Welcome back to the College Essay Guy Podcast! Today, Ethan kicks off a brand-new series: Admission Nutrients — qualities that not only enhance a well-balanced college application but can also contribute to a more meaningful life.

In Part 1, Ethan introduces these “nutrients,” breaking down what they are, where they show up in the application, and why they matter. In upcoming episodes, Tom and Ethan will be joined by admission officers from different colleges to take a deeper dive into each one. 

In this episode, Ethan shares:

• What are Admission Nutrients, and what do they reveal about what colleges value?
• Where do these nutrients show up in the college application?
• How can students realistically develop these qualities in a way that feels authentic rather than forced?
• And more

A quick but important note: At College Essay Guy, we don’t believe that every hour of high school should be spent optimizing for “what colleges want.” Get this: These nutrients are not only qualities employers seek but can also help students create more meaning and purpose in their lives — and yes, sure, help improve college acceptance chances along the way. 

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play:

• 2:18 – Intellectual Curiosity 
• 7:12 – Service to Others
• 9:38 – Leadership or Initiative
• 14:09 – Collaboration
• 16:30 – Consistent Engagement
• 19:58 – How can students explore and develop these qualities? 

Resources:

• CEG Podcast Episode 503: What Colleges Want (Part 3): "Positive Character Attributes": What Are They, and How Do You Show Them in Your College Application?
• CEG Podcast Episode 413: Intellectual Curiosity + College Admissions: What It Is, Why It Matters to Colleges, and How to Show It 
• How to Use the Common App Additional Information Section: Guide + Examples
• CEG Podcast Episode 213: Self-Directed Learning (Why You Can Quit HS & Be Okay)
• How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation | College Essay Guy
• Roles and Identities Exercise
• 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

In Part 1 of 2 of this mini-series on AI in college admission, Ethan is joined by Jennifer Rubin, Senior Researcher at foundry10 and Principal Investigator of the Digital Technologies and Education Lab. Jen is a first generation college graduate and, like Ethan, she didn't have a ton of support navigating the college application and admission process. When Chat GPT was released, she wondered: How were students actually using these tools for the college essay and application process? And how can we make sure AI becomes a tool for equity, not another advantage for students who already have access? 

In this conversation, Ethan and Jen get into:

• Some of the most interesting takeaways from her research
• Why higher-income students were more likely to use AI in their applications than lower-income students
• How educators can increase their students’ AI literacy
• How students can use AI without losing their voice
• Resources/tools she recommends for students and counselors navigating this new technology
• And lots more.

Jennifer Rubin is a Senior Researcher at foundry10 who investigates how technology shapes youth development, learning, and social connections. She earned a B.A. in Psychology from UC Berkeley before completing a dual Ph.D. in Psychology and Gender and Women's Studies at the University of Michigan. Currently, she is the Principal Investigator of the Digital Technologies and Education Lab, where she leads research on how social media, generative AI, and digital learning environments impact youth development. Her work explores how young people navigate digital spaces, strategies for educators to meaningfully integrate emerging technologies, and the essential skills needed to foster critical engagement with social media and AI tools.

 Hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play

• 2:26 – Jen shares her research background and what she’s been working on 
• 4:06 – What have been the most interesting takeaways from Jen’s research? 
• 5:58 – Why were higher-income students more likely to use AI in their applications than lower-income students?
• 9:16 – What are some practical ways for educators to increase their students’ AI literacy?
• 13:02 – How can students use AI without losing their voice?
• 18:47 – What resources or tools does Jen recommend for students and counselors navigating this new technology?
• 22:52 – Does Jen see ethical gray areas with teacher use of AI? 
• 29:02 – How are colleges approaching AI use in applications? 
• 32:16 – Do AI detectors actually work? 
• 37:16 – How does Jen use AI in her own work and writing?
• 43:11 – What does Jen see for the future of AI?
• 44:32 – What advice does Jen have for students?
• 46:10 – Advice for caregivers?
• 46:58 – Advice for educators and counselors?
• 48:50 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

• Navigating College Applications with AI  | foundry10
• CalTech Admissions AI Policy
• Princeton Admissions AI Policy
• Common Sense Media AI Literacy Initiatives
• Digital Promise: AI in Education Resources 
• Understanding Generative AI: Caregiver, Teacher, and Student Experiences
• 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

Welcome back to the podcast! Ethan is joined today by Angel Pérez, CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). Angel has just written a new book on leadership called The Hottest Seat on Campus. It’s written for leaders on college campuses, but the advice he gives is applicable to leaders everywhere, whether you are a college counselor leading in your office, a parent leading in your home, or even a student leading in your school or community. In their conversation, Angel and Ethan discuss:

• How does Angel define leadership?
• Why is detachment so important (and how do we do it)?
• What’s the number one thing Angel believes will lead leaders to success in the future?
• What is deep work and why do we love it so much?
• Lots more.

The advice is practical, given the challenges facing higher education, we believe it’s timely… and we hope you find it useful.

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 glad to call him my friend.

