College Application Essay Support Program

To the seniors:

So as to ease the burden that can come with submission of numerous essays and supplements in support of applications to college during the fall of the senior year, the administration has developed a variety of support mechanisms for seniors.

Summer Writing Requirement for Seniors: One of Your College Essays

Due Date

You will need to upload your college essay by the first session of your English class. Here is how to upload your essay.

Required Prompt

Your essay may use as its prompt any of the following:  

    1. two of the UC essay prompts; or
    2. one of the Common Application prompts; or 
    3. a prompt from another college or university to which you intend to apply.  Please note: if you select option (3), you must attach a hard copy of the prompt to the essay that you submit. 

Required format: 

    • Word-processed
    • MLA format, but with no citations (you won’t be citing sources)
    • Include, at the top of the page (before the essay itself) an indication as to which prompt the essay addresses, e.g., “Common Application Essay Prompt #3,” or “UC Prompt #1,” or “See attached prompt from __________ College.”
    • At the end of the essay, include the word count of your essay. Also include the word count limit established by the prompt, if there is one.

Grade Value

    • 30 points in the homework category

The essay, as submitted, will be given to your counselor for review; that way, when you meet with your counselor in the fall, work has begun on what will evolve into a finalized college application essay.

So Where Do I Begin?

We highly recommend that you read over the following guidelines prior to beginning your essay: 

    1. Consider the Following before You Begin Writing
    2. Suggestions Once You Start Writing
    3. Some Cautionary Notes
    4. Some Correctness and Style Tips
    5. Improving Your Style
    6. Style Tips

Free Online College Essay BootCamp with Ethan Sawyer (Strongly Recommended) 

All of our current junior students can register for all of his online essay workshops that take place throughout the summer and fall. This is strongly recommended! To view the full details of the one-week workshop, check your email for the information from AMHS Counseling, or click here.

Here’s how to register for the workshop and access the resources they’ll be sharing with you for the course:

    1. Go to this registration page.
    2. Enter your name and Archbishop Mitty email.
    3. You’re done! Put the date and time in your calendar, and keep an eye on your email with next steps and instructions for accessing the live webinar.

BOOT CAMP DATES AND TIMES

Each boot camp is one week long. Live sessions are held Monday, Wednesday & Friday at 10-11:30am or 4-5:30pm PT via Youtube. 

Day 1 | Brainstorming
Day 2 | Outlining & Writing
Day 3 | Revising & Upleveling

Students can’t make the live sessions? Recordings will be available.

How to Write the Personal Statement (3 options)

Option 1: May 30-June 3
Option 2: June 13-17 
Option 3: August 1-5

Note: The Boot Camps above cover the same content, so students can choose based on the dates that work best for them.

The College Application + Supplemental Essays

August 15, 17, & 19

How to Answer the UC Personal Insight Questions

July 11, 13, & 15

October “College Essay Days” = No Homework for Seniors!

During early October, several days are set aside when seniors will be assigned NO HOMEWORK IN ANY OF THEIR CLASSES!  This will allow them some concentrated time to work on essays and supplements due as a part of their college applications.

For October, 2022, those "College Essay Days" are 10/11 through 10/17. On each of these days, no assignments will come due in any classes for seniors—and this includes no assigned reading.

 

DEPARTMENT CONTACTS

Principal
Kate Caputo