1. FOCUS: Determining Your Topic

2. STRUCTURE: Compiling Your Content

3. DETAILS: Creating Your Draft

4: EDITS: Polishing Your Text

COLLEGE ESSAY CLINICBack This Fall for the Class of 2016Among the several components of your college application, only the Common Application essay, personal statements, and supplements allow you to present yourself personally, positively, and authentically. These high-stakes writing tasks require ample time, careful thought, and effective strategies.

During the months of September and October, the College and Career Center and the Titan Learning Center are collaborating to offer the “College Essay Clinic,” staffed by longtime GBS teacher Allan Ruter in the TLC, in order to support all seniors in the four stages toward successful college essays.

SCHOOL-DAY APPOINTMENTS:Make up to three appointments, no more than two in one week, on Google Calendar by going to the College and Career Center homepage and clicking on the “College Essay Clinic” link, scanning the QR code below, or going to tinyurl.com/collegeessayclinic.

To get more done in less time, share your relevant Google Docs with collegeessayclinic@glenbrook225.org prior to each appointment.

Note: A missed appointment counts as one of your three allowed, unless you cancel on Google Calendar at least 48 hours in advance.

COLLEGE ESSAY CLINICGetting It Going: First Steps to “1. Focus”Google Docs folder and files

● Create a general folder for all pieces labeled with a) last name, b) first name, c) GBS ID, and d) College Essays. Ex: Langley, Kristin 163485 College Essays

● Create a Google Doc file for each separate piece, labeled with a) last name, b) first name, c) GBS ID, d) College App Essay or, for longer-form and paragraph-length prompts, school and essay name. Ex: Langley, Kristin 163485 Common App; Langley, Kristin 163485 U of Iowa Question #2

The Common Application essay● Read the five prompts carefully, underlining important words.● Narrow your options down to two or three prompts, then identify possible topics for

each of those.● Keep asking yourself, “How do I reveal my best self?”● Don’t worry about word count! 575 excellent words are always better than 650 so-so

words. Longer-form prompts, a/k/a “personal statements”

● With typical 300-500 word limits, they may ask you about achievements or interests and your academic or extracurricular expectations.

● Some non-Common App schools require one of these, some two or more.● Compile personalized notes for each school based on website research and campus

visits. Paragraph-length prompts, a/k/a “supplements”● With typical 100-300 word limits, they may be generic (“Why do you want to study

here?”) or specific (“Tell us one thing about you that we wouldn’t learn from the rest of your application.”)

● If submitted with your Common App essay, they must be completely different from it.● Compile them into a single list in order to see overlaps and similarities among schools.● Compile personalized notes for each school based on website research and campus

visits.