Why You Should Skip the College Essay Bootcamp
If the goal is simply to get a college essay completed, a boot camp is an option for a rising senior. However, if the goal is a personalized piece of writing that functions as part of the applicant’s story in their holistic application, a bootcamp is a waste of time.
Bootcamps can be highly effective for activities like exercise because the group setting fosters accountability, motivation, and support. The camaraderie and friendly competition inspire individuals to push their limits and achieve their best results. However, these benefits don’t translate to college essay writing because the goal isn’t task completion but introspection and thoughtfulness.
Although students will emerge from a college essay boot camp (or an English class) with a completed draft in hand, it’s unlikely that this essay will best reflect who they are. In my experience, the magic happens through dialogue. When I sit down with a student and pepper them with questions, running down rabbit holes and exploring every facet of who they are, we inevitably strike gold. Sometimes we identify a scene/story we like, then bounce ideas around until we can articulate what it reveals about them. Other times we know what we want to show, but we can’t find the story. When this happens, I keep asking questions until BINGO, we find it. This collaboration is thrilling for me, and usually for my students, too. A bootcamp just can’t get this personal!
Motivation and accountability matter, but they are baked into the work we do with students at AH&A. After identifying a story, our coaches outline with the student then guide them to complete their writing in the session. This strategy ensures the work is done and relieves stress at home. More importantly, the personalized focus makes students feel seen, validated, and known.
Learning to identify and tell their own stories — whether to a university or to an employer — is a critical life skill. As students move through college and into the job market, their story will evolve and change, but the ability to articulate who they are and what they want will endure.
