College Essay Workshop: NKRC Breakout
On July 31, I visited the Northeast Kingdom Running Camp at Vermont State University to present and facilitate college essay writing workshops during the camp’s daily breakout sessions.
Over two 45-minute sessions, more than 50 high school seniors, juniors and sophomores participated in a lively discussion about the college admissions process.
Get a copy of the presentation here.
Why college?
We began by exploring this central question: why college? In small groups, the campers used Post-It notes to write down their responses and posted them on the wall.
Here’s what the 75+ responses look like when organized into a word cloud:
Why college? (Word cloud created using WordArt.)
College Essay: 5 Common Mistakes
We then dove deep into the college admissions process, with a focus on the essays. We talked a lot about strategies for writing a great essay, but I also shared five things to avoid.
Don’t tell a story that’s already being told in your application.
Don’t use words you wouldn’t say out loud.
Don’t overshare.
Don’t be overly opinionated or self-righteous.
Don’t wait to get to the point.
Free Consultation + 1:1 College Essay Coaching
If you are interested in hiring me as your 1:1 college essay coach, or if you just have a question, there are a few ways to get in touch.
Schedule a 30-minute call: Use Calendly to schedule a free virtual meeting.
Email me: Use this form to send me an email.
Financial Aid Questions?
If you have questions about financial aid and paying for college, please visit UnderstandingFAFSA.org. I am co-author of the latest edition of Understanding FAFSA: Your Guide to Paying for College. It includes a ton of information about how to get financial support on your journey to college.
