matthew miltenberg rock bridge high school columbia, missouri [email protected] “i loved...
TRANSCRIPT
Matthew Miltenberg
Rock Bridge High School
Columbia, Missouri
“I loved it…after the workshop I felt I knew my story and how to tell it…” – Callie
Introduction
Matthew Miltenberg
Rock Bridge High School
Columbia, Missouri
Overview: Rock Bridge High School:
6 Counselors in Grade Level Teams~1800 Students, approx 25% F/R LAverage ACT Score: 25.0Very little focus on personal narrative
○ College req’s○ Studies Courses
Goal: Increase skills, Scholarship applications, career/major counseling tool
Structure of the workshop
“Before the workshop, I just felt loss…I didn’t know what to write about or how to do it…” – Marie
Another perspective
The counselors perspective; What I know and what I don’t.
Partner up: What are your greatest fears or worries when it
comes to writing college essays?
Do you think there are any topics colleges do/don’t not want to read about?
Just how important do you think the college essay is?
Why do colleges or scholarships ask for an essay?
What is a Match-Based College? How does that differ?What do American colleges look for? (in order)
1. Grades2. Rigor of Coursework, School3. Test Scores4. Essays*5. Recommendations- Teacher and/or Counselor6. Activities – consistency, development, leadership, and
initiative7. Special skills, talents, and passions
“It’s not a substitute for a rigorous curriculum, good grades, and evidence that you’re going to do well”
-Barmak Nassirian, Associate Director
American Assoc of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions officers
Opportunity is knockingEssay: Highest ranked non
academic factor The last thing you have absolute
control over (Sorry Mom!)Subject is well known: You!
Back to why colleges use them:Understand students beyond grades
and scoresProvide outlet to show dedication,
motivation, and chutzpahA venue for displaying passionA way to explain distinctive
characteristics or circumstances-Mark Steinleage, St. Louis University
1. Grades
2. Rigor of Coursework, School
3. Test Scores
4. Essays*
5. Recommendations- Teacher and/or Counselor
6. Activities –
7. Special skills,
Recheck the list
Disclaimer on me as a big picture and topic guy Use your voice …and always make it 1st person. – Yes you can say
“I” Vocab: Ditch the Thesaurus.
Stanford Study 2007: Those who use complicated language in college essays are generally viewed as less intelligent than those who choose simple and concise words.
Use a writing style appropriate for your topic No one wants to read the uncomfortably humorous essay about
your Grandma’s funeral Maintain active voice, and powerful verbs – Create movement Keep it focused and Cut to the chase – by the time you get to
details you’ll run out of space Online isn’t email or text Evidence, details, and proof are the key to vividness, not words Edit, Edit, Edit;
chip away at the rock until you find the diamond
Promoting a vested interest on the side of the college Telling powerful, personal, unique stories
Do NOT write about what you think the admissions office wants to hear – The myth of the busy college essay reader – True &
FalseScope, Focus & Specificity:
The Room vs. The Chair, the Season vs. the PlayPackaging:
The message of your essay and it’s place in your application
NOT a narrated resume..the resume is already there!Two-Thirds Rule: Remember to make it about you!
The college is accepting you – not the experience, not the person you look up to, or the book you write about.
1. Outline the workload1. Develop a master chart–
Application deadlines, requirements Core essays Supplemental essays
Find your overlaps and color code them! Start with the highest college choice that requires the most
essays!
2. Perfect a detailed resume3. Brainstorm about yourself –
1. study yourself like a topic in class -1. Use resume and thinking to come up with the themes of who you
are
4. Read and work with Samples5. Pick your topics and start your shorts6. Draft, Draft, Draft
Common App: www.commonapp.org One Long, One Short, one additional info, and a place for activities Short:
Briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences in the space below (150 words)
Long (250 words Min) (DO NOT CUSTOMIZE!) Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or
ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern
and its importance to you. Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and
describe that influence (ON YOU) Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (art,
music, science etc) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence
A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.
Topic of your choice Additional Information:
If there is any additional info you’d like to provide regarding special circumstances, additional qualifications, etc please do so in the space below
Also….The “Why Us” Essay and the “talk about this essay” – Keep it on you.
SHORT ANSWER (50-100 words) Which aspects of Tufts’ curriculum or undergraduate experience prompt your application?
II. REQUIRED SHORT ESSAYS (200 words) 1. There is a Quaker saying: “Let your life speak.” Describe the environment in which you were raised—your family, home, neighborhood or
community—and how it influenced the person you are today. (200-250 words)
2. For some, it’s politics or sports or reading. For others it may be researching solar power fuel cells or arranging hip hop mash-ups. What makes you tick? (200-250 words)
III. OPTIONAL ESSAY (250-400 words)1. In Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia--his play about the relationship between past and present and the certainty of knowledge--one of the characters says, “It’s the wanting to know that makes us matter.” What would you like to know?
