Podcasts about college essay guy

In Episode 2 of our series on Admission Nutrients, Ethan is joined by Raissa Diamante, the Director  of Admission at Harvey Mudd College, to do a deep dive into collaboration — why is it important to colleges and where does it show up in the application process? Ethan and Raissa get into, among other things: What does the admission review process look like at Harvey Mudd? Why is collaboration particularly important (spoiler: it's one of the main things they look for)? Tips for the supplemental essay (side note: it's a prompt they've kept some version of over the past 15 years) via a brief analysis of a real essay from a past student What does Raissa think about students using Chat-GPT / generative AI for their essays? What do students miss or get wrong about the college admission process? Can students write about race in their college application essays? And more!   Raissa Diamante is the Executive Director of Admission at Harvey Mudd College (HMC) in Claremont, CA. She grew up in a mixed immigration status home and is a proud product of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Raissa believes in the power of data in storytelling as a means to operationalizing change. She takes pride in developing and implementing strategies that help make institutions more representative of our society. Prior to HMC, Raissa was the Director of Multicultural Recruitment at Swarthmore College and worked at the Office for Multicultural Affairs at Barnard College. She earned her Bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley and her Master's degree from Teachers College, Columbia University. In her spare time, she enjoys playing with her child, working on puzzles, and being an introvert.   We hope you enjoy!   Play-by-Play 2:50 – What are some of Raissa's roles and identities?  9:02 – What goes on behind-the-scenes in Raissa's office at Harvey Mudd?  16:50 – Why is collaboration important, from Harvey Mudd's perspective? 21:24 – Where do collaborative qualities show up in the application?  23:18 – What are some qualities of collaboration that students might not think of? 31:28 – Analyzing a past supplemental essay prompt for Harvey Mudd   41:07 – What does Raissa think about students using Chat-GPT / generative AI for their essays? 48:35 – What do students miss or get wrong about the college admission process? 50:56 – What are some ways that Harvey Mudd is approaching access and equity?  54:32 – Can students write about race in their college application essays? 58:31 – Wrap up and closing thoughts     Resources: CEG Podcast Episode 605 - Navigating College Applications with AI (Part 1): How High School Teachers and Students Use Tools Like ChatGPT Navigating College Applications with AI  | foundry10 College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources College Essay Guy's College Application Hub  

Welcome to Part 2 of 2 of this mini-series on AI in college admission! In our last episode, I interviewed Jen Rubin from foundry10 on how students and counselors are using AI in the college admission process. In today's episode I'll get into what colleges have to say, and what I would advise as a result. I'll get into: My biggest concern with AI… in general (spoiler: it's much bigger than college applications) My concerns related to AI use in the college application process   Common App guidelines + What colleges have to say around AI use What I believe students might miss out on if they use AI to write their essays for them My advice to students and counselors We hope you enjoy!   Play-by-Play: 2:12 – What is Ethan's biggest concern with AI?  3:29 – CommonApp Guidelines 4:09 – What do colleges have to say about AI use in the application process?   7:05 – What does Ethan believe students might miss out on if they use AI to write their essays for them? 12:00 – Can Chat GPT and AI be useful in certain contexts? 13:34 – AI use and environmental impacts  14:26 – Closing thoughts    Resources: CEG Podcast Episode 605 - Navigating College Applications with AI (Part 1): How High School Teachers and Students Use Tools Like ChatGPT Blog Version of this episode – Navigating College Applications with AI: What Colleges Say + CEG's Advice to Students and Counselors CEG's Thoughts on AI and College Application Essays Duncan Sabian – Article on AI Safety AI 2027 CommonApp Affirmation Statement College Statements on AI Usage Princeton University CalTech Brown University University of California (UC) System Gonzaga University Southern Methodist University (Graduate) University of Melbourne (Outside the US) As Use of A.I. Soars, So Does the Energy and Water It Requires Jeff Neill's Tech-Neill-ogy  College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources College Essay Guy's College Application Hub  

