Why Strong Student Still Miss the Mark in Supplemental Essays

If you’ve been following this podcast, you already know that college admissions isn’t about being the most impressive student.

But what does a truly strong essay actually look like?

In this episode, Steve shares a clip from a live essay workshop with a current Yale student who also works in admissions. Together, they break down a real supplemental essay from a student admitted to Yale, Harvard, Caltech, and other top schools.

More importantly, they unpack the level of curiosity, depth, and engagement behind the essay, so you can understand what students need to develop before they ever start writing.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why strong essays reflect how a student thinks, not just what they’ve done
• The difference between average essays and those that stand out at top schools
• A simple framework for evaluating essay quality (Tier 1, 2, and 3)
• What level of engagement students need to reach in their activities