Week 1
Lesson 1
Pick a Topic!
In our first class we'll cover what colleges are looking for in admissions essays, how to choose a topic to write about, and how to select the prompt you're going to tackle. We'll cover topics that work as well as those that feel overdone, and what admissions readers are thinking as they read your essay. We'll also do a quick brainstorming activity!
 Week 2
Lesson 2
Be Specific
We'll discuss basic storytelling techniques to make our essays stand out, as well as the power of using literary devices like imagery, metaphor, and symbolism in our essays. We'll also cover why avoiding general statements is crucial!
 Week 3
Lesson 3
Think Structure
We'll discuss the structure of an essay, the power of a thesis statement, and how creative you can get with a college admissions essay. We'll look at a few examples of essays that play with structure, and examine why they work!
 Week 4
Lesson 4
Find Your Voice
We'll discuss the importance of finding your voice as a writer, and why voice is so essential in a college essay. We'll look at a few different voices in examples, and complete a short activity on developing your writing voice. For homework, students will turn in their first draft of their essay for feedback!
 Week 5
Lesson 5
Introductions are more important than ever
This week we'll discuss the power of a good introduction, and how to take an average introduction and make it shine.
 Week 6
Lesson 6
Writing is Rewriting
We'll talk about large-scale editing strategies-- and how to edit without becoming frustrated about the whole thing!
 Week 7
Lesson 7
Writing is Rewriting (part 2)
More specific edits! Copyediting, reading it backwards, having friends and family read it. Students will also submit their second draft for feedback the following week.
 Week 8
Lesson 8
Supplemental Essays
This week we'll wrap up by discussing some of the common additional essay or short answer questions college may ask for-- like "why did you select this major" or "why do you want to attend this specific college?"