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

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 Oct 22, 2024

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What the process of writing Shang-Chi was like, especially when much of the source material included outdated stereotypes and problematic portrayals.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

518: Inside the Application (Part 4): How to Know if You’re “Almost Done” with Your College Application Oct 08, 2024

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

517: Inside the Application (Part 3): Supplemental Essay Deep Dive + Developing the College List w/ Special Guest Renee Ferrerio Sep 18, 2024

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

516: Inside the Application (Part 2): Developing the Personal Statement, Supplemental Essays, and College List with Cassidy, HS Senior Sep 03, 2024

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.

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

1:36 - 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

515: Inside the Application Part 1: Brainstorming, Outlining, and Drafting with Cassidy, HS Senior Aug 20, 2024

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.

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:

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

514: Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Student Perspective Aug 06, 2024

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

513: Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Admission Officer Perspective with Christina Lopez Jul 25, 2024

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

512: Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Counselor Perspective Jul 11, 2024

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?

511: Identity, Self-Care, and the Future of College Admission w/ NACAC CEO Angel Pérez Jun 27, 2024

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.

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 lucky to call him my friend…

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

510: What Colleges Want (Part 9): A Crash Course in Standardized Testing Jun 11, 2024

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

509: What Colleges Want (Part 8): Extracurricular Activities Deep Dive: How Getting Involved In and Out of School Can Boost Your Application May 28, 2024

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

508: What Colleges Want (Part 7B): Recommendation Letter Crash Course for Counselors and Teachers Apr 30, 2024

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)

507: What Colleges Want (Part 7A): Recommendation Letter Crash Course for Students and Families Apr 09, 2024

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

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 Mar 26, 2024

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)

505: What Colleges Want (Part 5): A Crash Course in the Supplemental Essays + Application with Ethan Sawyer (College Essay Guy) Mar 12, 2024

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

504: What Colleges Want (Part 4): A Crash Course in the Personal Statement with Ethan Sawyer (College Essay Guy) Mar 05, 2024

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

503: What Colleges Want (Part 3): "Positive Character Attributes": What Are They, and How Do You Show Them in Your College Application? Feb 13, 2024

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)

502: What Colleges Want (Part 2): A Deep Dive into GPA, Course Selection, and Making the Most of the Academic Opportunities Available to You Jan 24, 2024

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

501: What Colleges Want (Part 1): A Deep Dive into the Factors Colleges Deem Important & State of College Admissions Report Jan 09, 2024

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

414: A Crash Course in Paying for College & Common Affordability Myths Dec 28, 2023

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)

413: Intellectual Curiosity + College Admissions: What It Is, Why It Matters to Colleges, and How to Show It Dec 20, 2023

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

412: Applying to College as a First-Generation or Low-Income Student: The Matchlighters Scholars Program Experience Dec 12, 2023

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)

411: Finding Your Why, What a Liberal Arts Education Really Is, and How to Figure out What You Actually Want Dec 05, 2023

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

410: Regional Spotlights: Attending College in The South w/ Renee Ferrerio Nov 21, 2023

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

Scholarships in the South:

409: A Crash Course in College Athletic Recruiting w/ Katie Andersen Nov 02, 2023

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

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 Oct 11, 2023

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:

Grounding techniques resources:

407: Behind the Scenes of an Admission Office + Supplemental Essay Deep Dive w/ Rick Diaz Sep 29, 2023

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)

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 Sep 15, 2023

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)

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 Sep 07, 2023

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

404: Race-Conscious Admission Was Struck Down—What Does This Mean and What Can Students and College Counselors Do? w/ Jay Rosner Sep 01, 2023

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.

403: AP, IB, Honors, Oh My! How Admissions Officers View Your High School Courses, Rigor, and School Context w/Susan Tree Aug 03, 2023

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

402: How to Create a (Sustainable, Nourishing, Energizing, Intentional) Morning Ritual with Sage Simpson Jul 21, 2023

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

401: NACAC CEO Angel Pérez—Self-care for counselors, leaders, and professionals in helping roles Jul 21, 2023

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)?

