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10/19 Conquering the College Essay For Grades 10-12

Why you? Amid a sea of many, what makes you stand out? Against the backdrop of so many stimuli competing for attention, why should attention be given to you? In conquering the college essay, our goal isn't just to write a killer essay and boost our chances of getting into the university of our dreams, but rather to learn concepts--ideas that will serve you in all things writing-related long after you hit 'submit.'

We'll start from the beginning. Brainstorming. "How do I come up with ideas?" "How do I know if they're any good?" and "How do I narrow them down?"

We'll plan. Knowing the story you want to tell about yourself is one thing, knowing how to tell it is another. So, we'll talk about different narrative structures and decide which makes the most sense based on the story you want to tell. We'll hook. What makes an opening strong enough that your readers—the same exhausted readers that will have read 1000s of essays prior to yours—won't be able to put yours down? And of course, we'll write—drafting, editing, discussing, and polishing.

If you're anxious about your college essay and don't know where to start, this is the place.