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

Ethan Sawyer

Practical, up-to-date interviews with experts in college admissions, financial aid, personal statements, test prep and more. Ethan Sawyer (aka College Essay Guy), interviews deans of admission, financial aid experts, and veterans of the admissions field to extract, then distill their advice into practical steps for students and those guiding them through the process. From creating an awesome college list to appealing a financial aid letter, Ethan skips the general advice and gets right to the action items, all in an effort to bring more ease, joy and purpose into the college admissions process.

  1. APR 22

    Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 5): Making the Decision with Alisha, Class of 2026

    Hey friends, and welcome back to the College Essay Guy podcast. Today's episode is a special follow-up with Alisha, who you might remember from our series last season where we walked through her personal statement process step-by-step. Now that she has officially received her results, Alisha is back to share the final chapter of her journey and reflect on the experience of reaching the finish line. In this session, Alisha and I explore: The emotional ups and downs of receiving college acceptances and rejections Alisha's advice for students currently navigating the application process What she might have done differently looking back, and The "big reveal": Where she got in, where she didn't, and where she's headed next Whether you're a senior waiting on your own results, a junior just starting the path, or a parent or counselor looking for a real-world perspective on how the process ends, I hope you'll find Alisha's reflections both grounding and insightful. Alisha is a current high school senior 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 1:48 – How is Alisha feeling now that the application process is over? 2:58 – What did Alisha learn about herself through the process? 4:50 – How did getting an early acceptance change Alisha's outlook on the process? 6:37 – How did Alisha approach choosing a major for her applications? 7:18 – Alisha walks through her acceptances, deferrals, and waitlist offers 11:40 – How did Alisha evaluate her options to find the right fit? 12:43 – What advice does Alisha have for students currently writing their personal statements and building a college list? 17:10 – What would Alisha do differently if she could go through the process again? 19:51 – Closing thoughts   Resources: Alisha's Podcast Episodes: 617: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 1): The Sand Essay with Alisha, HS Senior 618: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 2): Discovering Values Through Revision with Alisha, HS Senior 619: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 3): How Reflection Leads to Insight with Alisha, HS Senior 622: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 4): Supplemental Essay Deep Dive with Alisha, HS Senior 707: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 5): Making the Decision with Alisha, Class of 2026 College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

    22 min

  2. APR 14

    706: On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Storytelling (Ep 6: Raspberry Sky) with Wendy Zheutlin

    Hi, friends, and welcome back to our series, "On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling" where we take a close look at personal essays written by real students, talking about why we love them, what makes them work, and how they came to be.  In this episode, I had the honor of sitting down with Wendy Zheutlin, who is not only one of my essay coaches but has been a volunteer for the past four years with our Matchlighters Scholars Program. This is the program where we pair high-achieving, low-income students with amazing counselors for 10 hours of free one-on-one support. And if that sounds interesting to you, whether you are a student or a counselor, we'll link in the show notes where you can find out more. This episode is a rare opportunity. Whereas normally we break down essays written by students, this was actually a personal statement written by Wendy herself as part of a course that I led for counselors. So this is her own personal statement, not written for applying to college, and it's one of my favorite essays. We talk about what it was like for Wendy, who doesn't identify as a writer, to write this story, a few techniques she uses to communicate a lot in just a few words, and that ineffable moment when you figure out what a story is about.  If you're the kind of person who enjoys seeing how things get made, whether it's a great meal, a film scene, or a piece of writing, I have a feeling you might enjoy this one. Wendy Zheutlin works independently and with CEG as a college essay coach.  After earning her BA in psychology from UCSC and her MA in film from Stanford, Wendy went on to work on social issue documentaries in film and TV. While raising her family, Wendy worked in both an elementary school and public library.  Open and honest, Wendy builds trust and provides a safe environment in which students can begin a joyful journey of self-reflection and discovery as they write college essays that capture their spirit, their values, their experiences that engage readers.   Enjoy.     Play-by-Play: 2:04 – What is Wendy's background, and what motivated her to experience the essay process from the "inside out"?  4:27 – Wendy reads her personal statement, "Raspberry Sky."   11:45 – What was the writing process like for Wendy?   15:14 – How can short, factual sentences create a more impactful story?  18:11 – How did reading children's picture books influence Wendy's approach?   19:17 – How does the plum blossom motif serve as a metaphor for new beginnings? 21:58 – How can contrast show the different sides of a hard experience? 26:13 – What did Wendy discover about her story through multiple revisions? 28:31 – Why is subtle humor a useful tool when sharing a difficult experience? 30:21 – How can a writer identify the "orienting moment" or core message of a story? 36:18 – How can parentheticals be used to pack a lot of detail into a short section? 39:48 – What advice does Wendy offer for writing about difficult experiences? 43:27 – How can the process of "meaning making" help both the author and reader discover something new? 44:54 – What does the essay's conclusion reveal about growth? 48:48 – Closing thoughts    Resources: "Raspberry Sky" Essay Matchlighters Scholars Program College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

