College Application Essay Support Program

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.

Summer Application & Essay Workshops for Rising Seniors

Click here for all information.

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, 2025, those "College Essay Days" are 10/7 through 10/14 (Class Day 17 and Class Day 18). On each of these days, no assignments will come due in any classes for seniors—and this includes no assigned reading.