters, Chicago PD, FBI, and Grey’s Anatomy.

Ryan and Ethan talk about, among other things:

Ryan’s origin story, how he identifies, and how he became a storyteller
What Ryan’s writing process is like and what it’s like working on a TV show
How Ryan shows up in characters that may seem very different from who he is
What he feels Hollywood is doing well in terms of representing diverse voices, and where there’s still work to be done
Advice to students going through the personal statement writing process
And more.

Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Ryan Maldonado is a writer and producer who currently serves as Executive Producer and Co-Showrunner of AMC’s crime series Parish, starring Giancarlo Esposito. His previous credits include Hulu’s upcoming Death and Other Details (starring Mandy Patinkin) and Amazon’s Hunters (starring Al Pacino). Before moving to Los Angeles to complete his MFA at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, Ryan worked as a reporter for The Detroit Free Press, St. Petersburg Times and Variety. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter.

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play:

2:00 - Ryan’s origin story and what it was like growing up in Miami in the '80s
11:18 - When did Ryan start writing?
15:10 - How has Ryan’s interest in writing shifted over the years?
19:47 - Where does “Ryan” show up in his writing and storytelling?
26:12 - How might personal experiences influence writing, especially in TV dramas?
33:00 - What is Ryan’s writing process like?
38:50 - What is it like working on a TV show?
44:56 - What lessons from film school still apply to Ryan’s work today?
54:33 - How has representation in Hollywood improved? What still needs work?
59:23 - What are some roles Ryan identifies with and how have these manifested in his life?
1:08:56 - What advice would you give to students working on their personal statements for college?
1:18:49 - Wrap up and closing thoughts

Resources:

College Essay Guy’s Roles and Identities Exercise
College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

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In this three-part series, Ethan sits down with his screenwriter friends to do a deep dive into the creative process, the power of storytelling, and how identity plays a role in both. In Episode 2, Ethan is joined by screenwriter Whit Anderson, known for her work on Daredevil, The Twilight Zone, and Ozark.

Whit and Ethan talk about, among other things:

How a life-changing illness inspired one of her screenplays
The cultural role that storytellers and screenwriters play
Whit’s approach to writing, including the use of visuals and detailed outlines
The challenges of working in a male-dominated industry
And more

Content warning: In our conversation we talk briefly about suicidal ideation — both in the context of a movie Whit is working on but also in the context of the illness she experienced.

Whit Anderson has written both original and adapted content for HBO, Showtime, NBC, Warner Brothers, Paramount, Stars, Netflix, and Sky UK. She’s also worked on such shows as Daredevil, The Twilight Zone, and Ozark, as well as on screenplays for her original film Players, and the Netflix hit, Damsel. Most recently for Netflix she wrote a feature script for the epic space opera Empress and she’s currently in development with Paramount Studios, George Clooney’s company Smokehouse, Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap, and Jude Law’s Riff Raff, among others.

And, like Ethan, Whit studied Theater at Northwestern University.

We hope you enjoy.

Play-by-Play:

1:47 - When did Whit realize she was a storyteller?
3:48 - How has her storytelling shifted over the years?
5:56 - How has Whit’s identity and experiences influenced her writing?
11:30 - Where does “Whit” show up in her stories?
17:47 - How does Whit decide what to write about next?
22:00 - What is Whit’s writing process like?
23:14 - How does music influence Whit’s writing?
28:15 - What does a typical week look like when working on a project?
31:30 - How does Whit work through writer’s block or moments of feeling uninspired?
35:12 - What is something Whit wants to share about screenwriting?
47:58 - What has Whit learned about being a writer since starting?
56:00 - What change would Whit like to see in Hollywood?
1:05:01 - If Whit could do college again, what might she do differently?
1:09:23 - What upcoming projects is Whit excited to work on?
1:11:14 - Wrap up and closing thoughts

Resources:

The Little Porch and a Dog
College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

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In this new three-part series, Ethan sits down with his screenwriter friends to do a deep dive into the creative process, the power of storytelling, and how identity plays a role in both. In Episode 1, Ethan is joined by screenwriter Dave Callaham, known best for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Wonder Woman 1984 and many others.

Dave and Ethan discuss, among other things:

When Dave knew he was a storyteller
The “armor” that Dave wears (how he presents physically vs. who he is)
What the process of writing Shang-Chi was like, especially when much of the source material included outdated stereotypes and problematic portrayals.
Dave’s advice to writers on finding their voice
And more

Fun fact: You can find the video version of this podcast on the College Essay Guy YouTube channel by clicking here. This is a longer episode format we’re experimenting with, so feel free to use the chapters on the video to skip around, and let us know what you think in the YouTube comments.

Rather than give you the typical bio, Ethan and Dave kick things off with an improv game where Dave shares what he loves and knows a lot about — an activity that is great for brainstorming ideas for the personal statement!

We hope you enjoy.

Play-by-Play:

2:02 - Dave plays “I love, I know” – a brainstorming exercise
3:45 - What was Dave like in high school?
7:46 - When did Dave start writing?
11:08 - When did Dave realize he was a storyteller?
12:12 - What did Dave study in college?
13:11 - What was it like writing Shang-Chi?
16:57 - Where does “Dave” show up in Shang-Chi?
28:39 - What is Dave’s writing process like when working on a movie?
32:42 - How is writing for animation different from live-action?
35:14 - How does writing change through the movie process?
39:01 - How does Dave decide what to write about next?
51:59 - How important is structure when it comes to screenwriting?
58:30 - The “armor” that Dave wears (how he presents physically vs. who he is)
1:09:33 - What did Dave learn about fight scenes when writing Shang-Chi?
1:16:58 - Dave’s advice to writers on finding their voice
1:24:09 - What did Dave write about in his college essay?
1:29:07 - How much time does Dave dedicate to brainstorming in his writing process?
1:32:30 - If Dave could do college again, what might he do differently?
1:39:20 - Why is representation so important on screen?
1:44:06 - What is something Dave wants to share about screenwriting?
1:48:50 - What advice would you give to young people who are considering writing for a living?
1:50:32 - Rapid-fire questions

Resources:

YouTube video version of this episode
I love, I know – a brainstorming exercise
College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

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Today’s episode is part four of our series Inside the Application. Ethan is joined by Cassidy, a current high school senior who is working on her college applications for the Fall 2025 term. Cassidy’s application deadlines are coming up, so Ethan and Cassidy check out what she has so far through a process called the “Almost Done” review. They discuss about, among other things:

Where do things stand & how’s Cassidy feeling about the application?
What values come through in each piece of Cassidy’s writing?
Where do Ethan (and Cassidy) see opportunities for revision to bring more of herself into the application?
And more

Stay tuned, as we’ll continue to check in with Cassidy to find out how her process went and what she ended up hearing back from colleges.

Cassidy is a current high school student going through the college application process. She lives in the Bay Area, loves ballet, knows a lot about Biology, and identifies as a “yapper.”

We hope you enjoy.

Play-by-play: * 2:05 - How’s the writing process going for Cassidy? * 2:50 - How much time has Cassidy been putting into her application lately? * 4:50 - Does Cassidy consider herself a writer? * 5:45 - What is an “Almost Done” review? * 6:39 - What is a Values Scan? * 8:55 - Reviewing Cassidy’s most recent draft of the personal statement * 23:20 - Cassidy shares some of her activities list descriptions * 34:35 - Highlights from Cassidy’s additional information section * 38:25 - Cassidy’s draft of her “excitement for learning” essay * 48:08 - Cassidy’s draft of her “roommate” essay * 53:20 - Cassidy’s draft of her “community” essay * 1:03:08 - Cassidy shares her short answer responses (50 words each) * 1:12:55 - Ethan shares closing advice for Cassidy as she prepares to submit * 1:14:20 - Final thoughts

Resources * Part 1 of this series, Inside the Application * Part 2 of this series, Inside the Application * Part 3 of this series, Inside the Application * Cassidy’s Supplemental Essay Doc * The Roles and Identities Exercise * How to Write the Stanford Roommate Essay + Examples * A How-To Guide for the Short Answer Questions for Highly-Selective Colleges * How to Choose a College: A Step-By-Step Guide * CEG's College Application Resource Hub * A List of Activities You May Not Have Considered Including—But That Count! * What do colleges look for in students?

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Today’s episode is part three of our series, Inside the Application. Ethan is joined by Cassidy, a current high school senior who is working on her college applications for the Fall 2025 term. This episode is a deep dive into the supplemental essays — specific essays that many selective colleges and universities require. In particular, Cassidy and Ethan get into:

How to write the “What would you bring to our campus” essay
How to write an essay that focuses on “intellectual vitality”
How to write the “roommate” essay
Tips on the short answer questions (50 words or less)
And more

Finally, we close the episode out with a special guest appearance from Renee Ferrerio to review Cassidy’s college list. Renee has been working in college admission for three decades. She has a Masters in school counseling, has worked as both a public and independent school counselor, and serves on numerous college advisory boards and committees, including the Common Application Outreach Advisory Board, and many others.

Stay tuned for future episodes where Ethan and Cassidy continue the conversation. We’ll continue to check in with Cassidy to see how things are going, and you’ll find out how it turned out a few months from now.

Cassidy is a current high school student going through the college application process. She lives in the Bay Area, loves ballet, knows a lot about Biology, and identifies as a “yapper”—more on that in our conversation.

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-play

1:55 - How’s Cassidy doing on her supplemental essays so far?
4:00 - Ethan reads Cassidy’s “what would you bring to our campus” essay draft
8:48 - Ethan’s feedback on the essay
15:38 - Additional supplemental essay prompts + Ethan’s impressions
19:28 - Using the Roles and Identities Exercise to brainstorm ideas
24:48 - Ethan reads & reviews Cassidy’s draft of her “community” essay
35:41 - Ethan reads and reviews Cassidy’s draft of her “roommate” essay
44:42 - Reviewing Cassiday’s “short answer” prompts (and why they’re like an advent calendar)
53:45 - Introducing Renee Ferrerio (CEG college counselor with 25+ years experience)
59:28 - Discussing impacted majors, Colleges That Change Lives, and suggestions for Cassidy’s college list

Resources

Part 1 of this series, Inside the Application
Part 2 of this series, Inside the Application
Cassidy’s Supplemental Essay Doc
The Roles and Identities Exercise
How to Write the Stanford Roommate Essay + Examples
A How-To Guide for the Short Answer Questions for Highly-Selective Colleges
How to Choose a College: A Step-By-Step Guide

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Today’s episode is part two of our series, Inside the Application. Ethan is joined by Cassidy, a current high school senior who is working on her college applications for the Fall 2025 term. Ethan and Cassidy will be walking step-by-step through the college application process as it unfolds this school year. In episode 2, they get into:

How is Cassidy’s personal statement coming along?
What does Cassidy want colleges to know about her?
How is Cassidy approaching her supplemental essays?
What is Cassidy looking for in a college and how did she develop her list?
And more

Stay tuned for future episodes where Ethan and Cassidy continue the conversation! This series is a bit different in that, normally, we share episodes-in-a-series consecutively. For these, we’re releasing them pretty much as we record them, so you’ll notice them interspersed among other topics we’ll be covering. We’ll continue to check in with Cassidy to see how things are going, and you’ll find out how it turned out a few months from now.

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-play

1:36 - What has Cassidy been working on since last episode?
3:28 - Cassidy reads draft two of her personal statement
7:51 - Cassidy shares her thoughts on her draft
9:18 - Ethan gives feedback and shares suggestions for the next draft
12:57 - Ethan reviews Cassidy’s "Everything I Want Colleges to Know About Me" list
21:38 - Ethan reviews Cassidy’s CommonApp Activities List and Additional Info sections
26:09 - What is Cassidy looking for in a college and how did she develop her list?
25:00 - Ethan reads the supplemental prompts from Cassidy’s college list tracker
35:56 - What is a “super topic" and how might it help Cassidy?
50:50 - What is the Roles and Identities exercise?
58:55 - What are Cassidy’s next steps in her drafting process?

Resources

Part 1 of this series, Inside the Application
Cassidy’s brainstorming and second draft
The "Everything I Want Colleges to Know About Me" List: A Brainstorm Exercise
8 First Choices: An Expert's Strategies for Getting into College by Joyce Slayton Mitchell
How to Combine Your College Essay Prompts (To Save 20+ Writing Hours)
College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
Learn How to Write Great Supplemental College Essays
College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub
College Essay Guy’s Roles and Identities Exercise
Funko Pops

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Today’s episode kicks off a new series, Inside the Application. Ethan is joined by Cassidy, a current high school senior who is working on her college applications for the Fall 2025 term. Ethan and Cassidy will be walking step-by-step through the college application process as it unfolds this school year. In episode 1, they get into:

How did Cassidy approach brainstorming and outlining for her personal statement?
What brainstorming activities helped Cassidy pick her topic?
Cassidy’s first draft of her personal statement
Ethan’s suggestions for revision
And more

This series will also be different in that, normally, we share episodes-in-a-series consecutively. For these, we’re releasing them pretty much as we record them, so you’ll notice them interspersed among other topics we’ll be covering.

Stay tuned for future episodes where Ethan and Cassidy continue the conversation! They’ll revisit her personal statement, talk about supplemental essays, go over how Cassidy developed her college list, and even talk a little bit about the activities list and the additional information section. We’ll continue to check in with Cassidy to see how things are going, and you’ll find out how it turned out a few months from now.

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-play: * 2:57 - Getting to know Cassidy through her brainstorming materials + 3:27 - Cassidy’s social identities + 4:29 - Cassidy’s values + 7:05 - Cassidy’s superpower + 8:12 - Cassidy’s islands of personality * 8:40 - What were some of the topics Cassidy considered for her essay? * 13:51 - Cassidy walks through her essay outline and examples * 16:01 - How did outlining make things easier for Cassidy? * 18:48 - Cassidy reads the first draft of her personal statement * 22:42 - Cassidy shares her thoughts on her draft * 26:04 - Ethan gives feedback * 39:18 - Ethan shares suggestions for the next draft * 41:52 - Closing thoughts

Resources * Cassidy’s brainstorming and first draft * College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources * College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub * Funko Pops

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Welcome to the final episode to our special three-part series on mental health disclosures in college applications. In Episode 3, Ethan’s guest is Emi Nietfeld, author of Acceptance (Penguin Press '22), a critically-acclaimed memoir of her high school journey through foster care, homelessness, and the troubled teen industry to attend college at Harvard. In this frank conversation, Emi opens up about, among other things:

How the notion of disclosing (or not disclosing) may actually be somewhat problematic
The difference between writing about challenges in general… and writing about them for the purposes of the college application
The role she believes high school counselors can play in supporting students with mental health challenges during the college application process
Takeaways for college admissions officers evaluating applications that include mental health disclosures
And more

Play-by-Play

2:14 - Emi shares her background and story
3:50 - What advice would Emi give to students about whether or not to disclose?
9:20 - What did Emi write about in her book, Acceptance?
11:55 - What was the college application process like for Emi?
14:24 - How did Emi’s college essay change from the first to final draft?
19:49 - Where else in the application are there opportunities to disclose?
23:38 - What did the rest of Emi’s application look like?
30:00 - How has writing helped Emi process her experiences?
33:17 - How can high school counselors help their students navigate this process?
36:11 - What advice would Emi give to college admission readers?
42:29 - How has Emi’s life been different since writing Acceptance?
46:40 - What are Emi’s hopes for the future of mental health disclosures in college applications?

