lesson plan on college essay

• Our Mission

Teaching the College Essay

Your students can write argumentative essays, but they need additional guidance to produce standout personal narratives.

A college application is little more than names and numbers.

The numbers include SAT score, class rank, and GPA. The names include classes taken, sports, clubs, and activities, as well as awards and recognitions. While these elements may give a snapshot of a student’s academic background, there’s little to no soul to that snapshot.

That’s where the essay comes in. It’s an opportunity to humanize an application. It’s a chance for students to shine a light on who they are and what has shaped them. It allows them to show that they’re more than just a transcript—they have an identity.

That’s what makes it so intimidating. When you can write about anything, how do you know what to say? And how do you sum up who you are in one essay?

To complicate matters, most of the essay writing that students do in high school is argumentative writing. A college essay is a personal narrative, and introspection is not in most students’ wheelhouse.

I’ve taught seniors for nearly a decade and have read thousands of college essays. In that time, I’ve heard the same student fears over and over again:

• “My life has been boring. I don’t have anything worth writing about.”
• “I know what I want to say. I just don’t know how to say it.”
• “My essay is a big, hot mess. It’s all over the place, and I don’t know what I’m doing with it.”

Our job is to guide students through the writing process in a way that gives them the courage and confidence to write a college essay they’re proud of.

Three Things to Tell Your Students

1. Just start: The Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky believed that “everything starts with a dot.” So many students believe that they need to have the perfect idea and the most amazing first line before they even put pen to paper. Remind them that they don’t need to have a great idea—they just need that first dot. They can start with a bad idea, they can start with a sentence they don’t like, but if they just start, something positive will come out of it.

2. Good essays are often about the simplest things: Have you seen the essay about Costco that helped one student get into five Ivy League schools? It, like the best essays I’ve read over the years, is not about the most extraordinary accomplishments, written in a bombastic tone. It’s about something mundane. But it displays a perceptive and insightful mind in a captivating way. Reassure students that they need not have climbed Mount Everest or invented a water-filtering system for a remote South American village. They just need to share something meaningful and revelatory about their life in an interesting way.

As teachers, we can help them see that even the simplest experiences can matter and that they just need to be insightful about why such an experience was meaningful.

3. It’s all about them... and they’re unique: The three most common essay subjects I’ve seen over the years are the sports injury, the family divorce, and the death of a loved one. There are two potential pitfalls in these types of essays.

First, the primary focus isn’t the person writing the essay—it’s the parents fighting, the physical therapist that rehabbed them, or the grandfather, once strong but now decrepit and weak. Those people are not the ones applying to college. Let students know that if they talk about others, they must do so in the service of revealing something valuable about themselves.

Second, these topics, being frequently used, run the risk of being predictable and clichéd. The essays become generic. Instead of being particular, they are broad and universal because the experiences in them sounds like everyone else’s. If your students choose one of these topics, encourage them to write about it as only they can. Show them how to infuse dialogue, capture the imagery of the moment, and write in a voice that’s authentic to them.

Fear Management

Stephen King believes that the scariest moment for a writer is just before they start. If we can help students get that first dot on the page, assure them that their story is meaningful, and empower them to believe that they are unique, we can take away a lot of that fear.

As teachers, we need to approach the college essay with empathetic ears, listening to our students’ voices to help them capture the best of who they are.

• Interactive exercises that help foster moments of self-discovery
• Aligned with Common Core State Standards
• Videos, PDFs, and PPT slides
• Adaptable to a variety of formats
• Developed by a former high school AVID teacher and college essay coach

Our curriculum was designed specifically for teachers, high school and CBO college counselors.

The lessons work equally well in the classroom , during advisory or homeroom periods , or in after-school and summer programs .

• College Admission Fundamentals
• How to Guide Students Through the Personal Statement Process

• Based on powerful insights from the industry leaders in college essays
• Engaging opening questions, teaching strategies, and introspective activites

• Fully adjustable/editable Google slides
• Student Google Doc workbooks
• Instructional video library

• Perfect for schools that offer a college counseling class/summer school
• Also great for the weeks right after AP testing

• Access to all College Essay Guy videos of exercises and concepts in action

• 20 flexible lesson plans
• 4-week pacing guide
• Teacher's guide/workbook

Elizabeth, Dean of College Counseling (Louisiana)

• Less stress and confusion thanks to the teaching strategies
• Time saved by implementing peer evaluation/feedback for grading
• Fewer instances of repeating material/steps more than once
• More confidence in getting started thanks to the practical brainstorming exercises
• Noticeably improved personal statements
• Feeling less stressed thanks to having personal statements drafts done by the end of summer

Janis L., Cerritos High School

Are you a member of a district or organization? We’d love to hear from you too!

Yes. Included with the curriculum is a live PD session that walks you and your team through what colleges are looking for today and where personal statements fit in.

The Curriculum is designed for 11th and 12th grade students and can be delivered as early as January of junior year. Some junior teachers will find that a great time is in May, right after AP Testing. For senior teachers, early fall is ideal so that students benefit from receiving the information before early admission deadlines .

Not at all. The essentials are in the first two weeks, but even then, you can pick and choose which lessons you want to cover. The essentials include the brainstorming activities and the difference between narrative and montage essays.

Definitely. After you make your own copy, feel free to customize the workbook before sharing it with your students.

Absolutely. One counselor told us that as someone who never taught a class, these materials gave her the confidence to run her essay boot camp and that it saved her so much time to do other responsibilities.

And we’ve designed the curriculum to work equally well for counselors who have advisories, college counseling classes, or want to set up a summer program.

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

The Prairie Planner

teaching, living, and planning on the prairie

Teaching the college application essay? Here are 7 ideas for your unit

May 4, 2021 Laura

Imagine this: It’s May. You’ve covered your standards. Your students are finished with their AP tests (or other assessments if not AP). Both you and your students are hanging on by a thread, ready for the year to be over. Yet, you have a few weeks of school left. Your students beg you for free time, but you know that isn’t possible (and you may pull your hair out if the last few weeks are too unstructured). 

A GREAT solution for this awkward time of the year (or ANY time of year, actually) can be both enjoyable for you AND your students. It’s an activity with high “buy in” because most students see and appreciate the value this project will bring for what will inevitably be a busy senior year.

Enter: the college application essay. I’ve started ending my year (English 11 and AP Language and Composition) with this unit. It’s gone well with my students, and it’s helped make the final few weeks of school enjoyable and productive.

I’ve compiled 7 ideas that have worked well in my college application essay unit, and I’m sharing those here. I hope they help spark ideas for you as you consider planning a unit on this topic!

1. Plan around the Common App questions

I plan my college essay unit around the Common App essay. I love the general list of topics and the samples available online. Basing this unit around the Common App also gives students a concrete reason for the assignment. Students can see that this personal narrative is not simply an assignment the teacher created as “one more thing” for them to do, but it’s actually a tangible work product that can help them “get ahead” for their senior year.

The Common App essay questions are general enough that even if a student has to submit a personal narrative to another college, they will have a solid starter essay to work from.

2. Provide explicit instruction and brainstorming time

Show students a video about the Common App as many students won’t know what that is. Once they see the video (and notice the mention of the essay), it should increase their motivation to write.

Students may need instruction on the characteristics of a personal narrative. I created a slideshow that helps build some background knowledge before they interact with model texts in the next lesson (described in #3 below).

After going through the explicit instruction, I pass out a list of topics and let students start brainstorming topics. Coming up with a topic can be challenging for most students. They assume that they haven’t done anything “big enough” to justify a personal narrative. However, the lesson below (interacting with model texts) will show them that even seemingly ordinary events can be reflected on.

3. Have students interact with model texts

The most helpful activity for students is reviewing model essays. Usually, students start the class with a murky understanding of what their essay will be like (even after the explicit instruction the day before) and leave class with a solid understanding. The transformation from confusion to understanding is remarkable, and this lesson is one I make sure to find time for each year in this unit.

