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

Ethan Sawyer

  • 1 hour 17 minutes
    622: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 4): Supplemental Essay Deep Dive with Alisha, HS Senior

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

    In this session, Alisha and I explore:

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

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

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

    Hope you enjoy our session.

    Play-by-Play:

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

    Resources:

    9 December 2025, 5:00 pm
  • 1 hour 4 minutes
    621: Financial Aid Tips for International Students (and Their Counselors)—2025 Edition

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

    In our conversation, we talk about:

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

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

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

    Play-by-Play:

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

    Financial Aid Resources:

    College Essay Guy Resources:

    Podcasts:

    25 November 2025, 5:00 pm
  • 55 minutes 5 seconds
    620: Navigating Student Health in College: A Doctor's Guide to Sleep, Stress, and Student Life

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

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

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

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

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

    We hope you enjoy.

    Play-by-Play:

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

    Resources:

    11 November 2025, 5:00 pm
  • 42 minutes 55 seconds
    619: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 3): How Reflection Leads to Insight with Alisha, HS Senior

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

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

    In the session, Alisha and I explore:

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

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

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

    Hope you enjoy our session.

    Play-by-Play:

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

    Resources:

    6 November 2025, 4:00 pm
  • 50 minutes 26 seconds
    618: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 2): Discovering Values Through Revision with Alisha, HS Senior

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

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

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

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

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

    Hope you enjoy our session.

    Play-by-Play:

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

    Resources:

    28 October 2025, 4:00 pm
  • 51 minutes 36 seconds
    617: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 1): The Sand Essay with Alisha, HS Senior

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

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

    In Part 1, Alisha and I get into:

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

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

    We hope you enjoy our session!

    Play-by-Play:

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

    Resources:

    14 October 2025, 5:00 pm
  • 1 hour 16 minutes
    616: Authoring Your Life: Why the Personal Statement Is About (Much) More Than Getting into College

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

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

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

    In this episode, Sandy and I get into:

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

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

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

    Play-by-Play:

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

    Resources:

    30 September 2025, 4:00 pm
  • 52 minutes
    615: Rethinking "Best" Colleges: Tools, Tips, and Mindset Shifts for a Better College List with Jay McCann and Dr. Steven Antonoff, Co-Authors of The College Finder

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

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

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

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

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

    We hope you enjoy!

    Play-by-Play:

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

    Resources:

    Books, Guides, and Tools

    College Research Platforms

    Reflection + College Planning

    16 September 2025, 4:00 pm
  • 56 minutes 23 seconds
    614: 13 Mistakes High School Students Make When Creating Their College List

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

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

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

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

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

    We hope you enjoy.

    Play-by-Play:

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

    Resources:

    3 September 2025, 4:00 pm
  • 10 minutes 7 seconds
    613: Inside the Application (Part 6): Making the Decision with Cassidy, Class of 2025

    Hi friends, and welcome back to the podcast.

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

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

    Silly me.

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

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

    I hope you enjoy.

    Play-by-Play

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

    Resources:

    19 August 2025, 4:00 pm
  • 1 hour 27 minutes
    612: Admission Nutrients (Part 6 of 6: Intellectual Curiosity): Important Ingredients for a Well-Balanced College Admission Process—And Life with Hillary Dickman

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

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

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

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

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

    I hope you enjoy this conversation. I certainly did.

    Play-by-Play:

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

    Resources:

    5 August 2025, 4:00 pm
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