College Application Essay Support Program

Summer Writing Requirement for Seniors: One of Your College Essays

Due Date

You will need to upload your college essay by the first session of your English class. Here is how to upload your essay.

Required Prompt

Your essay may use as its prompt any of the following:  

1. two of the UC essay prompts; or
2. one of the Common Application prompts; or 
3. a prompt from another college or university to which you intend to apply.  Please note: if you select option (3), you must attach a hard copy of the prompt to the essay that you submit. 

Required format: 

• Word-processed
• MLA format, but with no citations (you won’t be citing sources)
• Include, at the top of the page (before the essay itself) an indication as to which prompt the essay addresses, e.g., “Common Application Essay Prompt #3,” or “UC Prompt #1,” or “See attached prompt from __________ College.”
• At the end of the essay, include the word count of your essay. Also include the word count limit established by the prompt, if there is one.

Grade Value

• 30 points in the homework category

The essay, as submitted, will be given to your counselor for review; that way, when you meet with your counselor in the fall, work has begun on what will evolve into a finalized college application essay.

So Where Do I Begin?

We're excited to offer two types of workshops this summer to help you with your applications. The first starts in June through our partnership with College Essay Guy. Archbishop Mitty students have been registered for the following live online courses from (Please mark these event dates and times on your calendar):

• • Personal Statement Boot Camp: June 3rd - 7th    
  • Personal Statement Boot Camp: June 17th - 21st
  • The College Application + Supplemental Essays Boot Camp: August 5th
  • How to Answer the UC Personal Insight Questions Boot Camp: August 6th

You should have received a welcome email from the College Essay Guy. As we get closer to each bootcamp, you will receive additional instructions and information. 

Can’t make the live course dates? You’ll have access to the courses through the end of the year, and recordings of the sessions will be available to all who sign up. 

It is the Counseling Department’s recommendation that you use the virtual workshops to build your personal statement and supplemental essays to prepare for our in-person College Application & Essay Workshop on August 5th and 6th at 10:00 am in the Kinkade Theater. Here are the details:

Monday, August 5th: Common Application & Personal Statement Workshop

Presenter: Zucel Aguilar, Santa Clara University

• • • • Introduction
      • Overview of the Common Application 
      • Activities: What should be included; How to write an effective description with a limited character count
      • Personal Statement & Supplements: What is an effective personal statement, the difference between a personal statement and supplements, and what to focus on for supplements.
      • Additional Information: when to use and what topics should be avoided

Tuesday, August 6th: UC Application & PIQ Workshop 

Presenter: Janelle Cardenas, UC Davis :

• • • • Introduction
      • Overview of the UC Application
      • Personal Insight Questions: What are they and how are they different from the Personal Statement?
      • Activities: What should be included; Description of organization vs. description of your responsibilities
      • Additional Information: When to best utilize this section; Statements from the high school

Schedule

10:00 am: Presentation and Q & A in the Theater. You should not be late and must stay for the entirety of the presentation. 

11:30 am - 1:00 pm: Work time in breakout rooms (location TBA). Depending on where you are at in your application process, we will split students into the three groups: 

• • • Essay brainstorm and outline
    • Completing the application & activities section
    • Essays review and edit

You can move around to different groups. Additionally, you are encouraged (but not required) to stay until 1:00 pm. 

Materials to bring

• • • Laptop (preferred) or iPad with keyboard and chargers
    • Notebook
    • Pens/Pencils
    • Snacks & Water

Final Instructions

No sign up is required, but you must arrive on time. Parents, please note that our workshop is only for students. We are unable to record the presentation but we will share the presentation slides with the senior class after the event. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Tien Menor (tmenor@mitty.com). 

October “College Essay Days” = No Homework for Seniors!

During early October, several days are set aside when seniors will be assigned NO HOMEWORK IN ANY OF THEIR CLASSES!  This will allow them some concentrated time to work on essays and supplements due as a part of their college applications.

For October, 2024, those "College Essay Days" are 10/8 through 10/14 (Class Day 19 and Class Day 20). On each of these days, no assignments will come due in any classes for seniors—and this includes no assigned reading.