• I split the class into two groups. Half of the class reads these Harvard Application essays and the other half reads these Common Application essays .
• I give students a post it note, and ask them to skim as many of the essays as possible, jotting down the topic each essay covers.
• After approximately 10 minutes, the students share some of the essay topics. In sharing, students realize that some students write about seemingly ordinary events.
• After sharing, I ask students to form smaller groups and choose ONE essay that they skimmed over earlier to now dig deeper into. I pass out a narrative review station task card to each group and a recording sheet. They have 3 minutes to work through the task on the card. Then, we rotate cards and continue until class is over.

4. Break up the drafting time with mini-lessons

I provide ample in-class drafting time as I try to limit homework for my students. Those drafting days can get long, though. I like to break the drafting days up with mini-lessons/conferences. Here are some ideas for those (I adjust which ones I do each year based on time.

• We analyze the introductions in the model reviews, but I like doing a mini-lesson on introductions as well. I remind students that the introduction is a first impression for the college admissions teams reviewing the essays. For this mini-lesson, we look at 3-4 samples to see how those students started. Then, we do a 10 minute introduction re-write, trying a new strategy or approach, which has to be a completely different strategy from the first introduction draft. Sometimes, students end up liking the new draft better than the first. Some students keep their first intro and work to make it better after going through the exercise.
• For this mini-lesson, we look at one sample, highlighting descriptive words and sensory details. Students then return to their own writing and highlight the descriptive words/sensory details. Students identify two places in the essay that could benefit from adding description and work on those places to improve it.
• For this mini-lesson, we review 3-4 sample narratives and look specifically at how the students paragraphed their essay. As a teacher, I pick samples with varied paragraphs (some samples even have a one-sentence paragraph) to show students the possibilities. After a year of writing traditional academic essays, students are uncomfortable breaking free and writing flexibly. We discuss paragraph similarities we notice between samples, and then students assess their own writing and adjust paragraphs as needed.

5. Have students complete peer and/or self-reviews before submitting

Peer reviewing has produced mixed results in my classroom, so when I plan peer review, I give students concrete tasks. These standards-based narrative review task cards (for exemplar, peer, and self-review) are a great guidepost for students to use as they read their classmates narratives.

Some students may not be comfortable sharing with a classmate, so those students will complete the self-review task cards.

6. Provide an opportunity for sharing

After the essay has been turned in, I provide students time to share their work. We get into small groups, spread out around the classroom (or even the school) and read the narratives to each other. Once students return to the classroom, I ask them for nominations from their group to share aloud to everyone.

Depending on the class, an open-mic style sharing can work well, too. Set up a microphone and speaker, asking students to come to the front of the room to read their narratives. You can add Christmas lights for an enhanced mood and have snacks available as well.

7. Combine with a memoir unit

If you want to add an extra layer of depth to your Common App college essay unit, you can pair it with a memoir unit. For this unit addition, students will read a memoir outside of class. The memoir will contain many of the same skills students are working on in their much shorter personal narratives: exposition, description, narrative techniques, reflection, etc.

You could have students choose a memoir and conduct literature circles, or complete one as a whole class. Some of my favorite memoirs are The Glass Castle , Born a Crime , and Angela’s Ashes .

I’d love to hear your favorite college application essay unit ideas! Share below!

Advertising Disclosure

Privacy Policy

Terms and Conditions

Tips for Writing an Effective Application Essay

Find the right college for you.

Writing an essay for college admission gives you a chance to use your authentic voice and show your personality. It's an excellent opportunity to personalize your application beyond your academic credentials, and a well-written essay can have a positive influence come decision time.

Want to know how to draft an essay for your college application ? Here are some tips to keep in mind when writing.

Tips for Essay Writing

A typical college application essay, also known as a personal statement, is 400-600 words. Although that may seem short, writing about yourself can be challenging. It's not something you want to rush or put off at the last moment. Think of it as a critical piece of the application process. Follow these tips to write an impactful essay that can work in your favor.

1. Start Early.

Few people write well under pressure. Try to complete your first draft a few weeks before you have to turn it in. Many advisers recommend starting as early as the summer before your senior year in high school. That way, you have ample time to think about the prompt and craft the best personal statement possible.

You don't have to work on your essay every day, but you'll want to give yourself time to revise and edit. You may discover that you want to change your topic or think of a better way to frame it. Either way, the sooner you start, the better.

2. Understand the Prompt and Instructions.

Before you begin the writing process, take time to understand what the college wants from you. The worst thing you can do is skim through the instructions and submit a piece that doesn't even fit the bare minimum requirements or address the essay topic. Look at the prompt, consider the required word count, and note any unique details each school wants.

3. Create a Strong Opener.

Students seeking help for their application essays often have trouble getting things started. It's a challenging writing process. Finding the right words to start can be the hardest part.

Spending more time working on your opener is always a good idea. The opening sentence sets the stage for the rest of your piece. The introductory paragraph is what piques the interest of the reader, and it can immediately set your essay apart from the others.

4. Stay on Topic.

One of the most important things to remember is to keep to the essay topic. If you're applying to 10 or more colleges, it's easy to veer off course with so many application essays.

A common mistake many students make is trying to fit previously written essays into the mold of another college's requirements. This seems like a time-saving way to avoid writing new pieces entirely, but it often backfires. The result is usually a final piece that's generic, unfocused, or confusing. Always write a new essay for every application, no matter how long it takes.

5. Think About Your Response.

Don't try to guess what the admissions officials want to read. Your essay will be easier to write─and more exciting to read─if you’re genuinely enthusiastic about your subject. Here’s an example: If all your friends are writing application essays about covid-19, it may be a good idea to avoid that topic, unless during the pandemic you had a vivid, life-changing experience you're burning to share. Whatever topic you choose, avoid canned responses. Be creative.

6. Focus on You.

Essay prompts typically give you plenty of latitude, but panel members expect you to focus on a subject that is personal (although not overly intimate) and particular to you. Admissions counselors say the best essays help them learn something about the candidate that they would never know from reading the rest of the application.

7. Stay True to Your Voice.

Use your usual vocabulary. Avoid fancy language you wouldn't use in real life. Imagine yourself reading this essay aloud to a classroom full of people who have never met you. Keep a confident tone. Be wary of words and phrases that undercut that tone.

8. Be Specific and Factual.

Capitalize on real-life experiences. Your essay may give you the time and space to explain why a particular achievement meant so much to you. But resist the urge to exaggerate and embellish. Admissions counselors read thousands of essays each year. They can easily spot a fake.

9. Edit and Proofread.

When you finish the final draft, run it through the spell checker on your computer. Then don’t read your essay for a few days. You'll be more apt to spot typos and awkward grammar when you reread it. After that, ask a teacher, parent, or college student (preferably an English or communications major) to give it a quick read. While you're at it, double-check your word count.

Writing essays for college admission can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be. A well-crafted essay could be the deciding factor─in your favor. Keep these tips in mind, and you'll have no problem creating memorable pieces for every application.

What is the format of a college application essay?

Generally, essays for college admission follow a simple format that includes an opening paragraph, a lengthier body section, and a closing paragraph. You don't need to include a title, which will only take up extra space. Keep in mind that the exact format can vary from one college application to the next. Read the instructions and prompt for more guidance.

Most online applications will include a text box for your essay. If you're attaching it as a document, however, be sure to use a standard, 12-point font and use 1.5-spaced or double-spaced lines, unless the application specifies different font and spacing.

How do you start an essay?

The goal here is to use an attention grabber. Think of it as a way to reel the reader in and interest an admissions officer in what you have to say. There's no trick on how to start a college application essay. The best way you can approach this task is to flex your creative muscles and think outside the box.

You can start with openers such as relevant quotes, exciting anecdotes, or questions. Either way, the first sentence should be unique and intrigue the reader.

What should an essay include?