Hi friends, and welcome back to the podcast! Many of you have been following Cassidy, a current high school senior, as she navigates the college application process. We've walked through her brainstorming exercises, her personal statement writing, and her supplemental essays. And now, at long last, Cassidy has received her college acceptances. Rather than reading the email she sent me, I replied, "Hey, I know you got your acceptances. What if we do a live reveal on the podcast?" So, I genuinely don't know yet where she's been accepted. Huge shoutout to Cassidy for agreeing to do this live! In this conversation, we dive into a range of things, including: The extent to which Cassidy felt she had a successful application process vs. successful outcomes (and the difference) Which schools she was accepted into Important factors in making her final college decision, focusing on what my team calls the "6 Fs" of college fit: focus, fellowship, finances, future, family, and feeling What she did well, and what she'd do differently I also guide Cassidy through a fun, quick exercise—one you (or your student) can also try—that can be completed in one day, one hour, or even one minute. Cassidy is a current high school student going through the college application process. She lives in the Bay Area, loves ballet, identifies as a “yapper,” and knows a lot about Biology. Hope you enjoy it.   Play-by-Play 2:11 – Welcome and check-in 3:31 – To what extent does Cassidy feel like she had a successful application process? 4:48 – Cassidy shares her college decision results! 8:13 – To what extent does Cassidy feel she had successful outcomes?  9:02 – Ethan introduces the six F's of college fit for Cassidy's top choice schools   10:43 – Focus 12:12 – Fellowship 13:32 – Financial  14:52 – Future 16:53 – Family 17:41 – Feeling 20:36 – Cassidy reflects on what stands out at each school she is considering 23:40 – How to choose which college to attend in one day, one hour, or one minute 29:39 – Reflecting on this process, is there anything Cassidy wishes she had done differently?  31:10 – Wrap up and closing thoughts   Resources: How to choose which college to attend: Key factors to consider College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources College Essay Guy's College Application Hub  

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  

Today's episode is part three of our series, Inside the Application. Ethan is joined by Cassidy, a current high school senior who is working on her college applications for the Fall 2025 term.  This episode is a deep dive into the supplemental essays — specific essays that many selective colleges and universities require. In particular, Cassidy and Ethan get into:  How to write the “What would you bring to our campus” essay How to write an essay that focuses on “intellectual vitality”  How to write the “roommate” essay Tips on the short answer questions (50 words or less) And more Finally, we close the episode out with a special guest appearance from Renee Ferrerio to review Cassidy's college list. Renee has been working in college admission for three decades. She has a Masters in school counseling, has worked as both a public and independent school counselor, and serves on numerous college advisory boards and committees, including the Common Application Outreach Advisory Board, and many others.  Stay tuned for future episodes where Ethan and Cassidy continue the conversation. We'll continue to check in with Cassidy to see how things are going, and you'll find out how it turned out a few months from now. Cassidy is a current high school student going through the college application process. She lives in the Bay Area, loves ballet, knows a lot about Biology, and identifies as a “yapper”—more on that in our conversation.  We hope you enjoy!    Play-by-play 1:55 - How's Cassidy doing on her supplemental essays so far? 4:00 - Ethan reads Cassidy's “what would you bring to our campus” essay draft 8:48 - Ethan's feedback on the essay 15:38 - Additional supplemental essay prompts + Ethan's impressions 19:28 - Using the Roles and Identities Exercise to brainstorm ideas 24:48 - Ethan reads & reviews Cassidy's draft of her “community” essay 35:41 - Ethan reads and reviews Cassidy's draft of her “roommate” essay 44:42 - Reviewing Cassiday's “short answer” prompts (and why they're like an advent calendar) 53:45 - Introducing Renee Ferrerio  (CEG college counselor with 25+ years experience) 59:28 - Discussing impacted majors, Colleges That Change Lives, and suggestions for Cassidy's college list Resources Part 1 of this series, Inside the Application  Part 2 of this series, Inside the Application Cassidy's Supplemental Essay Doc The Roles and Identities Exercise How to Write the Stanford Roommate Essay + Examples A How-To Guide for the Short Answer Questions for Highly-Selective Colleges How to Choose a College: A Step-By-Step Guide

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

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  

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)    

