VirginiaPhilbrook

AshleyHolder
6/4/2013

ClassroomGuidanceLesson:
WhatMakesaGoodCollegeApplicationEssayTopic?

Objective:Tohelphighschooljuniorsandseniorspickastrongapplicationessaytopic.
Materials:
Chalkboard/whiteboard/easeltogatherideasfromstudents
Sampleapplicationessays(onecopyforeachstudent)
ProjectorandlaptopwithPowerPointcapabilities
Paperandpencilsforallstudents

LessonOutline:

WarmUp:Whatkindsoftopicsdoyouthinkmakeagoodessay?
(Allowstudentstoprocess,talkingroups,andthencometogethertoshare).
Discuss:Whatmakesagoodcollegeessaytopic.
Isitmemorable/unique?
Didthereaderlearnsomethingaboutyou?
Didyouanswerthequestion?
Activity:TopicandPromptMatching.Askstudentstolookatlistandmatchappropriate
topicstotheessayprompts.
Ask:Couldthesestudentshavematchedtheirtopicstothepromptsadifferentway?
(YES!)Howwouldyouhavematchedthemdifferently?
Discuss:Whyyoucanmixandmatch.Emphasizehowtheseessaystellyourownunique
storyandshouldreflectYOU!
TheHook:Whatisahookandwhyisitimportant?
Activity:Breakintogroupsandrankthesehooks.
Ask:Whatmakesthesehooksstrong?Whatmakesweak?Whatcouldbedonetomake
thembetter?
Activity:Havestudentsstartthinkingabouttheirownlifestories.Havethemchoose
somethingsignificantandsummarizeitinone(ortwo)sentences.Havethemwritea
hookanddiscussitwithaneighbor(orteacher/counselor).
Ask:Doesthereaderwanttoknowmore?Whatarethestrength(s)ofthetopic?
IntroducetheCommonApplication:Whatessayquestionsareaskedonthecommon
application?
Discuss:Howhooksandessaytopicsthatthestudentalreadywantstosharecanbefit
intothequestions.Giveafewexamplesreferringbacktosomeoftheessaytopics
discussedearlierinthelesson.Forexample:Myexperiencebeinghomeless.Talkabout
howyoucantweakthewaythesubjectisintroducedinordertofitthequestion.

VirginiaPhilbrook
AshleyHolder
6/4/2013

Ask:Howcanthehookyouwroteearlieraboutyourownlifefitintooneoftheessay
topicslistedinthecommonapplication?Encouragestudentstoshareoraskforadvice
fromteachers/peers.

Resources:
Encouragestudentstocontinuetheconversationwithparents,teachers,counselorsandpeers.

Offerthesewebsitesforfurtherexplorationofsuccessfulcollegeessays:

TipSheetonWritingaCollegeApplicationEssay
http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/23/tipsheetessay/

SampleCollegeEssaysfromSparknotes
http://www.sparknotes.com/college/admissions/page21.html

12CollegeApplicationEssaysthatWorked
http://www.howtowritecollege
essay.com/uploads/6/9/2/0/692026/12_college_admission_essays_that_worked.pdf

ForTeachers:
ACollegeEssayWritingLessonPlanfromtheNYTimes
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/14/goingbeyondclichehowtowriteagreat
collegeessay/

EALRS/CommonCoreStandards:
a. ELA.1112.Writing.2Writeinformative/explanatorytextstoexamineandconveycomplex
ideas,concepts,andinformationclearlyandaccuratelythroughtheeffectiveselection,
organization,andanalysisofcontent.
b. ELA.1112.Writing.3.a.Engageandorientthereaderbysettingoutaproblem,situation,or
observationanditssignificance,establishingoneormultiplepoint(s)ofview,and
introducinganarratorand/orcharacters;createasmoothprogressionofexperiencesor
events.
c. ELA.10.Communication.2Studentusescommunicationskillsandstrategiesto
interact/workwithothers
d. ELA.10.Communication.3Studentusescommunicationskillsandstrategiestoeffectively
presentideasandonesselfinavarietyofsituations
e. ELA.10.Communication.4Studentanalyzesandevaluatestheeffectivenessof
communication.

VirginiaPhilbrook
AshleyHolder
6/4/2013

SpecialAccommodationsforELL,504,andIEPStudentNeeds:
1. Varybasedonspecificneeds.
2. Counselorshouldstipulatethatessaytopicsareusefulforscholarshipsaswellascollege
applicationstomeettheneedsofstudentswhoaremorelikelytotransitiontoa
communitycollegeratherthana4yearuniversity.
3. Verbalizingtopicsofinterestarealternativestowritingdowntopics.
4. Thetopicsforthepre/posttestwillbepresentedonpaper,ontheprojectorandwillbe
readaloudtothewholegroup.
5. Limitthenumberoftopicsevaluatedinthepre/posttestbasedonstudentabilitywithin
timeconstraints.