The College Essay Guy Podcast: A Practical Guide to College Admissions
Practical, up-to-date interviews with experts in college admissions, financial aid, personal statements, test prep and more. Ethan Sawyer (aka College Essay Guy), interviews deans of admission, financial aid experts, and veterans of the admissions field to extract, then distill their advice into practical steps for students and those guiding them through the process. From creating an awesome college list to appealing a financial aid letter, Ethan skips the general advice and gets right to the action items, all in an effort to bring more ease, joy and purpose into the college admissions process.
Episodes
716: Making the Price of College Make Sense with Adam Miller
Welcome back to the podcast! I'm Tillie Gottlieb, a senior college counselor and content specialist here at CEG. This season, we're sitting down with admission officers to hear their real stories. I spent years on that side of the desk myself, and one thing I want listeners to walk away with is this: these aren't gatekeepers deciding your fate. They're people trying to build a class and a communit
715: On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling (Ep 12: The Translator) with Lavon Robinson
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
714: A Live Essay and Application Review with Anna, HS Senior
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 es
713: On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Storytelling (Ep 10: The Stomach Whisperer) with Tillie Gottlieb
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 an
712: Empowering First-Generation Student Success: The Warren High School BUS program with David Cha
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. Ver
711: On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling (Ep 10: The Silent Assassin) with Amber Patterson
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 o
710: On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling (Ep 9: Where I Grew Up) with Hillary Dickman
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 broke
709: On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling (Ep 8: Molding Clay) with Calvin Pickett
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 that is one of my new favorites. It's conceptually rich because even though it's on molding cl
708: On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling (Ep 7: Robes) with Andrew Callery
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 share an essay that begins: "Robes are the textile version of comfort food; they're my chicken noodle soup." And
707: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 5): Making the Decision with Alisha, Class of 2026
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
706: On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling (Ep 6: Raspberry Sky) with Wendy Zheutlin
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 pa
705: On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling (Ep 5: The Stains on My Baseball Pants) with Kaila Barber
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
704: On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling (Ep 4: Tiny Windows into My Being) with Ali McKeon
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 explore an essence objects essay, which is to say an essay that was written about objects in the author's room, ea
703: On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling (Ep 3: The Pilgrim and The CEO) with Jane Longley
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
702: On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling (Ep 2: Much Ado About Nothing) with Dr. Greg Ungar
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,
701: On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling (Ep 1: My Desk & Magic) with Amanda McRaven
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 i
623: Standing Out in STEM: Practical Advice for Future Scientists, Engineers and Techies
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. I
622: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 4): Supplemental Essay Deep Dive with Alisha, HS Senior
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 sessio
621: Financial Aid Tips for International Students (and Their Counselors)—2025 Edition
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
620: Navigating Student Health in College: A Doctor's Guide to Sleep, Stress, and Student Life
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
619: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 3): How Reflection Leads to Insight with Alisha, HS Senior
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 jus
618: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 2): Discovering Values Through Revision with Alisha, HS Senior
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. I
617: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 1): The Sand Essay with Alisha, HS Senior
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 th
616: Authoring Your Life: Why the Personal Statement Is About (Much) More Than Getting into College
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
615: Rethinking "Best" Colleges: Tools, Tips, and Mindset Shifts for a Better College List with Jay McCann and Dr. Steven Antonoff, Co-Authors of The College Finder
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, includ
614: 13 Mistakes High School Students Make When Creating Their College List
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
613: Inside the Application (Part 6): Making the Decision with Cassidy, Class of 2025
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 figu
612: Admission Nutrients (Part 6 of 6: Intellectual Curiosity): Important Ingredients for a Well-Balanced College Admission Process—And Life with Hillary Dickman
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 ta
611: Admission Nutrients (Part 5 of 6: Service to Others / Community Impact): Important Ingredients for a Well-Balanced College Admission Process—And Life with Nathan Faust
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-
610: Admission Nutrients (Part 4 of 6: Consistent Engagement): Important Ingredients for a Well-Balanced College Admission Process—And Life with Dysean Alexander
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 li
609: Admission Nutrients (Part 3 of 6: Leadership): Important Ingredients for a Well-Balanced College Admission Process—And Life
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
608: Admission Nutrients (Part 2 of 6: Collaboration): Important Ingredients for a Well-Balanced College Admission Process—And Life with Raissa Diamante
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 par
607: Admission Nutrients (Part 1 of 6: Intro): Important Ingredients for a Well-Balanced College Admission Process—And Life
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 Eth
606: Navigating College Applications with AI (Part 2): What Colleges Say + My Advice to Students and Counselors
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 colleg
605: Navigating College Applications with AI (Part 1): How High School Teachers and Students Use Tools Like ChatGPT
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
604: Inside the Application (Part 5): How to Decide Which College to Attend with Cassidy, HS Senior
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,
603: Leading Through Chaos: 7 Superpowers for Uncertain Times with Angel Pérez
