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Ivy League Prep Academy Podcast
Equipping you to successfully pursue the college of your dreams. I believe that the world needs every student to reach their full potential. College admittance shouldn't hold you back. I'm an educator and Harvard grad who has been in your shoes. I designed this podcast to accompany the Ivy League Challenge (my online course) to support my listeners. I've met with graduates, admissions officers, and professors to identify the criteria used to select candidates. I've crafted a road map for success and can share it with you.
Ivy League Prep Academy Podcast
Before You Start Writing College Essays, Listen to This
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Most students start their personal statement by asking, “What should I write about?”
That’s the wrong starting point.
In this episode, Steve explains why the topic is not the essay-- and why strong essays usually reveal three layers:
- the external problem
- the internal journey
- the deeper reason the story matters
Before students begin drafting, they need to understand what their essay is actually trying to reveal: who they are, what they value, and why it matters.
For students who have been through the Ivy League Challenge, this is the moment to connect the dots between core values, meaningful impact, personal growth, and application strategy.
Register for the workshop at TILC.to/essay