Resources

Emi’s book, Acceptance
Blog post linked to this episode: Should I Discuss Mental Health in My Personal Statement or College Application? (And If So, How)?
Part 1 of this series – Episode 512: The Counselor Perspective
Part 2 of this series – Episode 513: The Admission Officer Perspective
How to Use the Common App Additional Information Section: Guide + Examples
How to Brainstorm 7 Different Personal Statement Ideas
Episode 406: Why You Don’t Have to Write about Trauma in Your College Essay to Stand Out—and What You Can Do Instead

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Welcome to the next episode to our special three-part series on mental health disclosures in college applications. In Episode 2, Ethan is joined by Christina Lopez, Dean of Enrollment Management at Barnard College. They cover, among other things:

Why is this topic important—both generally, but also personally, for Christina?
What advice would Christina give to students about whether or not to disclose?
What does Christina look for in a personal statement?
How can college counselors and parents help their students navigate this process?
And more

Christina Lopez has served in college admissions for 18 years. She attended New York University Tisch School of the Arts and majored in Drama and later received her M.Ed. from NYU Steinhardt in Higher Education Administration. After graduating she worked in television and film casting and realized she enjoyed working with students. Her first admissions job was at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in NYC. During her time at NYU, she read for the Stern School of Business and managed the admissions process for Tisch School of the Arts. She joined Barnard’s admissions team in 2014 as the Associate Director for Multicultural Recruitment and now serves as the Dean of Enrollment Management, providing oversight to the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid.

During her career in higher education, Christina has served as an Executive Board Member for New York State Association of College Admissions Counseling (NYSACAC) and Co-Chair of the Association of Black Admissions and Financial Aid Officers of the Ivy League and Sister Schools (ABAFAOILSS). As an advocate for access and equity within higher education, she has previously served on the board of Go To College NYC and Minds Matter, two Community-Based Organizations in NYC that serve under-resourced students as they navigate the college process.

We hope you enjoy the conversation.

Play-by-Play:

2:29 - Why is this topic important—both generally, but also personally, for Christina?
4:05 - Christina shares her background
15:27 - What advice would Christina give to students about whether or not to disclose?
20:36 - What are some different options for where students can disclose if they choose to?
23:33 - What information might not be as helpful to disclose?
26:00 - What does Christina look for in a personal statement?
33:45 - Christina shares some memorable college essays
38:22 - How can college counselors help their students navigate this process?
40:38 - What should students and families keep in mind during the college admission process?
50:31 - Closing thoughts

Resources:

Blog post linked to this episode: Should I Discuss Mental Health in My Personal Statement or College Application? (And If So, How)?
Part 1 of this series: Episode 512, Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Counselor Perspective
Your College Bound Kid Podcast: Christina Lopez on “Mental Health”’
How to Brainstorm 7 Different Personal Statement Ideas
Episode 406: Why You Don’t Have to Write about Trauma in Your College Essay to Stand Out—and What You Can Do Instead

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Welcome to our special three-part series on mental health disclosures in college applications. To kick things off, Ethan interviews Chris Loo, Director of College Counseling at The Stony Brook School, where Chris has been working to help students navigate mental health disclosures in their applications for years. In this episode, they explore:

Which student populations does Chris see struggle with mental health challenges?
When to disclose mental health issues and when it might not be necessary
How and where in their applications students can disclose, from their additional info section to the counselor recommendation letter to the personal statement
Advice for counselors and an exploration of the question: "Are we discussing this too much?"

This episode is informed by conversations with many admission officers over the years and by direct work with students. If you’d like to hear from an admission officer directly, check out episode two in this series with Christina Lopez, Dean of Enrollment Management at Barnard College, and episode three with Emi Nietfeld, who discusses what it was like to navigate mental health disclosures from the student perspective.

Chris Loo immigrated from South Korea at the age of 5 with her parents. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in American History and received her Masters in Clinical Social Work. She has also worked as a music teacher, a campus chaplain and a mental health counselor at a refugee resettlement organization. She also serves as a board director for the National Association of College Admission Counselors (NACAC).

We hope you enjoy the conversation.

Play-by-Play

2:24 - Chris’ background in mental health and college counseling
6:11 - Should students disclose mental health challenges in their college application?
10:20 - What questions can students ask themselves to help decide?
15:08 - What is the Additional Information section and how could it be used to disclose mental health challenges?
17:20 - Chris and Ethan review an example disclosure from the Additional Information section
24:06 - What information could be shared through the counselor letter of recommendation?
24:42 - Chris shares a sample counselor letter example
34:33 - Ethan reads a personal statement sample where a student chose to disclose
47:15 - What is the role of the counselor in this process for students?
54:44 - Are we talking about mental health too much?
57:27 - Closing thoughts for students and families

Resources

Blog post inspired by this episode: Should I Discuss Mental Health in My Personal Statement or College Application? (And If So, How)?
How to Use the Common App Additional Information Section: Guide + Examples
CEG Podcast Episode 507: What Colleges Want (Part 7A): Recommendation Letter Crash Course for Students and Families
CEG Podcast Episode 508: What Colleges Want (Part 7B): Recommendation Letter Crash Courses for Counselors and Teachers
NYTimes Article: Are We Talking Too Much About Mental Health?

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In today's episode, Ethan connects with Angel Pérez (CEO of the National Association of College Admission Counselors) to discuss identity, his personal journey with self-care, and where he sees the college admission profession heading.

On the episode, you’ll hear Angel and Ethan discuss:

Angel’s brainstorming work for his own imagined college essay (yes, really)
What Angel’s core values have to do with his self-care journey
Strategies and techniques Angel (and Ethan) use for self care
How does Angel see the US college landscape (and/or admissions process) changing in the next 5 years?

Fun fact: You’ll find the YouTube video version of this podcast on the College Essay Guy YouTube channel.

Check out last year’s conversation, CEG Podcast Episode 401: Self-care for counselors, leaders, and professionals in helping roles.

Hope you enjoy this episode.

Play-by-Play

2:43 - Introductions and welcome
4:15 - Values Exercise
9:13 - Social Identities Exercise
11:47 - What life experiences have influenced Angel’s identities?
19:58 - How do Angel’s core values connect to identity?
22:46 - How has self-care for Angel and Ethan evolved since their conversation last year?
27:06 - What are Angel and Ethan still working on for self-care?
33:39 - Accountability, pausing, and intention in self-care
39:24 - How does Angel see the US college landscape (and/or admissions process) changing in the next 5 years?
44:14 - How has the ban on race-conscious admission impacted students?
46:07 - Advice for students
48:20 - Is college still worth the cost?
50:56 - Advice for counselors and admission professionals
53:23 - Closing thoughts

Resources

YouTube video version of this episode (511)
Values Exercise
Social Identities Exercise
Counting Up vs. Counting Down by Duncan Sabien
30-Day Phone Breakup Course (Catherine Price)
Rocket Fuel by Mark C. Winters, Gino Wickman
CEG Podcast Episode 401: Self-care for counselors, leaders, and professionals in helping roles
CEG Podcast Episode 406: Why You Don’t Have to Write about Trauma in Your College Essay to Stand Out—and What You Can Do Instead

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Today’s episode concludes our 9-part “What Colleges Want” series, where we’ve been walking through the results of the report released by the National Association of College Admission Counselors (NACAC) regarding the factors that colleges deem important. Ethan is joined by Jay Rosner (Executive Director of The Princeton Review Foundation) to talk about standardized testing.

In this episode they get into:

What are the origins of the SAT?
What’s changed in the testing landscape in the last year or two?
Does test optional really mean test optional?
How much standardized tests matter for colleges?
How do students figure out their preparation timeline and which test to take?
Why might testing be considered problematic?

As the Executive Director of The Princeton Review Foundation, Jay Rosner has developed programs jointly with such organizations as the NAACP, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, College and Graduate Horizons (serving Native American students) and the Asian Pacific Fund. Jay's career has combined education and law, with an emphasis on student advocacy. He has testified before state legislative committees in California, Texas, Illinois and New Jersey, and as an expert witness in cases involving testing. Before attending law school, Jay was a public high school math teacher. Jay holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania, a JD from Widener University, and is the proud father of two grown daughters.

Hope you enjoy!

Play-by-play

2:16 - How does Jay know so much about standardized tests?
4:23 - What are the origins of the SAT?
6:40 - How has standardized testing changed in recent years?
11:25 - Is test-optional really optional?
13:26 - How much do standardized tests matter in the application review?
14:49 - Who should take standardized tests?
20:24 - Is it better to take the SAT or the ACT?
23:30 - What are the benefits of quality test prep?
27:10 - How can students reach their best score?
33:54 - How do students know if they should submit their scores or not?
38:40 - Advice for counselors working with students in marginalized populations
42:05 - Why do some folks find standardized testing to be problematic?
45:00 - Closing advice for students and counselors

Resources

List of test-optional and test-free schools
CEG's Crash Course to Standardized Testing
Add’l Info Sample on Testing

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On today’s episode, Tom Campbell (CEG’s Community Manager) is joined by Carolyn Starks, a former Pomona and Bates admissions officer and Associate Director of College Counseling at Oakwood School (North Hollywood, CA) at the time of recording, to talk about extracurricular activities and the activities list on college applications.

They get into, among other things:

What are some of the benefits of getting involved in your school community?
How can students explore activities outside of their high schools?
How do admission officers evaluate a student’s activities list?
Frequently asked questions about activities and summer programs
And more!

But first, let’s meet Carolyn:

Carolyn Starks followed her father’s footsteps and attended Rhodes College in Memphis, TN where she studied English and Africana Studies. After graduation, she moved to Portland, ME to work at Bates College where she focused on supporting first-generation-to-college, BIPOC, and/or low-income students through the admissions process. After two years, she landed a job at Pomona College’s Office of Admissions where she joined the Access Team, ran the College’s diversity fly-in programs, and learned to be justice oriented in her approach to educational equity. Though at the time of recording Carolyn was Oakwood School in North Hollywood’s Associate Director of College Counseling, she will soon be moving to serve as Co-Director of College Counseling at Santa Fe Prep in Santa Fe, NM. In her free time, Carolyn enjoys indulging in local cuisine and watching Bravo with her husband and her dog, Ms. Pecan Pie.

We hope you enjoy the episode.

Play-by-Play

4:48 - What is Carolyn’s background?
6:20 - What activities was Carolyn involved in during high school?
8:36 - What activities did Tom participate in during high school?
10:45 - How can students learn about the opportunities at their school?
16:50 - Why should students get involved within their school community?
23:09 - How can students be involved in extracurriculars outside their school?
29:57 - What should students keep in mind when applying to highly selective schools?
36:13 - Do colleges have preferred activities or summer experiences?
36:41 - Does placement on an activities list matter?
37:37 - How many years should students participate in an activity?
39:05 - How important is having formal leadership roles?
42:18 - What might not be worth putting on your activities list?
46:25 - How many activities is enough?
51:22 - How can students maintain a balance between their home life, academic, and extracurricular activities?
55:47 - Closing thoughts

Resources

Extracurricular Activities: A comprehensive guide with 400+ examples and ideas
How to Write a Successful Common App Activities List
A List of Activities You May Not Have Considered Including—But That Count!
80+ Real Examples for Writing Your Extracurricular Activity List

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Today’s episode is all about writing letters of recommendation for teachers and counselors. Continuing our series on What Colleges Want, Tom Campbell (CEG’s Community Manager) is joined by Hanah Lim (CEG’s Director of Workshops and a former high school English teacher), where they provide their tips, tricks, and hacks to help you write more efficient and effective letters for your students.

Tom and Hanah discuss:

How long should letters be and what format works best?
How do letters differ between counselors and teachers?
What details might be helpful to include, and what should be avoided?
How can teachers and counselors efficiently gather more information about their students to include in the letter?

We hope you enjoy the episode!

In case you missed it: Students and families, be sure to check out last week’s episode with Ayesha King to learn about what goes into a letter of recommendation, how they are evaluated by colleges, and who students should consider asking.

Hanah Lim is the Director of Workshops at College Essay Guy and a former public high school English teacher. She oversees College Essay Guy's essay and application workshop team and organizes speaking events and college application and essay workshops for students at schools and organizations in the US and around the world. She has presented college essay workshops to thousands of students across diverse settings, including community-based organizations, public, international, and independent schools. She also worked as a college consultant for students in Bangkok, Thailand, directed SAT prep centers in Irvine, California and worked with non-profit groups and as an AVID teacher and coordinator to help close the achievement gap. She holds a B.A. in English with an emphasis in Education from California State University of Long Beach. Hanah finds joy in watching musicals, visiting Disney parks with her husband, and playing with her two cats.

