{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"713: On Becoming: The Art and Craft of Storytelling (Ep 10: The Stomach Whisperer) with Tillie Gottlieb","description":"Hi, friends, and welcome back to our series, \u201cOn Becoming: The Art and Craft of Personal Storytelling.\u201d 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\u2019d 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\u2019m so happy to say now works with me full-time at College Essay Guy. In this episode (thanks to Tillie\u2019s background), we get to analyze a personal statement through three different lenses: admission officer, college counselor, and lover of creative non-fiction. If you\u2019re the kind of person who enjoys seeing how things get made, whether it\u2019s 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\u2019s from Whitman College and her Master\u2019s in Education from Middlebury, Tillie navigated the complexities of college admissions from both sides of the desk\u2014serving 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 \u2013 When Tillie looks at a college essay, what are some of the lenses that she looks through?  5:07 \u2013 Tillie shares context on the essay and what she loves about it  5:43 \u2013 Tillie reads the essay we\u2019re calling, The Stomach Whisperer  9:40 \u2013 What stands out from the lens of an admission officer?  11:50 \u2013 What works well in the opening paragraph? 16:49 \u2013 How does the writer use descriptive language to show various personal qualities?  18:11 \u2013 How can students use \u201cgeeky language\u201d to express their intellectual curiosity?  23:18 \u2013 What techniques does the writer use to subtly weave in a challenge as they gain confidence in their choice of major?  27:29 \u2013 How can students stand out using a more common topic such as an internship?  33:07 \u2013 What works well in the closing paragraph?  36:20 \u2013 What are some of the values that are coming through in this essay? 38:37 \u2013 What is something that Tillie would like students to keep in mind as they're going through this process? 38:55 \u2013 Closing thoughts Resources: The \u201cStomach Whisperer\u201d Essay CEG's College Admission Nutrients (aka The Great College Application Test)  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":"