Every application essay you write should include details about yourself and past experiences. It's another opportunity to make yourself look like a fantastic applicant. Leverage your experiences. Tell a riveting story that fulfills the prompt.

What shouldn’t be included in an essay?

When writing a college application essay, it's usually best to avoid overly personal details and controversial topics. Although these topics might make for an intriguing essay, they can be tricky to express well. If you’re unsure if a topic is appropriate for your essay, check with your school counselor. An essay for college admission shouldn't include a list of achievements or academic accolades either. Your essay isn’t meant to be a rehashing of information the admissions panel can find elsewhere in your application.

How can you make your essay personal and interesting?

The best way to make your essay interesting is to write about something genuinely important to you. That could be an experience that changed your life or a valuable lesson that had an enormous impact on you. Whatever the case, speak from the heart, and be honest.

Is it OK to discuss mental health in an essay?

Mental health struggles can create challenges you must overcome during your education and could be an opportunity for you to show how you’ve handled challenges and overcome obstacles. If you’re considering writing your essay for college admission on this topic, consider talking to your school counselor or with an English teacher on how to frame the essay.

Related Articles

The New York Times

The learning network | getting personal: writing college essays for the common application.

Getting Personal: Writing College Essays for the Common Application

Language Arts

Teaching ideas based on New York Times content.

• See all in Language Arts »
• See all lesson plans »

Overview | How can reading The New York Times help students practice for the new college essay prompts on the Common Application? What tips on college-essay writing can they learn from The Choice blog? In this lesson, students will explore the open-ended topics for the 2013-14 Common Application essays through writing and discussion. Then, they will identify and examine Times pieces that might serve as “mentor texts” for their own application essays. Finally, they will craft their own college admissions essay in response to one of the new prompts, using advice from Learning Network and The Choice Blog.

Materials | Student journals

Warm-Up | Prior to class, post these prompts at the front of the room, or prepare to project them. Do not tell students that they are the new prompts for the Common Application essay.

When students arrive, ask them to form two concentric circles, facing one another. During the activity, the students forming the inside circle remain still, which the students in the outside circle will travel to their left when given the signal. Explain to students that you are going to do a “speed-dating” activity.

Project or unveil the first prompt and tell students that they will talk about the topic with the person across from them for five minutes. Within that time, each student should play the role of speaker and listener. Set a timer for five minutes and signal that they should begin. Once time is up the outer circle rotates left. Unveil a new topic and begin the process again until students have discussed each topic, rotating to new discussion partners with each prompt. Then, ask students to return to their seats.

Alternatively, depending on the nature of your class, you could post the topics up around the room and ask students to take their journals and form small groups by each topic. Then, conduct a free-writing marathon. Have students free-write using the topic they are standing in front of as a starting point. Tell them they have five minutes and set a timer. At the conclusion of the time period, ask students to rotate to the next topic and begin free-writing. Repeat this process until students reach their starting point. Then, ask them to return to their seats.

Open discussion by asking the following questions:

• Which of these topics did you find the easiest to discuss? Why?
• Which of these did you find difficult? Why?
• Which of these prompts did you want to continue talking (or writing) about?

Then, invite students to share a story or a favorite free-write effort with the whole group.

Finally, share with students that these are the new essay topics for the common application essay and ask them what they think. Are these good topics? Is there something here for everyone? Do some help colleges get to know students better than others? Do they fuel or lessen anxiety about the college application process? You might use some of the comments in response to The Choice post to spark discussion.

Related | In Common Application Releases New Essay Prompts , Tanya Abrams unveils the new Common App essay topics for the 2013-14 admissions season.

The new Common Application — which received some criticism a few months ago for removing the “topic of your choice” essay prompt — has released five new essay prompts for the 2013-14 admissions season, Inside Higher Ed reports. Students who plan to use the Common App, a form that allows students to apply to multiple colleges and universities simultaneously, are advised to keep these essay prompts in mind. Savvy juniors, and regular readers of this blog, know that the earlier a college applicant starts drafting his or her essay, the more prepared they are. Here are the new essay prompts: Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn? Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again? Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you? Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

Questions | For discussion and reading comprehension:

• Why did the Common Application receive criticism several months ago for its essay prompts?
• Do you miss the “topic of your choice” option? Why or why not?
• Why would The Choice publish these topics now?
• What do the new topics have in common??
• How do you feel about the new word count?

RELATED RESOURCES

From the learning network.

• Lesson | Going Beyond Cliché: How to Write a Great College Essay
• Student Opinion | What Mundane Moments in Your Life Might Make Great Essay Material?
• Lesson | Getting Personal: Creating Your Own College Essay Prompts

From NYTimes.com

• Common Application is Removing a Surprising Essay Topic
• Juniors: In the Quiet of Summer, Start Your Essays
• Your Admissions Essay, Live on Stage

Around the Web

• Juniors and Common App Essays: Wait to Write Them
• TeenInk College Guide: Today’s Best College Essays
• >MIT Admissions: How to Write a College Essay

Activity | Tell students that they will have the opportunity to expand on the ideas they discussed at the beginning of class by drafting an essay in response to one of the prompts, but first, they are going to comb The New York Times for models of each topic and look closely at them to see how others have told their stories and what they might learn about how to effectively tell their own. ( Note: Many of the pieces we’ve chosen as “mentor texts” below, are either by or about young people, but some are not. Please use the choices as suggestions only: there are many, many pieces in The Times weekly that fit the Common App prompts well.)

Assign pairs or groups of students each one of the new Common App essay topics and ask them to search the Times (and elsewhere) for essays that might serves as models. Give each group the following articles, essays, or columns to use as starting points. Each group member should find at least one additional model and bring in the clipping or Web site to class for analysis and discussion.

Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

• It’s O.K. to Put Yourself First : An essay in which a writer meditates on the impact of a serious illness on her life and family.
• My Son and the City : A woman moves to New York City with her son, who has serious medical challenges and developmental disabilities–and, she writes, “in a place famous for its anonymous crowds, [he] has been learning about people.”

Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?

• A Rat’s Tale : A writer discusses her failure to be the sister her brother wanted and what she learned.
• Pancake Chronicles : An entertaining account of a disastrous first job.
• A Heartbroken Temp at Brides.com : After a groom changes his mind, his would-be bride, with “no money, no apartment, no job” takes a position at a wedding Web site.

Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

• From Tehran to the B Train : A young woman stands up to a mugger on the subway.
• Winning Essay: Win a Trip Contest : An essay about fighting injustice all around the world.
• I Found My Biological Parents, and Wish I Hadn’t : “I’d expected to find more common ground,” writes the author of this essay.

Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?

• Yes, I’m in a Clique : A Student from Columbine High School discusses the comfort of a clique.
• My Manhattan; A Lifetime of Memories and Magic : A meditation on Central Park
• My Home in Africa : An American feels at home in the Republic of Benin.

Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

• A Life Plan for Two, Followed by One : An essay about young love and loss of innocence.
• Forbidden Nofruit : A reflection on junk food, family, and rebellion.
• Bitter Sweets : A young man who has “a hard time” with his Chinese-American identity looks for an apartment with his white girlfriend.

Generally speaking, the following Times sections offer good models for personal essays:

• Lives Columns
• Modern Love Columns
• The Townies series

In addition, the following Learning Network features pull together high interest pieces that make good models for student writing.

• Great Read-Alouds From The New York Times
• Teenagers in the Times
• Using Opening Lines From the Magazine’s ‘Lives’ Column as Writing Prompts
• 10 Personal Writing Ideas

When students identify the models, ask them to analyze them as models for writing, using the following questions:

• How does the writer begin the piece? Is it effective? Why or why not? What advice would you give an essay writer based on how this model begins?
• Where do you see the writer demonstrating what he or she is saying? In other words, where is he or she showing, rather than telling?
• What words does the writer use that really make his or her voice come alive for you?
• How does the piece end? Is this an effective technique? Why or why not?
• Finally, try “reverse outlining” the piece to see how the writer organized and developed his or her ideas.

