College Summer Playbook
Personal Essay Group Seminar
3 hours
A positive environment for students to learn how to take risks and brainstorm unique essays.
EXAMPLES: We will go through real examples of essays that worked and dissect them piece by piece. Some will surprise you, some will be funny; they are all engaging!
GROUP BRAINSTORMING: The hardest part to the personal essay is finding the right topic. By brainstorming with your peers in a supportive environment, you will be able to kick start the process. Throw out an idea and get immediate feedback!
ORGANIZATION: Every student will receive an organizational tool on Google Sheets to help them work smarter, not harder. We will go over how to use this so that you can see your application as a whole right from the start.
Supplements Group Seminar
3 hours
Students will learn how to organize their unique supplemental essays so they can work smarter, not harder.
SUPPLEMENTS: We will use the same process of examples and group brainstorming to come up with unique ideas for your supplements.
ACTIVITIES LIST: We will go over how to actually write an activities list that admissions officers don’t skim.
COMMON APP: A section of this seminar will be dedicated to helping you navigate the Common App website. (Spoiler alert: the website’s a mess. You will have questions.)
Parents Group Seminar
1 hour
An optional brief overview of the methodology students will be using and a time for questions.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW: A complete overview of what your students will be working on and how to take advantage of office hours.
METHODOLOGY: This portion of the seminar will help you understand how your student will create a unique, unexpected, and original application.
HOW TO HELP: This can be an overwhelming process for the whole family. We will go over how to best support your student through the program and beyond.
Office Hours
Weekly
Office hours will be held weekly at a variety of times to accommodate busy schedules and multiple time zones. Anyone is welcome to come ask a question or get a little feedback!
WHY IS CSP DIFFERENT?
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Summer is Key to a Smooth Process
Finishing over the summer does not matter. (Though it is possible!) The key is finishing the majority of the brainstorming and having a complete plan for your entire admission package in place before school starts.
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Organization and Accountability
This program provides simple and effective tools to manage the organization. Because your individual sessions expire 8/31, you will also be held accountable to work over the summer.
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Unique, Cohesive Applications
In order to have a unique, successful application you must look at both the intricate details of each part as well as the bigger picture. We will delve into every single detail of your application from the punctuation of your essay to the last activity on your list to make sure that anyone reading it is consistently engaged. (And maybe even surprised!) On top of that, we will find a cohesive through-line for your whole application.
Group Seminars
Small group seminars to learn the basics, talk strategy, and get excited about the process.
Limited space: 2-10 students per group