2. The human narrative is replete with memorable characters like America’s Paul Revere, ancient Greece’s Perseus or the Fox Spirits of East Asia. Imagine one of humanity’s storied figures is alive and working in the world today. Why does Joan of Arc have a desk job? Would Shiva be a general or a diplomat? Is Chewbacca trapped in a zoo? In short, connect your chosen figure to the contemporary world and imagine the life he/she/it might lead.
3. Finish one of the following thoughts: a) The last time I... b) The first time I… c) Never again will I…
4. It’s been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly's wing can cause a typhoon halfway around the world. History is filled with such lynchpins – small events or decisions that have huge effects on the future. Make your own change somewhere in history and show us the effects on the world.
5. Thomas Edison liked to tinker. “A good imagination and a pile of junk” were his inspirations. What inspires your original thinking? How might you apply your ingenuity to tackle a vexing problem that confronts us?
6A) Use an 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of paper to create something. Blueprint your future home, create a new product, draw a comic strip, design a costume or a theatrical set, compose a score or do something entirely different. Let your imagination wander.
-OR-
6B.) Prepare a one-minute video that says something about you. Upload it to an easily accessible website (like YouTube, but we recommend using a privacy setting) and give us the URL and access code. What you do or say is totally up to you. (Unfortunately, we are unable to watch videos that come in any form other than a URL link.)
Tufts: 14 Essays We Loved - http://admissions.tufts.edu/?pid=195
Connecticut College: www.concoll.edu/admission/essays.htm
Johns Hopkins University www.Jhu.edu/admis/apply/essays.html
“x” University – successful essays from a highly selective college(Handed)
English TeachersPersonal Narratives by Maxine Hong Kingston,
Joan Didion, John Updike, Jonathon Swift, Henry Thoreau etc.
A sneak peak to next session…Model developed by Dr. Rebecca Joseph-Cal
State, LA
Into: Pull me right into the action or the scene… think about being 70 minutes into a movie
Through: Once you got me, fill out the rest of the picture, take me through the scene, show me, show me, show me
Beyond: Show yourself, pull it to a bigger picture and deeper meaning
You’ve already developed a detailed, complete resume.
STEP 2: Use that resume- What core qualities do you have to offer a college?
1. Activities, academic talents and passions, or other interesting family or community stories
2. Thinking of your first list, come up with at least five adjectives to describe what you offer a match college1. (ie. Empathetic, resilient, determined, collaborative,
creative, insightful)3. Come up with at least five qualities a match college
must have for you (real campus, Greek life, travel abroad, internships, small classes)
Revisit Brainstorming Ideas from Last Time Remember Into-Through-Beyond
Questions (rapid fire) I lose all track of time when you am…..? I’ll never forget the time…? The hardest thing I ever had to do was… What 5 words encapsulate you? What are three of your most meaningful memories? What is the biggest thing you’ve overcome? The moment you are most proudest of is….? What’s something about yourself you refuse to change? What are your top 3 values?
What is a time you remembered having to use this value? Did you ever have a moment that totally changed your
perspective? What would your best friend say is your greatest strength? What’s something you wish more people realized about you? One thing I always remind myself of when things are tough is…
JUST GET STARTED: Free writing/Short Writing:
NOW GET CONFIDENT: Coffee House Discussions:
Share what you’re writing or thinking about Spontaneous verbal feedback (brief but couldn’t help it) Written feedback: slips of paper from everyone Amazing moments!
Siyuan and Room 11 Azeem and the Handwriting Manifesto The beauty and personal depth of the every day
moments
Night 3: Drafting PartyO Getting to work… With Snacks!
O Busy, overscheduled livesO Overstimulation and distractionsO Need to be social and keep having
feedbackO Remember – they don’t get a lot of
practice with this.
Drafting ItselfO Reminder: These stories are personal:
Separating critique of writing from critique of self!
O Critical to provide an example: an essay that is really good, and still can be torn up a lot.
O Ie. Guacacomole essay
O There won’t be a finish line, a rubric, or a point total – it’s a story and they need to arrive at the point they feel tells it best…but help always helps!
O Take away: Revision is okay… Save copies as you go!
Session 4: Share, Survey, Celebrate
• Brown Bag lunch or Pizza• Shared stories• Surveyed students with questionnaire
“I feel really good about this now… “ – Abby S
“It was fun to hear everyone’s stories…” – Abby H
“This is going to make it so much easier to apply for scholarships…” Haley
