Hi, friends, and welcome back to our series, "On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling." In this series, we take a close look at personal essays written by real students, talking about why we love them, what makes them work, and how they came to be.

In this episode, we break down an essay called "The Stomach Whisperer" about a student who used to lie on her grandmother's stomach and wonder if the echoing gurgle I'd just heard was caused by the molasses or by the cinnamon.

I'm joined today by Tillie Gottlieb, a former admission officer turned Director of College Counseling who I'm so happy to say now works with me full-time at College Essay Guy. In this episode (thanks to Tillie's background), we get to analyze a personal statement through three different lenses: admission officer, college counselor, and lover of creative non-fiction. If you're the kind of person who enjoys seeing how things get made, whether it's a great meal, a film scene, or a piece of writing, I have a feeling you might enjoy this one.

Tillie Gottlieb is an educator and creative producer with fifteen years of experience in the world of higher education admissions and counseling. After earning her Bachelor's from Whitman College and her Master's in Education from Middlebury, Tillie navigated the complexities of college admissions from both sides of the desk—serving as a Director of College Counseling, a reader for USC, and overseas as an independent educational consultant. She is also a filmmaker and performer who has spent a career at the intersection of systems-level thinking, centering equity, and storytelling. At CEG, she translates her background into leading webinars and workshops, sharing free content on our social media channels, and serves as a senior college counselor, helping students turn their values and lived experiences into something people can actually feel.

Enjoy.

Play-by-Play:

2:09 – When Tillie looks at a college essay, what are some of the lenses that she looks through?
5:07 – Tillie shares context on the essay and what she loves about it
5:43 – Tillie reads the essay we're calling, The Stomach Whisperer
9:40 – What stands out from the lens of an admission officer?
11:50 – What works well in the opening paragraph?
16:49 – How does the writer use descriptive language to show various personal qualities?
18:11 – How can students use "geeky language" to express their intellectual curiosity?
23:18 – What techniques does the writer use to subtly weave in a challenge as they gain confidence in their choice of major?
27:29 – How can students stand out using a more common topic such as an internship?
33:07 – What works well in the closing paragraph?
36:20 – What are some of the values that are coming through in this essay?
38:37 – What is something that Tillie would like students to keep in mind as they're going through this process?
38:55 – Closing thoughts

Resources:

The "Stomach Whisperer" Essay
CEG's College Admission Nutrients (aka The Great College Application Test)
College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources
College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

713: On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Storytelling (Ep 10: The Stomach Whisperer) with Tillie Gottlieb

The College Essay Guy Podcast: A Practical Guide to College Admissions

713: On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Storytelling (Ep 10: The Stomach Whisperer) with Tillie Gottlieb