The Personal Statement Boot Camp

Session One: How to Find Your Essay Topic

In this lesson you’ll learn: 1) How to find your essay topic, 2) What makes a great topic, 3) The four types of personal statements, 4) Two sure-fire ways to structure your essay (based on screenwriting structure), 5) How to brag without sounding like you’re bragging. Plus I analyze two awesome essays.

Session Two: Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Each of the Four Types of Essays

In this lesson I walk you through the steps it takes to get from idea to first draft--no matter what topic you’ve chosen. I address: What do I do if I still can’t decide on a topic? Are any topics off-limits? How much sharing is too much? How do I make my essay, like, deep?

Bonus Session: Working with a Partner

Working with a partner is an incredible way to gain insight into what parts of your essay show your best values and which parts are less useful. This session helps you work with a partner to accomplish these goals.

Session Three: The Great College Essay Test

In this session, I review the four qualities that I think are most important to include in your essay.

Then, I demonstrate how to refine an outline before writing the second draft and answer the often-asked question: How do I know I improve the “flow” of the essay?

Session Four: Ethan Gives Feedback on a Few Sample Essays (Practicum)

In this session, I select several essays in progress to work on in 15-20 minute increments. Essays were chosen based on opportunities to demonstrate concepts that will be interesting and useful to all.

Session Five: Revising Your Essay in 5 Steps + Ethan Workshops Some Essays

I introduce the fives steps to revising your essay and then illustrate these techniques by reviewing a few essays.

Session Six: Bringing Your Essay to Life (or) When to Start Over

The key question for this session is: Am I telling my deepest story? We’ll discuss how to tell whether the answer is yes or no. For the “yes” students, we’ll discuss techniques to begin bringing the story to life with vivid details. For the “no” students, we’ll discuss when (and how) to cut losses and begin again.

Session Seven: Celebrating Your Work Live & Next Steps

In this final session, I read a few essays so we can celebrate your hard work. Then, I give some tips for what to do next and how to take your essay across the finish line.

Bonus Session: Advanced Screenwriting Techniques + 3 Essays

In this bonus session, I talk about a few advanced screenwriting techniques for taking your essay to the next level. Then, I review three of my Favorite Essays Ever.

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