Play-by-Play

2:19 - Hanah and Tom share their school contexts for writing their letters of recommendation
5:40 - How much weight do letters of recommendation hold in admission?
10:25 - What is the best practice for the length of a letter of recommendation for college?
10:57 - How should it be formatted?
14:03 - Should a letter be customized for each college?
15:38 - What else is submitted with the student’s application from the high school?
- 16:19 - What is covered in the school profile?
- 19:44 - What is covered in the counselor’s letter?
- 25:25 - What is covered in the teacher's letter?
30:46 - How does the Supreme Court ruling on race-conscious admission affect letters of recommendation?
36:29 - What generally might be not as helpful to include in the letter?
40:38 - Hanah shares her process for writing letters of recommendation
49:18 - Tom shares his process for writing letters of recommendation
59:01 - How to incorporate a student’s essay brainstorming work
1:01:37 - How could generative AI be utilized in the recommendation writing process?
1:07:08 - Closing thoughts

Resources

Continued Learning
- On-Demand Webinar: How to Write Better Recommendations in Less Time
- How (and Why) to Uplevel Your School Profile Post-SCOTUS (College Essay Guy)
- CEG Podcast Episode 507: What Colleges Want (Part 7A): Recommendation Letter Crash Course for Students and Families
Sample Recommendation Letters
- Sample Recommendation Letters by Student Archetype
- How to Write a Letter of Recommendation: Counselor's Guide + Samples (College Essay Guy)
- How to Write a Recommendation Letter for a Student: Teacher's Guide + Samples (College Essay Guy)
Junior Questionnaires/Recommendation Request Form Questions
- Sample Junior Questionnaire (for Counselor Recommendations)
- Hanah Lim’s Teacher Recommendation Request Form
- Helpful Student Brag Sheet Questions for Teacher Letters of Recommendation (Johns Hopkins University)
- Working with Recommenders and Advisors (several brag sheets from Common App Ready)
- College Essay Guy's 100 Brave and Interesting Questions (inspiration for your junior survey/questionnaire)
Equity Resources
- Inequity and College Applications: Assessing Differences and Disparities in Letters of Recommendation from School Counselors with Natural Language Processing | EdWorkingPapers (Brown Unviersity)
- Avoiding Gender Bias in Reference Writing (University of Arizona)
- Do’s and Don’ts of Writing Recommendation Letters | Center for Research and Fellowships (Georgetown University)
- Best Practices for Reading and Writing Letters of Recommendation (Lehigh University)
- Gender Bias Calculator (TomForth.Co.Uk)
- Gender-Bias calculator (Github)
- Bias-Free Letters of Recommendation: MD Education: Feinberg School of Medicine (Northwestern University)
Efficiency Resources
- Google “Save As” Form Publisher (autofills student questionnaire responses from a spreadsheet onto your school letterhead)
- AI Recommendation Writing Resources (2023 NACAC Presentation)
- 2022-23 College Recommendation Requirements (College Transition)

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This week, Tom Campbell (CEG’s Community Manager) is joined by Ayesha King (Director of College Counseling at the International School of Los Angeles) to talk about letters of recommendation. They get into:

What goes into a letter of recommendation?
How are they evaluated by colleges?
Who should students consider asking, and how do they ask?
What can students and families do to ensure that their letters are the best they can be?
What are FERPA rights and why should you waive them?

Ayesha King (she/her) has over twelve years of experience in admissions at the secondary, undergraduate, and postgraduate levels, developing her values of social justice, equity and access. She is currently the Director of College Counseling at the International School of Los Angeles (LILA), a French International school, where she is stretching her skills working with students considering post-secondary options all over the world. She holds her Bachelors degree from the University of Redlands and her Masters degree from California Lutheran University. Ayesha loves spending time with her two boys and two dogs, visiting Disneyland, and talking about pop culture.

This is the next episode in our series on What Colleges Want. Stay tuned for our upcoming episode about writing letters of recommendation for teachers and counselors. Tom will be joined by Hanah Lim (CEG’s Director of Workshops and a former high school English teacher), where they provide their tips, tricks, and hacks to help you write more efficient and effective letters for your students.

Play-by-Play

2:49 - How important are letters of recommendation to admissions officers?
5:55 - Why might it be called a “Letter of Advocacy” instead?
7:19 - When would a letter of recommendation make a big impact on a student’s application?
13:38 - Should students also share this important context if it’s already in their recommendation letter?
15:35 - How can students determine how many letters to request?
19:49 - What is being said in these letters?
26:38 - Which teachers are typically the best to ask for a recommendation letter?
29:51 - Why should students consider asking a teacher from a class they struggled in?
30:47 - What can students do to help their teachers & counselors write the best letter possible?
36:06 - What information should students share with their recommenders?
39:20 - How should students ask for a letter once they have determined who to ask?
44:41 - Do students ever see their letters of recommendation?
48:24 - Closing advice for parents & students

Resources

How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation for College: Step-by-Step Guide for Students
CollegeTransitions Blog Post - College Recommendation Requirements
Podcast Ep. 505 - What Colleges Want (Part 5): A Crash Course in the Supplemental Essays + Application with Ethan Sawyer (College Essay Guy)
How to Write a Successful Common App Activities List
How to Use the Common App Additional Information Section: Guide + Examples
100 Brave + Interesting Questions
Pedro Pascal Cries From His Head While Eating Spicy Wings

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On today’s episode, Ethan is joined by Christine Bowman, Assistant VP for Admission at Southwestern University. In part 6 in our series on What Colleges Want, Ethan and Christine get into:

What is demonstrated interest and how do colleges track it?
How important is demonstrated interest to a student’s chance of getting in?
How might students find out if a particular school considers demonstrated interest in their admission review?
What are some practical ways you can demonstrate your interest to colleges?

Christine Bowman is the Assistant VP for Admission at Southwestern, where she oversees the admission department to set enrollment and retention philosophies. She has a Masters in Higher Ed Administration from UT-Austin, was the Co-Chair for the 2007 NACAC National Conference in and has served two terms as the Chair of the Colleges that Change Lives Board of Directors (see last season’s episode with Ann Marano for more on CTCL’s work). She currently serves on the advisory board of ROCA-NM (Rural Opportunities for College Access) and, with almost 30 years of experience in the admission profession, Christine believes in guiding students to find the right college fit and regularly gives presentations encouraging a stress-free college search process.

We hope you enjoy the conversation!

Play-by-Play

2:15 - What is demonstrated interest?
5:00 - Why might demonstrated interest be important to colleges?
8:22 - What is yield?
11:24 - How can students demonstrate interest for a particular school?
15:17 - What can colleges track?
18:52 - For whom does demonstrated interest matter most?
23:47 - How to “break up” with a college
27:05 - What are some practical tips for students as they reach out to a college?
30:10 - How might an admissions officer use demonstrated interest?
32:58 - What ways can students demonstrate interest without visiting campus?
37:24 - What is the difference between early action, early decision, and regular decision?
40:25 - How important is the college interview?
48:10 - What can parents do to support their students during this process?
53:02 - Closing advice for parents, students, and counselors

Resources

A Behind the Scenes Look at Demonstrated Interest w/Christine Bowman (Southwestern University)
What is Demonstrated Interest? A Practical How-To Guide
Factors in the Admission Decision (NACAC Report)
How to Decide Whether to Apply Early Action (EA) or Early Decision (ED)
College Interview Tips and Strategies - The Ultimate Guide
CEG Podcast Episode 411: Finding Your Why, What a Liberal Arts Education Really Is, and How to Figure out What You Actually Want w/ Ann Marano (CTCL)

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On this week’s episode, Tom Campbell (CEG’s Community Manager) sits down with Ethan Sawyer (College Essay Guy) for Part 5 in our What Colleges Want series to talk about some of the other written parts of the application—the activities list, additional information section, and supplemental essays. Tom and Ethan get into:

How can students write a great Activities List?
How can you find out what colleges are looking for in the supplemental essays?
And what even is the additional information section?
What is a ‘Super Essay’ and how might it be useful?
How does a student know when their application is complete?

Fun fact: You’ll find the YouTube video version of this podcast on the College Essay Guy YouTube channel.

Play-by-Play

1:09 - What are the other writing components of a college application?
5:26 - How can students write a great Activities List?
9:33 - Does the order of the activities matter?
11:41 - Are activities from 9th and 10th grade worth putting in the Activities List?
13:37 - When should students elaborate on Activities in their Additional Info section?
17:05 - What else can go into the Additional Info section?
23:14 - What are some things to avoid putting in the Additional Info section?
24:41 - How should students format the Additional Info section?
26:19 - Why do some colleges have supplemental essays?
27:31 - What are some of the most common supplemental essays prompts?
34:11 - How might institutional priorities impact an individual applicant?
44:14 - What is a ‘Super Essay’ and how is it used?
49:12 - How does a student know when their application is complete?

Resources

How to Write a Successful Common App Activities List
How to Use the Common App Additional Information Section: Guide + Examples
My College List (Research + Essay Topic Tracker)
School-Specific Supplemental Essays
Why This College Essay Guide + Examples
How to Combine Your College Essay Prompts (To Save 20+ Writing Hours)
What the Heck are "Hooks" and "Institutional Priorities"?
The Values Exercise
CEG Podcast Episode 101: Life As an Undocumented Student at Harvard
CEG Podcast Episode 504: What Colleges Want (Part 4): A Crash Course in the Personal Statement with Ethan Sawyer (College Essay Guy)

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On this week’s episode, Tom Campbell (CEG’s Community Manager) sits down with Ethan Sawyer (College Essay Guy) for Part 4 in our What Colleges Want series to talk about the personal statement. According to the latest State of College Admission report – after grades, course rigor, and positive character traits (see previous episodes), the college essay is what colleges care about most. Tom and Ethan get into:

What is the purpose of the personal statement?
How do you find a topic, especially if you’re not writing about challenges?
Why do I recommend students NOT choose a common extracurricular activity as their main college essay topic?
How do you stand out?
And how do you know when you’re done?

Fun fact: You’ll find the YouTube video version of this podcast on the College Essay Guy YouTube channel.

Play-by-Play

1:38 - What is the purpose of the personal statement in the college admission process?
2:53 - How might students use this statement for multiple schools?
3:48 - Should students talk about challenges they’ve faced in a personal statement?
6:47 - Should students talk about their major or career goals?
8:33 - Where is the best place to discuss extracurricular activities?
10:20 - Should students explain red flags in their personal statement?
11:26 - How can students brainstorm potential topics for their personal statement?
17:56 - What is the structure of a personal statement?
21:11 - How can students stand out?
28:57 - Case Study: What does the process look like from brainstorming to final draft?
35:39 - How does a student know when their essay is done?
38:27 - Is there a place for artificial intelligence in the college essay?
41:47 - have personal statements shifted since the Supreme Court ruling on Race-Conscious Admissions?
44:04 - Why does the personal statement process matter?
49:14 - Closing thoughts

Resources

YouTube Video version of this episode (504)
Sample personal statements
7 Brainstorming Exercises (YouTube video)
The “Food” essay (YouTube video analysis)
The Great College Essay Test
Why You Don’t Have to Write about Trauma in Your College Essay to Stand Out—and What You Can Do Instead
Matchlighters Informaiton
CEG Podcast Episode 404: Race-Conscious Admission Was Struck Down—What Does This Mean and What Can Students and College Counselors Do? w/ Jay Rosner
Is It “Okay” to Talk About Race in Your College Application and Essays—And If So, How Should You Do It?

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In today’s two-part episode, we’re delving into one of the potentially more confusing aspects of what colleges want — “positive character attributes” — which 65.8% of colleges give considerable or moderate importance.

In part 1, I’m joined by Tom Bear (VP for Enrollment at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology) and Bob Massa (former chief admissions/enrollment officer at Johns Hopkins University, Dickinson College and Drew University) to discuss:

What are these positive character attributes?
Why are they important to colleges?
How do colleges decide which qualities to seek and how to evaluate for them?
How do students show these qualities in their application?

Part 2 is with Trisha Ross Anderson, from the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Making Caring Common Project, and we get into:

How Making Caring Common helps colleges figure out what they are looking for
How some colleges are working to increase access and equity in admissions
Advice to parents as they navigate this process with their students

Tom Bear has been working in college enrollment since 1987 at a variety of institutions, including as VP for Enrollment at University of Evansville, Senior Director of Enrollment at Notre Dame and now as the VP for Enrollment at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. He joined the Character Collaborative in 2017, served as Board Chair and will chair NACAC’s Character Focus Initiative.

Bob Massa got his Doctorate in Higher Education from Columbia, served as the chief admissions/enrollment officer at Johns Hopkins University, Dickinson College and Drew University and Co- founded the Character Collaborative in 2016. Although he has retired from full-time work after 45 years of campus-based work, he is an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California’s online masters program in enrollment management.

Trisha Ross Anderson has served on research teams at the Harvard Graduate School of Education for the past 13 years. She’s worked with the Making Caring Common (MCC) Project to help write reports including one called Turning the Tide that focuses on reform of the college admission process. She leads MCC’s college admissions initiatives with Richard Weissbourd and currently serves on NACAC’s Character Focus Initiative Advisory Council.

Play-by-Play

0:00 - Meet Tom Bear and Bob Massa (Part 1)
2:12 - What do colleges mean by “positive character attributes”?
3:55 - What are some examples of these “positive character attributes”?
4:58 - Why is it important for students, parents, and counselors to think about these qualities?
7:16 - How do colleges decide what qualities they’re looking for?
12:04 - How do colleges evaluate students for these qualities?
13:09 - Example of a rubric on extraordinary commitment to others
19:10 - Why don’t colleges share their rubrics for what they’re looking for?
21:18 - What can students do to better understand what a particular school is looking for?
24:08 - How do colleges evaluate “character” in an applicant?
29:58 - What is the high school profile and how is it used in a student’s evaluation?
31:20 - Why is it important to think about positive character attributes now?
35:56 - How can students demonstrate these qualities in their college applications?
40:00 - What can parents do to help their students in this process?
42:01 - Meet Trisha Ross Anderson (Part 2)
43:09 - What is the Making Caring Common (MCC) project?
44:37 - How is MCC working with colleges?
46:17 - Why is it difficult to create a rubric for these qualities?
48:16 - How is MCC helping colleges decide on what they are looking for?
52:45 - How is MCC helping colleges to increase equity and access in the college admissions process?
57:33 - Advice for parents on navigating this process with their students
1:01:31 - Closing thoughts

Resources

Making Caring Common
- Character Assessment in College Admission Guide
- Turning the Tide (2016): Inspiring Concern for Others and the Common Good Through College Admissions
- Turning the Tide II (2019): How Parents and High Schools Can Cultivate Ethical Character and Reduce Distress in The College Admissions Process
How (and Why) to Uplevel Your School Profile Post-SCOTUS: A Guide for Counselors that Predominantly Serve First Generation, Low-Income and/or Underrepresented Students of Color
How to Research Colleges Without Visiting a Campus
How to Choose a College: A Step-By-Step Guide
How to Use the Common App Additional Information Section: Guide + Examples

Ideas from Ethan for finding what you care about + finding content for your application:

Values Exercise (2 min)
If you really, really knew me… (1 hr)

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On today’s episode, Tom Campbell (CEG’s Community Manager) and Nitzya Cuevas-Macias (Director of College Programs at Downtown College Prep) cover:

How do students decide which classes to take—and what questions should they ask when deciding?
Key recommendations for selecting English, math, science, social studies, language, and elective courses
The most frequently asked questions we get asked about courses and grades

Nitzya Cuevas-Macias was a first-gen college student at UC Berkeley where she studied History and Legal Studies, and earned her Master’s in Mexican American Studies from San José State. She’s been working in education for 16 years where the majority of her time has been in college access and success, in the CBO, non-profit world, k-12 public and charter, and community college. Currently, she is the Director of College Programs at Downtown College Prep, a free public charter in San José, CA and serves as a board member of the Western Association for College Admission Counseling.