Help students explore more Times models and advice for writing well with this lesson . For expository essay models that go beyond the personal, try this one .

Going Further |

After exploring Times models, students are now ready to craft their own essays. Ask students to choose a topic that intrigued them during the warm-up and draft an essay, using Times Resources to help them.

They might start with the three articles we’ve pulled drawings from to illustrate this lesson plan:

• Common App 4.0
• The Almighty Essay
• Returning Favors With Neighborly Advice

Then move on to specific advice offered by The Choice blog:

• On College Essay, Write About Something That Made You ‘Feel Deeply’”
• A Plea From the Admissions Office to Go for the ‘Dangerous’ Essay
• What the New Dean at Pomona Looks for in an Essay

• Hearing the Voice of a 51-Year-Old Man in the Essay of a 17-Year-Old Girl
• Treating a College Admissions Essay Like a First Date
• Crafting an Application Essay that ‘Pops’
• Tip Sheet: An Admissions Dean Offers Advice on Writing a College Essay
• Advice on Whittling Your Admissions Essay

Students who are having trouble coming up with ideas might browse the responses to our Student Opinion question What Mundane Moments in Your Life Might Make Great Essay Material? or this tip sheet from The Choice blog.

Teachers wishing to develop this lesson into a more complete unit on the college essay might focus more on crafting the essay itself using this lesson on Going Beyond Cliché: How to Write a Great College Essay” coupled with the resources from this 2009 lesson . Students might also find this advice useful.

Once students have completed their drafts, ask that they use the College Essay Checklist (PDF) to evaluate their essays either individually or in pairs.

Common Core ELA Anchor Standards, 6-12

Reading 1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. 4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone. 5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs and larger parts of the text (for example, a section, chapter, scene or stanza) relate to each other and the whole. 6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text. 10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.

Writing 3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details and well-structured event sequences. 4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to task, purpose and audience. 5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting or trying a new approach.

Speaking and Listening 1. Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Language 1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. 3. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.

Comments are no longer being accepted.

What a great resource you are, and to think that until last week I had no idea you even existed! Thanks to your post, I just followed up on The Choice’s suggestion to add additional helpful essay-starting exercises of my own. “What’s in your room?” has long been the prompt I use to get things rolling – even before the Common App posted its new questions. And look: Question 4 readily lends itself to that train of thought.

Your suggestions have also been a good way for me to refine an area where I don’t quite agree. I’ve never found it useful to have students look at model essays written by other people, in the same way I don’t (usually) find it a good idea when students begin their essays with someone else’s lofty quotation. I’d much rather give them the strategies to look deeper within themselves to provide both the text and, more importantly, the subtext. In fact, I don’t feel that even the Common Core heeds the omnipresence of a deeper intuitive logic within the writing process. In the college essay I believe the chief goal should be to get students to realize they are the only authority they may need when it comes to making, then sharing, the amazing, unique connections they have arrived at based on experiences they alone are qualified to speak of. =)

Thanks so much for letting us know, Maxene! (And consider inviting your students to do our Summer Reading Contest , too!) –Katherine

This chart is very use fol for students

This is one of the most extensive and helpful posts I’ve read on how to write college admissions essays. My feeling is that most English teachers know their great literature, but are not as versed on teaching writing–especially narrative style pieces. I agree that the best place to get ideas for unique topics, as well as learn how to structure these more informal essays, is by reading what others have written. You have collected a wonderful assortment of sample essays. Reading excellent writing, especially the New York Times, is also very helpful, especially feature-style articles that use creative writing techniques, such as anecdotal leads and descriptive details. I try to share similar writing advice on my blog, Essay Hell.

Excellent resource, thank you.

I am in the process of writing my common application essay, and this is served as inspiration.

It was very useful for me.

Is the essay you write just as important as your SAT scores?

This will help me immensely when I begin writing my college essay prompt.

Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. //www.essayhelpcollege.blogspot.com //writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/application-essays/

Common Application will retain the current set of first-year essay prompts for 2014-15, without any edits or additions. //dartmouth.edu/writing-speech/ wwwbuyessay.co.uk

I saw some sources about relationship. Is it okay to write about your love and how in has influenced you to become a better person?

Hi, these tips are really helpful to write my personal statement for law school. I was feeling overwhelmed to compose my personal statement.

Found your blog very useful & informative. Thanks for such a nice post.

What's Next

Starting the School Year with the College Essay

If there is one writing assignment that has real life and real-world purpose, it’s the college essay. I have never seen my students more motivated to write and more motivated to work on writing than with this particular assignment. And the reason is simple: this writing assignment truly matters to students.

Of course, not every single student will need to write a college essay; nonetheless, the college essay serves several purposes— especially at the beginning of the school year. Since I started my teaching career, I have started the school year with a college essay unit. It allows me to:

Assess student writing abilities, needs, and skills at the beginning of the school year.

Get to know my students and their life stories.

Target basic writing skills such as essay structure, topic sentences, and more.

Take time to make plans for the rest of the grading period and semester.

Create a writing community in the classroom.

Here are some lesson ideas for starting the school year with a college essay unit.

Brainstorming Lessons

No matter the writing assignment, students often need help brainstorming ideas. This is certainly the case for the college essay since the goal is to showcase strong character traits with the purpose of college admission. Students will want to brainstorm several ideas and start a few different drafts in order to select the best idea to fit the purpose of the essay.

Topic Categories

For this activity, students essentially brainstorm things about themselves. To do this, give students topics and a few minutes to list ideas for each one. Some topic ideas include:

Best childhood memories

Worst childhood memories

Influential People

Favorites… movies, books, characters, foods, songs, etc.

Accomplishments

Dreams & Aspirations

Greatest Fears

As students brainstorm ideas, share details from your life with them and then allow students to share as a whole class or small group. This sharing process is important at the beginning of the school year because it helps us to learn about our students and helps them feel more comfortable with each other.

My Life Store

This is actually a creative writing assignment I picked up somewhere along my teaching journey, and students really have fun with it. The premise of this writing assignment is to create a fictional store that encompasses who you are as a person. Every aspect of the store should reflect something about your personality and life. Some questions to consider for brainstorming a life store are:

Where would your life store be located?

What would it be called?

What would your store look like?

What would you sell in your life store… or would you sell anything at all?

Who is your customer?

Essentially, the Life Store activity is a more creative way to implement the Topic Categories brainstorming activity. I have just added this activity to the Bespoke ELA FREE Resource Library that contains 75+ resources for teaching secondary ELA. To access the library, subscribe here and log in!

Writing Workshop Mini-lessons

After students have drafted a few essay ideas, they can select one to take through the writing process. Because this is a college essay and serves the purpose of college admissions, there are two essential mini-lessons to help students craft a powerful and effective essay.

The Introduction & Conclusion Paragraphs

When writing the college essay, students need to be conscious of the audience and purpose of the essay to be sure that they are putting a good foot forward and revealing positive character traits. Sometimes, students forget this, so I like to spend plenty of time on the introduction paragraph and reflective conclusion to make sure that the essay is meeting this purpose, audience, and goal.

In the past, I’ve had students write about boyfriend breakups, drug habits, getting fired from jobs, arguing with parents, and other topics that are not so appropriate for the purpose of a college essay— unless they are treated with care.

Here are three mini-lessons I like to give students for the college essay introduction and conclusion paragraphs:

Peer review for character traits. Have students swap papers and read the introduction and conclusion paragraphs for character traits— just like we do with literature. They can highlight and annotate the peer’s essay for these traits and then write the three key character traits at the top of the essay. This activity will help students assess if their college essays are appropriate for college admissions purposes. For example, if the character traits are: “rebellious, stubborn, and lazy,” then the student needs to seriously rethink the essay topic.