Play-by-Play

• 2:03 – Welcome and check-in
• 3:56 – Angel shares what his book is about, why he wrote it, and who it’s for
• 5:50 – Why is it important to talk about leadership right now? 
• 9:04 – Superpower #1: The Power of Solitude 
• 15:23 – Superpower #2: The Art of Detachment
• 24:00 – Superpower #3: Inspiration through Inclusivity
• 36:45 – Superpower #4: Mastering Self-Management
• 42:31 – Superpower #5: The Power of Showing Up
• 50:24 – Superpower #6: The Power of Focus
• 54:55 – Superpower #7: Shift Your Mindset
• 1:04:26 – Getting comfortable saying “I don’t know” 
• 1:12:57 – Which superpowers do Angel and Ethan want to work on over the next year? 
• 1:20:07 – Closing thoughts and sharing goals

Resources

• 6 ‘Superpowers’ Every Leader Needs | The Chronicle of Higher Education 
• The Hottest Seat on Campus by Angel Pérez
• The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership: A New Paradigm for Sustainable Success by Diana Chapman, Jim Dethmer, and Kaley Klemp 
• Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout by Cal Newport 
• Maker Time vs. Manager Time
• College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
• College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

To kick off Season 6, Ethan shares some practical resources based on a new framework he's been exploring.  If you’re a regular listener, you’ll already be familiar with something we call the Roles and Identities List, which is a huge menu of roles (things like “catalyst” and “change-maker” and “party-bringer”) — Ethan has used it as a get-to-know-you exercise with a number of previous guests. 

In case you missed it, check out Part 1 of this mini-series where Ethan walked through some practical exercises for students and parents based on the Roles and Identities framework. 

But what about counselors? We who spend our days (and often nights) answering emails, phone calls, texting and generally caretaking in 100 different ways…  Today’s episode is the second of two where Ethan will share some exercises that counselors can use to recognize patterns they may fall into at times and how they might practice more self-care and show up more fully for their students. Ethan explores: 

• How can counselors make sure we fill our own cups (and not just our coffee cups)? 
• How can we make sure we’re even more spacious and resourced… so that we’re able to give back from a full cup, and with a full heart?
• And more. 

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play

• 0:08 - What is the Roles & Identities Framework? 
• 5:34 - Exercise #1 : The Roles & Identities List 
• 11:39 - Exercise #2: The “shadow” version
• 21:30 - Exercise #3: The “foil” to your role 
• 23:20 - Closing thoughts 

Resources:

• The Roles and Identities Exercise 
• College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
• College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

To kick off Season 6, Ethan shares some practical resources based on a new framework he's been exploring.  If you’re a regular listener, you’ll already be familiar with something we call the Roles and Identities List, which is a huge menu of roles (things like “catalyst” and “change-maker” and “party-bringer”) — Ethan has used it as a get-to-know-you exercise with a number of previous guests. 

Today’s episode is the first of two where Ethan will dive into a few short, practical exercises for students and parents that can help them figure out things like how they’d like to focus their time as they go through this process. He gets into, among other things: 

• The philosophy behind the Roles and Identities framework
• Some hands-on exercises that students can do — whether in 9th, 10th, or 11th grade — that can help them, for example, plan summer/EC activities, or even map out their college application. 
• A simple but powerful exercise for parents thinking about who they want to be in this process—since let’s be honest it isn’t the students who are learning about themselves here. 

Stay tuned for Part 2 where Ethan will share some exercises that counselors can use to recognize patterns they may fall into at times and how they might practice more self-care and show up more fully for their students. 

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play

• 3:36 - What is the Roles & Identities Framework? 
• 6:57 - Exercise #1 (for both students and parents): The Roles & Identities List 
• 8:59 - Exercise #2 (for students): Using the Roles & Identities list to plan your summer or extracurricular activities
• 11:30 - Using The Values list to expand on your roles and identities
• 13:23 - Which parts of you will you show in your college application?
• 18:21 - Exercise #3 (for parents): Who do you want to be in this process? 
• 27:50 - Closing thoughts

Resources

• The Roles and Identities Exercise 
• The Values Exercise
• 100+ Summer and Extracurricular Ideas — Based on Your Roles and Identities
• 100+ Summer and Extracurricular Ideas — Based on Your Values
• College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
• College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

In today’s episode, Ethan is joined by Akil Bello to talk about standardized tests, rankings, and the cost of college. They dig into some common misconceptions about college including: 

• Are most colleges returning to requiring standardized testing scores? 
• Is it too hard to get into college? 
• Are highly-ranked colleges better? 
• Is it true that most colleges now cost more than $100,000 per year to attend? 
• And more!

Akil Bello is an educator, strategist, researcher, policy consultant, and advocate for equitable access to education. For more than 30 years, he’s worked every job you can imagine related to admission testing and college access from tutor, to test prep company founder to CEO and now works as the Senior Director of Advocacy at Fair Test. When he is not moonlighting reading college applications for a public university, he serves on several advisory boards, writes articles for Forbes, and helps his wife parent their college freshman and HS junior. 

 We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play:

•  1:56 - Akil shares a bit about his background and identities 
•  3:57 - What is Fair Test and what does Akil do as Senior Director of Advocacy? 
•  6:03 - Myth #1: Most colleges are returning to requiring standardized testing scores. 
• 11:25 - Myth #2: Universities are returning to standardized tests because they help attract students of color?
• 13:40 - Myth #3: Standardized test scores are a reliable predictor of GPA in college. 
• 16:18 - Myth #4: It is harder than ever to get into college. 
• 19:25 - Myth #5: The higher the ranking, the better the school.
• 27:59 - What are some good questions that students can ask themselves when developing a college list? 
• 29:52 - Myth #6: College is expensive. 
• 33:59 - Myth #7: A particular essay, extracurricular, or passion project gets students into college.  
• 37:34 - What are some good questions that students can ask themselves when considering whether or not to submit a test score?
• 43:26 - What are some good questions that students can ask themselves if they are considering writing about race in their college essay or application?
• 46:44 - Akil shares advice to parents and students who are navigating this process
• 51:28 - Wrap up and closing thoughts 

Resources:

• College Essay Guy’s Roles and Identities Exercise 
• CEG Resources Post-SCOTUS Decision
• College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
• College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

In our most recent series on storytelling and identity, Ethan sat 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 this bonus episode, the tables are turned as Ethan is interviewed by CEG Essay Coach, Ali Pineo. In their conversation, Ethan and Ali get into:

• Ethan’s background and how his identity has evolved over the years
• The roles Ethan identifies with most: connector, harmonizer, and seeker
• How Ethan measures success in his personal and professional life
• His journey from aspiring screenwriter to teacher and writer
• Brainstorming Ethan’s own personal statement as if he were writing it today
• And more

Ali Pineo is a writing coach and 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. She has spent thousands of hours coaching admissions essay writing and tutoring AP English and US History,. and the highlights of her career center around her mentorship of bright students with learning differences. In addition to teaching, she is an arts entrepreneur, former professional ballet dancer, and mama to a busy toddler.

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play:

• 1:41 - Introductions
• 2:48 - Ethan shares the roles he identifies with most
• 10:36 - What does Ethan’s identity of “Connector” mean to him?
• 14:34 - How does Ethan distinguish between the “Connector” and “Harmonizer” roles?
• 20:16 - Do any roles conflict with other identities? 
• 25:13 - How does Ethan balance his many roles? 
• 28:37 - How does Ethan measure success in his personal and professional life?
• 33:20 - In what ways have Ethan’s career aspirations changed over the years? 
• 37:00 - How does Ethan define his role as a “Culture-Tender?” 
• 43:55 - What has Ethan been writing about lately?
• 47:18 - Ali shares her a bit about her background, roles, and identities 
• 52:33 - How do Ethan’s outward identities overlap with his inner world? 
• 56:48 - Brainstorming Ethan’s own personal statement as if he were writing it today
• 1:11:37 - Closing thoughts and wrap-up

Resources:

• College Essay Guy’s Roles and Identities Exercise
• Listen: Five Simple Tools to Meet Your Everyday Parenting Challenges
• College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
• College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

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 3, Ethan is joined by screenwriter Ryan Maldonado, known for his work on AMC’s Parish, Hulu’s Death and Other Details, Amazon’s Hunters, Chicago PD, FBI, and Grey’s Anatomy.

Ryan and Ethan talk about, among other things: 

• Ryan’s origin story, how he identifies, and how he became a storyteller
• What Ryan’s writing process is like and what it’s like working on a TV show
• How Ryan shows up in characters that may seem very different from who he is 
• What he feels Hollywood is doing well in terms of representing diverse voices, and where there’s still work to be done
• Advice to students going through the personal statement writing process
• And more. 

Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Ryan Maldonado is a writer and producer who currently serves as Executive Producer and Co-Showrunner of AMC’s crime series Parish, starring Giancarlo Esposito. His previous credits include Hulu’s upcoming Death and Other Details (starring Mandy Patinkin) and Amazon’s Hunters (starring Al Pacino). Before moving to Los Angeles to complete his MFA at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, Ryan worked as a reporter for The Detroit Free Press, St. Petersburg Times and Variety. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter.

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play:

• 2:00 - Ryan’s origin story and what it was like growing up in Miami in the '80s
• 11:18 - When did Ryan start writing?
• 15:10 - How has Ryan’s interest in writing shifted over the years?
• 19:47 - Where does “Ryan” show up in his writing and storytelling?
• 26:12 - How might personal experiences influence writing, especially in TV dramas? 
• 33:00 - What is Ryan’s writing process like?
• 38:50 - What is it like working on a TV show? 
• 44:56 - What lessons from film school still apply to Ryan’s work today? 
• 54:33 - How has representation in Hollywood improved? What still needs work? 
• 59:23 - What are some roles Ryan identifies with and how have these manifested in his life?
• 1:08:56 - What advice would you give to students working on their personal statements for college? 
• 1:18:49 - Wrap up and closing thoughts

Resources:

• College Essay Guy’s Roles and Identities Exercise
• College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
• College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub