Writer’s Workshop Common App Narrative

Choose the one that’s your best fit: 1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. 2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? 3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? 4. Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution. 5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. 6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Station 1- Introductions Station 1- Introductions Pick 2 of the strategies below and draft a beginning. Details: Show the smallest element of the scene you are going to tell readers about. Cue in on the tiniest of details as if we are with you or it is happening in slow motion. The conclusion- begin with the end/resolution/or “ah-ha” moment An Analogy- compare your emotion/situation to something similar From an outsider’s perspective- write as if you are “out of body” or as if someone else is watching you do this. Questions: Start with an open-ended, thought-provoking question. Then explain how that connects to your experience?

Station 2- Mind Mapping Create a mind map of your life or specific topic question with all things that come to mind.

Station 3: 10 minute free writing Station 3: 10 minute free writing Get as much on the page as you can- no rules! 1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. 2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? 3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? 4. Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution. 5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. 6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Station 4- Show (don’t tell) Select concepts & describe Fear Hands shaking Knees like rubber Covering mouth with hand Heavy fast breathing Heart pounding Whimpering     

Station 5- Outlining Create a working outline for your essay. Chronological- everything is in order of time, when it happened Cause/Effect- one thing brought about another Compare/Contrast- similarities and differences of person, events, emotions, etc. Spatial- described by where it occurred Classifying- identifying or grouping by type of emotion, what it taught you, etc. Drawing conclusions- you learned/figured out after several things happened

Station 6: 10 minute free writing Station 6: 10 minute free writing Get as much on the page as you can- no rules! 1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. 2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? 3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? 4. Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution. 5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. 6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Station 7- Phrasing & Synonyms Grandpa Family’s hero The man who taught me how to fish Our family’s guardian The giver of candy bars