Check for an attention-grabbing introduction. A quick activity to assess the lead of the any essay is to have students trade papers and read only the first sentence or two of the essay. If it grabs their interest and sounds unique, they can put a smiley face next to the introduction paragraph. If it doesn’t catch attention, they can put a frown face (or any other notation you’d like for them to use such as pluses or minuses). Students can swap papers with three classmates to get a good idea of whether or not they need to work on the attention-grabber. After this essay exchange activity, students can refer to examples for attention-grabbing strategies.

Three-question answer conclusion paragraph. The conclusion paragraph of a college essay should answer three basic questions: What have you learned from this experience? How did you change from this experience? How will this experience affect your future? Students can check for the answers to these questions in their conclusion paragraphs and also make sure that they end with a strong, hopeful point of view for the future.

Voice & Show Not Tell

Along with the introduction and conclusion paragraphs, the most important skill for any personal narrative essay or college essay is voice. The essay should stand out from the rest and should reveal the personality, beliefs, perspectives, and uniqueness of the writer.

Here are a few mini-lessons I like to have my students do in order to target voice and show not tell in their writing:

Replace abstract words with precise imagery. For this activity, students need to go through their essays and circle any abstract words such as anger, happiness, like, hate, peace, excitement, etc. Basically, they are to circle emotion words that the writer cannot picture. These abstract words are telling and not showing. The writer needs to replace these abstract words with precise imagery that appeals to the senses. Instead of writing, “I was happy,” the writer needs to show happiness with images. What does happiness look like? What does it smell like, taste like, feel like, sound like? etc. Students will be surprised to discover how many abstract words they use in their writing that need to be replaced.

Use literary devices. This is the perfect assignment for students to use the literary devices they’ve learned in the past. The three basic devices I have my students use are: simile, metaphor, and personification. Students can go back to one of the abstract words they’ve circled and add in one of these devices in order to show not tell. For example, if the student has used the word “angry,” the student can add in the simile: “I was as angry as a spider that’s had its web knocked down.” The key here, though, is to use unique images that reveal the writer’s personality. The general rule of thumb is this: If you’ve heard it, don’t write it. For example, “I was as happy as a clam.” These cliche and overused images don’t add anything to writing and do not reveal the writer’s unique voice.

Use exact language. Another strategy for targeting voice and show not tell is be precise and exact when describing something. Instead of saying “the car,” the student can specify what kind of car, its color, its make, its model, its traits— think of the intros to Jerry Seinfeld’s show Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee . He starts each show with completely unique descriptions and depictions of each car, and he uses precise and exact imagery to describe each car and bring it to life. This same rule applies to college essay writing or personal narrative writing. Students can go in and find vague words and then replace them with precise, exact language and images. Instead of “the movie,” if a student tells me they were watching a “vintage VHS copy of The Goonies,” I see so much more about the writer’s personality.

It’s important to note that a college essay may or may not be a personal narrative memoir essay. There can be a lot of crossover between these types of essays; however, some prompts take on a more persuasive or rhetorical slant. Nonetheless, these general lessons can help any student make a college essay more effective and powerful despite the prompt.

What other lessons and activities do you use with a college essay unit in high school ELA? We’d love to hear from you!

You Might also Like:

A philosophy for assessing writing: aim for improvement, not perfection, 20 prompts for photo-inspired writing in secondary ela, the worst essay of your life: a unique approach to assessing writing at the beginning of the school year, related resource.

About the Author

Meredith is the founder and creator of TeachWriting.org and Bespoke ELA. She has taught high school English for 10+ years in Dallas, Chicago, and New York City and holds a M.A. in Literature from Northwestern University.  She has always had a connection to the written word-- through songwriting, screenplay writing, and essay writing-- and she enjoys the process of teaching students how to express their ideas.  Meredith enjoys life with her daughter and sweet Yorkie.

Grades 3-6: Subscribe here

Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates.

We respect your privacy.

Thank you for your subscription! You now have access to the Free Resource Library with this password: RayBradbury1920

Grades 6-12: subscribe here

Sign up with your email address to receive freebies, news, and updates!

Thank you for subscribing! The password to the Freebie Library is:

RayBradbury1920

English Teachers: Essay Lesson Plan Ideas for College Applications

by j9robinson | May 27, 2014

When my two kids were finishing their junior years of high school, they each received the assignment from their English teacher to write a college application essay.

It sure sounded good—they could get a jump on these dreaded essays and receive professional direction on how to find great topics and write them in an engaging, memorable style.

It didn’t quite work out that way.

From what I could tell, this task of teaching how to write college admissions essays was dumped on these teachers, and they had to cram in a last-minute writing section at the very end of the year (and compete with the AP test crunch time, other end-of-year deadlines/pressures and spring fever.).

Also, as far as I could tell, no one really taught the teachers how to write college admissions essays and students had had very little practice writing in a narrative style. 

I’m sure this assignment was better than nothing.

And that there are English teachers out there who do know about writing, and provide great advice and direction for their students.

But for those teachers who feel overwhelmed and under-prepared, I offer these ideas and resources that could easily be incorporated into an essay lesson plan or a unit on how to write a college application essay:

1. DAY ONE of Essay Lesson Plan : Discuss what makes a great college application essay .

The best way to help students understand what makes a great essay, and see for themselves how these essays use a different style of writing (narrative/slice-of-life), is to share some samples . ( 3 Sample Essays for University of CA app.)

Find some good ones, even a couple bad ones, and have the class read them together and talk about what they liked, and what they didn’t like.

Students should be encouraged to trust what they find entertaining, moving and interesting, and try to copy the literary techniques other students used in their essays.

Try to find sample essays that show the variety of topics that can work , especially those that are mundane (everyday).

2. DAY TWO of Essay Lesson Plan : Help students brainstorm their own topic ideas.

I have written a condensed, step-by-step guide on this process , but also have several posts on how students can find their defining qualities , and then search for their own real-life stories that illustrate a core quality.

It would be very easy to convert the steps I take students through into your own instruction–just step them through this process in class.

(I also have a short guide book, Escape Essay Hell , that maps these out in 10 steps.)

3. DAY THREE of Essay Lesson Plan : After each student has collected a short list of defining qualities, have them brainstorm “times” they used or developed one of these qualities in real life.

Tell them that they are looking for mini-stories, called “anecdotes,” that they can share in their essays.

One huge key to a great anecdote is if it involves a problem (this is your chance to talk about the power of “conflict” in a story.) My Crash Course in How to Write an Anecdote .

Try to find examples of anecdotes, either in sample college admissions essays or at the start of magazines or feature stories in the newspaper.

(All the sample essays in Heavenly Essays use anecdotes, and the last chapter of Escape Essay Hell showcases examples of anecdotes.)

You could even assign students to find one on their own and bring it to class.

My posts on anecdotes not only explain what they are, but have details on how to craft them.

Teach this process to your students–and you will have given them one of the most powerful writing techniques around.

Have them watch my two short YouTube videos on How to Write an Anecdote: Part One and How to Write an Anecdote: Part Two .

4. DAY FOUR of Essay Lesson Plan : Have the students write up one of their real-life moments or incidents into an anecdote (require that it involves a “problem.”)

Talk about how this anecdote shows the reader about their defining quality as opposed to just telling them about it.

Discuss why this is so powerful to grab the reader at the start of the essay.

After they write their anecdote, have them go back and try to condense it even further.

This is part of the skill of writing these, and they do take practice. (Check out this short visual guide to crafting a story .)

5. DAY FIVE of Essay Lesson Plan: Now that the students have described in a story-telling style something that happened to them, and it involved some type of problem, have them start to think about, and jot down notes in list form, these questions:

a. How did that problem make them feel?

b. How did they handle that problem? What steps they took. Where they drew inspiration to face it. (Have them be aware of how their core quality is involved in this process, or the role it plays. And write down their thoughts.)

c. What did they learn in the process of dealing with it? About themselves. About others. About the world in general.

d. Did this experience change them, or how they think about things/life, in any way? Tell them to get reflective and analytical at this point.

These notes will help them continue writing their essay, and use their anecdote to explore how they deal with life, which will reveal what kind of person they area, how they think, what they care about, etc.

