College Essay Guy Workshops & Professional Development

Each year we lead virtual and in-person workshops at schools and organizations around the world.

  All workshops led by a trained facilitator

  Interact live virtually or in-person

  Private customizable workshops available

 
What We Offer

Professional Development

Student
Workshops

Consulting

 
Professional Development for Teachers and Counselors

We offer a wide range of professional development workshops for counselors and teachers—choose from our menu, or let us curate the right series of sessions for your team.
 

College Admission Fundamentals

Learn More »

  • Learn what happens after a student submits their college application
  • Discover how the essay plays a part in the admission process
  • Created by a former admissions officer

How to Guide a Student Through the Personal Statement Process: A Crash Course
Learn More »

You'll discover:

  • How to help students brainstorm and structure using exercises that work
  • How to provide feedback that's useful, actionable, and kind
  • Ready-to-go resources and templates you can use right away

How to Help a Student Craft an Outstanding College Application: A Crash Course
Learn More »

  • Values-based approach
  • Save students 20+ hours on their applications
  • How to stand out on the Activities List
  • Maximizing the Additional Information section
  • Ready-to-go templates you can use right away

 
How to Write Effective Letters of Recommendations PD
Learn More »

  • Written by a former admissions officer and junior/senior high school English teacher
  • Tips for counselors and teachers at various school types with different caseloads and needs
  • Increase students' chances of acceptances with new advocacy strategies

A Crash Course in Guiding a Student Through the UC Personal Insight Questions
Learn More »

  • Learn the UC's comprehensive review process and evaluation approach
  • Help students understand the difference between PIQs and other college writing responses
  • Ready-to-go resources and templates you can use right away

 
    "Our seniors were definitely in a different place by the fall than the previous 11 years I've been at my school."

    - Canh Oxelson, Executive Director of College Counseling at Horace Mann School
Private Workshops for Your Students

We offer in-person and virtual sessions year-round. Check out some of our options below and click the orange button below to get started.
Personal Statement Series
Part 1: How to Brainstorm an Outstanding Personal Statement
Learn More »

  • What is the personal statement?
  • What are colleges looking for?
  • Practical, values-based brainstorming exercises and writing strategies
  • Q&A

Part 2: How to Structure and Draft an Outstanding Personal Statement
Learn More »

  • How to guide students from brainstorming to drafting
  • Essay structures any student can use
  • Successful example essays
  • Q&A

Part 3: How to Uplevel and Revise a Personal Statement + LIVE Feedback
Learn More »

  • How to help an essay stand out
  • Live feedback on student-submitted outlines from a trained CEG essay specialist
  • Next steps
  • Q&A

Common App and
Supplemental Essay Series
Common App Walk-through + How to Create an Outstanding Activities List and Additional Info Section
Learn More »

  • Maximizing the impact of your Common App
  • Up-leveling Activities Lists and Additional Information sections
  • Entice (and not annoy) admissions officers with best Common App practices
  • Q&A

A Crash Course on Strategizing and Writing the Supplemental Essays
Learn More »

  • Save 20+ hours with simple, effective strategies
  • Guidance on some of the most popular supplemental essays: "Why Us," "Why Major," Extracurricular Activity, and more)
  • Q&A

University of California (UC) Personal Insight Question Series
Parts 1 & 2: How to Brainstorm, Outline & Revise Your UC Personal Insight Questions (PIQs)
Learn More »

  • The role PIQs play in the UC's Comprehensive Review process
  • Selecting the best PIQ topics based on individual student experiences
  • Brainstorming exercises to kickstart the PIQ writing process
  • Moving from brainstorming to outlining and drafting
  • Making PIQs more specific, insightful, and valuable to UC admission readers
  • Students receive live feedback on their PIQs from a trained CEG essay specialist
  • Q&A

Add on: Speed Sessions
In Speed Sessions, students will be able to meet one-on-one with an experienced College Essay Guy coach to review topics or drafts. Sessions may be broken up into 15, 20, or 30 minute meetings.



“CEG workshops are like having a team of the most seasoned college counselors and admissions officers share the most relevant, insightful, and impactful essay and supplement writing advice, but better. CEG faculty deliver all the above in a concise workshop using visuals, takeaway worksheets, and super engaging technology that captures the focus of discerning teens. The virtual live experience is just as good as in person, which makes this experience even more accessible to schools."

- Terry K. Dir. of College Counseling Hewitt School
Done-for-You Private Summer Boot Camps

In these private, in-person sessions, your students will create solid outlines or drafts of their Common App and personal statement.

  • Save time in the fall
  • Slower, more immersive pace
  • Specifically designed to complement school summer school schedules
  • 1-Week, 4-Week, and 8-Week Options
Public Summer Boot Camps via CEG LIVE

Have little to no budget? Join CEG LIVE, a series of live, virtual boot camps that Ethan leads for high schools, non-profits, and CBOs each year.

  • Virtual boot camps focusing on the personal statement, supplemental essays, activities list, and more.
  • Access to my Choose Your Own Adventure Tool, which answers pretty much any college essay question students or counselors may have.
Consulting

Elevate your team's college counseling skills with personalized coaching from our team of admission experts (starting at $3,000)
Feedback on current + past student applications and essays
Audit of your college counseling process + targeted recommendations
Practical and expert tips on how to provide effective feedback on personal and supplemental essays
 Please fill out the form below to contact our team about workshops and educational opportunities for your school or organization.