TCA is a college preparatory school, and that preparation begins long before college applications are filled out. In this episode, Tracy Bartholomew, part of TCA's college counseling team, discusses how parents can help their children start thinking about the future and taking their first steps towards college and career decisions. Tracy and host Cynthia Yanof talk about: How parents can help their children discover God's calling for their lives. How students can begin exploring different interests and fields of study. How TCA's college counselors help students each year along the way. An easy way for students to document their activities and achievements throughout Upper School to aid in the college application process. When students should start visiting colleges. The honors leadership class that Tracy teaches. A reminder that college is a match to be made, not a prize to be won. Tracy also lists some recommended resources, including the College Essay Guy (collegeessayguy.com); Never Enough by Jennifer Wallace; and Untangled, Under Pressure and  The Emotional Lives of Teenagers by Lisa Damour, Ph.D.

On this week's episode, Tom Campbell (CEG's Community Manager) sits down with Ethan Sawyer (College Essay Guy) for Part 5 in our What Colleges Want series to talk about some of the other written parts of the application—the activities list, additional information section, and supplemental essays. Tom and Ethan get into: How can students write a great Activities List?  How can you find out what colleges are looking for in the supplemental essays? And what even is the additional information section? What is a ‘Super Essay' and how might it be useful? How does a student know when their application is complete? Fun fact: You'll find the YouTube video version of this podcast on the College Essay Guy YouTube channel.   Play-by-Play 1:09 - What are the other writing components of a college application? 5:26 - How can students write a great Activities List?  9:33 - Does the order of the activities matter? 11:41 - Are activities from 9th and 10th grade worth putting in the Activities List? 13:37 - When should students elaborate on Activities in their Additional Info section? 17:05 - What else can go into the Additional Info section?  23:14 - What are some things to avoid putting in the Additional Info section? 24:41 - How should students format the Additional Info section? 26:19 - Why do some colleges have supplemental essays? 27:31 - What are some of the most common supplemental essays prompts? 34:11 - How might institutional priorities impact an individual applicant?  44:14 - What is a ‘Super Essay' and how is it used? 49:12 - How does a student know when their application is complete?   Resources How to Write a Successful Common App Activities List How to Use the Common App Additional Information Section: Guide + Examples My College List (Research + Essay Topic Tracker) School-Specific Supplemental Essays Why This College Essay Guide + Examples How to Combine Your College Essay Prompts (To Save 20+ Writing Hours) What the Heck are "Hooks" and "Institutional Priorities"? The Values Exercise CEG Podcast Episode 101: Life As an Undocumented Student at Harvard CEG Podcast Episode 504: What Colleges Want (Part 4): A Crash Course in the Personal Statement with Ethan Sawyer (College Essay Guy)

On this week's episode, Tom Campbell (CEG's Community Manager) sits down with Ethan Sawyer (College Essay Guy) for Part 4 in our What Colleges Want series to talk about the personal statement. According to the latest State of College Admission report – after grades, course rigor, and positive character traits (see previous episodes), the college essay is what colleges care about most. Tom and Ethan get into:  What is the purpose of the personal statement?  How do you find a topic, especially if you're not writing about challenges?   Why do I recommend students NOT choose a common extracurricular activity as their main college essay topic?  How do you stand out?  And how do you know when you're done? Fun fact: You'll find the YouTube video version of this podcast on the College Essay Guy YouTube channel.   Play-by-Play 1:38 - What is the purpose of the personal statement in the college admission process? 2:53 - How might students use this statement for multiple schools?  3:48 - Should students talk about challenges they've faced in a personal statement?  6:47 - Should students talk about their major or career goals? 8:33 - Where is the best place to discuss extracurricular activities?  10:20 - Should students explain red flags in their personal statement? 11:26 - How can students brainstorm potential topics for their personal statement? 17:56 - What is the structure of a personal statement? 21:11 - How can students stand out? 28:57 - Case Study: What does the process look like from brainstorming to final draft? 35:39 - How does a student know when their essay is done? 38:27 - Is there a place for artificial intelligence in the college essay? 41:47 - have personal statements shifted since the Supreme Court ruling on Race-Conscious Admissions? 44:04 - Why does the personal statement process matter? 49:14 - Closing thoughts   Resources YouTube Video version of this episode (504) Sample personal statements 7 Brainstorming Exercises (YouTube video) The “Food” essay (YouTube video analysis) The Great College Essay Test Why You Don't Have to Write about Trauma in Your College Essay to Stand Out—and What You Can Do Instead Matchlighters Informaiton CEG Podcast Episode 404: Race-Conscious Admission Was Struck Down—What Does This Mean and What Can Students and College Counselors Do? w/ Jay Rosner Is It “Okay” to Talk About Race in Your College Application and Essays—And If So, How Should You Do It?  