    50 min

  3. MAR 31

    On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Storytelling (Ep 5: The Stains on My Baseball Pants) with Kaila Barber

    Show Notes:   Hi, friends, and welcome back to our series, On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling. In this series, we take a close look at personal essays written by real students, talking about why we love them, what makes them work, and how they came to be.  In this episode, we break down an essay on… wait for it… baseball. Wait, what? But Ethan, I thought writing about a common topic was a fast track to blending in. And yes—in many cases, it can be. But this essay offers a great example of how a familiar topic can become something more layered, specific, and personal. To dig into how that happens, I'm joined by Kaila Barber: essay coach at CEG, Associate Director of 1-on-1 Coaching, and professional track star. Together, we explore how to stand out with a common topic, how to weave in challenge without letting it take over the story, and one specific technique for crafting a strong, memorable ending. If you're the kind of person who enjoys seeing how things get made, whether it's a great meal, a film scene, or a piece of writing, I have a feeling you'll enjoy this one. Kaila Barber has been helping students prepare for college in various capacities since 2018. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a master's degree in Global Health, a bachelor's degree in PreProfessional Science, and a minor in Education, Schooling, and Society, Kaila decided to serve her local school district as an educational assistant. For two years, she worked closely with students who had learning differences, tailoring lesson plans and materials to better suit the needs of her students. Kaila enjoys walking side-by-side with students, guiding them through their memories and insights, while they discover new ways to make meaning from their lives that can be highlighted in creative and compelling essays.  We hope you enjoy.    Play-by-Play: 2:07 – Who is the student behind the essay, and what made his approach to a sports topic stand out? 4:44 – Kaila reads the essay we're calling, "The Stains on My Baseball Pants" 8:40 – What stands out about the essay's use of showing vs. telling? 10:27 – How did the essay evolve from a baseball topic into a montage centered on stains? 12:56 – How does the essay incorporate themes of identity and belonging without making them the central focus? 15:38 – How were the different "stains" chosen to represent key parts of the student's story? 19:52 – What does the kimbap stain reveal about family, culture, and leadership? 22:00 – What does the dirt stain reveal about growth, belonging, and identity? 26:57 – What new role or identity is revealed through the eye black blotch paragraph? 31:51 – What does the "parents' pilot" metaphor reveal about the student's role in his family? 36:20 – How does the ending bring the theme of "stains" back while highlighting community and belonging? 40:15 – What does Kaila hope students take away from the essay writing process? 41:31 – Closing thoughts    Resources: "The Stains on My Baseball Pants" Essay College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

    42 min

  4. MAR 17

    704: On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling (Ep 4: Tiny Windows into My Being) with Ali McKeon

