NAVIGATING THE COLLEGE ESSAY. What s a parent to do?

Transcription

1 NAVIGATING THE COLLEGE ESSAY What s a parent to do?

2 SPONSORED BY THE WRITER S BLOCK Martha Cosgrove and Bethany Mohs, English teachers and writing center coordinators Shanelle Roman, Michelle Ip, and Ellen Smalley, head writing coaches and student leaders at The Writer s Block

3 WHAT IS THE COLLEGE APPLICATION ESSAY?

4 THE PERSONAL STATEMENT Sometimes called the personal statement, this essay gives college admissions a personal view of an applicant, a picture that is more than the sum of the numbers. The essay reveals the student s voice, personality, and unique way of looking at the world. In the realm of academic and personal writing, the college essay falls somewhere in the middle Creative Nonfiction: grounded in truthfulness but stylistically similar to fiction

5 THE COMMON APPLICATION According to the Common Application organization, 517 public and private U.S. colleges accepted the Common Application, an online college application, during the school year You complete the application once and send it to any participating college. You can also modify parts of the application for different colleges. Students must write an essay using one of the Common Application essay topics Students arrange for at least one recommendation from a counselor or teacher Colleges can add questions, forms, and essay topics A new version of the Common Application is available every August 1.

6 WHAT TO EXPECT Length and topics: words (1-2 pages typed, double-spaced) Topics fall into three categories: about you (the applicant) why us (why the applicant has chosen this particular college) a creative piece (show us something that makes us appreciate and want you)

7 Early deadlines are November 15; latest deadlines are January 1.

8 EXAMPLE PROMPTS/QUESTIONS

9 EXAMPLE PROMPTS About you Write an essay which conveys to the reader a sense of who you are. Why us? What do you think you would gain from the educational experience at and what would you contribute to the community? A creative piece You have just completed your 300-page autobiography. Please submit page 217.

10 COMMON APPLICATION PROMPTS Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn? Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again? Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you? Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

11 EXCERPTS FROM COLLEGE APPLICATION ESSAYS AND INSIGHTS FROM OUR STUDENTS

12 THE BEST ESSAYS TELL A BIG STORY IN A SMALL WAY. Balanced Telling/describing (showing) and reflecting, analyzing, synthesizing Authentic It sounds like me. Reflective and Transparent What were you really thinking when this happened? What did the voice in your head say?

13 HOW IMPORTANT IS THE ESSAY?

14 The National Association for College Admission Counseling s 2011 State of College Admission report found that while grades, strength of curriculum and admission test scores are the top factors in the college admission decision, a majority of colleges and universities believe the essay to be of considerable or moderate importance in determining which academically qualified students they would choose. The College Board y

15 FOR US, THE ESSAY IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT IN THE APPLICATION. WE RE LOOKING FOR A SPECIAL COMMITMENT AND THE ESSAY GIVES US SOMETHING THE NUMBERS DON T REVEAL. NANCY MERING, DIRECTOR OF ADMISSION AT GORDON COLLEGE

16 TIMELINE: NOW TO FALL

17 EXAMPLES: THE YOU QUESTION Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you. (Common Application) Write an essay which conveys to the reader a sense of who you are. (Columbia University)

18 EXAMPLES: THE WHY US? QUESTION What do you think you would gain from the educational experience at Bryn Mawr and what would you contribute to the community? (Bryn Mawr College) We would like to know, in no more than 500 words, what experiences have led you to select your professional field and objective. (Boston University)

19 EXAMPLES: THE CREATIVE PROMPT Briefly discuss a current global issue, indicating why you consider it important and what you suggest should be done to deal with it. (Georgetown University) You have just completed you 300-page autobiography. Please submit page 217. (University of Pennsylvania) Design an experiment that attempts to determine whether toads can hear. Provide the rationale for your design -- explain your reasons for setting up the experiment as you did. Strive for approach this problem; you do not need to be a scientist or to do any special research in order to respond well. (Bennington College)

20 Junior year students live life, learn well, start exploring college websites, follow the directions set out in the junior year meeting with counselors. JUNIOR YEAR TIMELINE- WE ARE HERE!

21 ON THOSE COLLEGE VISITS: Sarah Myers McGinty, author of The College Application Essay, shares the following tip for both counselors and students: "If you get a chance, ask college representatives about the role of the essay at their colleges. At some colleges the essay is used to determine fit, and at others it may be used to assure the college that the student can do the work. At any rate, find out from the rep how essays are weighted and used in the admissions process."

22 MAY TERM FOR ALL College Essay Boot Camp Want to get a jumpstart on the college essay? In this course, students will learn what the college essay is and how it is used by colleges/universities. Students will learn what they need to start the process and look at models of accomplished essays. Students will brainstorm possible ideas for their own essays and will draft and workshop with their peers. Teachers of The Writer s Block will present and coach students work in large group presentations, small group discussion, and one-to-one conferences.

23 Summer students assemble notes and lists of interesting events, experiences, readings, observations, encounters. They may want to start drafting some essays. The fall fills up and deadlines come up quickly. Summer following junior year

24 NOTE TO PARENTS Parents you may have a role here encouraging students to look at colleges, find out which ones they are interested in need an essay, encourage your student to start drafting an essay. Many, but not all students have drafted some of their essays before school starts in September.

25 FALL OF SENIOR YEAR Fall of senior year, students should seek out feedback for their essays. This may be peer-to-peer, from a trusted adult, or from student coaches at The Writer s Block We typically host special sessions on the college essay in September and October.

26 PARENT FEEDBACK Be judicious about even going here. A personal statement is just that. Personal. There is a lot of give and take to senior year. Don t exacerbate the negative by putting yourself in the middle. You have a role in encouraging students to meet their deadlines, but your job is not to edit or proofread. That s the job of the student writer. According to the College Board report Admissions Decision- Making Models, admission officers have expressed concern about how much assistance students receive in preparing an essay. Many institutions now ask applicants to sign a statement avowing that the essay submitted is their own work.

27 THE WRITER S BLOCK We are staffed by two English teachers, Ms. Mohs and Ms. Cosgrove and student writing coaches who have been trained to work with their peers on writing, both academic and personal We are located in Room 263 We are open before school- 7:30 a.m.- 8:20 a.m. and all three lunches Our online center is open Sunday through Friday from 6:30 p.m. 9:30 p.m. Students can drop-in or schedule an appointment Individual appointments, small group sessions and seminars

28 A VERY HELPFUL RESOURCE Big Future by The College Board

29 OUR ROLE AS WRITING COACHES We will help your student break down the monumental task of writing so many essays into smaller parts- deconstruct the essay prompts brainstorming/generating ideas drafting ( draft big ) responding ( read aloud ) revising (teach specific proofreading strategies)