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play:

2:21 - Introductions
6:02 - What are key things to keep in mind when planning your high school experience?
10:21 - Subject area recommendations
- 11:40 - English
- 16:04 - Math
- 21:34 - Science
- 28:02 - Social Studies
- 31:11 - Languages
- 33:06 - Visual/Performing Arts
- 36:17 - Electives
36:39 - Rapid-fire FAQs about grades
- 37:43 How do colleges evaluate my course grades and transcript?
- 38:22 - Is it important to only get Straight-As to have a chance?
- 40:29 - How do colleges evaluate my GPA?
- 42:05 - How can students balance a high GPA with challenging courses?
- 44:28 - Should students increase their rigor every year?
- 45:23 - Is it a good idea to take additional summer or online courses?
- 49:43 - How important is class rank?
- 51:19 - Should I pick Honors, AP, IB, or Dual Enrollment?
- 54:17 - Are AP and IB scores important if my school doesn’t offer AP courses?
- 57:28 - How do I know what classes to take if I don't know what I want to study or where I want to go to college?
59:59 - Wrap up / closing thoughts

Resources:

Coursera
UC Scout
Episode 403: AP, IB, Honors, Oh My!: How Admissions Officers View Your High School Courses, Rigor, and School Context - Susan Tree
Episode 213: Self-Directed Learning (Why You Can Quit HS & Be Okay)
What are AP classes?
IB vs AP
Easiest AP Classes
Hardest AP Classes

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Show Notes

On today's episode, Ethan sits down with David Hawkins, Chief Education and Policy Officer at National Association of College Admission Counselors (aka NACAC), and they get discuss, among other things:

What are the most important factors colleges consider?
What significant changes has he seen in the college admission landscape in the past few years?
How has the emphasis on college essays (aka the personal statement) shifted?
Why has the emphasis in standardized testing changed?
What have the impacts been of the Supreme Court decision to ban race conscious admission?
How can students, counselors, and parents use the info in this report to make their college admission process easier?

For over 20 years, David Hawkins has worked in enrollment management and admissions to alleviate systemic barriers to accessing higher education. Hawkins has played a key role in setting NACAC's strategic direction, which involved hearing and representing the collective voice of NACAC’s more than 25,000 high school counselors and college admission officers. His priorities include making NACAC a more effective learning organization, with an emphasis on ethics and redefining advocacy.

We hope you enjoy the conversation.

Play-by-Play

2:04 - Introductions
3:03 - What is the State of College Admission report?
5:48 - How can students, parents, and counselors use this report?
9:50 - Which factors of admissions decisions are most important to colleges?
13:34 - How are “positive character attributes” assessed?
18:00 - What are some specific qualities that are important to colleges?
20:46 - How do students show these qualities in their applications?
25:33 - How has the importance of the college essay shifted in recent years?
27:13 - Which colleges seem to value the essay more highly?
28:47 - How does a student’s interest in attending a particular school influence admissions decisions?
32:30 - How are counselor & teacher recommendations assessed?
33:58 - What are admissions officers looking for in extracurricular activities?
37:38 - Why is high school class rank dropping in rank of importance?
39:30 - Do colleges still want to see standardized test scores?
42:52 - Quick thoughts on creative portfolios, interviews, work experience, state exam scores, and subject test scores
44:49 - David shares predictions on shifts in equity and inclusion in the future of admissions
48:57 - Closing thoughts

Resources

State of College Admission Report
What is Demonstrated Interest? A Practical How-To Guide
A List of Activities You May Not Have Considered Including—But That Count!
How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation for College: Step-by-Step Guide for Students
How to Write a Letter of Recommendation: Counselor's Guide + Samples
How to Write a Recommendation Letter for a Student: Teacher’s Guide + Samples
Crash Course to Standardized Testing
Podcast Episodes:
- 204: What You Need to Know About Standardized Tests and Mistakes to Avoid
- 411: Finding Your Why, What a Liberal Arts Education Really Is, and How to Figure out What You Actually Want

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On today’s episode, Ethan is joined by Amanda Miller, who got her start in financial aid through the College Advising Corps at Davidson College in 2014. A few thousand students, several resources, and dozens of financial aid presentations later, Amanda’s an independent financial aid specialist and college adviser who also serves as the financial aid go-to lady for the Matchlighters program and someone we consider to be a part of the extended College Essay Guy family.

Ethan and Amanda discuss:

How do people identify the best ways to pay for college?
What are some things that people who win scholarships do differently?
What’s the most important thing a student can do to make college affordable and avoid going into tons of debt?
How can you learn which colleges are likely to be affordable to you?
Myths on topics ranging from financial aid appeals to applying out of state

Play-by-Play

1:45 - Intro
2:49 - How do people pay for college?
4:39 - Where does most of the money come from when it comes to paying for college?
5:28 - What are the three types of scholarships?
7:28 - How do students win scholarships?
10:38 - How does the FAFSA help students pay for college?
15:21 - How do students avoid taking on too much debt?
19:23 - How do students figure out what kinds of colleges will be affordable?
27:30 - What are some of Amanda’s favorite affordability tools for students and parents?
29:43 - Amanda busts some college affordability myths
37:33 - How can families determine if college is truly worth the cost?
41:42 - What is the difference between “cost of attendance” and “net cost”?
44:04 - Why should most people still complete the FAFSA?
47:57 - What is a reasonable amount of debt to graduate with?
50:21 - What steps should students take to figure out their financial plan for college?
51:52 - Closing thoughts

Resources

Financial Aid Advising with Amanda Miller (The Counselor Lady) Meeting Request
Crash Course on How to Pay for College
How to Make College Affordable Mini-Course for U.S. Students and Families
How to Make College Affordable Mini-Course for College Counselors and Educators
College Scorecard – US Department of Education
TuitionFit – Mark Salisbury
CollegeXpress
The College Finder: Choose the School That’s Right for You! Fourth Edition – By Steven R. Antonoff, Ph.D.
Podcast Episodes:
121: Which Schools Are the Most Generous With Financial Aid? (US Version) – Jeff Levy, financial aid expert
122: Which Schools Are the Most Generous With Financial Aid? (International Version) – Jennie Kent, international financial aid expert
411: Finding Your Why, What a Liberal Arts Education Really Is, and How to Figure out What You Actually Want – Ann Marano (Colleges That Change Lives)

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In today’s episode, Tom Campbell (CEG’s Community Manager) and Susan Tree (a college counseling and admissions legend with 40+ years of experience) chat about “intellectual curiosity”: a quality that many colleges actively look for in students, yet is a little more ambiguous and nuanced compared to mapping out a high school course plan.

This is part 2 of a series about students’ academic background and interests and how they factor into the admissions process. Part 1 is about all things related to the academic part of a student’s college application— which, at many selective colleges, is seen as the “foot in the door” of their selection process.

On the episode you’ll hear Susan and Tom discuss:

Identifying an academic superpower and framing it in that way in your college application
How coming across as "too complete" to colleges (as in, you have no bigger questions you'd like to solve) can actually make your application less competitive
How to infuse intellectual curiosity into your supplemental essays
Showing academic and nonacademic alignment for particularly popular majors

Hope you enjoy.

Play-by-Play

1:38 - Reframing your accomplishments as superpowers
7:12 - Identifying your learning style among Architects, Gardeners, and Explorers
10:22 - Why colleges want different types of learners
13:52 - Why communicating what you’re curious about to admissions officers is a good idea
15:07 - Staying in touch with who you are on your application
19:17 - Understanding the pressure to present a complete version of yourself
22:55 - An example of showing intellectual curiosity through supplemental essays
26:44 - The value of curiosity in non-academic spaces
32:52 - How highly-selective colleges evaluate quality vs. quantity in their applicants
38:51 - What is academic alignment vs. non-academic alignment? How does this impact the way colleges read applications?
43:34 - What if your high school doesn’t offer specialized programs to help you explore your intellectual curiosity?
46:49 - Final thoughts

Resources

Episode 403: AP, IB, Honors, Oh My!: How Admissions Officers View Your High School Courses, Rigor, and School Context (with Susan Tree)
How to Choose a College Major (Step-by-step)
How to Write the "Why this Major" College Essay
What the Heck are "Hooks" and "Institutional Priorities"?

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Hey all, today’s episode is a special one. We had one of our rockstar essay coaches, Shira Harris, sit down with two of her former Matchlighter students, Milena Veliz and Sayem Kamal, to discuss their experiences navigating the college application process as First Generation Low Income Students. At the time of the recording, Milena was an incoming sophomore at Macaulay Honors College at John Jay and Sayem was an incoming freshman at Columbia University. They both received full scholarships at their respective schools.

In the episode, we’ll listen to Shira, Milena, and Sayem discuss (among other things):

Milena and Sayem’s backgrounds and how they found out about the Matchlighters program
The process of working with Shira and some of the most helpful resources they used to write their essays
Leveraging scholarships to pay for college
Difficulties Milena and Sayem encountered in the application process and why having a mentor was so helpful
What Milena and Sayem wrote in their personal statements
Tips, hacks, and guidance for students going through the process right now

If you’ve never heard of Matchlighters, it’s our 1-on-1 coaching support program where we pair students from low-income households with volunteer counselors. We’re in our 8th year of the program with over 2,000+ Scholars supported from 45 states and 5 continents — with our scholars attending more than 150 colleges and universities.

Shira Harris, whom you’ll meet in a moment, is an alternative educator, mediator, former civil rights attorney and queer activist who received a BA from UC Berkeley, law degree from New York University, and an international masters on migration and mediation in the Mediterranean region.

We hope you enjoy the conversation.

Play-by-Play

2:20 - Milena & Sayem share their backgrounds
5:13 - How they found Matchlighters and what their sessions were like
9:41 - What resources did they find helpful in the college essay writing process?
12:36 - How did Milena & Sayem start to build their college lists?
15:35 - What was difficult or unexpected about this process?
19:45 - What tips do Sayem & Milena have for students going through this process right now?
23:20 - How did they overcome concerns about college affordability as low-income students?
26:35 -What scholarship resources did Milena & Sayem find in their search?
29:29 - How are Milena & Sayem connecting with their college campuses?
33:03 - What parts of the application process have stuck with Milena & Sayem?
36:55 - What advice would Sayem & Milena give to their former selves?
38:45 - Resources for First-Gen, Low-Income students
41:11 - Wrap-up / closing thoughts

Resources

Matchlighters
The Values Exercise
Corsava Card Sort
CollegeXpress
QuestBridge
Why Us Guides
Super Essays
Macaulay Honors
Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be by Frank Bruni
Reddit - r/applying to college
Reddit - r/questbridge
CollegeBoard
CEG Discord
First Gen Support Discord
UStrive (mentorship program for FGLI students)

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On Season 1 of the podcast, Ethan had a great conversation with Maria Furtado, then Executive Director of the Colleges That Change Lives organization (also known as “CTCL”). It’s a lovely chat and to date one of our most downloaded episodes.

On today’s episode Ethan had the pleasure of sitting down with her successor, Ann Marano, and they get into:

Where to start when it comes to the college search
How to myth bust yourself (a practical exercise)
What questions to ask when you’re searching for a college
Some things Ann and Ann and Ethan wished they had done differently when they went through the process themselves
Busting some affordability myths
What it means to keep a student at the center of the college search

If you’ve never met Ann, you should know that she is a proud first-generation college graduate of Mount St. Mary’s University (CA) who earned her M.A. in Education-Psychology from Pepperdine. She’s served on several counselor advisory boards, including the Common Application Board of Directors and the Johns Hopkins University Access Advisory Board. After 20 years in college admissions counseling at several different universities and high schools and 12 years as the college bound advisor at the first all girls’ public school in the state of Texas, Ann Marano moved into the role of Executive Director for the Colleges That Change Lives.

We hope you enjoy the conversation.

Play-by-Play

1:57 - What is CTCL and what is Ann’s role as Executive Director?
3:58 - What’s it like to be a student at a liberal arts college?
8:09 - What kind of student is right for a liberal arts college?
10:01 - What’s a good place to start in the college search process?
14:49 - How to combat myths about colleges
19:04 - What are some questions that are important for students and families to be asking themselves as they go through this process?
- 25:52 - An exercise for picturing yourself on a college campus
29:45 - What would Ann and Ethan have done differently in college?
32:04 - How does a student get a sense of a school if they're not able to visit the campus?
34:15 - College affordability at private schools
39:17 - What are some tips for parents about keeping students at the center of the search?
43:56 - Another example of what it’s like to be a student at a liberal arts college
48:27 - An exercise students can do to begin this process of finding a great college
52:55 - Final thoughts / wrap-up

Resources

CTCL.org
CTCL How To Choose A College Brochure
The Values Exercise
How to Choose a College: A Step-By-Step Guide
How to Research Colleges Without Visiting a Campus
Paying for College in Four Steps: The Five College Types
U.S. Department of Education College Affordability and Transparency Center
College Cost Transparency Initiative
The Common Data Set: What It Is and How to Use It in College Admissions

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On today’s episode, Tom Campbell (CEG’s Community Manager) hosts the first installment of a new series called Regional Spotlights, which will bring on college counseling experts who have deep history or knowledge of the exciting college options from (and cultural nuances of) a particular geographic region.

We’re kicking off this series with Colleges in The South. Our Southern specialist and special guest today is CEG’s very own Renee Ferrerio.

Renee began her career more than 30 years ago, first as a public-school counselor and more recently as the Director of College Counseling at The O’Neal School. She is Co-Chair for North Carolina’s State and Area Initiatives Committee and might be considered by some as a counselor-fly in connoisseur, having participated in dozens of visit programs at various colleges and universities across the country.

On the episode you’ll hear Tom and Renee discuss:

The myths and realities of going to college in The South
Admissions trends at Southern flagship public universities
How to make studying in The South more affordable, including special scholarship opportunities
Hidden gems and unique, specialized programs that you may not have heard of before

Our hope is that, for students and families, spotlighting some of these “little things” about studying in the South will help you see that there may even be bigger things in store for you there than you originally anticipated… beyond BBQ.

