A pen icon illustrating The Word Factory training pageI heard a family chatting about college admissions essays at dinner last night. I remember the angst that permeated Chapel Hill High when my friends and I had to start the application process. <shudder>

Steve Peha and I have a lot of tips for kids struggling with the essay (we also have some for the SAT essay, too) that will make the process easier and produce a more effective result. We don't guarantee these strategies will get you into the school of your choice, but we know they'll give you an essay that's easier to write and more enjoyable to read. Here are two articles we created for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer's Real World Literacy series:

If you are (or your teen is) worried about these high-stakes writing projects, take a look at the strategies. We think they'll ease the anxiety for everyone!