    Hi, friends, and welcome back to our series, "On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling." In this series, we take a close look at personal essays written by real students, talking about why we love them, what makes them work, and how they came to be.  In this episode, we explore an essence objects essay, which is to say an essay that was written about objects in the author's room, each one of which reveals a different aspect of their life. I'm joined by Ali McKeon, an essay coach and program advisor here at College Essay Guy. Ali worked with the student who wrote this essay, so she gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the process of working with this student, how the topic came to be, plus the questions she asked along the way. For those of you who love seeing how things get made, whether it's a great meal, a film scene, or a piece of writing, this episode offers a little window into that process. Ali McKeon is a writing coach and veteran college admissions essay specialist with a BA in English from Stanford University and MFA from UC Irvine. She is passionate about building her students' confidence in the writing process and developing them into strong self-advocates for their individual learning needs. One of the highlights of her career has been mentoring bright students with learning differences. In addition to teaching, she is an arts entrepreneur, former professional ballet dancer, and mom to a busy toddler. We hope you enjoy.    Play-by-Play: 1:50 – Who is the student behind the essay, and what stood out about working with her? 4:29 – Ali reads the essay, which we're calling "Tiny Windows into My Being"  9:00 – What ideas inspired the student's writing?  10:35 – What makes an "objects in my room" essay stand out? 12:36 – What is an "essence objects" essay, and how does it connect to the montage essay structure? 13:23 – How did the student decide which objects to include in the opening paragraph? 18:02 – How can students weave accomplishments into an essay without sounding like they're bragging? 20:22 – Why does pairing achievements with curiosity strengthen this paragraph? 22:18 – In what ways does the essay show the student is more than just a STEM student? 26:24 – How does the author reflect on her cultural identities? 30:42 – What led the student to include the migraine story in the essay? 36:50 – What makes this essay's ending so effective? 41:26 – What does Ali enjoy most about working with students on essays? 45:21 – Closing thoughts   Resources: "Tiny Windows into My Being" Essay College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

    46 min

  5. MAR 3

    On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling (Ep 3: The Pilgrim and The CEO) with Jane Longley

    Welcome back to the College Essay Guy podcast and our series On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling. I'm one of your cohosts, Tom Campbell, former Pomona and Holy Cross admissions officer, turned essay coach and college counselor. In this series, we look at real personal statements from real students: what choices were made, what was revised, and why it works. For this episode, we sit down with Jane Longley, one of our amazing essay coaches here at CEG, to unpack an essay that one of her student wrote titled "The Pilgrim and The CEO." It tells the story of two challenging yet rewarding experiences central to one student's identity and growth: hiking the Camino and starting her own skincare line. They seem like wildly different journeys in that bite-sized, one sentence description, but as you'll see from the essay, they're anything but disparate. This essay, which seamlessly tells two stories in tandem, is a masterclass on balance. Which is really what college essays are all about. On one side, they should genuinely reflect the student — their voice, their lived experiences, the moments that have shaped how they see the world. On the other, they need to do some real work: helping an admissions reader understand the student's character, values, and potential, and making it easier to advocate for them in committee. We'll walk through key excerpts, unpack the strategic decisions behind them, and share practical insights for counselors, teachers, and anyone guiding students through the writing process. Jane Longley has been an essay coach for eight years. She graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Modern Languages and spent ten years teaching in the UK before moving to Nicaragua, where she has lived for more than two decades. Along the way, Jane trained in Person-centred Therapeutic Counselling and Boarding Education — experiences that inform how she works with students today. As an essay coach, she focuses on helping students clarify their ideas, identify meaningful through-lines in their experiences, and find language that feels precise and authentic. And we, for one, are so glad she's come to share her expertise and her calming British accent with you all.  We hope you enjoy the episode.   Play-by-Play: 2:18 – What is Jane's background in essay coaching?  4:54 – Jane shares context for the essay and what it was like working with the student who wrote it 8:47 – In what ways can brainstorming exercises uncover unexpected topic ideas? 9:49 – How does the values exercise serve as the foundation for an essay? 15:06 – What other brainstorming tools helped shape the student's direction? 18:05 – How did the student's early topic ideas transform into a final product?  21:42 – What influenced the essay's final structure?  29:40 – Jane reads the essay, "The Pilgrim and The CEO" 34:16 – Tom shares his initial thoughts on the essay  35:46 – Jane shares how the author developed the two narratives in the introduction   39:07 – How did the student decide what essential context about the Camino needed to stay? 41:39 – How did authenticity shape the student's decision to include moments of unpreparedness? 44:34 – How did the student identify the specific, vivid details that brought each journey to life? 51:53 – How did collaboration become a central theme across both journeys? 55:20 – How did the student's honest reaction at the end of the Camino strengthen the essay? 59:30 – How does the tone shift from collaboration to appreciation in the final paragraphs? 1:00:53 – How can students revisit the same experience across essays without repeating themselves? 1:03:52 – Closing thoughts    Resources: "The Pilgrim and the CEO" Essay The Values Exercise The Roles and Identities Exercise The 21 Details Exercise The Essence Objects Exercise  College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