One related activity to have students do in pairs , would be this simple exercise on How to Find Your Essay Voice .

I use this approach with the students I tutor, and it’s amazing how easy it is to “capture” pieces of their authentic teenage voice, and how perfectly even a few of these lines or expressions when they are in a reflective mode can enhance their essays.

6. DAY SIX of Essay Lesson Plan:  Help students map out a simple writing plan.

Explain how narrative essays are written in a more casual style, and not the 5-paragraph format.  

Then have them start writing out a rough draft: Have them start with the anecdote to SHOW the problem and then background the incident (a couple paragraphs); and then go on to TELL about what it meant (explain, reflect, analyze, etc.–drawing off notes from Day Five) in a couple more paragraphs.

(Depending on how much time you have to spend on these essays, I have many posts on specific parts of the process–from finding topics to how to write the conclusion to adding titles . Just browse the Index on the right side of this blog to find them.)

Homework : Have the students complete their rough drafts at home.

If they just stick to this order in general, they should end up with an interesting piece of writing that is compelling and reveals their core quality.

Now it’s up to you how you want to help them critique and revise their essays.

These pieces may be highly personal for some students, but for others, they might benefit from some type of peer review, whether in pairs, small groups or with the entire class.

It’s always great to read these out loud, and have them listen and note the “golden lines,” or parts they like, and pay attention to times the essay gets dull (time to cut it!).

Encourage the students to write as long as they want, but then have them cut their essay to a word count (650 words is limit for the Common App.) There’s no better self-editing exercise then shortening a writing piece.

I believe this assignment can be a wonderful writing assignment, and I bet the students will even enjoy it.

It’s amazing how much we all like to think and write about ourselves! Teachers should take advantage of that.

You will be amazed at some of the stories the students come up with, which will range from entertaining, moving, sad (even tragic) and funny.

I wouldn’t discourage any topic, as long as the student makes sure to use the story to show something about herself or himself.

This is just one way to teach narrative writing, and how to write a college application essay. If you have other techniques or ideas, that’s great (and I would love to learn more about them!). But maybe this will give you a place to start.

Related Resources for Creating an Essay Lesson Plan:

This I Believe : This is a post I wrote about the site called This I Believe, which helps students identify their core values, and includes thousands of sample personal essays and other helpful information. Students can use the same approach I teach on this blog and in my books, and simply replace starting with a core quality or characteristic with a core value.

Where I’m From : This site features a poet from Kentucky who wrote a poem about her roots. It includes an inspiring writing exercise that helps students capture details from their own backgrounds and homes. (It also has short video with poet George Ella Lyon reading the poem out loud.) Students can use these details in their essays to describe themselves and their backgrounds. I’ve used this with my students and they all loved it.

Top Guides on Narrative Writing : This is a post I put together showcasing what I believe are the best books on learning and teaching narrative writing.

Check Out These Related Posts!

An excellent resource . . . direct and specific and does not start with the Common Application essay prompts. Thank you!

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Click logo to visit Home Page!

Need More Help?

As a professional writing coach, I help students, parents, counselors, teachers and others from around the world on these dreaded essays! Learn about my in-person and online tutoring, editing, workshops, books, and online courses, ... READ MORE... .

Online Course

Learn to write your essay in one hour.

My on-demand, fast-and-easy online e-course: How to Write a College App Essay (Click lightbulb for details.)

Perfect for The Common App, UCs, grad school, transfer and scholarship essays!

Buy Course for $99 and Start Now!

Find helpful posts.

• About Admissions Officers
• Add a Twist
• Admissions Advice
• Affordability and Success
• Anecdote How-To
• ApplyTexas Essays
• Avoid "English-ese"
• Beware English teachers
• Brainstorm Guide
• Bump Up a Dull Essay
• Cappex Application essays
• Another Trick to Try
• Defining Qualities
• Focusing Your Topic
• Good Topics vs Bad Topics
• How to Stand Out
• Jumpstart Guide!
• Mundane Topics
• Risky Topics
• Show Your Grit
• The "Unexpected"
• Top Five Topic Tips
• Topic of Choice
• Topics to Avoid!
• Twilight as a Topic?
• Coalition for Access
• Coalition for Access Essay Strategies
• College Rejection
• Common App Prompt 7
• Common App: Prompt 1
• Common App: Prompt 2
• Common App: Prompt 3
• Common App: Prompt 4
• Common App: Prompt 5
• Common App: Prompt 6
• Commonly Asked Questions
• Conclusions
• Create Pathos
• Creative Writing
• English Teachers Help
• Essay Cheat Sheet
• Essay Contest
• Essay Hell's Writing Guides
• Essay Myths
• Essay Writing Guides
• Essay Writing Training
• Find Core Values
• First drafts
• Grabber Introductions
• Heavenly Essays Book
• Homeschooling
• How Format Common App Essay
• How to Describe a Place/Setting/World
• How to Recycle Essays
• How to Write a Conclusion
• How to Write Short Essays
• International Students
• Journal Writing
• Jumpstart Essay Experts
• Lesson Plans
• Math and Science Students
• How to manage your parents
• Personal Insight Questions
• Personal Statements
• Favorite Books
• Sample Essays
• Scholarship Essays
• Storytelling
• Supplemental Essay Tips
• Tufts Supplemental Essays
• University of Colorado Supp
• Why College X?
• Texas Essay Prompts
• How to Answer Prompt #1
• Golden Advice from a College Insider
• Title Your Essay
• TMI in Essays
• Top Essay Fears
• Transfer Essays
• Transfer Students
• UC Prompt #1
• UC Prompt #2
• UC Transfer Essays
• Uncategorized
• Underprivileged Students
• UC Prompt 4
• UC Prompt 5
• UC Prompt 8
• University of Texas essays
• Video Tutorials
• Waitlist Essays and Letter
• Warning to Top Students
• What Makes a Great Essay?
• When You Are Done
• Where to Start
• Why Essays Matter
• Be Specific
• Black and white thinking
• Don't Impress
• Final checklist
• Grabber introductions
• How Find Your Main Point\
• How to Add Depth
• How to add intellectual vitality
• How to Tell a Story
• How to Write an Anecdote
• Ladder of Abstraction
• Mini-Memoirs
• Online course for writing college admissions essays
• Self-editing
• Show AND Tell
• Show Don't Tell
• Tone and Voice
• Universal Truths
• Use Emotion
• Writing Contests

Bestselling Writing Guide!

Click book image to learn about all four of my popular writing guides!

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Current Events

Lesson Plan: Applying to College in the Age of A.I.

Students examine how chatbots are reshaping college admissions, look critically at what happens when they are given essay prompts, and formulate opinions about the questions raised by these tools.

By Katherine Schulten

Lesson Overview

Featured Article: “ Ban or Embrace? Colleges Wrestle With A.I.-Generated Admissions Essays. ” by Natasha Singer

The easy availability of artificial intelligence chatbots like ChatGPT, which can manufacture humanlike text in response to short prompts, is poised to upend the undergraduate application process at selective colleges — ushering in an era of automated plagiarism or democratized student access to essay-writing help. Or maybe both.

In this lesson, students learn why chatbots are disrupting college admissions and how institutions are responding. Then they look critically at what happens when chatbots are given essay prompts. Finally, they formulate opinions about the practical and ethical uses of A.I. chatbots in the college application process.

Please note: If your students need an introduction to generative A.I., the lesson Teaching and Learning in the Era of ChatGPT can help.

How much is the college application process stressing out your students? Which aspects of it are hardest for them?

Invite them to discuss or journal about those questions, and then present the following paragraph, which comes from the article they will read in full later in this lesson:

The personal essay has long been a staple of the application process at elite colleges, not to mention a bane for generations of high school students. Admissions officers have often employed applicants’ essays as a lens into their unique character, pluck, potential and ability to handle adversity. As a result, some former students say they felt tremendous pressure to develop, or at least concoct, a singular personal writing voice.

