How helpful are College Essay Guy's resources for writing supplemental essays?

College Essay Guy's resources can be very helpful for certain aspects of the supplemental essay process, especially when it comes to brainstorming, structuring essays, and getting organized. His worksheets like the "Essence Objects," "Values Exercise," and "Feelings and Needs" charts can help you dig deeper into personal experiences, which is useful for making your writing more authentic—something that admissions officers always appreciate.

When it comes to specific supplemental prompts like “Why this major?,” “Why this college?,” or the classic “community” questions, his guides do provide frameworks and examples that break down what colleges are looking for. For instance, for the "Why this major?" prompt, College Essay Guy encourages you to move beyond generic interests and connect your chosen field to personal stories or moments of curiosity. He suggests using anecdotes and tangible experiences—for example, instead of just saying "I've always loved biology," you might write about a weekend when you learned firsthand about genetic testing through a family experience, or how you initiated a science outreach event at your school. That concrete storytelling approach is something CEG definitely emphasizes.

Where his resources might fall a bit short is in the highly school-specific research that’s often expected in supplements, especially for "Why Us?" essays. The guides might give you a formula, but you should always go further and reference exact programs, professors, classes, or campus opportunities. For UCs, his worksheets about challenges and community have examples relevant to their Personal Insight Questions, but you’ll need to make sure your responses are focused on actions and impact, which UC readers like to see.

Several people in my year relied on his organizational tools, like spreadsheet trackers and brainstorming exercises, to juggle deadlines and avoid recycling the same story for every supplement. One friend credited the "Montage Structure" and the CEG sample bank for inspiring a unique approach to a Notre Dame community essay, focusing on a quirky hobby rather than a standard club or class.

In summary, College Essay Guy is a great starting point—he can help you clarify your voice and stay organized—but you should customize your responses for each prompt, using specific details from each college. Combine his general strategies with deep school research for the best results.