    1h 7m

  6. FEB 17

    702: On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling (Ep 2: Much Ado About Nothing) with Dr. Greg Ungar

    Welcome back to our series, "On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling." In this series, we take a close look at personal essays written by real students, talking about why we love them, what makes them work, and how they came to be. On Becoming speaks not just to the craft of writing, but to what I believe the personal statement is at its best: a record of becoming, the often messy, hopefully meaningful process of finding yourself… through the process of storytelling. In this episode, we slow things down and focus on a single essay, which the author calls "Much Ado About Nothing." Together, we take this essay apart, looking at the storytelling choices on the page, the deeper ideas underneath them, and how the essay captures a moment in the student's becoming.  Dr. Greg Ungar is a professor at the University of Denver. Greg grew up in California and spent six years working on the assembly line at General Motors before finding his way to college, where reading (and thinking) changed the direction of his life. Greg went on to study philosophy and theatre arts at UC Berkeley, and later earned advanced degrees across a wide range of disciplines, including sociology, criminal justice, acting, and theatre and drama. He's someone who has spent a lifetime thinking deeply about identity, work, class, performance, and what it means to make meaning out of lived experience.  We hope you enjoy.    Play-by-Play: 3:23 – Why do Ethan and Greg love reading stories and poetry together?  5:34 – Do college essays need a title?  6:47 – Greg reads the essay, "Much Ado About Nothing"  12:03 – What does Ethan love about this essay?  13:25 – What did Greg notice while reading?  19:23 – How does the author use structure to keep the reader engaged?  25:02 – How can humor be used in college essays?  30:58 – How does the author show different roles and identities throughout?  40:24 – Closing thoughts   Resources: "Much Ado About Nothing" Essay College Essay Essentials  College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

    43 min

  7. FEB 3

    On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling (Ep 1: My Desk & Magic) with Amanda McRaven

    Welcome to a brand new series here on the podcast I'm calling "On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling." In this series, we'll dig deep into college essays from past students, talking about why we love them and how they came to be.  For me, this title "On Becoming" speaks not just to the craft of writing (how a story came to be), but to what I believe the personal statement is at its best: a record of becoming… the beautiful, sometimes messy process of witnessing someone learn to better understand themselves, articulate their values, and claim their voice in the world. Whether you're a student, parent, educator, or just someone who loves great stories, we hope there's something here for you. In our first episode, I sit down with Amanda McRaven, a dear friend and one of my first hires at College Essay Guy. In this episode, we dig into: Two of our favorite essays from former students A little behind the scenes of how they came to be, and The techniques that helped these stories reveal truths about the students who wrote them.  Amanda McRaven is an artist, teacher, theater director, and storyteller living in the Pacific Northwest. She's a veteran educator and writer with over 15 years of experience coaching students through the college essay process. But what really sets Amanda apart is her approach. She helps students mine their lives for meaning—to find the gold in seemingly ordinary moments, and to connect the dots between experiences in ways that feel alive, honest, and deeply human.  We hope you enjoy!   Play-by-Play: 3:20 – Something these two essays have in common 4:32 – How does Amanda help students find creative ways to tell their stories?  5:50 – What did early drafts of the "My Desk" essay look like?  6:45 – Amanda and Ethan analyze the intro paragraph of the "My Desk" essay   13:24 – Analysis of paragraph 2 – Laptop 19:30 – Analysis of paragraph 3 – Stack of books 26:11 – Analysis of paragraph 4 – Bead Bracelet 31:59 – Analysis of the final paragraph – Conclusion  34:49 – Ethan introduces the "Magic" essay 41:30 – What did the student's writing process look like for the "Magic" essay?  47:55 – How does the author incorporate values and extracurricular activities together with the topic?  51:22 – How can students find more uncommon connections or topics to write about in their essays? 56:20 – What can students take away from the "Magic" essay?  58:34 – What does Amanda enjoy most about working with students on essays?  1:00:13 – Closing thoughts    Resources: "My Desk" Essay "Magic" Essay College Essay Essentials  College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

