This class will especially help students preparing to write high school or college applications.  When applying to high schools, colleges, and even jobs, the personal essay provides a window that allows admissions officers and employers to look beyond the numbers and data to see the personalities of the applicants.  By being a master of the personal essay, an applicant can more easily distinguish himself or herself from the rest of the applicant pool as the ideal student or employee.  Furthermore, being able to compose a personal essay is a good exercise in personal development because it requires honesty, sincerity, and thoughtfulness.  This exercise  then allows a person to examine an institution to determine if the goals or the environment sought by the institution are aligned and relevant to his or her own goals and needs.

Within this course, students will learn how to write a compelling personal essay.  This course will be covered in 5 classes.  In the first class, students will learn how to approach a personal essay.  In the second class, students will learn how to structure a personal essay.  In the third class, students will learn critical paragraph and sentence organization and detail.  In the fourth class, students will learn revision strategies.  The final class will focus on drills designed to each student’s needs or points of weakness.  Parents are invited (and encouraged) to sit in on the final class or speak with Juliana after each Skype class so that they can better assist their students with assignments throughout the year.  Juliana is also available to offer college advising.