Case Study of a Successful College Application Process (And What You Can Learn from it)

Join us for a free live webinar where Ethan Sawyer (College Essay Guy), Calvin Pickett (Head of Coaching), and former admissions officer Tillie Gottlieb deconstruct a real, successful college application from start to finish and share strategies, essay insights, and insider feedback that can help you craft your own standout application.

We’ll cover:

Deconstructing a real, successful application from start to finish.
Why certain choices (in list, essays, and ECs) led to success.
Learning how to apply these successful patterns to your own journey.
Dispelling myths about what a “perfect” applicant looks like.

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MEET YOUR HOSTS

Our Facilitators

Ethan Sawyer

Founder · College Essay Guy

Ethan Sawyer is the founder of College Essay Guy which means he has been eating/sleeping/breathing college essays for most of his waking hours since 2003. He is an internationally recognized college essay and admissions expert and the author of the Amazon bestsellers College Essay Essentials and College Admission Essentials. Each year he and his team reach more than one million students and counselors through the College Essay Guy blog, online pay-what-you-can courses, workshops, books, and one-on-one work. Receiving his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University in Performance Studies, an MFA in Acting from UC Irvine, and two counseling certificates, Ethan’s educational experiences, reading, and training have informed his deep interest in storytelling as a vehicle for personal development and growth, which in turn inspired Ethan to start College Essay Guy.

Calvin Pickett

Director of Coaching · College Essay Guy

Calvin Pickett (he/him) is CEG’s Director of Coaching. He studied English Literature at Vassar College and went on to graduate from the prestigious Columbia Teacher’s College at Columbia University.

He is a passionate advocate of college access and has guided hundreds of students through the college admissions process and helped students craft essays that have helped them gain admission to some of the most selective colleges in the U.S. He is a passionate reader, writer, and all-around communicator with a deep love of narrative.

Having worked in both a classroom setting as an English instructor and through one-on-one college counseling and mentoring, Calvin seeks to leverage structure in writing to elevate students’ stories and help them access their highest college aspirations.

Tillie Gottlieb

Senior College Counselor · College Essay Guy

With 15+ years of experience, Tillie brings a global, insider perspective to college admissions, with a background spanning admissions, elite boarding schools, private counseling in Southeast Asia, and leadership as a Co-Director of College Counseling in the Bay Area.

She’s helped students get into top colleges nationwide—but more importantly, she helps them build applications that actually make sense and feel like them. Tillie specializes in guiding students—especially in STEM, business, social sciences, and the arts—toward clear, cohesive, and compelling stories.

Known for her sharp eye, deep listening, and sense of humor, she makes a high-stakes process feel a lot more manageable. Filmmaker, former ballet dancer, game show competitor, and guac enthusiast—she brings both creativity and real talk to the process.