303: Part 2: Behind the Scenes of an Admission Office w/ Tom Campbell Jan 19, 2022

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?

302: Part 1: Behind the Scenes of an Admission Office w/ Tom Campbell Jan 19, 2022

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?

301: Behind the Scenes of an Admission Counselor's Life w/ Kati Sweany Jan 19, 2022

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:

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.

215: 17 Things Students of Color (+ Their Counselors and Parents) Should Know When Applying to College Sep 12, 2020

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:

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

214: Resources for LGBTQ+ Students from Campus Pride Oct 07, 2019

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

213: Self-Directed Learning (Why You Can Quit HS & Be Okay) Oct 02, 2019

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

212: Advice for Homeschooling Students Sep 23, 2019

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

211: Financial Aid Tips for International Students (and Their Counselors) Sep 16, 2019

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

210: The Being Not-Rich Guide Sep 06, 2019

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

209: Paying the Price: College Costs, Financial Aid, and the Betrayal of the American Dream Sep 02, 2019

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

208: Resources for First-Generation Students (and Their Counselors) Aug 26, 2019

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:

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

207: 17 Things to Do Before Going to College May 27, 2019

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

206: 30 Ways to Center Equity And Justice Today w/ Marie Bigham Feb 11, 2019

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

205: That One Time a University Revoked More Than 60 Full Scholarships (And What You Can Do About It) Dec 10, 2018

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.

204: What You Need to Know About Standardized Tests and Mistakes to Avoid May 10, 2018

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

203: 10 Ways Parents Can Support Their Students Through The College Application Process May 09, 2018

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

202: 25 Practical Ways to Reduce Testing Anxiety Apr 06, 2018

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

201: Test Optional Admissions 101: What, Why, Where, Who? Apr 04, 2018

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”

124: College Interview Tips and Strategies Dec 28, 2017

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?

123: Should You Apply Early Decision or Regular Decision? (And the Chart That Can Help You Decide) Dec 04, 2017

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?

122: Which Schools Are the Most Generous With Financial Aid? (International Version) Dec 04, 2017

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:

121: Which Schools Are the Most Generous With Financial Aid? (US Version) Dec 04, 2017

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:

120: College List Hacking: Better Fit, Less Time, More Fun Dec 04, 2017

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!

119: How to Improve Your Personal Statement in 20 Minutes Dec 04, 2017

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.

118: Who is the College Essay Guy? Dec 04, 2017

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

117: How to Improve Your ACT Score By 2 Points in 20 Minutes Sep 18, 2017

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.

116: Who is Tutor Ted? (and Resources for Brainstorming a Personal Statement) Jun 27, 2017

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.

115: Quick & Dirty College List Builder & The Myth of Fit Jun 26, 2017

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.

114: Free College Application Tools That Students (and Counselors!) Should Know About Jun 12, 2017

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.

113: Debunking the Myth of the Starving Artist Jun 06, 2017

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

112: How to Listen (And Why) May 25, 2017

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.

111: Using the Secrets of Screenwriting to Write Your College Essay May 21, 2017

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.

110: How to Create a Great College List (Part 2) May 12, 2017

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

109: How to Figure Out Which School is Right for You May 06, 2017

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.

108: Demonstrated Interest: A Brief and Practical How-To Guide May 01, 2017

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?

107: What I've Learned from Reading Over 10,000 College Essays Apr 20, 2017

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

106: Colleges That Change Lives Apr 18, 2017

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

105: How to Lead a Life-Changing Essay Workshop Mar 31, 2017

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.

104: How to Plan a Fulfilling and Productive Summer Mar 31, 2017

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.

103: How to Appeal a Financial Aid Award Letter Mar 29, 2017

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

102: How to Advocate for Undocumented Students Mar 28, 2017

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

101: Life As an Undocumented Student at Harvard Mar 25, 2017

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

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