What is their reaction to it? If they agree that there is great pressure to showcase a “singular personal writing voice” in these essays, how are they going about that process?

Next, introduce them to the statements below, which are adapted from the article. What do they think? To gauge your students’ reactions, you might read the statements aloud and have them show in some way if they agree or disagree, as in a Four Corners exercise . Or divide them into pairs or small groups to discuss each one — or simply have them react privately in their journals.

Here are the statements:

As we learn more about these chatbot tools, it’s important for institutions like schools to set reasonable parameters on how they can and can’t be used.

Large high schools often have overworked college counselors with little time for individualized essay coaching. Chatbots can help play that role.

Outsourcing writing to bots could hinder students from developing important critical thinking and storytelling skills.

Using ChatGPT for college essays is akin to plagiarism.

Using A.I. chatbots to generate ideas or pieces of writing can make college essays sound too generic.

Wealthier high school students often have access to resources like paid writing coaches to help them brainstorm, draft and edit their college admissions essays. ChatGPT could play a similar role for students who lack such resources.

Part of the process of the college essay is finding your writing voice through drafting and revising, and A.I. chatbots will rob students of the opportunity to do that.

What happened? Which statements provoked the most discussion? Why? Tell students that at the end of this lesson, after they have read the relevant article in full, they will have a chance to post their thoughts to our related Student Opinion question: “ Should students let A.I. chatbots help write their college essays? If so, how? ”

Questions for Writing and Discussion

Read the related article , and then answer these questions:

1. Why did staff members at the Georgia Institute of Technology spend weeks this summer pretending to be high school students using A.I. chatbots to fill out college applications?

2. Why is higher education facing a “turning point”? What else happened recently that has helped upend the college admissions process?

3. What does the author mean when she writes that these new tools “threaten to recast the college application essay as a kind of generic cake mix”?

4. As you read the article, you probably recognized some of the sentences from the warm-up activity. Has your reaction to any of them changed? For instance, what do you think of what the teacher Susan Barber has to say? What is your opinion of how she is treating ChatGPT in her classes in Atlanta?

5. To what extent do you agree with those who say ChatGPT might have a “democratizing effect” by giving students without resources access to help? How much does that matter?

6. The article describes some ways that colleges are dealing with A.I. chatbots by laying out the policies of three schools — the University of Michigan Law School, the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University and Georgia Tech. Which of the three do you think has the best policy, given everything you have discussed and read so far? Why?

Going Further

See what happens when a chatbot writes your essay.

Natasha Singer

Write me a 100-word essay in the voice of a high school student explaining why I would love to attend Dartmouth to pursue a double major in biology and computer science.

HuggingChat

As a high school student, I am eager to pursue my passion for both biology and computer science at Dartmouth College. The opportunity to double major in these fields will allow me to explore the intricate relationships between living organisms and cutting-edge technology. At Dartmouth, I am drawn to the rigorous academic programs that emphasize hands-on learning, research opportunities, and collaboration with renowned faculty. By attending Dartmouth, I aim to develop a deep understanding of the complexities of life and technology, preparing myself for a career where I can make a meaningful impact on the world.

What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?

What college course would you teach?

What should your future roommates know?

Why do you want to enroll at _____?

These are examples of short essay questions from Ivy League schools like Yale and Harvard. Write a short response to one in your journal — or work with a partner and take turns answering the question aloud.

Then, take a look at “ We Used A.I. to Write Essays for Harvard, Yale and Princeton. Here’s How It Went .” What do you think of the answers the chatbots gave for these prompts? How do they compare with your answers? Be as specific as you can: Which words, phrases or ideas in each version are superior, in your opinion? Why? Overall, how useful do you think the chatbot was?

Now, consider this prompt, from Johns Hopkins University:

Tell us about an aspect of your identity or a life experience that has shaped you.

How would you answer it? Do you think A.I. could help? Do you think a chatbot would be better at answering a prompt like this than at answering the four above? Why or why not?

As you know from the article, the four questions above come from supplemental essay sections — additional short-answer questions some colleges ask alongside a main essay. But according to another New York Times article, “ Colleges Want to Know More About You and Your ‘Identity’ ,” many schools are now using prompts like the one from Johns Hopkins as their primary essay:

For college applicants, this is the year of the identity-driven essay, the one part of the admissions process in which it is still explicitly legal to discuss race after the Supreme Court banned affirmative action in June. A review of the essay prompts used this year by more than two dozen highly selective colleges reveals that schools are using words and phrases like “identity” and “life experience,” and are probing aspects of a student’s upbringing and background that have, in the words of a Harvard prompt, “shaped who you are.”

Where does all this leave you? To what extent do you think it is useful to use A.I. to help you with your college essay? When, if at all, do you think it is ethical? Will it depend solely on whether or not the colleges you are applying to allow it? Or do you think there are greater considerations?

Finally, what do you think should be the ultimate purpose of a college essay? If it is supposed to show a college who you truly are, is it ethical to get help, whether from an adult or a chatbot? Or is the college process, at least for those highly selective schools that require multiple essays, so unfair that making it more accessible is the greater ethical consideration?

Tell us what you think.

Now that you’ve spent time with these issues, we’d love to hear your responses. In a related Student Opinion forum we’re asking, Should Students Let ChatGPT Help Them Write Their College Essays? If so, how? Read and respond to others’ thoughts, and then post your own to join the conversation. We hope to feature a range of your comments in our weekly Current Events Conversation .

Consider broader questions about how your school should handle A.I.

Can schools survive — and even thrive — with generative A.I.? Kevin Roose, a Times tech columnist, thinks they can. In a column in August , he made several suggestions, including this one:

My third piece of advice — and the one that may get me the most angry emails from teachers — is that teachers should focus less on warning students about the shortcomings of generative A.I. than on figuring out what the technology does well.

Do you agree? Should teachers and students be playing with the tool to see what’s possible? How might that happen? And what rules, if any, should be placed around the use of generative A.I. in your school?

Mr. Roose’s column offers “resources for educators who want to bone up on A.I. in a hurry,” including links to A.I.-focused lesson plans and recommendations made by other educators. You can also listen to an episode of his podcast, “Hard Fork ,” for a conversation about this topic with Ethan Mollick, an associate professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Mollick is experimenting with generative A.I. in the classroom.

Another helpful Times resource? This column by Brian X. Chen, “ We’re Using A.I. Chatbots Wrong. Here’s How to Direct Them .” There, he explains how to mitigate the spread of misinformation from these tools by steering them toward high-quality data.

Finally, back in January, when these kinds of chatbots were new, we published a resource called Teaching and Learning in the Era of ChatGPT . The “Going Further” section in that feature offers activities that can easily be adapted as these tools continue to develop . For instance, teachers, students, parents and administrators might work together or separately to:

Reimagine school assignments to productively use chatbots

Come up with ethical guidelines for school or personal use

Debate the implications of A.I. for art and for the humanities

Find more lesson plans and teaching ideas here.

Katherine Schulten has been a Learning Network editor since 2006. Before that, she spent 19 years in New York City public schools as an English teacher, school-newspaper adviser and literacy coach. More about Katherine Schulten

College essay lesson plan

Recommended

More related content, what's hot, what's hot ( 20 ), viewers also liked, viewers also liked ( 20 ), similar to college essay lesson plan, similar to college essay lesson plan ( 20 ), more from tara neely, more from tara neely ( 15 ), recently uploaded, recently uploaded ( 20 ).

