Unit 4
:
Telling Your Story in Your Application
This unit helps students understand how every part of a college application works together to tell a cohesive and authentic story. Students reflect on their academic achievements, extracurricular involvement, interests, and lived experiences to identify the strengths, values, and goals they want colleges to understand about them. They explore how admissions officers review applications within the context of a student's background and learn strategies for using essays, activities, and other application components to communicate their preparation for college and personal growth effectively.
Students also develop practical skills for strengthening their applications by responding to essay prompts, selecting meaningful topics, revising their writing, and researching college- or program-specific requirements. The unit encourages students to align their applications with the values and expectations of their target colleges while realistically assessing admission chances and refining their application strategies. By the end of the unit, students will be prepared to present a compelling, authentic application that reflects both who they are and the type of college experience they hope to pursue.
Lesson 1: Your Application Tells a Story
How do the individual components of my application come together to tell a story to colleges? What strategies help me use elements of a strong college application to tell my story? What is the
context in which my application will be reviewed?
Lesson 2: Reflecting on Different Parts of Your Story
How do my academic work and extracurricular activities in high school connect to my college goals? How can self-reflection center my lived experiences and interests, and help me explore what stories I want to tell about myself? How can I express my story through my applications to help colleges understand me better as an applicant?
Lesson 3: Intentional Storytelling in College Applications
How can effective storytelling in college applications help me produce my best application? How can I communicate my story and my preparation for college through my application?
Lesson 4: Essay Topics & Supplemental Essays
How can I respond to various prompts for my college application essays? What essay topics align with my strengths and goals? What strategies can I develop for revising essays?
Lesson 5: Tailoring Your Application for a Specific College or Major
What are the requirements for particular colleges or programs? How can I present my application to colleges in ways that match their stated values? Should I adjust my application strategy based on the schools on my list? What priorities are important to me when considering the type of college experience I want to have?