Back by popular demand, Tom from College Essay Guy Team joins us for this fun episode! We'll share 5 of the most essential tasks we recommend you complete BEFORE your junior year. So if you're a freshman, sophomore, or even a junior, listen for tips you won't want to miss! College Essay Guy Resources:College Essay Guy WebsiteExplore 1-on-1 ServicesBegin Personal Statement CourseLearn How to Apply to CollegeFollow us on Instagram!Learn more about Scoir

What do Olivia Rodrigo and college application culture have in common?

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 Crash Course on How to Pay for College (check back soon for the link!) 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)

By winter break, you may have checked off a lot of your senior year To-Do list: applying to college, studying for exams, and of course, making memories! Wondering what to do with the rest of your senior year? In this episode, Elena from Scoir and Tom from College Essay Guy Team share their top 5 essential checklist items for you!College Essay Guy Resources:Explore 1-on-1 ServicesBegin Personal Statement CourseLearn How to Apply to CollegeEssay Tracker SampleHow to Combine Your College Essay Prompts (To Save 20+ Writing Hours)School-Specific Supplemental Essay GuidesBEABIES ExerciseA How-To Guide for the Short Answer Questions for Highly-Selective CollegesPaying for College in 4 Steps!How to Choose a CollegeCollege Interview Tips and Strategies - The Ultimate GuideHow to Write a Great Letter of Continued InterestCollege KickstartFollow us on Instagram!Learn more about Scoir

Season Premiere: Ethan Sawyer, founder of College Essay Guy, kicks off Season 8 of the ALP and we quickly learn it's not about the essay ... it's about figuring out who you are and what you care about. We talk about the applicability of Ethan's discovery exercises to everybody (not just college applicants), why Ethan might be the perfect candidate to interview Ken someday, and what roles Jesus and diapers play in the origin story of College Essay Guy.ReferencesCollege admission resources following the SCOTUS decision to end race-conscious admission decisions.Is it “Okay” to Write about Race in Your College Application—And, If So, How?This guide offers practical advice for students and counselors, including examples of essays by students who chose to discuss race and its impact on their character and unique abilities.The “If You Really, Really Knew Me” Exercise (Template) This practical, comprehensive exercise helps you (and your students) generate a list of identities, skills, qualities, and skills they can share with colleges. It's one of the  favorites at College Essay Guy—if you use it, just give 'em 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.Books referenced: Rocket Fuel and Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage in Human Consciousness.Interested in checking out Ethan's voice over work?Rapid DescentWalkout song: U Don't Have to Call by UsherBest recent read: Seven Practices of a Mindful Leader by Marc LesserEager to read next: Ethan's taking recommendations here.Favorite podcast: We Can Do Hard Things with Glennon DoyleFavorite thing to make in the kitchen: BruschetaTaking and keeping notes: Apple NotesMemorable bit of advice: "You can give it all away, and it's still not you." (From Steve Antonoff)Bucket list: Do a long silent meditation retreat "like 10 days."The ALP is supported by RHB. Music arranged by Ryan Anselment