Play-by-Play

0:24 - Welcome & Introductions
2:57 - Why are we doing regional spotlights?
3:56 - Why should geography be a factor in a student’s list-making process?
7:26 - What are some cultural realities students should keep in mind as they're putting together a college list with Southern schools?
15:57 - What are some misconceptions about Greek Life?
24:03 - What should students applying to public flagships know?
31:06 - College affordability in the South
39:50 - Studying STEM in the South
47:51 - Rapid-fire Southern Spotlights
- 48:34 - Schools in Florida
- 55:02 - Schools in Georgia
- 59:16 - Schools in South Carolina
- 1:02:45 - Schools in North Carolina
- 1:08:31 - Schools in Tennessee
- 1:10:39 - Schools in Texas
- 1:12:01 - Schools in Virginia
1:16:26 - Wrap Up & Closing Thoughts

Resources

Academic Common Market
Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO)
Regent’s Engineering Pathway (REP) at Georgia Tech
The NC State Engineering 2+2 Transfer Program
UNC Asheville 2+2 Engineering Program

Scholarships in the South:

Davidson College John M. Belk Scholarship
Emory University Scholars
Georgia Tech Stamps President's Scholars Program
North Carolina State University Park Scholars
University of Alabama Presidential
University of Georgia Foundation Fellowship and Bernard Ramsey Scholarship
University of Kentucky Singletary Scholars
University of North Carolina Charlotte Levine Scholars
University of North Carolina Morehead-Cain
University of Texas at Dallas Eugene McDermott Scholars
University of Virginia Jefferson Scholars
Washington and Lee University Johnson Scholarship
Wofford College Scholars

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My guest is Katie Andersen, a former NCAA Division 1 Women’s Soccer player at Duke University, who now advises student-athletes through her organization, College Fit OC. She’s also the co-founder of The Student-Athlete Advisors, which focuses on educating and mentoring educational consultants who advise college-bound student-athletes.

Our conversation turned into a veritable crash course in college athletic recruiting. We get into, among other things:

How a student can know if they can realistically play their sport at the college level
When students should start their athletic recruiting process
Can a college coach actually help a student get accepted to a university?
How college-list building is different for student athletes
Recent rule changes families should be aware of
Tips for social media
Tips for recruiting videos
And lots more!

Play-by-play

0:00 - Intro / Who is Katie Anderson?
1:37 - Katie shares a little bit about her journey as a student athlete
4:29 - How can a student know if they can realistically play their sport at the college level?
9:00 - When should students start their athletic recruiting process?
12:45 - Should student athletes visit campus?
15:36 - How do students know if a coach is serious about recruiting them?
18:11 - How can students be proactive in their recruiting process?
21:30 - What influence do coaches have on the admissions process?
25:05 - What are coaches looking for in student athletes?
29:51 - How is building a college list different for student athletes?
35:50 - How do early decision applications impact the students' athletic recruiting journey?
39:03 - Are there any recent shifts in athletic recruitment that students should know?
42:18 - How can social media be used to help a student in the recruiting process?
47:04 - What are some tips for creating recruiting videos?
50:32 - What are some of the misconceptions that students and families have about this process?
52:46 - Advice to families who are considering hiring somebody to help them with this process?
54:46 - What resources are available for families throughout this process?
54:43 - Wrap-Up

Resources * Blog for Student Athlete Advisors (Katie’s organization) * College Athletic Recruiting Playbook * NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete * How to Choose a College: A Step-By-Step Guide * Podcast 121: Which Schools Are the Most Generous With Financial Aid? (US Version) - Jeff Levy, financial aid expert * Podcast 122: Which Schools Are the Most Generous With Financial Aid? (International Version) - Jennie Kent, international financial aid expert * Podcast 123: Should You Apply Early Decision or Regular Decision? (And the Chart That Can Help You Decide) - Jennie Kent and Jeff Levy

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On this episode I had the honor of sitting down with Sam and Shannon Bergeron. Sam is a transgender man who transitioned in high school (in Texas) and who now works in college admissions at his alma mater, Hampshire College. Shannon is Founder of Core College Consulting, where she specializes in using a whole child college counseling™ approach. She’s been a school counselor for more than 20 years, a volunteer with Matchlighters Scholars program, and she’s also Sam’s mom, an ally, and an advocate for trans students.

We discuss a number of critical things trans youth, their counselors and caregivers should know as they navigate the college admission process, including:

The importance of understanding student information systems at your school
How to ensure safety in gendered spaces on campus
The value of offering, or improving trans-specific counseling services
Conversation starters for teachers, counselors, and administrators
How to research colleges
And much more

Play-by-play

0:00 - Introduction - Who are Shannon and Sam?
1:43 - Welcome to the podcast
1:55 - Shannon and Sam share their backstories in advocating for trans youth
4:39 - What was Shannon’s experience of Sam’s transition in high school?
6:42 - Why is it important to talk about and advocate for trans youth?
9:57 - Ethan shares his personal ties to trans youth advocacy
10:45 - What are some of trans students' rights at school?
15:19 - What are Shannon’s strategies for identifying places in the school system that protect trans youth?
17:38 - What are some of the impacts of calling a student by the wrong name?
19:20 - How can parents, caregivers, and counselors better support trans students?
21:55 - How do you find and create safe spaces in high school?
28:00 - What is Shannon’s advice for parents in similar situations?
32:15 - The power of grounding techniques
34:38 - What are some ways of sharing your story in a way that is impactful for others?
37:20 - What should counselors keep in mind?
39:25 - Sharing common terminology surrounding LGBTQIA+ identities
44:04 - What is Sam’s experience and advice in the college search process?
49:26 - ICYMI: CEG Podcast Episode 214 - Resources for LGBTQ+ Students from Campus Pride with Shane Windmeyer
49:53 - Advice and considerations for writing the college essay
56:32 - Closing advice for supporting the trans people in your life

Resources:

Blog Article: 10 Critical Things Trans Youth (and Their Counselors and Caregivers) Should Know in High School and When Applying to College
The Protect Trans Students Resource
50+ LGBTQ Resources for Students and Their Counselors

Grounding techniques resources:

https://dialecticalbehaviortherapy.com/distress-tolerance/grounding/
https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/blog/understanding-different-types-of-grounding
https://www2.winona.edu/resilience/media/grounding-worksheet.pdf
https://www.acesdv.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Grounding-Worksheet.pdf

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On today’s episode I got to sit down with Rick Diaz, the Regional Director of Admission for Southern Methodist University (SMU) and someone I’ve known for more than 15 years. We have a pretty wide ranging discussion that covers:

A behind-the-scenes look at how SMU reads applications and how they shape a class—and what that even means
Then we dive into supplemental essays — in particular the impacts of the Supreme Court’s decision to ban race-conscious admission — and how that decision has led to a large number of selective schools changing or adding new supplemental essay prompts.
We nerd out on Rick’s favorite supplemental essay—the “Why us” essay—talk a little about college majors and then—I think, Rick maybe has a little a-ha moment about when his interest in his own college major began
We play a little game I made up on the chat called “What do students get wrong about…”
And finally we discuss dos and don’ts for making a connection with your regional admission officers including (spoiler alert) why you maybe shouldn’t show up at their house with a box of their favorite cookies… unless you kinda’ want to freak them out a little?

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Play-by-play

0:00 - Welcome to the podcast
01:32 - Who is Rick Diaz?
02:35 - What’s Rick’s role at Southern Methodist University (SMU)?
06:04 - How does SMU read applications?
08:44 - How long does Rick spend on reading an application?
10:42 - What are institutional priorities and how do they shape decisions in a college?
13:05 - What is the relationship between supplemental essays and institutional priorities?
16:29 - What are colleges looking for when their supplemental question is “Why us?”
17:21 - This year’s supplemental prompts at SMU
18:14 - Should you talk about your diversity in your college essays?
21:01 - An exercise in diversity
23:32 - What are colleges thinking about right now surrounding supplemental essays?
25:55 - Rick reacts to supplemental prompts from other schools
26:07 - Rick reacts to a prompt about being different
27:34 - Rick reacts to a prompt about your identity and goals
29:41 - How did Rick figure out his major in college?
32:46 - What is demonstrated interest and how important is it?
38:16 - Why do colleges care who is more likely to enroll?
40:25 - Do’s and Don’t’s of reaching out to your admissions officer
43:01 - What students get wrong about admissions
43:14 - How important are extracurriculars & summer planning?
44:41 - What about the personal statement?
47:03 - Is it true that the personal statement or supplemental essay can impact some students more than others?
49:00 - What about Standardized testing?
51:00 - What Rick loves about this work
52:41 - What should families keep in mind during this process?
57:07 - Wrap-up and additional resources

Resources

The “If You Really, Really Knew Me” Exercise (Template) This practical, comprehensive exercise helps students generate a list of identities, skills, qualities, and skills they can share with colleges. It’s one of our favorites here at CEG—if you use it, just give us a shout-out. :)

The Social Identities Exercise (Template)This exercise is another favorite and is useful for helping students think about diversity and identity in both broader and more nuanced ways. Includes a guide for counselors, facilitators, and parents.

How to Answer the “Diversity” (and Other Related) Supplemental Essay Prompts (Blog Article)

Colleges and Universities that Changed Their Supplemental Essay Prompts After the SCOTUS Decision Was Released (Blog Article)

Why You Don’t Have to Write about Trauma in Your College Essay to Stand Out—and What You Can Do Instead (Blog Article)

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In this episode I sat down with TED speaker Tina Yong to talk about why students don’t have to write about trauma in a college essay to stand out—and what they can do instead.

We discussed, among other things:

Tina’s experience as an immigrant/racialized person feeling the pressure to turn her personal story into a personal statement with a linear, digestible plot—and how she realized how damaging this could be damaging to students of color
How Tina believes this is more a systemic issue
The recent Supreme Court ruling and how it can be okay to talk about race in the college application, with certain caveats
An example personal statement that mentions race but speaks specifically to qualities of character and unique abilities the author would bring to a college campus
Other ways students can share their identities in ways that allow them to take ownership of their story
Practical exercises students might use to talk about their different identities in their application—identities that include but aren’t limited to race
Supplemental essay prompts that ask specifically about challenges
Specific advice from Tina for students and for counselors

Play-by-Play

0:00 - Intro
3:45 - Who is Tina Yong?
4:04 - Ethan and Tina’s backstory
7:08 - ICYMI: recap of Tina’s TedX Talk about her experience as an immigrant applying to US universities
9:44 - What inspired Tina to speak on trauma in college essays?
11:11 - How and why Ethan changed his workshop approach
12:32 - What response did Tina get after her TED Talk? What was the impact?
14:29 - What has Tina learned since giving her TED Talk?
17:28 - How will applicants of colors be affected by the recent Supreme Court ruling on race-conscious admissions?
19:46 - Is it okay to discuss race in your application?
22:03 - Ethan & Tina read of a sample personal statement that discusses race
25:03 - Tina’s analysis
27:32 - Ethan’s analysis
30:04 - Three ways that students can share their identity in their personal statements—that don’t focus on a traumatic story with a happy ending
34:55 - How to avoid writing a “sob story”
35:45 - How to structure a challenges-based essay
36:34 - What are colleges looking for in a college essay?
38:15 - Practical brainstorming exercises for finding great personal statement topics
43:04 - Navigating supplemental essay prompts
47:31 - This isn’t the “Vulnerability Olympics”
51:36 - Counselor resources & takeaways
53:11 - Student resources & takeaways
55:47 - Book recommendations from Tina on psychology & trauma
57:21 - Closing thoughts

Resources:

Ethan’s edit to the"35+ Best College Essay Tips..."
Should You Write about Race in Your College Application—And, If So, How? (Blog)
How to Answer the “Diversity” (and Other Related) Supplemental Essay Prompt(s) (Blog)
Colleges and Universities that Changed Their Supplemental Essay Prompts After the SCOTUS Decision Was Released
Resource for counselors on How (and Why) to Uplevel Your School Profile (coming soon)
Why You Don’t Have to Write about Trauma in Your College Essay to Stand Out—and What You Can Do Instead (blog)

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Today is a special episode in that it’s bilingual—the first part is in Spanish, the second part in English. My guest is Lorenzo Gamboa (Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Outreach at Santa Clara University) and we’re discussing some of the things he believes Latinx families should know as they prepare for college. Hoy es un episodio especial porque es bilingüe: la primera parte es en español, la segunda parte en inglés.

Dejame terminar la introduccion en ingles y ya regreso en espanol.

On this episode, we discuss a variety of misconceptions that families sometimes have, including:

The notion that students have to major in a high-paying profession/career
The myth that undocumented students can’t go to college
And we discuss whether or not students should discuss race or cultural influence in their application — post the SCOTUS decision to ban affirmative action

If you’d like to listen to the English part, just fast forward to basically halfway through this episode when you hear me speaking English.

I hope you enjoy.

Play-by-play:

[0:00] Introducción / Introduction

Spanish Part

[00:00:08] - Introducción
[00:01:20] - Quien es Lorenzo Gamboa
[00:06:44] - Trabajo de Lorenzo en diversidad e inclusión
[00:07:28] - Desmitificando conceptos erróneos
[00:09:13] - La importancia de universidades públicas
[00:10:37] - Información sobre pruebas estandarizadas
[00:13:11] - La importancia de no enfocarse solo en carreras lucrativas
[00:15:07] - Acceso a universidad para los estudiantes indocumentados
[00:16:56] - Recursos y apoyo para estudiantes indocumentados
[00:17:26] - Preocupación por el dinero y formas de financiar su educación
[00:19:02] - Valorando la inversión en la educación
[00:19:49] - Cambios en la consideración de raza en la admisión
[00:20:17] - Como los consejeros pueden apoyar
[00:22:02] - Mensaje importante para los estudiantes y familias
[00:23:16] - Agradecimiento y cierre del episodio

English Part

[00:23:27] Who is our guest, Lorenzo Gamboa?
[00:26:13] What messages did Lorenzo hear growing up surrounding family and education?
[00:26:59] Pulling back the veil of higher education access in Lorenzo’s role
[00:27:47] What are some of the myths Latinx families have about going to college?
[00:30:27] Money conversation: Should students look at private or public schools?
[00:33:18] Why it’s important to pick a college major based on passion, not just pay.
[00:35:03] Interested in learning more about passion over pay? Check out podcast episode 113
[00:35:44] What are some of the considerations for undocumented students going to college?
[00:38:05] What if you don’t have enough money to pay for college?
[00:40:06] Does the Supreme Court’s ruling mean students shouldn’t talk about race and ethnicity in their application?
[00:45:06] A message to high school and Community-Based Organization (CBO) counselors
[00:45:45] Closing thoughts to families & students

Resources

ImmigrantsRising.org
ScholarshipsAZ.org
CEG Podcast: Life As an Undocumented Student at Harvard
- Should I Come Out As Undocumented in My Personal Statement? (Part 1 of 2)
- How to Come Out As Undocumented in Your Personal Statement (Part 2 of 2)
- CEG Podcast: How to Advocate for Undocumented Students - Dr. Aliza Gilbert, Counselors that Change Lives recipient
- 15 Ways to Advocate for Undocumented Youth

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In this episode we’re talking about the Supreme Court’s recent decision to strike down race-conscious admission and what the implications might be for colleges, students applying to those colleges, and the counselors who advise them. And what better person to talk about it with than Jay Rosner, whose entire career has been devoted to the intersection of law and college admissions. This is the first in a series where we’ll be exploring the impacts of the SCOTUS decision from a variety of perspectives.

