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

Ethan Sawyer

  • 1 hour 11 minutes
    520: Storytelling & Identity w/Whit Anderson (Part 2 of 3): Beating Writer's Block, Writing RomComs and Space Operas, and Female Representation in Hollywood

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

    Whit and Ethan talk about, among other things: 

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

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

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

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

    We hope you enjoy. 

     

    Play-by-Play:

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

     

    Resources:

     

    5 November 2024, 5:00 pm
  • 1 hour 53 minutes
    519: Storytelling & Identity with Dave Callaham (Part 1 of 3): What it’s Like Writing Marvel Movies, Asian-American Representation in Hollywood, and Advice on Finding Your Voice

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

    Dave and Ethan 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:

     

    22 October 2024, 4:00 pm
  • 1 hour 15 minutes
    518: Inside the Application (Part 4): How to Know if You’re “Almost Done” with Your College Application

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

    • Where do things 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
    8 October 2024, 4:00 pm
  • 1 hour 14 minutes
    517: Inside the Application (Part 3): Supplemental Essay Deep Dive + Developing the College List w/ Special Guest Renee Ferrerio

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

    • How to write the “What would 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

    18 September 2024, 2:15 pm
  • 1 hour 2 minutes
    516: Inside the Application (Part 2): Developing the Personal Statement, Supplemental Essays, and College List with Cassidy, HS Senior

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

    • How is Cassidy’s personal statement coming along?
    • What does 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

    3 September 2024, 4:00 pm
  • 43 minutes 33 seconds
    515: Inside the Application Part 1: Brainstorming, Outlining, and Drafting with Cassidy, HS Senior

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

    • How did Cassidy approach brainstorming and outlining for her 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

     

    20 August 2024, 4:00 pm
  • 50 minutes 22 seconds
    514: Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Student Perspective

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

    6 August 2024, 4:00 pm
  • 51 minutes 22 seconds
    513: Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Admission Officer Perspective with Christina Lopez

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

    • Why is this topic important—both generally, but also personally, for Christina?
    • What advice would Christina give to students about whether or not to 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:

    25 July 2024, 4:00 pm
  • 59 minutes 1 second
    512: Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Counselor Perspective

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

    • Which student populations does Chris see struggle 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

    11 July 2024, 4:00 pm
  • 55 minutes 44 seconds
    511: Identity, Self-Care, and the Future of College Admission w/ NACAC CEO Angel Pérez

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

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

    • Angel’s brainstorming work for his own imagined college essay (yes, really)
    • What Angel’s core values have to 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

     

    27 June 2024, 3:00 pm
  • 48 minutes 5 seconds
    510: What Colleges Want (Part 9): A Crash Course in Standardized Testing

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

    In this episode they 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

     

    11 June 2024, 4:00 pm
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