Meditation, and the applied practice of mindfulness, allows us to show up more fully in our lives. We are more self aware, more responsible, and more kind, and experience a greater sense of ease, joy, and peace.  Today we will cover:  Common misperceptions of meditation Why Meditate? What is Mindfulness?  Self Awareness as the key to Liberation (Self Awareness, Neuroplasticity and the Sacred Pause) Kinds of meditation, and learning the difference so you know what type is best for you at this time Setting up your practice  Links to things I mention ~ Podcast with College Essay Guy, How to create Morning Ritual ~ Clarity, Women's Retreat in Mt.ShastaJoin a sanctuary of sisterhood at the base of sacred Mt. Shasta for two days of relaxation, exploration, and renewal. Walk barefoot in the pines, sing around the fire, swim in alpine lakes, eat nourishing meals, go to bed and wake up with the sun, rest when you are tired, and dance when you desire.  Through an exploration of intimacy and your sacred sexuality. In Circle, we will uncover unconscious patterns and internalized systems of oppression, patriarchy,  and other power dynamics, and realize our responsibility and power to alchemize them. Each woman will be guided and witnessed as she  unearths, unburdens, and experiences liberation from thoughts, patterns, and  behaviors that are incongruent with her fullest intimate expression.  We encourage  and support sacred soulful sharing, which leads to deep vulnerability and intimacy,  creating the opportunity to bring this level of intimacy into relationships with self,  others, and the Divine.    --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/peacefulbynature/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/peacefulbynature/support

When intimidating headlines like “college admissions scandals” are swirling around, it seems like a perfectly natural reaction to feel overwhelmed and stressed out when applying to college is on the horizon. For us, having a high school aged daughter, the college application process has already been a topic of conversation in our home. We spoke to The College Essay Guy, Ethan Sawyer, and he told us that we can not only make the college admissions less stressful, but we might even have a little fun in the process. Ethan has tons of resources available to help when planning for college applications including tips on writing essays, timelines for the application process, and advice on whether you should test or not. You can learn more about Ethan Sawyer at www.collegeessayguy.com, as well as with the links below:YouTube channelCollege Essay Guy podcastCollege Application Resource HubDon't forget to call us and leave a message - we might play your question in next week's episode. Tell us what you like, ask a question, or just say hi. Call 323-364-3929.Thank you for listening! Your support means the world to us. If you like this podcast please consider leaving us a review. We also love feedback. Email us at holdermesspodcast@gmail.com.We wrote a book! Learn more here: www.theholdernessfamily.com/book Join our Facebook family: www.facebook.com/theholdernessfamilyFollow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/theholdernessfamily Find us on YouTube: www.youtube.com/theholdernessfamilyAbout the Holderness Family
: Penn, Kim, Lola, and Penn Charles Holderness create original music, parodies, and Vlogs for YouTube and Facebook to poke fun of themselves and celebrate the absurdity in circumstances most families face in their day to day life. They published "Christmas Jammies" in December 2013 and life hasn't been the same. Since then, their popular parodies, "All About That Baste", "Baby Got Class," and original music "Snow Day" have received national news coverage. Penn, the Dad, took a chance and left his job as a news anchor to join his wife Kim, the Mom, at their video production and digital marketing company, Greenroom Communications, LLC. Lola and Penn Charles are always happy, respectful and eat all of their vegetables (that last sentence is a lie). The Holderness Family Podcast is Edited and Engineered by Max Trujillo of Trujillo Media. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is a beautiful episode with Ethan Sawyer, a nationally recognized college essay expert. Ethan is able to articulate things that are often hard to put into words. It makes sense he would be an expert at helping students to do just that. People come to the Hoffman Process for many different reasons. Ethan didn't have a thing he was particularly struggling with and didn't feel particularly blocked. He came because he "was ready." Ethan was really excited to dig deep into himself. He came wanting to learn about himself and as he shares, he "certainly did." As he tells Sharon, Ethan finds the students he works with also often wish to dig deeper into the question of who they really are. At the time of the Process, Ethan and his wife had a new six-month-old baby. Ethan shares that he had been making his living as more of an artist in the past, but had just begun his new journey of entrepreneurship. As you listen to Ethan, you'll hear how the artist in him is a big part of his successful company. As is true with so many of our guests, Ethan's story shows how the thread of one's Spiritual Self runs through our lives in ways we can often only see in hindsight. MORE ABOUT ETHAN SAWYER Ethan Sawyer is the author of the Amazon bestsellers College Essay Essentials and College Admission Essentials. Each year he and his team reach more than one million students and counselors through the College Essay Guy blog, online pay-what-you-can courses, workshops, books, and one-on-one work. When you peruse The College Essay Guy website, you find resources (many free) for students, parents, and counselors. Much of what Ethan and his team offer are on a pay-what-you-can basis. As he explains to Sharon, a goal of his work is to not only make a living but to also expand his reach so that more students (and parents) get the help they need during such an important right of passage in their lives. Raised in Spain, Ecuador, and Colombia, Ethan has studied at seventeen different schools and has worked as a teacher, curriculum writer, voice actor, community organizer, and truck driver. A graduate of Northwestern University, Ethan holds an MFA from UC Irvine and lives in Los Angeles with his beautiful wife and their amazing daughter. As mentioned in this episode: Writing a Personal Statement Performance Studies Degree Cornerstone Theater Company *** Discover if the Process is right for you. Subscribe on Apple/iTunes

