In Episode 3 of our series on Admission Nutrients, Ethan is joined by Deanna Dixon, the Dean of Admission at Smith College, to dive into leadership and initiative. In their conversation, they get into:

• What are a few of the qualities Smith College looks for?
• How does their supplemental essay point to their institutional priorities and what they’re looking for in an applicant?
• Why are leadership and initiative important from Smith’s perspective?
• What does she think about ChatGPT?
• When it comes to equity and leveling the playing field, how does she believe the profession is doing?
• Advice for students and families going through this process
• And more!

Deanna Dixon has worked in college admission since 2006 and currently serves as Dean of Admission at Smith College. As a graduate of a women’s college, she has maintained a deep commitment to women's education and college attainment for marginalized students in general. A parent of a college senior, Deanna appreciates the dedication of college counselors and the shared partnership of matching students to the best school for them. Deanna has a bachelor’s degree from Smith College and a master’s degree in business administration from The Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis.

We hope you enjoy our conversation.

Play-by-Play:

• 2:09 – Welcome and introductions
• 2:37 – What are some roles that Deanna plays as Dean of Admission at Smith?
• 4:59 – What does life look like behind the scenes at Smith?
• 8:10 – What is yield and why is it important to colleges?
• 10:01 – What are some of the “positive character attributes” that Smith is looking for?
• 14:05 – Where do these attributes show up in an application?
• 17:07 – How does Smith’s supplemental essay point to their institutional priorities?
• 22:54 – Why are leadership and initiative important from Smith’s perspective?
• 24:30 – What are some interesting or unconventional examples of students taking initiative or leadership at the high school level?
• 27:46 – Where does leadership show up on campus at Smith?
• 31:06 – How have personal statement topics shifted over the years?
• 36:39 – What’s one of Deanna’s favorite essays she has read?
• 38:50 – What does Deanna think about ChatGPT?
• 44:13 – When it comes to equity and leveling the playing field, how does Deanna believe the profession is doing?
• 49:09 – Advice for students and families going through this process
• 51:45 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

• Tony Jack’s Class Dismissed
• 3 Step Guide to Choosing a College That's Right for You
• College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
• College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

In Episode 2 of our series on Admission Nutrients, Ethan is joined by Raissa Diamante, the Director of Admission at Harvey Mudd College, to do a deep dive into collaboration — why is it important to colleges and where does it show up in the application process? Ethan and Raissa get into, among other things:

• What does the admission review process look like at Harvey Mudd?
• Why is collaboration particularly important (spoiler: it’s one of the main things they look for)?
• Tips for the supplemental essay (side note: it’s a prompt they’ve kept some version of over the past 15 years) via a brief analysis of a real essay from a past student
• What does Raissa think about students using Chat-GPT / generative AI for their essays?
• What do students miss or get wrong about the college admission process?
• Can students write about race in their college application essays?
• And more!
  

Raissa Diamante is the Executive Director of Admission at Harvey Mudd College (HMC) in Claremont, CA. She grew up in a mixed immigration status home and is a proud product of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Raissa believes in the power of data in storytelling as a means to operationalizing change. She takes pride in developing and implementing strategies that help make institutions more representative of our society. Prior to HMC, Raissa was the Director of Multicultural Recruitment at Swarthmore College and worked at the Office for Multicultural Affairs at Barnard College. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley and her Master’s degree from Teachers College, Columbia University. In her spare time, she enjoys playing with her child, working on puzzles, and being an introvert.

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play

• 2:50 – What are some of Raissa’s roles and identities?
• 9:02 – What goes on behind-the-scenes in Raissa’s office at Harvey Mudd?
• 16:50 – Why is collaboration important, from Harvey Mudd’s perspective?
• 21:24 – Where do collaborative qualities show up in the application?
• 23:18 – What are some qualities of collaboration that students might not think of?
• 31:28 – Analyzing a past supplemental essay prompt for Harvey Mudd
• 41:07 – What does Raissa think about students using Chat-GPT / generative AI for their essays?
• 48:35 – What do students miss or get wrong about the college admission process?
• 50:56 – What are some ways that Harvey Mudd is approaching access and equity?
• 54:32 – Can students write about race in their college application essays?
• 58:31 – Wrap up and closing thoughts

Resources:

• CEG Podcast Episode 605 - Navigating College Applications with AI (Part 1): How High School Teachers and Students Use Tools Like ChatGPT
• Navigating College Applications with AI | foundry10
• College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
• College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

Welcome back to the College Essay Guy Podcast! Today, Ethan kicks off a brand-new series: Admission Nutrients — qualities that not only enhance a well-balanced college application but can also contribute to a more meaningful life.

In Part 1, Ethan introduces these “nutrients,” breaking down what they are, where they show up in the application, and why they matter. In upcoming episodes, Tom and Ethan will be joined by admission officers from different colleges to take a deeper dive into each one.

In this episode, Ethan shares:

• What are Admission Nutrients, and what do they reveal about what colleges value?
• Where do these nutrients show up in the college application?
• How can students realistically develop these qualities in a way that feels authentic rather than forced?
• And more

A quick but important note: At College Essay Guy, we don’t believe that every hour of high school should be spent optimizing for “what colleges want.” Get this: These nutrients are not only qualities employers seek but can also help students create more meaning and purpose in their lives — and yes, sure, help improve college acceptance chances along the way.

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play:

• 2:18 – Intellectual Curiosity
• 7:12 – Service to Others
• 9:38 – Leadership or Initiative
• 14:09 – Collaboration
• 16:30 – Consistent Engagement
• 19:58 – How can students explore and develop these qualities?

Resources:

• CEG Podcast Episode 503: What Colleges Want (Part 3): "Positive Character Attributes": What Are They, and How Do You Show Them in Your College Application?
• CEG Podcast Episode 413: Intellectual Curiosity + College Admissions: What It Is, Why It Matters to Colleges, and How to Show It
• How to Use the Common App Additional Information Section: Guide + Examples
• CEG Podcast Episode 213: Self-Directed Learning (Why You Can Quit HS & Be Okay)
• How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation | College Essay Guy
• Roles and Identities Exercise
• College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
• College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub