Say Yes to the Ess-ay

Another round of debunking college expectations in entertainment!

Does anyone remember Degrassi? Yes, it was the Canadian show about teens in high school but SOMETIMES they ventured out to post-grad experiences. Paige, Marco, I remember them sharing an apartment during college. I also remember Paige couldn't handle her courseload or something like that.
What I liked about Degrassi is that the students really lived in the moment. Of course they had a lot of drama, but they also still appreciated what was going on in their teenage years. We see so many advertisements for college prep from earlier than high school, we see so many students lacking balance, striving for those high achieving schools and then finding themselves struggling to keep up as a small fish in a big pond.
This is no means to say that teens shouldn't reach and test out the limitations of their potential, but rather, live life today (especially for narratives to create for essays) and then enter college a more fully formed person when the time comes. Don't jump ahead, don't grow up too fast. Focus on what you need now to succeed later.

Have you heard about Mission Graduation?

Looking forward to MISSION GRADUATION! Come join us!
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1tFsVhXbrSz6HfHwM7T1atQss4NRL8jQc

Due to today's storms, I have no wifi so all Google Doc work will resume tomorrow (fingers crossed!) On my end. Apologies for any delays

As someone who hosts a scholarship with an essay component, I have 2 pieces of advice.

1. Do NOT use AI. After reviewing dozens of entries, I can tell which ones used AI based on structure and opening lines. Don't lose your chance to win before the first paragraph is over!

2. Do NOT repurpose without tweaks that align with the purpose of the scholarship organization. I received at least a handful of entries that were incredibly well written, but clearly, for another submission. Take your time and focus your narratives.

3.5k followers, woohoo! As a self-proclaimed not-a-good-social-media-person, I appreciate all those who choose to follow me, reach out, allowing me to work with your families :)

Do you have a rising COLLEGE senior? Want to better prepare them for their final year so they understand where best to place their energies/how to reach out to career readiness options over these next two semesters? A Myers-Briggs / Strong Inventory assessment could take a little pressure off of their plate to know where and how best to approach this upcoming year :)

How do you determine best fit? It's not just for college list building. It's strategizing for which narrative makes the most sense as your main essay? It's which teacher knows you better for a letter but also, which teacher fits the requirements for your college's letter of rec guidelines. Best fit = a better 4 years in college.

Tip of the Day!

If you write an essay and you feel that the trajectory is too 'basic' or 'boring' (these words are subjective, a lot of times an essay is perfectly fine, rather, we're so connected to our story that it just seems too natural), consider coming up with an extended metaphor to reframe your essay.

For example, if you want to talk about how you learned compassion during your time volunteering at a local nursing home and how you've returned since to host a book club, maybe talk about each learning moment like a part of a story. If you want to talk about how that sports injury transformed you from an athlete to an artist, focus on each stage like you're sculpting a masterpiece.

You've got options!

Come join me at Sachem Library for The Road to College!