Day #2

• Take out your brainstorms from last night– Share your options w/your table– Share a few aloud and take a poll– Make a final decision on which topic you’d like

to write about

What Makes An Essay Stand Out?

– Watch the following video clip from the office of Admissions at Boston University:

• http://www.bu.edu/admissions/apply/how-to-write-an-essay-that-gets-noticed/?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=homeslide&utm_content=kelly&utm_campaign=video

What Makes An Essay Stand Out?

5 Tips to a Great Essay

Tips from Tufts University

How Will I Be Scored??

• Review the rubric for the essay• Any questions?• Please keep your copy of the rubric in your

notebook and bring it to class daily

Closing

• Brainstorm and begin outlining - what you’ll include in the essay

• Bring everything to class tomorrow

Day #3: Bad Essay Topics

• Are there essay topics you should stay away from? What information should you withhold from your future college choices? Think about these questions as you watch the following clip:

The Confessional

Journal Response

• Back to our original questions: Are there essay topics you should stay away from? What information should you withhold from your future college choices?

• Share answers at your table and then aloud so we can compile a list

• Compare your answers with these tips

Engaging Starts

• How can we hook the reader in the opening lines of our essays??

• **Take some notes!

• http://www.cbsnews.com/news/10-great-opening-lines-from-stanford-admissions-essays/

• http://greatcollegeadvice.com/how-to-write-the-perfect-college-essay-grab-some-attention/

Share

• Take out your brainstorms & topic s• Brainstorm ideas for your beginning

– How will you start the essay?– What technique will capture the reader’s

attention & interest immediately?

Homework: Write the opening lines/paragraph of your essay

Day #4

• Group Work:– Group yourselves according to the number

(option) you have chosen to write about– Each group will receive their own list of tips for

that particular essay and a sample essay to look at http://collegeapps.about.com/od/essays/a/EssayPrompts.htm;

– Take turns reading the tips and the sample essay aloud

– Discuss what you like/dislike, would improve on…

Closing

• Share some common tips aloud • Video tips• Worst College Essays• Look at University of Rochester's suggestions• What did you notice in the essay (Address

transitions, sophisticated language and the other areas of the rubric);

• Continue to Write

Day #5 & #6

• Meet in Library Computer Lab – • Engaging Beginnings?

– How do I start this essay?– Check out these sample starters

– Discuss

– 1st drafts of essays are due by class time on Day #7

• Times New Roman, double spaced, 12 pt; Sign presigned passes for computer lab if kids need it

Day #5 & #6

• Meet in Library Computer Lab – – 1st drafts of essays are due by class time on

Day #7

• Times New Roman, double spaced, 12 pt; Sign presigned passes for computer lab if kids need it

www.turnitin.com

• Most of you should already have an account from last year

• Follow my instructions; 

Day #7

• Meet in Computer Lab• We will be in the computer lab today, tomorrow and the following day• You will be expected to complete the following during that time

period:– One peer review due by the end of class tomorrow– Edit your own paper– Write final draft– Submit your final essay to turnitin.com by Monday the 23rd at

midnight• Get presigned passes if you need one

• Keep a saved copy of this essay all year since you'll be using it in the college application process;

Day # 8 & 9

• Work in computer lab to finish peer reviews and final drafts of college essays

• All essays due on Monday the 23rd by midnight