{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"711: On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling (Ep 10: The Silent Assassin) with Amber Patterson","description":"Hi, friends, and welcome back to our series, "On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling," where we take a close look at personal essays written by real students, talk about why we love them, what makes them work, and how they came to be. In this episode, I'm joined by Amber Patterson, Regional Director of Admission at Texas Christian University. This conversation does two things at once. We read a real student essay closely, line by line, and we get inside an admission reader's head to understand what's actually landing as she reads through it. We get into: What Amber hopes to learn about a student when she sits down with their personal statement Why TCU has chosen not to use any AI to read applications, and the human moments she says a machine can't pick up How the reading process actually works at TCU  A full breakdown of an essay called "The Silent Assassin," starting with Amber\u2019s take on why a clever hook may matter less than students think How to nest a small, everyday challenge inside a larger essay (the hybrid structure), and how a common challenge can be than enough How to subtly weave an extracurricular activity into your essay, and how to actually use the additional information section Amber's honest take on AI for students: where it helps, and where to avoid it Amber Patterson is a first generation, non-traditional college student who earned her Bachelor's degree in Ethnic Studies from Cal State East Bay and a Master of Human Relations degree in Inclusive Leadership from the University of Oklahoma. After a decade as a college counselor in California public high schools, she moved into higher ed and now serves as Regional Director of Admission at Texas Christian University. She has served on WACAC's Executive Board and currently chairs Professional Development for the Regional Admission Counselors of California. What she loves most about this work is helping students find their path to higher education and fostering an environment where every student's unique experiences are valued. I loved this conversation, and Amber's care for students comes through in every answer. I hope you enjoy it too.   Play-by-Play: 2:21 \u2013  What is often happening in admission offices in June? 3:43 \u2013 What does Amber look for in a personal statement?  5:05 \u2013 What is the application reading process like at TCU and what is the role of the personal statement?  8:59 \u2013 What conversations are happening in the TCU admissions office around using AI for application review? 12:56 \u2013 What is the human "feeling" a great essay creates, and why is it so hard to teach a machine to find it?  15:34 \u2013 Do college essays need titles? 17:10 \u2013 Amber reads the essay, which we\u2019re calling "The Silent Assassin"  21:40 \u2013 Why does a clever hook matter less than students think? 24:42 \u2013 How does the author show leadership qualities through the essay?  26:58 \u2013 Why is \u201cshow, don\u2019t tell\u201d an effective storytelling technique for college essays? 31:39 \u2013 How can students nest a challenge into the essay without it being the whole story? 36:40 \u2013 When should students weave an activity into the personal statement? 39:51 \u2013 Where is it best for students to mention their intended major? 41:00 \u2013 What can students include in the additional information section?  43:54 \u2013 What does the admission reader learn about the student through their proudest moment in high school?  50:01 \u2013 How much information might an admission reader catch in a quick read?  51:58 \u2013 What advice does Amber have for students around AI use? 54:15 \u2013 What does Amber hope that students will keep in mind throughout this process? 55:19 \u2013 Closing thoughts  Resources: The \u201cSilent Assassin\u201d Essay Should I Discuss Mental Health in My Personal Statement or College Application? (And If So, How)?  512: Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Counselor Perspective  513: Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Admission Officer Perspective 514: Navigating Mental Health Disclosures in the College Application: The Student Perspective  How to Use the Common App Additional Information section and Challenges and Circumstances section: Guide + Examples | College Essay Guy College Essay Guy\u2019s Personal Statement Resources College Essay Guy\u2019s College Application Hub ","author_name":"The College Essay Guy Podcast: A Practical Guide to College Admissions","author_url":"http:\/\/collegeessayguy.libsyn.com\/website","html":"