• 1. College Essay/Resume Lesson Plans Mrs. Neely Introduction Lesson: Overview | What makes a college essay “work”? How can writers reveal themselves through writing? In this lesson, students explore sample college essays and then consider advice about what separates a great essay from a mediocre or ineffective one as well as essay-writing tips. Finally, they write essays based on the piece of advice that resonated with them. Materials | Copies of sample personal essays, copies of the College Essay Checklist (PDF), computer with Internet access and projection equipment 1. Warm-Up | Begin by asking: What do you think college admissions officers are looking for when they read student essays? List responses on the board, and be sure to push the conversation beyond issues of mechanics and structure to content, voice and style. 2. Then read aloud this first paragraph from a college essay: During the summer before my junior year of high school, I spent a weekend volunteering with the poor in post-Katrina Louisiana and realized that I am privileged. Most of what these people had had been ripped out from under them and life was very different there from my life in suburban Massachusetts. Amazingly, though, these people still seemed happy. I learned from this experience that money isn’t everything. 3. Ask: Judging just from this paragraph, do you think this essay will meet the expectations we just listed? Does this paragraph grab you? Are you interested in reading more of this essay? What do you think this paragraph says about this student? 4. Next, divide students into small groups of “admissions officers,” and give each “committee” a college essay to evaluate. Resources include Connecticut College’s Essays That Worked collection and these sample essays published in The Times. In addition, give them this handout (PDF). Tell the “admissions committees” to imagine that each of these essay writers has applied for admission to their college or university. Each group is responsible for using the handout to evaluate the essay and decide whether to admit this student. They should assume that each student has a similarly strong profile in terms of grades, test scores, activities and recommendations. Once students have read and evaluated the essay, reconvene the class. Invite each group to describe their essay and what they liked or didn’t like about it, and deliver their admissions decision.
• 2. After each group has shared, ask: How were these essays different from the excerpt with which we began? In what ways were they more effective? What is cliché? How did these essays avoid that trap? Is there a way to move the experience detailed in the opening essay beyond cliché? After considering these essays, what else should we add to our list about what college admissions officials are looking for in student essays? Looking at other examples: Suggestions: Homework Read the entire article with your class or for homework, using the questions below. Questions | For discussion and reading comprehension: 1. Remember that essay we started class with? Why are the options presented in the “fill-in-the- blank” introduction in the post likely to not interest or impress a college admissions official? 2. Why are more mundane topics often preferable? 3. What other alternatives to the standard college essay fare does this post offer? 4. What are some things to avoid in a college essay? 5. Mr. Marcus quotes Matthew Whelan of Stony Brook University as saying that the best college essays “help us understand why we want the applicant here.” Thinking of your own experiences, what are some things that make you attractive to the college(s) of your choice? Writing Their Own Essay: Activity | Explain to students that they will now start developing personal essays for their college application packages, by evaluating and then capitalizing on advice on how to write effective essays. 1. First, project the multimedia feature“Counting Words, Courting College.” 2. The short video from EssayLady.com. 3. Ask: What advice do you take away from this audio slide show about what makes a great college essay? 4. Ask: What advice here seems most useful? Despite all of this advice, what don’t you know about writing college essays? What role does the reader play in determining what works and what doesn’t? How can you account for individual, unknown readers as you write? Choosing a topic: 1. But first, they have to choose a topic. As one parent contributor to The Choice blog notes, crafting an essay is really a foray into memoir writing. And while all of the advice they have gathered is useful, the question of what to write about remains.
• 3. Timeline of Significant Events 2. To help students begin to discover topics that make for good essay fodder, ask them to create a timeline of significant events in their lives. Ask them to really think broadly, aiming to get at least 20 items on their list. They should include “major” events like births, deaths, travel, coming of age rituals, or course, but also the more mundane moments they remember that have marked their lives in some way — a car ride, a dinner, a chance meeting, etc. Group Finding Patterns: 3. Then, ask them to talk in pairs or small groups about what patterns, ideas or themes emerge when they review their timelines. Are there significant people who crop up again and again? What about an experience that truly changed their perspective on things in an important way? What inspires strong emotion? What seems clichéd or potentially boring? (Allow students who are gravitating toward stories that are particularly personal to work independently.) In their discussions, ask students to narrow possible topics for essays to three they think will help a college admissions committee “understand why [they] want the applicant.” As They Select the Their Topic 1. Going further | Students use the topics they generated in class to draft a college essay around the piece of advice they thought was the most useful. 2. Offer those students who are not satisfied with their topic some or all of the following prompts to help them generate more ideas: Use the packet of Questions you have supplied. Remember 3. When students are finished drafting their essays, ask them to bring in their drafts for peer review. Use your favorite method or one of the options presented in our lesson Getting Personal, including using the College Essay Checklist (PDF). Standards | This lesson is correlated to McREL’s national standards (it can also be aligned to the new Common Core State Standards): Language Arts 1. Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process 5. Uses the general skills and strategies of the reading process 7. Uses general skills and strategies to understand a variety of informational texts 8. Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes Life Skills: Working With Others 1. Contributes to the overall effort of a group 4. Displays effective interpersonal communication skills Behavioral Studies 1. Understands that group and cultural influences contribute to human development, identity and behavior 2. Understands various meanings of social group, general implications of group membership and different ways that groups function 3. Understands that interactions among learning, inheritance and physical development affect human behavior 4. Understands conflict, cooperation and interdependence among individuals, groups, and institutions Arts and Communication 3. Uses critical and creative thinking in various arts and communication settings 4. Understands ways in which the human experience is transmitted and reflected in the arts and communication
• 4. College Resume Writing: Lesson Plan Introduction Lesson: Overview | What information does a College Résumé include? How can students reveal themselves further in this medium? In this lesson, students explore sample college résumés and begin to brainstorm the list of possible achievements. Finally, they will create a resume using the word choice lessons. Materials | Copies of sample resumes, copies of the Format and Translating Skills Handout (PDF), computer with Internet access and projection equipment 1. Warm-Up | Begin by viewing the Résumé PPT Introduction. Ask students to think about their HS career? What things are note worthy that a college may look for in an applicant? What do you have to offer? 2. Activity: Student will complete the Graphic Organizer with their achievements, extracurricular activities, and honors. Once the students have brainstormed, they may begin to add information in to the template. 3. Activity: Language: How should students make their experiences match up to their skills? The activity that shows and gives examples of how to translate their actions into skills. 4. Final Activity: Students will type and peer edit their college essay. Students will place and electric copy of both the their essay and the resume on edmodo.com to be saved for next year. (incase.)

Sms or Whatsapp only : US: +1(516)494-0538

EDU 279 Lesson Plan Portfolio -Figurative Language Lesson Plan

Education 0

-You must use a 6 point lesson plan to plan a figurative language lesson and provide all of the information that the plan requires. Here is a link to a 6 point lesson plan: ( http://srhscollaborationsuite.weebly.com/uploads/3/8/4/0/38407301/6pointlessonplan1.pdf ) You can use this format or create your own. Be sure you include all of the components in the plan. You will need to create your plan using a Google Doc.

-Use the NCSCOS (North Carolina Standard Course of Study) to find the standards you need to use for this activity. The activity should pertain to the grade range you would like to teach.  https://www.dpi.nc.gov/media/7228/open

-Add a new page to your Google Sites Portfolio titled “Figurative Language”.

-Attach/Add the Google Doc Lesson Plan to the “Figurative Language” Portfolio page.

-Share your Google Doc Lesson Plan with your Google Site Address included in Moodle (myCourses).

Collepals.com Plagiarism Free Papers

Are you looking for custom essay writing service or even dissertation writing services? Just request for our write my paper service, and we'll match you with the best essay writer in your subject! With an exceptional team of professional academic experts in a wide range of subjects, we can guarantee you an unrivaled quality of custom-written papers.

Why Hire Collepals.com writers to do your paper?

Quality- We are experienced and have access to ample research materials.

We write plagiarism Free Content

Confidential- We never share or sell your personal information to third parties.

Support-Chat with us today! We are always waiting to answer all your questions.

Related Posts

Disaster recovery plan, provide a 4-page inspirational graduation commencement speech that will motivate and inspire students, at this point in the novel, we have learned a great deal about dick and perry’s criminal relationship and friendship together, leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

All Rights Reserved Terms and Conditions College pals.com Privacy Policy 2010-2018