Jay Rosner and I get into:

What the affirmative action ruling practically means
How it might impact college admissions, including for underrepresented students
We address some students’ fears about whether or not they should mention their race, or share experiences directly related to their race or culture in their college applications
I ask Jay: “Who is the burden on here—students or the colleges themselves?”
We also talked about how counselors should advise students

For those of you who have never met Jay:

As the Executive Director of The Princeton Review Foundation, he has developed programs jointly with such organizations as the NAACP, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, College and Graduate Horizons (serving Native American students) and the Asian Pacific Fund.
Jay's career has combined education and law, with an emphasis on student advocacy. He has testified before state legislative committees in California, Texas, Illinois and New Jersey, and as an expert witness in cases involving testing.
Before attending law school, Jay was a public high school math teacher. Jay holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania, a JD from Widener University, and is the proud father of two grown daughters.

Play-by-play: * [0:53] Intro * [1:30] Who is Jay Rosner? * [2:25] A brief history of race-conscious admission * [4:52] Why is the Supreme Court decision such a big deal? * [6:22] What does the ruling actually mean? * [7:31] What colleges can and can’t consider after the ruling related to race * [9:49] How might diversity and inclusivity be affected on college campuses? * [13:00] Should students even mention race at all in their applications? * [15:39] Is the burden really on the students or on the colleges? * [17:20] How can students speak to the ways race has impacted their lives? * [18:50] Advice to counselors on guiding students on their college applications * [21:38] Do colleges still want to enroll a diverse population of students? * [23:36] What might colleges learn from the University of California, where race-conscious admission was banned in 1996? * [26:45] Jay’s thoughts about and hopes for the future * [28:28] What are folks not talking about? * [31:03] Final takeaways for students and counselors

Resources: Example of How to Explain (Briefly) Context on Your Testing in the Additional Info Section of Your Common App

AP Physics I

I was the first student at my school to ever pass the AP Physics I exam.
There were two issues during the test: 1) the test began late because the previous test (AP Spanish) ran long and 2) during the AP Physics I exam, the fire alarms went off and continued for about an hour (the second half of the test). Unfortunately, this was the only time the test was offered and I was nonetheless proud of my score.

Highest SAT Score in My Class

Scored a 1910 on old SAT (570 CR, 730 Math, 610 WR), which was the highest overall test score in my grade.

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In today’s episode, Tom Campbell (CEG’s Community Manager) and Susan Tree (a college counseling and admissions legend with 40+ years of experience) chat about all things related to the academic part of a student’s college application— which, at many selective colleges, is seen as the “foot in the door” of their selection process.

This is part 1 of a series we’ll be doing around students’ academic background and interests and how they factor into the admissions process. Part 2 is all about “intellectual curiosity”: a quality that many colleges actively look for in students, yet is a little more ambiguous and nuanced compared to mapping out a high school course plan.

On the episode you’ll hear Susan and Tom discuss:

Why taking five solid academic courses (English, math, social studies, science and language) each year of high school gives students the broadest range of exciting college options
How advanced course rigor (including Advanced Placement/AP and International Baccalaureate/IB courses) is evaluated by colleges
The potential danger of “overspecialization” in an academic subject too early
The value of demonstrating self-directedness in your academic journey— and where do to that in an application
How admissions officers evaluate and contextualize your transcript and high scho0l profile when making admissions decisions1

Why these episodes?

According to the 2018-2019 National Association for College Admission Counseling’s Admission Trend Survey, students’ grades and strength of curriculum are the top two application components that are of “considerable importance” to colleges
During CEG’s Applying to Highly Selective Colleges & Universities Course, the section on academics received the most questions out of all other application components— and elicited the most confusion!
While we aren’t able to give all students and families who come to us for support individualized guidance about their particular high school (though we do offer comprehensive college counseling at CEG!), we wanted this podcast to provide the most comprehensive advice possible around academic choices

Play-by-play

5:33 - So… Why are we talking about planning your HS Academic Journey?
8:28 - What are the benefits of planning your HS experience early?
10:39 - What do colleges expect from students?
11:08 - How do you check a college website for their required HS coursework?
12:48 - How is it different at more competitive universities?
- 13:14 - What if your HS doesn’t offer opportunities for the classes you want to take?
14:44 - What is the value of self-directedness?
15:06 - How do I better understand how my school is viewed by admissions officers?
17:19 - What do admissions officers want to know about the school as it relates to your academic record?
19:24 - Why you should be looking at your transcript and school profile side-by-side
21:32 - Thinking like an admissions reader
- 22:26 - Transcripts vs. report cards
23:38 - How being aware of what colleges have access to can help you be strategic
25:44 - How do you put your academic experience into perspective?
27:18 - What students often don’t realize about their application evaluation
29:50 - How important is it to tell your own story
31:28 - HS Counselor Tip: Your School Profile
32:56 - AP (Advanced Placement) course considerations
35:11 - How will colleges view XYZ courses? Which course is better?
42:24 - Why are some independent schools getting rid of AP (Advanced Placement) course offerings?
44:00 What does Susan think about IB (International Baccalaureate) Curriculum considerations?
47:50 What if my high school doesn’t offer AP or IB course options?
49:58 Key Takeaways from Today’s Episode

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On this episode I chat with Angel Perez to discuss his personal journey with burnout, self-care, and therapy, and I even share some of my own personal journey — and we connect on what it might mean to find more ease, purpose, and joy in our own lives.

This is part 1 of a series I’ll be doing on self-care this year. You’ll notice Angel mentions a morning routine — in part 2 you’ll meet wellness coach Sage Simpson, who will get into the practical specifics of how to create a morning routine for yourself.

On the episode you’ll hear Angel and I discuss:

Angel’s personal experience with burnout
How did he address it in writing an article on self-care in college admissions
Why self-care is especially important for caretakers and professionals in helping roles
Strategies and techniques Angel (and Ethan) use for self care
Ways to address shame, and why therapy has been important for Angel
What to look forward to at NACAC 2023

Why these episodes?

Self-care has become a bigger theme at CEG in the past couple of years, particularly coming out of the pandemic—and in my own life.
Anxiety and depression are at an all-time high in students, while counselors, leaders, and educators are burning out and switching jobs (Chronicle of Higher Ed reported on a study by the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources, or CUPA-HR” noting that 71 percent of coordinators and counselors in the college admissions field have been in their jobs for just three years or less.

Resources:

Blog post Angel wrote: One CEO's Story of Executive Burnout

Play-by-play:

[00:00] Intro
[2:34] Who is Angel Perez? (Spoiler: he’s awesome)
[4:44] What led Angel back towards self-care in recent years?
[8:10] How did Angel’s childhood affect his work life today?
[10:15] What inspired Angel’s article on burnout?
[12:30] What are Ethan’s boundaries and personal habits with work?
[13:30] How do you recognize when you need self-care, or have behaviors that signal it’s time to step back?
[15:36] What is Angel’s morning routine?
[19:00] How to deal with the shame that comes with self-care
[21:39] What have Angel (and Ethan) learned in therapy?
[26:40] Finding balance vs. coming into balance
[28:50] What are some of Angel’s & Ethan’s other self-care and health practices?
[32:45] What helps Angel and Ethan get into flow?
[39:35] What is NACAC and the college admission field doing well, and what could we do better (in regards to self-care, rest, work culture, etc.)?
[43:45] What is NACAC committed to? What should we look forward to at this year’s conference?
[46:35] What are we committed to (in regards to increasing access to self-care in our personal/work lives)?

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If you’re ever wondering, how did Ethan land on those words, “ease, purpose, and joy,” well to be honest — it came from a brainstorming conversation with today's podcast guest, Sage Howard. Sage is a meditation & yoga teacher and wellness coach whom I have known for more than 15 years, and who fully embodies ease, purpose, and joy.

On this episode we talk about, among other things:

Why mornings are so darn important
A little of the science behind our nervous system (including our sympathetic and parasympathetic states get triggered)
A few ways morning rituals can improve our creativity, health, and relationships
Then we get super practical with a bunch of ways to not only create a morning routine but ALSO raise the likelihood that we can make that morning routine stick
Fun fact: Since I recorded this episode with Sage, I’m proud to say I was inspired to start my own morning routine and so far it’s brought so much more slowness, presence — and okay, yes, ease, purpose and joy to my life.

Play-by-play:

[0:29] Who is our guest, Sage?
[0:44] ICYMI - brief recap of Episode 401 with Angel Perez, CEO of the National Association for College Admissions Counseling
[1:41 ] Today’s focus: How can morning rituals improve health, creativity, and relationships? How can you create a morning routine that actually sticks?
[4:15] Sage shares a story of her earliest memories with morning rituals
[6:42] What is Sage’s relationship to mornings?
- [7:21] Morning A: Tuning into the outside world and constant productivity through phones, email, work, news, and podcasts
- [8:22] Morning B: Tuning inward by choosing meditation, journaling, yoga instead of reaching for the phone
[9:30] Why do mornings matter so darn much?
[12:15] The science of morning routines & your nervous system
[15:12] What are some of the ways that morning rituals can help us?
[20:25] Is it bad to reach for your phone first thing in the morning?
[24:18] How do I actually start a morning routine?
[26:08] A list of practical ideas to choose from in your morning and why they work
- [26:29] Water, coffee, or tea
- [27:06] Wake up your body by stretching
- [27:36] The power of breathwork
- [28:11] Singing and dancing!
- [28:33] Incorporating nature
- [29:09] Why and how should you try meditation?
- [30:05] Journaling
- [30:56] Reading
- [31:48] Setting intentions for the day
- [32:20] Joy and laughter
[33:18] What has Ethan tried in his mornings?
[34:49] How do you make the morning ritual a more consistent part of your life?
[44:14] Episode Takeaways

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This episode I'm with with Kati Sweaney, Senior Assistant Dean of Admission at Reed College. It's the first in a series of interviews with current and former college admissions officers where we go behind the scenes to let you know how things work.

In this episode we get into:

The life of an admission officer, including what their travel season is like
Do’s and don’ts for that initial email to an admissions office
What is demonstrated interest?
Why it matters for colleges to predict who attends their school
Some other ways students can demonstrate interest
Additional info sections that made a difference
How fast do admissions officers read the application?
How many essays has Kati read?
Kati’s do’s and don'ts for the application essays

Resources:

College Essay Guy Interview Guide
Guide to Demonstrated Interest
Ira Glass on Storytelling

Play-by-play:

[2:00] How Kati got into admissions

[3:42] What kind of person is drawn to working in admissions?

[5:30] What is travel season for admissions reps?

[10:05] Why do college reps travel to so many high schools?

[13:55] A little bit about college fairs

[16:13] Examples of how students stood out at college fairs

[19:50] Some do’s and don’ts for the initial email to admissions offices

[22:44] What is demonstrated interest?

[26:37] Why it matters for colleges to predict who attends their school

[29:27] Some other ways students can demonstrate interest

[32:00] Additional info sections that made a difference

[34:50] How fast do admissions officers read the application?

[39:17] How many essays has Kati read?

[40:40] Kati’s do’s and don'ts for the application essays

[43:50] Why those tiny details are so important in an essay

[45:25] A few college essays that stood out (after reading 25,000 essays)

[54:16] Kati’s advice for parents

[56:54] What Kati hopes students will keep in mind throughout this process

This episode was initially recorded in the fall of 2019, so you may notice some pre-pandemic language used.

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My guest this time is Tom Campbell — who at the time of this recording was Assistant Dean Of Admissions at Pomona College. Tom was formerly the Assistant Director Of Admissions at College of the Holy Cross, his alma mater, and also serves as a Group Leader, Essay Specialist and Faculty Member at the very awesome College Horizons.

This is another episode in our series that goes behind the scenes of an admissions office to let you know what happens when you click submit on your application—where does it go? Who reads it? What are they thinking? How do they make decisions?

In part one, we cover:

What happens after you hit submit through when you receive your decision?
How did the Test Optional policy impact admission decisions this year—and how are colleges like Pomona able to create a class without standardized tests?
How was application reading different from past years?
Essays: What do you look for in a great personal statement? How much do essays matter? Can they ever hurt your chances?
Demonstrated interest: How does it really work? What does Pomona track? What do other schools track?

Play-by-Play

[2:00] Meet Tom
[3:57] What we’re going to cover
[4:48] What is Tom’s job like right now, in April 2020?
[7:40] What is yield?
[9:00] What happens between students clicking submit to receiving a letter of acceptance (Pomona’s entire process)
[19:20] What is test-optional, and how does Pomona use test scores?
[25:39] How does Pomona put together a class? What are its institutional priorities? (Also more on testing)
[35:15] How were things different this year because of COVID-19?
[43:10] Tom names some common essay topics
[45:44] What does Tom look for in a personal statement? How much do essays matter?
[49:26] Q&A - How does a student's ability to pay tuition affect their chances at Pomona?
[50:35] Case study - in terms of institutional priorities, what did this student do well?
[56:22] How tough is it for full-need international students to be accepted?
[57:40] What does Tom have to say to students who think they must get accepted to a top university or else they’ve failed?
[59:58] How much does major choice matter when applying?

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Tom Campbell is back for another episode in our series that goes behind the scenes of an admissions office to let you know what happens when you click submit on your application—where does it go? Who reads it? What are they thinking? How do they make decisions?

At the time of this recording, Tom Campbell was Assistant Dean Of Admissions at Pomona College. Tom was formerly the Assistant Director Of Admissions at College of the Holy Cross, his alma mater, and also serves as a Group Leader, Essay Specialist and Faculty Member at the very awesome College Horizons.

In part 2, we cover a ton of listener questions that we didn’t get to during the first episode (and some questions folks didn’t ask) and dig deeper on all things admissions at Pomona.

