Winning College Applications with Hamada Zahawi

If you’re a parent feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of the admissions process or a student eager to carve your unique path, this episode with Hamada Zahawi offers a roadmap full of actionable insights and encouragement. Tune in to learn how you can support your child in not only getting into the right school, but growing into a well-rounded and thoughtful individual along the way!

In this episode, you will be able to:

1. Discover proven strategies to uncover little-known grants and scholarships that can make college more affordable.
2. Learn how to help your child craft a standout personal statement using effective storytelling techniques.
3. Get insider tips on approaches like early decision, choosing under-subscribed majors, and building authentic connections with schools.
4. Understand how to guide your teen toward experiences that foster empathy and maturity—key ingredients for a strong application.
5. Demystify the hidden rules of college admissions, from the real value of campus visits to negotiating financial aid offers.

As a father—and the host of Great Dad Talks—I know just how much anxiety, confusion, and hope goes into the college admissions process. That’s why I was thrilled to bring Hamada Zahawi onto the podcast for our latest episode. Hamada is an expert on storytelling for admissions, the founder of RightTrack Admissions, and an all-around admissions wisdom heavyweight.

In this conversation, Hamada peeled back the curtain on what matters when applying to colleges, the “hidden game” that parents so often aren’t told about, and how to help our kids shape their stories so they don’t just end up in the “maybe” pile. Here’s what I learned—and what I hope will help you too.

College is More Attainable Than You Think… If You Ask and Search

One of the first myths Hamada tackled: college is out of reach for most, financially or otherwise. While he acknowledges, “If everyone rushed to get in, no, there is not enough to go around to everyone,” he believes most families underestimate how much is out there.

His own story says it all. “All my aid is need-based. Is there any opportunity to get merit based scholarships? They literally…provided me the binder full of different types of scholarships and grants and fellowships… I ended up getting enough funding that gave me a profit by the time I graduated undergrad.”

His advice:

• Ask for what you need. Go to your honors department or financial aid office and ask directly about scholarships others may overlook.
• Search for scholarships in “under-subscribed” majors. “If you look, you will find. If you don’t and you expect, you will be disappointed.”

The “Hidden Game” of Admissions

I often felt like college admissions was a hidden game with rules nobody told us. Hamada confirmed—yes, there are strategies that aren’t always spelled out.

But he cautioned, “Let’s reframe… What can you do to put yourself ahead of the curve as an applicant?” For example:

• Don’t game the system by picking an unpopular major unless you have an authentic story. “If you ever do take on that strategy, you better have a story that creates that element of continuity…so that you can show a plausible, authentic storyline that bodes well with whatever major you want and the career you wanna pursue.”
• Leverage “CLAP” in your essays:
  • Community: Why does the community of the school fit you?
  • Location: Why this location?
  • Academics: Specific courses or professors?
  • Personal: The X-factor—what unique engagement or drive do you bring?

Visits and Connections: Do They Matter?

A lot of schools claim that visits, or “demonstrated interest,” don’t count. But is that really true? I pushed Hamada on this.

His perspective: “Just think about it. Paul, if I want to work with you, I’m gonna find every which way to connect with you…remotely. I didn’t come to see you. So same thing here. You’ve gotta think hard: what can you do to differentiate yourself as an applicant?”

• Connect with professors remotely: Write an article, reach out thoughtfully, and make an authentic connection.
• Use what you learn in your essays: If you connect—for real—talk about that in your “Why Us” section.

Even if the visit itself doesn’t “count,” forging a unique contact can set you apart.

Should Kids Be “Undeclared”?

As a parent, you may be tempted to let your kid mark “undeclared.” After all, who knows what they want at 17? Hamada’s strong advice: don’t, unless your student’s record is exceptional. “I would not go in there undeclared unless you’re a phenomenal student… I would err on the side of a major that makes some sense that you would be okay with even if you couldn’t switch out of that major and go with it and then create your whole story around it.”

Early Decision: The Double-Edged Sword

Early Decision (ED) can boost admissions odds—but Hamada made it clear it’s a binding, potentially expensive commitment.

• You have leverage for financial aid when you have options. “If you lock into a school and they do not offer you financial aid, you have no way of negotiating. You’ve lost all negotiating power because you don’t have [other schools] that you could play one off the other.”
• Many elite schools will still offer aid for ED admits, but be cautious. Make sure your child is absolutely sure before locking themselves—and your finances—in.

Storytelling: The Secret Weapon for Admissions

This is where Hamada really shines. The difference between a forgettable essay and one that lands a student in Harvard’s “yes” pile? A compelling, authentic story.

As Hamada explains, “The hard work…is not in writing the essay. The hard work is in brainstorming, always. Outlining. Brainstorming… What is your story? What is your edge? How are you going to stand out?”

He suggests using the ABCDEF structure:

• A. Attention grabber (start in the middle of action)
• B. Background (let the reader know you)
• C. Story development
• D. Direction—your inflection point, the pivot
• E. Educational institution (this is where you plug in CLAP)
• F. Finale (bring it full circle and leave them with a takeaway)

Most importantly, help your child “live their story” before senior year—encourage experiences (volunteering, travel, facing challenges) that naturally produce great stories. “If you lived a coddled life, what question or challenge are you gonna talk about?”

Should Parents Pay for College?

I appreciated Hamada’s controversial but thought-provoking view:
“I am not a believer that you should be paying for your kid’s tuition for college… I think the minute you know that, you’re gonna get kids [who are less motivated]… There’s not going to be as much of an incentive for the kid…to try to get scholarships, to try to get great grades.”

Instead, he suggests investing in the prep—the tutoring, counseling, and tools to get them into better schools and to become resilient, resourceful adults.

Final Takeaways

Every parent wants to do right by their kid in the increasingly complex admissions landscape. Here are my big takeaways from my conversation with Hamada Zahawi:

• Ask and look hard for scholarships—they exist.
• Don’t try to “game” the system without authenticity.
• Forge real connections (even remotely) with schools and professors.
• Focus on story—help your kid live a life worth writing about.
• Be thoughtful about Early Decision and family finances.

If you want more from Hamada, check out RightTrack Admissions, his College Admissions Mastery book, and the treasure trove of free videos and resources he’s created.

As always, keep being the best dad you can—and help your kids tell the best story they can, on their way to the next step of life.