10/21/2026
Many dual enrollment and Charter Academy students seek our advice with their college application essays. This podcast gives some excellent tips about how to stand out and submit your best work. Check it out!
# pensacolastatecollege
Ethan Sawyer asked 20 college admission officers what they thought about students using AI, and the word that came up most often was "don't."
In this week's Grammar Girl podcast, I talked with Ethan, better known as the College Essay Guy, who's been helping students write college essays since 2003.
We talked about:
→ Why Ethan thought he'd need a new job when ChatGPT came out, and what actually happened to his business.
→ The "disembodied voice" he noticed when he tried AI on his own writing.
→ How a grandfather's advice to "finish your ribs" turned into a standout essay.
→ The worst brainstorming question you can ask a teenager (and what to ask instead).
→ His 10-minute trick for students who just can't get started.
And that's just the beginning!
If you're a parent, teacher, or student facing the college essay, or you're wrestling with where AI fits in your own writing, this one is for you.
Links in the first comment.
