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

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

Ethan Sawyer
College Admissions
Personal Statements
College Applications
Intellectual Curiosity
Financial Aid
Personal Statement
Columbia University
Neuroscience
Leadership
Mental Health
Empathy
Diversity
Personal Storytelling
Liberal Arts Education
College Admissions Process
Storytelling
Matchlighters Scholars Program
Cognitive Science
Creativity
Colorado College

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 colle... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes100Founded10 years ago
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EducationSociety & Culture

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

Latest Episodes

Friends, welcome back to the podcast. This is part two of my conversation with Angel Pérez, the CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling.

The theme of our conversation was navigating ambiguity.

In case you missed part one... more

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Hi, friends, and welcome back to the College Essay Guy podcast. This episode is a fireside chat with Angel Pérez, the CEO of NACAC (the National Association for College Admission Counseling), someone who was named by Forbes as the most influential vo... more

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Hey friends, welcome back to the podcast. Ten years ago, a group at Harvard released a report called Turning the Tide, and it attempted something audacious: getting college admission (of all things) to make caring count. This June, the fourth report ... more

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Hi there and welcome back to the podcast! I'm Tillie Gottlieb, a senior college counselor and content specialist here at CEG. I am delighted to be a guest host today as part of our series interviewing admission officers. We're getting to know more ab... more

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Admissions Beat
Admissions BeatLee Coffin • Vice President and Dean of Admissions & Financial Aid at Dartmouth College

Recent Guests

Angel Pérez
CEO of NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling)
NACAC
Episode: 719: Tools for Navigating Ambiguity in Times of Uncertainty: A Conversation with NACAC CEO Angel Pérez (Part 1)
Rick Weissbord
Psychologist and faculty director of the Making Caring Common project
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Episode: 718: Turning the Tide in 2026: Preparing Students for Lives of Caring and Purpose (with Harvard's Making Caring Common)
Trisha Ross Anderson
Senior director of Higher Education and College Admission Initiatives at MCC
Making Caring Common
Episode: 718: Turning the Tide in 2026: Preparing Students for Lives of Caring and Purpose (with Harvard's Making Caring Common)
Marie Bury Loew
Associate Director of Admission at University of Southern California
University of Southern California
Episode: 717: A USC Admission Officer on Early Decision, Rural Student Access, and What She Wishes Students Would Ask with Marie Bury Loew
Adam Miller
Vice President for Admission and Financial Aid at Whitman College
Whitman College
Episode: 716: Making the Price of College Make Sense with Adam Miller
Lavon Robinson
Essay coach; school counselor
College Essay Guy; STEM Enrich
Episode: 715: On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling (Ep 12: The Translator) with Lavon Robinson
Tillie Gottlieb
Former admissions officer turned director of college counseling, educator and creative producer at College Essay Guy
College Essay Guy
Episode: 713: On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Storytelling (Ep 10: The Stomach Whisperer) with Tillie Gottlieb
David Cha
Educator and founder of Bears University Seminar (BUS) at Warren High School
Warren High School, Bears University Seminar
Episode: 712: Empowering First-Generation Student Success: The Warren High School BUS program with David Cha
Amber Patterson
Regional Director of Admission at Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University
Episode: 711: On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling (Ep 10: The Silent Assassin) with Amber Patterson

Hosts

Tom Campbell
Co-host of the series; longtime college counseling perspective and essay coaching background.
Ethan Sawyer
Host focused on practical guidance for college admissions and essay coaching; behind College Essay Guy resources.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 312 ratings
  • On Becoming series is pure gold

    Loving this series

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    neonpinklime
    United States5 months ago
  • I’m a parent and this podcast has helped me so much

    I’m a parent who hasn’t had to apply to college for over 40 years. Just seeing the stress and anxiety of what this generation of kids have to go through his heartbreaking. But listening to this podcast has really alleviated a lot of stress, gave me deeper insights, and so many ideas to help support my son and his search, and in his applications. Listening to all the ideas and advice have really helped my son to explore how he wants to let admissions officers know who he is. It’s also allowed me ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mom’s stress is relieved
    United States2 years ago
  • Exhausting to listen to.

    Good content but the host frequently goes on long monologues instead of letting the guest speak.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    SKSS222
    United States3 years ago
  • This is THE best podcast for understanding these topics

    Thank for such well done podcasts - they have really helped me understand both the college admissions topics and other things to think about as a parent of a soon-to-be high schooler. Also kudos for making it easy and fun to listen to!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kjf190
    United States5 years ago
  • Great, great, information!!

    I’m so grateful I found your podcast!! I’m going back to school and I’m soaking up so much from you! Thank you so much!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    tiffany.etzel
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Episodes are seen as highly educational and resource-rich for counselors and students.
Listeners praise the show for practical, actionable guidance.
Parents appreciate the stress-reduction and real-world insights for admissions.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

719: Tools for Navigating Ambiguity in Times of Uncertainty: A Conversation with NACAC CEO Angel Pérez (Part 1)
Q: What leadership lesson has most influenced how you make tough calls?
Ask how you want this moment to be remembered; balance transparency with the need to protect staff and mission, and aim for soft landings during difficult transitions.
719: Tools for Navigating Ambiguity in Times of Uncertainty: A Conversation with NACAC CEO Angel Pérez (Part 1)
Q: What moment in recent history exposed the most ambiguity for NACAC, and how did you respond?
The first year in 2020 during the pandemic and racial reckonings; Pérez emphasizes letting go of control, focusing on influence, and prioritizing mission-centered actions over performing public statements.
719: Tools for Navigating Ambiguity in Times of Uncertainty: A Conversation with NACAC CEO Angel Pérez (Part 1)
Q: What memories do you have around uncertainty and navigating ambiguity from childhood?
Angel describes growing up with frequent moves and uncertainty, and Ethan shares similar memories; they both anchored themselves in books and schooling as stability and a sense of control.
717: A USC Admission Officer on Early Decision, Rural Student Access, and What She Wishes Students Would Ask with Marie Bury Loew
Q: What do I need to do to get into USC?
The guest emphasizes authenticity in the application, encourages students to show genuine interests and experiences, and highlights that USC looks for fit and engagement rather than a canned checklist approach. They also stress understanding why you're asking questions and tailoring conversations to your actual needs and goals.
716: Making the Price of College Make Sense with Adam Miller
Q: What role do net price calculators play with the 10% Promise?
The calculator shows the bottom-line cost based on adjusted gross income, and Whitman's integration ensures families see the potential impact of the 10% Promise before deciding whether to submit CSS Profile, saving time and effort.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Practical, up-to-date interviews with admissions professionals, college counselors, and educators focused on college admissions, personal statements, and the essay-writing process. Episodes highlight hands-on coaching tactics, real student work, and strategies for crafting authentic narratives that stand out in applications. Hosts emphasize actionable steps, from brainstorming and topic selection to revision, as well as how readers evaluate essays, read IAIs, and approach AI considerations in the process. Noteworthy is the consistently professor-like balance between admissions insight and hands-on writing guidance, plus a recurrent emphasis on equity, student voice, and practical outcomes for both students and counselors. Potential listener... more

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this podcast launched 10 years ago and published 100 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Angel Pérez
2. Rick Weissbord
3. Trisha Ross Anderson
4. Marie Bury Loew
5. Adam Miller
6. Lavon Robinson
7. Tillie Gottlieb
8. David Cha

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