    1h 2m

  8. 2025-12-23

    623: Standing Out in STEM: Practical Advice for Future Scientists, Engineers and Techies

    Welcome back to the College Essay Guy Podcast. Today's episode is hosted by Tom Campbell, Community Manager & Senior Essay Specialist at College Essay Guy and a former admission officer at Pomona College and Holy Cross. We've polled the thousands of students who participate in our live webinars and courses and ask what they're favorite subject is, and consistently, STEM reigns supreme. By a lot. In this episode, Tom sits down with Jay Zhang, college counselor at College Essay Guy, to dig into the biggest questions students and families have about preparing for and applying to STEM programs. Together, they explore: What students should know about STEM coursework, rigor, and testing—and where there's more flexibility than most people realize How to think about majors, specialization, and which colleges to consider beyond the usual short list Common STEM student archetypes, including late starters, students unsure which direction to take, those in high-pressure STEM "bubbles," and students worried that elite summer programs are the only path forward And more.  Jay Zhang holds a B.S. in Microbiology from UCLA and an M.A. in School Counseling from NYU, and he's spent over a decade helping STEM students navigate selective admissions—especially within the UC system. He's also a former UCLA scholarship reader and interviewer, so he's seen exactly what works. Jay brings a strength-based, big-picture approach to STEM planning—and when he's not counseling students, you'll probably find him hiking at Crystal Cove or driving all the way from Orange County to LA for his haircut (hey, clearly, this is a man who knows his priorities). We hope you enjoy the episode.    Play-by-Play: 2:14 – What are some early memories of Jay and Tom learning STEM in school?  5:44 – Jay shares his background and where he grew up   7:55 – What are some high school courses that students interested in STEM could plan to take?  11:33 – What should STEM students know about standardized testing? 14:33 – How can students better understand different STEM pathways and majors?  17:55 – What are some lesser-known colleges or programs that students could explore?  24:03 – What are some strategies for broadening a student's college list? 30:01 – How can students balance prestige with selectivity and other factors that are important to them in finding the right fit? 32:46 – How can students explore diverse interests in STEM? 38:52 – What can high school juniors and seniors  do to show interest in STEM if they're just getting started? 46:11 – What helps students in competitive STEM "bubbles" move beyond comparison culture? 50:26 – How can students build on personal experiences that spark their interest in STEM? 53:30 – How important are prestigious summer programs for students interested in STEM? 59:25 – Closing thoughts   Resources: Firestarter Exercise What is STEM? STEM Majors  College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

    1 hr
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Practical, up-to-date interviews with experts in college admissions, financial aid, personal statements, test prep and more. Ethan Sawyer (aka College Essay Guy), interviews deans of admission, financial aid experts, and veterans of the admissions field to extract, then distill their advice into practical steps for students and those guiding them through the process. From creating an awesome college list to appealing a financial aid letter, Ethan skips the general advice and gets right to the action items, all in an effort to bring more ease, joy and purpose into the college admissions process.

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