Students practice SATs, ACTs, and APs. Go on college tours. Rehearse for interviews…
So why don’t we provide the opportunity to practice college essays?
The College Essay Process
“I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what I’m looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear.”
I can’t think of a piece of writing for high school students full of more want and fear than their college essay. Students project every hope, dream, worry, and anxiety onto those 650 words or less… and I get why.
I help students practice writing personal narratives, shifting focus from the stress of applying to college towards learning (as outlined by Didion) to think, look, see, and mean. With this knowledge, students feel confident delivering representative statements that reflect their realizations, their lives, and themselves.
I believe that this piece of writing can be more than just an application essay. I believe that this work can be transformational. And the end result— not stressful but empowering.
Want to hear more? Listen to me explain my process on this episode of Be Evolved with Mary Miele of Evolved Education Company! You can also check out my Try to Guide!