Hey friends, and welcome back to the College Essay Guy podcast. Today's episode is the third and final episode in our series called Inside the Personal Statement Process. If you're just tuning in, this series takes you behind the scenes as I work one-on-one with Alisha, a current high school senior applying for the Fall 2026 term. Find Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

This episode was recorded just a few days before Alisha submitted her early applications. The focus of this episode is on one of the most challenging—and perhaps, the least discussed—aspect of writing the personal statement: insight.

In the session, Alisha and I explore:

What is insight?
How do you find good insights?
What are the kinds of questions that can lead to insights?
And more

Whether you're a student working on your own essays right now, a parent supporting from the sidelines, or a counselor guiding students through this process, I hope you'll find something useful here.

Alisha is a current high school senior going through the application process who loves science, movies, and discovering new places. When she's not studying the brain, she's mentoring younger students through her program Running Start or planning her next adventure.

Hope you enjoy our session.

Play-by-Play:

1:16 – It's just days before her Early Decision deadline. How's Alisha feeling?
2:21 – What is "insight," and why does it matter in an essay?
3:30 – Alisha begins reading her latest draft, Wherever the Road Takes Us
4:08 – Ethan gives his thoughts on Alisha's intro
5:37 – Paragraph one: Curiosity
11:04 – Paragraph two: Creativity
11:52 – How does art make Alisha a better scientist?
14:20 – Paragraph three: Empathy
21:20 – Alisha uses the Values Exercise to identify potential new insights
28:19 – Paragraph four: Community
32:47 – Paragraph five: Conclusion and the "empty jar."
35:53 – Ethan recaps final notes and next steps
39:50 – Alisha and Ethan reflects on the writing process and Alisha's growth
41:34 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

Episode 38 - Alien or Aliens? Charlie Kaufman's New Film & More