505: What Colleges Want (Part 5): A Crash Course in the Supplemental Essays + Application with Ethan Sawyer (College Essay Guy)

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On this week’s episode, Tom Campbell (CEG’s Community Manager) sits down with Ethan Sawyer (College Essay Guy) for Part 5 in our What Colleges Want series to talk about some of the other written parts of the application—the activities list, additional information section, and supplemental essays. Tom and Ethan get into:

  • How can students write a great Activities List? 

  • How can you find out what colleges are looking for in the supplemental essays?

  • And what even is the additional information section?

  • What is a ‘Super Essay’ and how might it be useful?

  • How does a student know when their application is complete?

Fun fact: You’ll find the YouTube video version of this podcast on the College Essay Guy YouTube channel.

Play-by-play

  • 1:09 - What are the other writing components of a college application?

  • 5:26 - How can students write a great Activities List? 

  • 9:33 - Does the order of the activities matter?

  • 11:41 - Are activities from 9th and 10th grade worth putting in the Activities List?

  • 13:37 - When should students elaborate on Activities in their Additional Info section?

  • 17:05 - What else can go into the Additional Info section? 

  • 23:14 - What are some things to avoid putting in the Additional Info section?

  • 24:41 - How should students format the Additional Info section?

  • 26:19 - Why do some colleges have supplemental essays?

  • 27:31 - What are some of the most common supplemental essays prompts?

  • 34:11 - How might institutional priorities impact an individual applicant? 

  • 44:14 - What is a ‘Super Essay’ and how is it used?

  • 49:12 - How does a student know when their application is complete?

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