In this episode, Josefine hosts a webinar at NBPL, debunking test myths, guiding participants in exercises, and discussing all the most recent changes in testing policy. Plus, she answers some of College Essay Guy's 100 Brave and Interesting Questions!

Ashley Smith, Director of Marketing for Scoir, is joined by Ethan Sawyer, The College Essay Guy! Ethan is a nationally recognized college essay expert, and the author of Amazon Best Sellers: College Essay Essentials, and College Admission Essentials. He offers his expertise through his blog, online courses, workshops, books, and one-on-one work. Our conversation covers all-things college essays, but here are the highlights:Where and how to write about the impact that the pandemic had on you personallyWhat are some things you love or know a lot about? (An exercise)Not getting locked into your challenged-based storiesThe Feelings and Needs ExerciseWhat are the “islands of your personality”? 7 montage paths and identifying the different sides of yourselfIdentifying values and finding examples of those valuesHaving these things reflected back to you so that you can identify patterns and write a beautiful college essay

(Recorded 5/13/2020)Ethan Sawyer is a nationally recognized college essay expert, sought-after speaker, and author of the quintessential Amazon bestseller College Essay Essentials. His newest book College Admissions Essentials is coming in July. Each year he helps thousands of students and counselors through his online courses, workshops, articles, products, and books, and works privately with a small number of students. Raised in Spain, Ecuador, and Colombia, Ethan has studied at seventeen different schools, is a graduate from Northwestern University, and holds an MFA from UC Irvine as well as two counseling certificates. He has worked as a teacher, curriculum writer, voice actor, motivational speaker, community organizer, and truck driver. He is a certified Myers-Briggs® specialist, and his type (ENFJ) will tell you that he will show up on time, that he'll be excited to meet you, and that, more than anything, he is committed to-and an expert in-helping you realize your potential.Website: https://www.https://www.collegeessayg...YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh3V...Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/collegeessa...Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CollegeEssay...Twitter: https://twitter.com/CollegeEssayGuyTumblr: https://collegeessayguy.tumblr.com/ Talking Points: #CollegeEssay #Personalstatement #CollegeAdmissionsSUBSCRIBE TO BEFORE COLLEGE TV GET THE LATEST INTERVIEWSTEXT HARLAN: 321-345-9070INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/HarlanCohenFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/HelpMeHarlan/TWITTER: http://Twitter.com/HarlanCohenWEBSITE: www.HarlanCohen.com | www.BeforeCollegeTVBEFORE COLLEGE TV: HOSTED BY HARLAN COHEN |  @HarlanCohen

In this episode of our series the Basics of College Admission, Admission Director and author Rick Clark shares tips for writing your personal statements and supplemental essays for your college applications. College Essay Guy: https://www.collegeessayguy.com/ or College Essay Guy on TwitterFive Practical Tips for Writing for Colleges: https://sites.gatech.edu/admission-blog/2020/08/19/five-practical-tips-for-writing-for-colleges/

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

Even if you're not applying to college right now, the format of the college essay has a lot to teach about writing and self-reflection. A college essay can be an exploratory journey that ends up being about much more than getting into college. College Essay Guy, Ethan Sawyer, talks about how he helps students find their story. LINKS AND SPONSORS | Stitcher App: http://stitcherapp.com/grammar | True and Co.: http://trueandco.com/grammar | Grammar Girl Email Newsletter: https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/newsletters | Graduation Sweepstakes: http://bit.ly/qdtlifeaftercollege | Grammar Girl's AP style webinar: http://bit.ly/GrammarWebinar2019 | GRAMMAR POP iOS GAME | Optimized for iPad: http://bit.ly/iPadGrammarPop | For iPad and iPhone: http://bit.ly/GrammarPopMobile | GRAMMAR GIRL BOOKS | http://bit.ly/GrammarPopBooks | GRAMMAR GIRL IS PART OF THE QUICK AND DIRTY TIPS PODCAST NETWORK | VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475)

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

Welcome to Season 2 of the college and career readiness podcast, the podcast that helps you become a student who is prepared for higher education, a skilled profession or military service. In every episode, you will learn how to become a productive, responsible and engaged individual. Enjoy this episode hosted by Inderkum high school students.

Welcome to Season 2 of the college and career readiness podcast, the podcast that helps you become a student who is prepared for higher education, a skilled profession or military service. In every episode, you will learn how to become a productive, responsible and engaged individual. Enjoy this episode hosted by Inderkum high school students.

Ethan Sawyer, the College Essay Guy, returns to the show for Part 2 of his conversation with Ted.... Continue Reading The post Episode 14: College Essay Guy, The Sequel appeared first on Tutor Ted.

Ted introduces Ethan Sawyer, the “College Essay Guy,” a nationally recognized college essay expert. Ethan has a degree... Continue Reading The post Episode 12: You’re Getting Very, Very Sleepy/Good At Writing College Essays… appeared first on Tutor Ted.

Ethan Sawyer, better known as College Essay Guy, is a master of questions. When Benjamin sits down with him to chat, the two quickly dig in to the power of curiosity and how our inquisitive nature can ignite passions in all areas of life. Join in on the conversation, as Ethan opens up to what it means to listen unconditionally.

Ep #85: Ethan Sawyer returns with an illuminating exercise that can help make our parenting job a little easier and way more harmonious. After a huge response from our “Core Values, College Essays, and Burning Man Babies” episode last fall, the nationally recognized college essay expert shares with our listeners a simple and empowering method for parents to break down problems (big and small) and find solutions… all by themselves. (So much cheaper than therapy! And as always, Ellie is the guinea pig). The parenting friends also laugh about baby sign language, competitive potty training, and the importance of Dumbo’s feather. Visit www.atomicmoms.com to print out the “Feelings and Needs” worksheet and to order “The College Essay Essentials: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Successful College Admission Essay”. Follow @collegeessayguy and @atomicmoms on social media.

Most colleges use The Common App which allows students to apply to multiple colleges at once. This usually includes: Personal information. Main personal statement of about 650 words. Sawyer suggests to think of this statement prompt as, “Describe the world you come from and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.” Activities list. Most colleges will request different supplemental essays. This means several different essay requirements per school. Some of these essays might be exactly the same prompt and can double, but if the topics are different then the essays will be different.

Most colleges use The Common App which allows students to apply to multiple colleges at once. This usually includes: Personal information. Main personal statement of about 650 words. Sawyer suggests to think of this statement prompt as, “Describe the world you come from and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.” Activities list. Most colleges will request different supplemental essays. This means several different essay requirements per school. Some of these essays might be exactly the same prompt and can double, but if the topics are different then the essays will be different. Read More... The post THCC65 – Writing Quality Essays Interview with Ethan Sawyer, The College Essay Guy appeared first on Taming The High Cost of College.

Most colleges use The Common App which allows students to apply to multiple colleges at once. This usually includes: Personal information. Main personal statement of about 650 words. Sawyer suggests to think of this statement prompt as, “Describe the world you come from and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.” Activities list. Most colleges will request different supplemental essays. This means several different essay requirements per school. Some of these essays might be exactly the same prompt and can double, but if the topics are different then the essays will be different. Read More... The post THCC65 – Writing Quality Essays Interview with Ethan Sawyer, The College Essay Guy appeared first on Taming The High Cost of College.

Ethan Sawyer, thecollegeessayguy.com, chats with host Ellie Knaus about how to identify our core values and and how to make clear decisions with ease. We discuss Eckart Tolle's "High Quality No" and use Myers Briggs personality test to better understand that relative you secretly can't stand. Subscribe on iTunes and follow us @atomicmoms on social media.