Show Notes
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?
ResourceS
How to Use the Common App Additional Information Section: Guide + Examples
How to Combine Your College Essay Prompts (To Save 20+ Writing Hours)
CEG Podcast Episode 101: Life As an Undocumented Student at Harvard
CEG Podcast Episode 504: What Colleges Want (Part 4): A Crash Course in the Personal Statement with Ethan Sawyer (College Essay Guy)
