707: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 5): Making the Decision with Alisha, Class of 2026

Hey friends, and welcome back to the College Essay Guy podcast. Today's episode is a special follow-up with Alisha, who you might remember from our series last season where we walked through her personal statement process step-by-step. Now that she has officially received her results, Alisha is back to share the final chapter of her journey and reflect on the experience of reaching the finish line. In this session, Alisha and I explore: The emotional ups and downs of receiving college acceptances and rejections Alisha's advice for students currently navigating the application process What she might have done differently looking back, and The "big reveal": Where she got in, where she didn't, and where she's headed next Whether you're a senior waiting on your own results, a junior just starting the path, or a parent or counselor looking for a real-world perspective on how the process ends, I hope you'll find Alisha's reflections both grounding and insightful. Alisha is a current high school senior who loves science, movies, and discovering new places. When she's not studying the brain, she's mentoring younger students through her program Running Start or planning her next adventure. Hope you enjoy our session. Play-by-Play 1:48 – How is Alisha feeling now that the application process is over? 2:58 – What did Alisha learn about herself through the process? 4:50 – How did getting an early acceptance change Alisha's outlook on the process? 6:37 – How did Alisha approach choosing a major for her applications? 7:18 – Alisha walks through her acceptances, deferrals, and waitlist offers 11:40 – How did Alisha evaluate her options to find the right fit? 12:43 – What advice does Alisha have for students currently writing their personal statements and building a college list? 17:10 – What would Alisha do differently if she could go through the process again? 19:51 – Closing thoughts Resources: Alisha's Podcast Episodes: 617: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 1): The Sand Essay with Alisha, HS Senior 618: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 2): Discovering Values Through Revision with Alisha, HS Senior 619: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 3): How Reflection Leads to Insight with Alisha, HS Senior 622: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 4): Supplemental Essay Deep Dive with Alisha, HS Senior 707: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 5): Making the Decision with Alisha, Class of 2026 College Essay Guy's Personal Statement Resources College Essay Guy's College Application Hub

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707: Inside the Personal Statement Process (Part 5): Making the Decision with Alisha, Class of 2026 is an episode from The College Essay Guy Podcast: A Practical Guide to College Admissions by Ethan Sawyer.

This episode is 22:09 long.

This episode was published on Apr 22, 2026.

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