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 Write a Successful Common App Activities List
How to Use the Common App Additional Information Section: Guide + Examples
My College List (Research + Essay Topic Tracker)
School-Specific Supplemental Essays
Why This College Essay Guide + Examples
How to Combine Your College Essay Prompts (To Save 20+ Writing Hours)
What the Heck are "Hooks" and "Institutional Priorities"?
The Values Exercise
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)

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

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