We covered:

What is demonstrated interest?
Does Pomona track demonstrated interest?
Why is it important for colleges to know how likely a student is to enroll (aka college yield)?
Do’s and don’ts for students at a college fair
What can folks learn about Pomona based on their supplemental essay prompts? How does Pomona decide which prompts to use?
Does it matter which Common App personal statement prompt you choose?
Should students stick closely to the prompt for the supplemental essays?
Does it matter which major a student chooses when applying?
What are some “red flags” Tom remembers that got students immediately rejected?

Resources:

Crash Course on Writing Pomona’s Supplemental Essays
What is Demonstrated Interest? A Practical How-To Guide
How to Create a Great College List
How to Write the “Why this College” Essay

Play-by-play:

[4:20] What is demonstrated interest?
[6:30] Does Pomona track demonstrated interest?
[9:20] Why is it important for colleges to know how likely a student is to enroll (aka college yield)?
[11:10] What is “yield”?
[13:50] What student data does Pomona track compared to other highly selective schools?
[15:37] How much do interviews matter at Pomona?
[20:46] Why it’s important to ask questions to admissions officers directly
[22:20] Do’s and don’ts for students at a college fair
[27:10] What can folks learn about Pomona based on their supplemental essay prompts? How does Pomona decide which prompts to use?
[39:00] In Tom’s opinion, what makes a memorable personal statement?
[44:00] Does it matter which Common App personal statement prompt you choose?
[45:45] Do students have a better or worse chance of getting in if they choose the “topic of your choice?” prompt?
[46:40] Should students stick closely to the prompt for the supplemental essays?
[50:20] Does it matter which major a student chooses when applying?
[53:55] Tom reacts to a sample email from a student asking about major choice
[60:45] What are some “red flags” Tom remembers that got students immediately rejected?
[1:03:50] Are there ever situations where a student had amazing grades/test scores/essays, and yet they were rejected?
[1:07:20] Ultimately, how much can students and families control in the admissions process?

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In this episode we cover, among other things:

Ways that students of Color can advocate for themselves while in high school
How to research Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Ways to learn more about fit at colleges that are not minority-serving
Where to find more financial aid after you’ve been accepted
How parents can get involved to advocate for their students in high school and college
How counselors can more fully serve students of Color
& First steps that counselors can take to become focused on racial equity and anti-racism

Resources:

Shifting Narratives Toward Healing: Disrupting Trauma Exploitation in the Admissions Essay Writing Process
https://www.bigjeducationalconsulting.com/resources
https://www.smontgomeryconsulting.com/admissions-news-and-topics/2020/8/3/how-to-estimate-your-familys-financial-aid
http://www.thehundred-seven.org/
https://hbculifestyle.com/
https://uncf.org/scholarships
https://www.blackscholarships.org/p/black-student-organizations.html
https://www.aises.org/
Race and Equity Resources
Graduate Certificate in Anti-Racism in Urban Education
The Institute for Anti-Racist Education
Center for Racial Justice in Education
Reimagining Education: Teaching Learning and Leading for a Racially Just Society Summer Institute
Anti-Racism, Education, Programs, and Resources
Checklist for Combating Racism
https://www.smontgomeryconsulting.com/barrier-breakers-college-edition
https://www.smontgomeryconsulting.com/break-the-cycle
https://www.smontgomeryconsulting.com/blog
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV0seRFpfJU6JKEQWagqOsg/featured?view_as=subscriber
https://www.antiracisted.org/
How to Write a Financial Aid Appeal Letter
“When someone does a favor for you, they actually like you more”
White Privilege and Multicultural Counseling Competence: The Influence of Field of Study, Sex, and Racial/Ethnic Exposure
Common App Activities List

Play-by-play:

[1:00] Who is Sydney Montgomery?
[3:00] Why does Sydney do this work?
[3:45] Tip #1: Own your academic journey
[6:30] #2: Strive to reach higher than just the bare minimum graduation requirements.
[7:48] #3: Make sure that your college application list is tailored to your academic profile.
[10:15] #4: Make sure you and your counselor have a good fit relationship
[13:14] #5: Form allies outside of your counselor or teacher.
[14:04] #6: Prepare a brag sheet for teachers’ letters of recommendation
[15:40] #7: Parents should start to request information about FAFSA and financial aid in the 9th grade.
[17:20] #8: Parents and students need to consider finances when building a college list
[22:15] #9: Students should advocate for themselves in the early stages of the college application process
[23:30] #10: Don’t overlook the importance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities
[27:40] #11: Speak to students in the Black Student Union or other cultural affinity groups when on college visits.
[28:50] #12: Look up a school’s profile on the Common Data Set
[32:25] #13: Apply to scholarships offered by Black Sororities and Fraternities (the “Divine Nine”)
[33:05] #14: Apply to scholarships with Black churches
[33:30] #15: Don’t discount things like church activities and helping out at home or with younger siblings
[35:20] #16: Actively pursue certain specialized programs like magnet programs.
[36:15] #17: Parents can push school districts and boards of education to fund schools on an equitable basis to combat education disparities.
[37:45] How counselors can more fully serve students of Color
[43:30] First steps that counselors can take to become focused on racial equity and anti-racism

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Campus Pride is THE go-to resource for LGBTQ students and their families and my guest on this episode, civil rights champion Shane Windmeyer, is the one to thank for its very existence. On this episode we discuss:

How Shane get involved in this work in the first place
How is the college search process for LGBTQ+ students?
What are some great questions to ask when visiting campuses?
Common mistakes students make in the process
How can LGBTQ students find scholarships?
Should students come out in their essays? If so, how?

Resources:

The Campus Pride Index

The Advocate College Guide for Lgbt Students

Brotherhood: Gay Life for College Fraternities

Inspiration for LGBT students and allies

Out on Fraternity Row

Secret Sisters

The Campus Visit Scorecard

The Campus Pride LGBTQ College Fair Program

The P’s and Q’s to choosing the perfect campus

Campus Pride Trans Policy Clearinghouse

FASFA

CSS Profile

Gamma Mu Foundation

Out on Fraternity Row: Personal Accounts of Being Gay in a College Fraternity: A Collection of Essays Solicited by the Lambda 10 Project

Secret Sisters: Stories of Being Lesbian and Bisexual in a College Sorority

Inspiration for LGBT Students & Their Allies

The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students

Brotherhood: Gay Life in College Fraternities

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This is the second of two episodes on homeschooling and self-directed learning. My guest is writer, speaker, and fellow podcaster Blake Boles, whose work invites students and families to re-evaluate the traditional schooling model--are the typical high school and college experiences really the best ways to spend your time? On this episode we discuss:

Can you (really) quit high school and not totally ruin your life?
Why is this the best time ever for self-directed learning?
How can we all be more self directed learners?
Why you should: Google everything, Email strangers, and Find your nerd clan
The benefits of skipping college (or at least taking a gap year)
How to know if you’re making a decision for you (and not your parents)?

A warning: Listen too closely to this episode and it could mean that this is the very last College Essay Guy podcast episode you listen to… and that could be a very cool thing.

Resources:

Average is Over

A Case Against Education

Off Trail Learning Podcast

The Self Driven Child

Dumbing us Down

The Teenage Liberation Handbook

Unschooled

Penelope Trunk

Excellent Sheep

The Nurture Assumption

The Alliance of Self-Directed Education

Not Back to School Camp

Camp Stomping Ground

Unschooled Adventures

Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life

The Case against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money

Average Is Over: Powering America Beyond the Age of the Great Stagnation

The Nurture Assumption: Why Children Turn Out the Way They Do, Revised and Updated

Unschooled: Raising Curious, Well-Educated Children Outside the Conventional Classroom

The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education

Dumbing Us Down - 25th Anniversary Hardback Edition: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling - 25th Anniversary Edition

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This is the first of two episodes on homeschooling and self-directed learning, something that as the father of a four year-old I am way into. My guest is Becca Orlowski, a teacher and consultant with more than two decades of experience in the independent homeschooling world. On this episode we talk about:

What are some common homeschooling myths?
Is it true, for example, that homeschooling is “too much work” for any parent in their right minds?
Are colleges biased towards homeschoolers… against… neither or both?
What kinds of folks choose to homeschool and can parents homeschool and work?
Different homeschooling styles, how homeschooling academics differ from public schools, and even nitty gritty tips like the practical differences for homeschoolers applying to college and the amount of detail homeschoolers need in their transcripts
As always, lots of resources and recommendations...

Links mentioned in this episode:

Brave Writer
Outschool
Pennsylvania homeschoolers
Bluetent
Thinkwell
CTY
Online G3
Michael Clay Thompson
OpenCourseware
Coursera
Classical Homeschooling
The Well Trained Mind
HSLDA sample docs
HS2COLL homeschool to college yahoo group
S.E.A secular homeschooling
CA College Homeschool Seekers - Facebook group in CA
The Davidson Young Scholars
Teach Your Own - book
Creative Homeschooling - a resource guide for smart families
Dumbing Us Down
The Brave Learner

Teach Your Own: The John Holt Book Of Homeschooling

The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning, and Life

Creative Home Schooling: A Resource Guide for Smart Families

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This is the last episode in a three-part series on paying for college. My guest is Joan Liu, a college counselor who has a giant heart to go with her giant brain. In this episode she draws on her years of experience helping international students who need financial aid in order to attend college in the US. We cover a range of topics that will apply to both students and counselors, including:

How is the application process different for students who need full financial aid?
For counselors, how is working with a full-financial aid students different than other students?
What are common mistakes students (and counselors) make in applying for financial aid?
What do students need to know about getting full financial aid in the US?
How do students figure out which schools meet full need?
What can students and counselors do if a student doesn’t get their need met?
Where do students begin?

Relevant Links:

Find your local Education USA office

Big J Educational Consulting List of ED and RD Acceptance Rates - Jenny Kent

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This is episode two in a three-part series on paying for college. My guest for this episode is Lauren Schandevel, a 4th year Public Policy student at the University of Michigan and creator of the “Being Not-Rich” Guide--more on that shortly. On this episode we discuss:

Where did the inspiration for the “Being Not-Rich” Guide come from?
In what ways are higher ed institutions unsympathetic to the needs of low-income students, and how can this widen the gap between them and their wealthier peers?
What’s in the guide?
What’s been the impact?
How you can access Lauren’s guide and even
Tips for creating your own “Not-Rich” Guide and spread the word

Links from this episode:
Being Not-Rich at UM
The DIY Not-Rich Guide for other schools
Affordability Michigan Facebook Group

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My guest for this first episode is Dr. Sara Goldrick-Rab, Professor of Higher Education Policy & Sociology at Temple University, author of Paying the Price: College Costs, Financial Aid, and the Betrayal of the American Dream. On this episode we discuss:

Why has paying for college become such a problem?
Which students are most impacted by needs insecurity and why don’t students tell their stories of struggle?
How is the current financial aid system broken, and what are some solutions?
How can students avoid getting into debt without getting a degree?
Advice for students currently applying
A really specific way that you, dear listener, can make a difference.

Links:

Paying the Price: College Costs, Financial Aid, and the Betrayal of the American Dream

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On this episode, which is part 3 of 3 in my series on access and equity in the college admissions process, I sit down with their Chief Strategy Officer of Strive for College, Matt Rubinoff, who for years has been advocating for first-generation and low-income students. We discuss, among other things:

What’s so special about being first anyway?
Why first-generation students should take a “What’s in it for me?” approach
Resources for first-generation students and their counselors, including (one of my all-time favorites) the “I’m First! Guide to College,” which highlights resources and opportunities available to first-gen students at hundreds of colleges and universities
Questions first-gen students and parents should ask when researching colleges
The importance of not just getting to college, but getting through it
How first-generation and low-income students can receive not only free mentoring but also free test prep!

Links Mentioned in this episode:

I’mFirst.org
Strive for College

Remember to use the code COLLEGEESSAYGUY when purchasing the "I'm First" Guide for 30% off!

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Hi friends! This is the first time on the podcast that I discuss the “what comes next” of the college admissions process--and who better to do it than Harlan Cohen, author of the NY Times bestseller, The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into In College--a book I’ve had on my bookshelf for many years. On this podcast Harlan offers so much great advice from:

A simple exercise to help set you up for a great freshman year
How to find your people on campus
Whether or not you should break up with your high school sweetheart (what Harlan says might surprise you)
Three great questions to put on your contract with your roommate
On-campus resources that he (and I!) wish we’d known more about when we were in college
Harlan’s “three-box” strategy for packing

Harlan Cohen is a New York Times bestselling author, nationally syndicated advice columnist, and speaker who has visited over 500 high school and college campuses. He is the author of six books including, The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into In College, The Naked Roommate: For Parents Only, and Dad’s Expecting Too! Harlan is a frequent guest on television and radio programs.

He is the founder of Best First Year, an online college readiness and success program for high school and college students. You can find him on social media @HarlanCohen and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HelpMeHarlan and you can watch his TEDx talk at www.HarlanCohen.com/TEDx

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For this episode, which is Part 2 of 3 on my series on access and equity, I interview Marie Bigham of ACCEPT. Marie and I jam on 30 practical ways that you can increase your participation in equity and justice in the world of college admissions and beyond.

Whether you’re a parent, student, counselor, or admissions rep, you’ll find something for you.

Marie Bigham is the founder of ACCEPT: Admissions Community Cultivating Equity and Peace Today, a social media-based action group for the admissions profession, which received the Excellence in Education Award from the National Association for College Admissions Counseling AND was honored by Facebook at the 2017 Facebook Community Summit

With over 20 years in the profession, Marie has served on the Board of Directors for the National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC); as Vice Chair of the Board for Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS); and on the Board of Directors of Texas Association of College Admissions Counseling (TACAC).

Marie is also the Director of College Counseling at Isidore Newman School in New Orleans.

On this episode we discuss:

Why you should maybe consider not using the word “ally”
How to stand up for others, even when -- or especially when -- it’s most uncomfortable
10 specific ways counselors and colleges can help build a more inclusive environment on their campuses
Where anyone can find a treasure trove of resources on racial equity

Hope this inspires!

For more information, and to download a PDF of these resources, head over to https://collegeessayguy.squarespace.com/blog/30-ways-center-justice-equity

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This episode is part one of three on access and equity in the college counseling community. Today we meet Joan Liu, a counselor at a high school in Southeast Asia, who has been working on the front lines of access and equity issues during her career. When over 60 Nepali students suddenly lost their full-tuition scholarships in April of last year, Joan decided to do something about it.

That story--and what happened next--is what we discuss on this podcast. This story was picked up by the Washington Post and the Chronicle of Higher Ed. They are seeking help for these students--we’ll let you know at the end how you can get involved. Enjoy.

