Welcome to the College Application Essay Writing Workshop!

In this class, we will practice and develop the skill of writing a college application essay. Each student will brainstorm, draft, and edit a college application essay over the course of the workshop. You can expect to leave with a hardy draft!


⭐ This class is A C C E L E R A T E D and brief ( six weeks) so that students have time afterwards to meet their application deadlines. 


We will investigate the central questions of application writing, including:
◉ Who am I? As a student? As a writer?
◉ What do I want out of my time in college?
◉ Which of my experiences have most shaped who I am today, and why? 
◉ Where have I witnessed my ability to enact change in my community? 
◉ What sets me apart from other applicants? 
◉ How might I tell the story of my life in just 650 words?


While our primary task will be to produce a solid draft of a college application essay, this course is also about practicing collaborative writing and editing. Students are expected to read thoroughly, and comment generously on the work of their peers. This is a unique opportunity to experience a college-style writing workshop, and supportive participation will be an essential component of our work together.

This course will include take-home writing assignments and pre-class readings. Assignments and readings will be short and useful! The goal of this course is to give each student the tools needed to create, and feel confident in their college application essay. As a result, some out-of-class work is required, but will be kept purposeful and manageable. All readings will be made available on our course page.




✨ A Typical Class Will Look Like: ✨
(75 Minutes | the average length of a college class) 


*Exact times spent of specific tasks may vary and will be adjusted to suit student or curriculum needs accordingly.)


✔︎ Check-in (5 mins) 
We will check in with each other and set the tone for our session. You can also ask any questions you have from a previous session during this time. 


✔︎ Lecture + Discussion (10-15 mins) 
We will engage in a lively and interactive lecture where Prof. Alex will provide a framework for how to approach a specific aspect of the Application Essay


✔︎ Bio-Break (5 mins) 
Go grab a snack, ground yourself, stim, take a bathroom break, and come back refreshed! 


✔︎ Reading/Watching to Understand  OR  Reading Workshop Pieces (10-15 mins)
We will look at some examples of other successful College Application Essays and/or video content about the session’s topic + discuss 


OR 


We will read our partner’s draft and prepare to give feedback


✔︎ Writing Time or Workshop Time (25 mins)  
Prof. Alex will provide you with a prompt to help get your creative gears turning. This is also an opportunity to generate material to be used in your Final Draft of your essay. 


OR 


We will workshop each other’s drafts



✔︎ Wrap-Up + Homework (5-10 mins)
Prof. Alex will assign any homework (i.e. reading or drafting) for the next session. 






This class is modeled after a typical college class in length and tasks to give learners the chance to experience college-level work to help with college/university readiness. Students can expect to leave with: 


☞ A solid, workable draft that can be tailored for use in both Common App and specific applications
☞ A sense of what college-level work entails
☞ An excitement for the work they’ve done and more confidence in their writing abilities


This course is for high school students at all phases of their application writing process; writers are welcome to bring a draft of their essay with them if they have one, but this is a foundational class, so students are encouraged to start anew.


If students would like to continue honing their skills and revising their essay after the course is over, I a available for 1-on-1 tutoring sessions!