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 paren
602: Roles and Identities Part 2 (for Counselors and Educators): A Framework for Understanding How Your Roles Shape Your Work
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
601: Roles and Identities Part 1 (for Students and Parents): A Framework for Exploring Who You've Been, Who You Are, and Who You're Becoming
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. Tod
523: Busting College Admission Myths Using Data: Standardized Tests, Rankings, and the Cost of College with Akil Bello
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
522: Storytelling & Identity with Ethan Sawyer (Part 4 Bonus Episode!): On Balancing Identities, Writing as a Journey, and the Mystery of Enoughness
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
521: Storytelling & Identity with Ryan Maldonado (Part 3 of 3): On Code-switching, Photographing Living Rooms, and Growing up Not-Rich in Miami
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, amon
520: Storytelling & Identity w/Whit Anderson (Part 2 of 3): Beating Writer's Block, Writing RomComs and Space Operas, and Female Representation in Hollywood
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 o
519: Storytelling & Identity with Dave Callaham (Part 1 of 3): What it's Like Writing Marvel Movies, Asian-American Representation in Hollywood, and Advice on Finding Your Voice
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 discus
518: Inside the Application (Part 4): How to Know if You're "Almost Done" with Your College Application
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 st
517: Inside the Application (Part 3): Supplemental Essay Deep Dive + Developing the College List w/ Special Guest Renee Ferrerio
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 yo
516: Inside the Application (Part 2): Developing the Personal Statement, Supplemental Essays, and College List with Cassidy, HS Senior
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
515: Inside the Application Part 1: Brainstorming, Outlining, and Drafting with Cassidy, HS Senior
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 p
514: Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Student Perspective
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 ab
513: Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Admission Officer Perspective with Christina Lopez
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
512: Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Counselor Perspective
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 wi
511: Identity, Self-Care, and the Future of College Admission w/ NACAC CEO Angel Pérez
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
510: What Colleges Want (Part 9): A Crash Course in Standardized Testing
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 ge
509: What Colleges Want (Part 8): Extracurricular Activities Deep Dive: How Getting Involved In and Out of School Can Boost Your Application
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
508: What Colleges Want (Part 7B): Recommendation Letter Crash Course for Counselors and Teachers
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 a
507: What Colleges Want (Part 7A): Recommendation Letter Crash Course for Students and Families
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
506: What Colleges Want (Part 6): Demonstrated Interest: What Is it, Why Is it Important, and How Do You Show it? with Dean of Enrollment Christine Bowman
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
505: What Colleges Want (Part 5): A Crash Course in the Supplemental Essays + Application with Ethan Sawyer (College Essay Guy)
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 co
504: What Colleges Want (Part 4): A Crash Course in the Personal Statement with Ethan Sawyer (College Essay Guy)
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 Etha
503: What Colleges Want (Part 3): "Positive Character Attributes": What Are They, and How Do You Show Them in Your College Application?
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, D
502: What Colleges Want (Part 2): A Deep Dive into GPA, Course Selection, and Making the Most of the Academic Opportunities Available to You
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 abo
501: What Colleges Want (Part 1): A Deep Dive into the Factors Colleges Deem Important & State of College Admissions Report
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 es
414: A Crash Course in Paying for College & Common Affordability Myths
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 som
413: Intellectual Curiosity + College Admissions: What It Is, Why It Matters to Colleges, and How to Show It
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 backgroun
412: Applying to College as a First-Generation or Low-Income Student: The Matchlighters Scholars Program Experience
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 a
411: Finding Your Why, What a Liberal Arts Education Really Is, and How to Figure out What You Actually Want
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
410: Regional Spotlights: Attending College in The South w/ Renee Ferrerio
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 specia
409: A Crash Course in College Athletic Recruiting w/ Katie Andersen
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 colleg
408: 10 Critical Things Trans Youth (and Their Counselors and Caregivers) Should Know in High School and When Applying to College w/ Shannon and Sam Bergeron
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,
407: Behind the Scenes of an Admission Office + Supplemental Essay Deep Dive w/ Rick Diaz
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 impa
406: Why You Don't Have to Write about Trauma in Your College Essay to Stand Out—and What You Can Do Instead w/ Tina Yong
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 damagi
405: 7 Cosas Que Las Familias Latinas Deben Saber Sobre Cómo Prepararse Para la Universidad / 7 Things Latinx Families Need to Know About Preparing for College w/ Lorenzo Gamboa
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
404: Race-Conscious Admission Was Struck Down—What Does This Mean and What Can Students and College Counselors Do? w/ Jay Rosner
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 firs
403: AP, IB, Honors, Oh My! How Admissions Officers View Your High School Courses, Rigor, and School Context w/Susan Tree
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
401: NACAC CEO Angel Pérez—Self-care for counselors, leaders, and professionals in helping roles
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 coa
402: How to Create a (Sustainable, Nourishing, Energizing, Intentional) Morning Ritual with Sage Simpson
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 mornin
301: Behind the Scenes of an Admission Counselor's Life w/ Kati Sweany
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 t
302: Part 1: Behind the Scenes of an Admission Office w/ Tom Campbell
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
303: Part 2: Behind the Scenes of an Admission Office w/ Tom Campbell
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
215: 17 Things Students of Color (+ Their Counselors and Parents) Should Know When Applying to College
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 colle
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