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In this episode you’ll hear Adam’s take on:

What’s a “good” score?
How much do SAT scores matter?
Do students even need standardized tests?
When should students take the test?
What’s the difference between the SAT and the ACT?
Do students need the optional essay?
The most important things to know about subject tests
A few words about the PSAT
Important notes for students with learning differences
How students should define success in college admissions testing

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On this podcast we discuss:

Why parents should stop telling their students that there are tons of school and to not worry about where they will go
Why (and how) to limit the amount of time you spend talking about college
When the best time to start talking about college is
The three most stressful parts of college admissions for students--and how to mitigate that stress
What Lisa is most and least proud of as a parent when it came to helping her own kids through the college application process

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On this episode we discuss, among other things:

How common testing anxiety is (you may be surprised)
How anxiety functions in the body
Strategies for changing how you think about anxiety #reframing
Some ways you can understand and adjust self-talk
What cognitive rehearsal is and how it can help
A brief intro to the emotional freedom technique
How regulating your breathing can help

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On this episode we discuss:

Are standardized tests evil?
What are some other standardized test myths that people tend to believe?
To what extent does the SAT or ACT measure what students need to know in college?
Important statistics from “Crossing the Finish Line,” a book that outlines the research around how well standardized test scores predict actual student performance in life and in college.
What is the difference between “test optional” and “test flexible”?
If students don’t submit standardized test scores, does this have an impact on scholarships and financial aid?
Does applying to a college without a test score hurt a student’s chances?
Advice for students with test scores that are “just okay”

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This episode is an interview… on interviews! Monica James--whom you may’ve heard previously on the podcast in the episode on Demonstrated Interest--absolutely crushes it in this interview, offering more practical advice than you’ll find in most weekend workshops on this topic. And it’s no wonder: for years she’s been teaching people (and in particular high school students) how to give great interviews. We cover, among other things:

Why do colleges give interviews?
Can a bad interview actually hurt your application chances?
How do you prepare for the interview?
What’s the one thing that colleges are looking for above all else?
How do you answer the “Why this college” interview question?
How do you answer the Strengths and Weaknesses interview Question?
How do you answer the Tell Me About Your Reading Life or “What books have you read recently” question?
What is the hardest interview question and how do you handle it?
What if you get a “bad” interviewer?
What if you’re asked a question in an interview that you truly don’t know the answer to?
How much does body language matter in an interview?
What should you wear to an interview?
How do I handle a Skype or Phone Interview?
How do I set up an interview?
How should I practice?
What about Scholarship Interviews—are they different?

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Should you apply Early Decision or not? Is there a statistical advantage to applying early or not? When making this decision, it might help to know what the regular decision acceptance rate is for a school and what the Early Decision acceptance rate for a school is and then compare those numbers. That’s the first thing we cover on this episode. After that we discuss:

Why did they choose the metrics they chose (i.e. why do these numbers matter)?
What are some of the dangers of interpreting this data
Who is early decision right for and who is it not right for?

And, of course:

How can you use this chart practically in when applying to college?

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On this episode I talk with Jennie about:

Why she created the chart in the first place
She explains why your student doesn’t have to be incredible in order to get merit aid
How much students’ ability to pay matters in admissions
How to use the chart, including how Jennie walks students through a consultation
Why students might decline to ask for merit-based aid

Links:

The excel sheet of universities sorted by financial aid generosity (international students)
How to sort an excel sheet by column
FAFSA Forecaster
Jennie Kent’s website
A PDF version of the chart with financial aid generosity for international students
Duolingo
Moment: an app for tracking your screen time

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On this episode Jeff and I discuss this rad resource on which schools are most generous with financial aid and after he shares with us his story, we discuss:

Three huge myths that students and parents have about financially planning for college
Why parents should ignore the school’s sticker price
Which schools meet 100% of demonstrated need (and what that means)
A tool for figuring out how much money schools offer
What Jeff believes is the biggest problem with the financial aid process
Why Jeff created this resource in the first place and, most importantly…
How to use this tool (along with a few other resources) to decide where to attend

Links:

Jeffy Levy’s website
The excel sheet of universities sorted by financial aid generosity (domestic students)
How to sort an excel sheet by column
Common Data Set
Podcast Episode 108: Demonstrated Interest: How to Build Authentic Relationships with Colleges (and Why It's a Good Idea)
FAFSA Forecaster
College Board Net Price Calculator
CollegeData.org
We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy by Ta-Nehisi Coates

We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy

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On this episode I interview Anne Wager, who used to work for many years in data and technology but made the transition to counseling and, as she puts it, “out of desperation”, developed a set of cards that she uses with students to help them identify, not just their preferences for what they’re looking for in a college, but what she called “deeper preferences”.

We’ll explore what she means by deeper preferences, explain why they’re important, talk about common mistakes that students make when picking colleges, and how parents can best support their students. All this and more. Enjoy!

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This episode represents part four of four in my epic mini-series with Tutor Ted and in this one I share what steps to take to turn your essay from “just okay” to “great.” Specifically, though, I share:

What I believe the qualities of a great college essay are
An example essay that demonstrates those four qualities
A step-by-step process for bringing more of each of those qualities into your essay
Lots of examples for all the qualities I discuss
Even (get this) a step-by-step process for how to make your reader cry
Finally, some advice to parents and teachers offering essay feedback

FYI: You’ll hear Ted’s voice at the start, not mine, since he was interviewing me for this one. Enjoy.

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This is part three of my four-part series with Ted Dorsey (aka Tutor Ted). On the last two episodes I interviewed Ted, while on this episode (and on the next one), Ted turns the tables on and interviews me. On this episode Ted just wanted to give folks a chance to get to know me better, so we discussed:

How I ended up as the College Essay Guy (Spoiler: that wasn’t the plan)
What applying to college was like for me
How I learned the importance of asking good questions
Why I never tell students to “write in their voice”
How I believe writing your essay can actually change your self-image
What it’s like working with me one-on-one

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I’ve handed the reins over to my guest Ted Dorsey (AKA Tutor Ted), who has scored perfectly on the SAT, ACT, and PSAT, and let him do the podcast, where he’s going to offer up clear steps to improving your ACT score--in less time than it takes to bake a potato. He’ll dish up tips on how to use your calculator during the ACT, the importance of math vocabulary, why you need to be selective in your focus in the science section, and why writing a lot for the writing test can help. Even more tips to come! Stay tuned.

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Ted Dorsey, aka Tutor Ted, scored perfectly on the ACT, SAT, and PSAT. Oh, and on the SAT Subject Tests in Literature and Math Level 2. A graduate of Princeton and UCLA, Ted founded the test prep company Tutor Ted to help students around the world prepare for their college entrance tests.

He and his team have authored five test prep books, including "Tutor Ted’s Guide to the ACT" and "Tutor Ted’s ACT Practice Tests."

In 2017, Tutor Ted launched an online ACT prep course at learn.tutortedcom. Tutor Ted’s mission is to provide high quality, non-boring ACT and SAT prep to every student.

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This is part 2 of 2 of podcast episodes recorded last month in Eastern China. I met with Mark Moody, a friend of mine and a fantastic counselor with a ton of experience and some cool opinions you may not have heard before. During our chat we cover:

His “Quick and Dirty List Builder,” a document he put together to help students and counselors find their best-fit schools in much less time
We talk about Early Decision (also known as ED) and yield and why many schools like it when students apply early… but we also discuss why you might not want to apply early
Why it’s important for students and parents to have a good understanding of what an admissions rate really means
We also talk about this notion of “fit” -- something you’ll hear counselors talk about a lot -- but Mark has a different perspective on it and he believes “fit” may in fact be a myth
We’ll talk about what fit really means (according to Mark’s perspective), how you can use that knowledge when you’re searching for college--and even a gem that can help you settle in once you’re already on campus.

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If you know me, or if you’ve listened to the podcast before you know what a resource junkie I am… the same can be said, I think, for my guest on this episode, Shaun McElroy. Shaun is the publisher of two blogs: www.internationalcounselor.org which focuses on all things college admissions and which, I do believe, is one of the oldest continuously running blog on college admission (started in 2003) and www.strengthsmining.com focuses on applying research and principles of positive psychology into practice.

And if you, dear listener, are a resource junkie like Shaun and I are, then this podcast will be like food to your soul -- -as Boyz 2 Men so beautifully put it in their 1997 hit “A Song for Mama” hashtag I love 90s R&B hashtag Nate Mike Shawn and Wan.

You’ll hear me say at the start of our conversation that Shaun is going to share “eight” free college application tools… but once we finished I went back and counted and there were more like 25.

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In this episode we'll discuss:

Data that proves art degrees are important
The freedom that working a side job gives to self-employed artists
The truth about the myth of the starving artist
How to know if art school is for you
What your ability to take feedback says about you
The difference between visual and performing arts schools, conservatories, and trade schools
What cliches to avoid using in your art school application, and
How parents can best support their child wanting to go to art school

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On this episode we discuss how Urban Confessional started, what Ben has learned about listening over the years, how these lessons have impacted his relationships and even what it was like doing free listening at last year’s Republican and Democratic National Conventions. At the end he offers a great resource called the “Practice Partner Guide,” with some great practical tips for how to listen. It’s wonderful stuff from a wonderful human, as you’ll soon see, and the applications include, then go much beyond the college application process.

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In this podcast, I’ll dive into:

The story behind how I started connecting screenwriting and the college essay in the first place.
Two exercises that I love to use to generate some great content for the essay.
Two structures that I think can work for just about any essay.
Four types of college essays
What I believe the end of an essay should do.
And so much more! Enjoy.

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Ted’s book has been a go-to reference for me (and many other counselors) in our work with students and I loved getting a chance to go behind the scenes and hearing how the sausage is made. We discuss, among other things:

Why did the Fiske Guide happen in the first place?
How does Ted avoid sounding generally positive about all schools?
How the Fiske Guide ratings systems differs from that of US News and World Report
Who actually writes all 882 pages of the Fiske Guide
The best approach for students who have no idea what they want
Some of the biggest mistakes students and parents make when searching for a school
The dangers of narrowing your college choices too early on.
One quality Ted finds essential to having an amazing college experience

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On this episode:

How many schools students should apply to and when is best to start the process
An amazing list of resources for helping students get to know themselves better
Answers: What is the highest-impact hour that someone should spend developing their college list? (answer may surprise you)
What do parents and students miss out on if they only used US News and World Report?
What Steven listens for specifically when helping a student develop a list
What terms Steven uses instead of “reach,” “match” and “back-up” for schools on a list
We play a game where Steven helps me develop a college list on the fly based on a few preferences (something, he points out, he would never do without more information, by the way)… but he plays along and it’s neat to hear the master at work.

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On this episode, my guest Monica James and I discuss, among other things:

What the heck is demonstrated interest in the first place and why is it important to colleges?
What “yield” is and why there’s a multi-million dollar industry of people called “enrollment consultants” who use sophisticated predictive analytics to foresee which students will actually attend a particular school… and why that’s important
How to find out which colleges track demonstrated interest
If you discover that there’s a school you are very interested in… how do you go about demonstrating interest--some practical tips for that
Is it possible to go overboard and demonstrate too much interest?
And we even get into: should you or shouldn’t you like a college’s Facebook page?

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I chat with Parke Muth, former Associate Dean of Admissions at UVA. We cover, among other things:

What Parke has learned reading over 10,000 college essays
We’ll go behind-the-scenes to look at how close decisions are sometimes made by committees at highly-selective universities (and why essays matter even more as a result)
What Parke wrote his college essay about
Parke’s 10% rule for when students should/shouldn’t write about their activities or achievements
What an “authentic voice” is and why, contrary to popular wisdom, we maybe shouldn’t be encouraging students to write in it
Some dos and don’ts for the “Why us” essay, including one thing students should definitely do but most don’t, and
Why Parke believes his job is better than being a king

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In this paradigm-shifting interview with Maria Furtado, the Executive Director of Colleges That Change Lives (aka CTCL), we discuss, among other things:

What is a liberal arts education and why is it important?
Three questions every student should ask when it comes to picking a college
Three ways to reduce anxiety during the college application process: the Car Idea, how to avoid “college creep,” and how the Ice Cream Prize can make a tour better
One great way to increase (not decrease) stress during the college selection process
How to make the most of a college fair experience
Perhaps the single most important thing for parents to consider when it comes to the college application process

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This week, I cover:

6 Ways That Most Workshops Fail in the First Five Minutes (aka 6 Terrible Ways to Start a Workshop)
9 Tips for Leading a Workshop of Any Size
5 Potentially Life-Changing Workshop Moments
Bee tea dubs: These are essentially three of the modules from the Essay Workshop in a Box--there are 29 total, btw, and you can find out more about that in the show notes.
At the end I also say a few words about my Counselor Training Program, which I’m super duper excited about.

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Curious how to make the most of your upcoming summer? There's a lot you can do (and they don't all cost money.) This episode, we cover:

Great questions to ask when it comes to planning a summer
The 2014 National Pre-College Summer Survey, which Jill and her co-author put together based on asking 50 colleges: What summer opportunities matter most on a college application?
She addresses whether or not expensive summer programs are “worth it”?
What students and parents should do but often don’t do when it comes to planning their summer
This really cool Teen Program Evaluator that you can check out that’s basically a scorecard that students and parents can use to determine whether or not a summer program is a good fit

I even ask Jill what I’m really dying to know: Which program is definitely going to get my daughter into Harvard? And she definitely gave me an answer.

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Ever wonder what you should include in an appeal letter? This week, Jodi and I cover:

Who should make the call to a financial aid office: the student or parent?
What to literally say to a financial aid officer when you call them to appeal
Why you maybe shouldn’t start off the conversation by mentioning a financial aid offer from another school
Jodi’s five points to cover in an appeal letter
What tone to take and how long the letter should be
The one thing students and parents should do but don’t

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I chat with Dr. Aliza Gilbert about how to support undocumented students. We chat about:

What terms to use (and not use) when working with undocumented students
What the Dream Act is and why not all students love the term “Dreamers”
What percent of kids born right now are born to undocumented parents
Whether or not students should reveal their undocumented status in their personal statement
How incorrect assumptions can sometimes make a student feel horrible
How to know if a school (or a state, for that matter) is/isn’t supportive of undocumented students
What teachers/mentors/counselors can do to help undocumented youth

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I chat with current Harvard student Daishi Tanaka. We chat about:

What a typical day is like for a Harvard student
What it might mean for him and 700,000+ other undocumented students if the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy is repealed
What Daishi wrote his college essay about and why
What he felt like he really nailed in the college application process
How he stays calm/centered

The College Essay Guy Podcast: A Practical Guide to College Admissions: Recent Episodes

Ethan Sawyer