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

Welcome to Part 2 of 2 of this mini-series on AI in college admission! In our last episode, I interviewed Jen Rubin from foundry10 on how students and counselors are using AI in the college admission process. In today’s episode I’ll get into what colleges have to say, and what I would advise as a result. I’ll get into:

• My biggest concern with AI… in general (spoiler: it’s much bigger than college applications)
• My concerns related to AI use in the college application process
• Common App guidelines + What colleges have to say around AI use
• What I believe students might miss out on if they use AI to write their essays for them
• My advice to students and counselors

We hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play:

• 2:12 – What is Ethan’s biggest concern with AI?
• 3:29 – CommonApp Guidelines
• 4:09 – What do colleges have to say about AI use in the application process?
• 7:05 – What does Ethan believe students might miss out on if they use AI to write their essays for them?
• 12:00 – Can Chat GPT and AI be useful in certain contexts?
• 13:34 – AI use and environmental impacts
• 14:26 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

• CEG Podcast Episode 605 - Navigating College Applications with AI (Part 1): How High School Teachers and Students Use Tools Like ChatGPT
• Blog Version of this episode – Navigating College Applications with AI: What Colleges Say + CEG's Advice to Students and Counselors
• CEG’s Thoughts on AI and College Application Essays
• Duncan Sabian – Article on AI Safety
• AI 2027
• CommonApp Affirmation Statement
• College Statements on AI Usage
  • Princeton University
  • CalTech
  • Brown University
  • University of California (UC) System
  • Gonzaga University
  • Southern Methodist University (Graduate)
  • University of Melbourne (Outside the US)
• As Use of A.I. Soars, So Does the Energy and Water It Requires
• Jeff Neill’s Tech-Neill-ogy
• College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
• College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub

In Part 1 of 2 of this mini-series on AI in college admission, Ethan is joined by Jennifer Rubin, Senior Researcher at foundry10 and Principal Investigator of the Digital Technologies and Education Lab. Jen is a first generation college graduate and, like Ethan, she didn't have a ton of support navigating the college application and admission process. When Chat GPT was released, she wondered: How were students actually using these tools for the college essay and application process? And how can we make sure AI becomes a tool for equity, not another advantage for students who already have access?

In this conversation, Ethan and Jen get into:

• Some of the most interesting takeaways from her research
• Why higher-income students were more likely to use AI in their applications than lower-income students
• How educators can increase their students’ AI literacy
• How students can use AI without losing their voice
• Resources/tools she recommends for students and counselors navigating this new technology
• And lots more.

Jennifer Rubin is a Senior Researcher at foundry10 who investigates how technology shapes youth development, learning, and social connections. She earned a B.A. in Psychology from UC Berkeley before completing a dual Ph.D. in Psychology and Gender and Women's Studies at the University of Michigan. Currently, she is the Principal Investigator of the Digital Technologies and Education Lab, where she leads research on how social media, generative AI, and digital learning environments impact youth development. Her work explores how young people navigate digital spaces, strategies for educators to meaningfully integrate emerging technologies, and the essential skills needed to foster critical engagement with social media and AI tools.

Hope you enjoy!

Play-by-Play

• 2:26 – Jen shares her research background and what she’s been working on
• 4:06 – What have been the most interesting takeaways from Jen’s research?
• 5:58 – Why were higher-income students more likely to use AI in their applications than lower-income students?
• 9:16 – What are some practical ways for educators to increase their students’ AI literacy?
• 13:02 – How can students use AI without losing their voice?
• 18:47 – What resources or tools does Jen recommend for students and counselors navigating this new technology?
• 22:52 – Does Jen see ethical gray areas with teacher use of AI?
• 29:02 – How are colleges approaching AI use in applications?
• 32:16 – Do AI detectors actually work?
• 37:16 – How does Jen use AI in her own work and writing?
• 43:11 – What does Jen see for the future of AI?
• 44:32 – What advice does Jen have for students?
• 46:10 – Advice for caregivers?
• 46:58 – Advice for educators and counselors?
• 48:50 – Closing thoughts
  
  

Resources:

• Navigating College Applications with AI | foundry10
• CalTech Admissions AI Policy
• Princeton Admissions AI Policy
• Common Sense Media AI Literacy Initiatives
• Digital Promise: AI in Education Resources
• Understanding Generative AI: Caregiver, Teacher, and Student Experiences
• College Essay Guy’s Personal Statement Resources
• College Essay Guy’s College Application Hub