College Admissions Essay -- Resources

The College Board has useful section on Essay Skills for the college admissions essay. Included are a section on how to choose a topic and tips on writing the essay itself.

Samples of successful essays can be found at www.quintcareers.com/

The Common Application essay prompts are at https://app.commonapp.org/CommonApp/docs/downloadforms/CommonApp2008.pdf

True fact: You can pay as much as $1000.00 to have a professional essay editing service such as EssayEdge help you with your essay. (Or you can just ask Wirthy and get help for free).

The College Board suggests you compete the following as part of your brainstorming process:

• Discover Your Strengths: Do a little research about yourself: ask parents, friends, and teachers what your strengths are.
• Create a Self-Outline: Now, next to each trait, list five or six pieces of evidence from your life—things you've been or done—that prove your point.
• Find Patterns and Connections: Look for patterns in the material you've brainstormed. Group similar ideas and events together. For example, does your passion for numbers show up in your performance in the state math competition and your summer job at the computer store? Was basketball about sports or about friendships? When else have you stuck with the hard work to be with people who matter to you?

The Glue of a Good Essay - Transitions

A list of transitions and guide to their use is at:
www.rscc.cc.tn.us/owl&writingcenter/

Building Your Resume

A useful online Resume Builder is at
http://www.resumizer.com/


Another good option for resume templates is via Google Docs.
(If you don't have a Gmail account, see me for the login info for the class Gmail account.)

Resume Headings: Activities Activities & Interests Additional Experience Additional Skills Additional Training Affiliations Associations Awards/Recognitions Career Goal Career Objective Certifications Coaching Experience Achievements Community Involvement Community Service Computer Skills Conferences Attended Education Employment Employment History Employment Objective Experience Goals Highlights of Qualifications Hobbies & Interests Honours & Awards Language Skills

Memberships Extracurricular Activities Objective Personal Achievements Presentations Publications Qualifications Related Activities Related Experience Relevant Experience Relevant Skills Scholarships & Awards Skills Special Skills Summary of Qualifications Teaching Experience Technical Skills Training Volunteer Activities Volunteer Experience Volunteer Work Work Experience

Writing for Results -- How Can We Persuade?

Resources for Persuasive Writing:
Persuasive Essay (Essayinfo.com)
Guide to Writing a Basic Essay 
50 Topics for Argumentative Writing

Sample Essays:
Television Watching
Euthanasia 
Cats
Hand Dryers


Topics for Persusaive Writing
Persuasive Writing Prompts
Fun Persuasive Topics

What Discipline Do You Practice?

Discipline  (noun)
1. training to act in accordance with rules; drill: military discipline.

2. activity, exercise, or a regimen that develops or improves a skill; training: A daily stint at the typewriter is excellent discipline for a writer.

3. punishment inflicted by way of correction and training.

4. the rigor or training effect of experience, adversity, etc.: the harsh discipline of poverty.
--Dictionary.com

Prompt:

What is one of the disciplines that you practice? Or that is practiced by a person you respect and admire? (Write 2/3 page or more in response).

Storm Waves & Acadia -- Resources

Articles on the storm wave incident at Acadia National Park in August of 2009 are on another page of this blog.  Click here to view that page.

Welcome to Senior English 2010 - 2011!

Welcome to the 2010 - 2011 school year. My hope for each of you is that you can arrive in class with enthusiasm, persistence, and a sense of purpose. These qualities will carry you a long way down the road toward graduation -- and a successful life.

This blog will be an important resource throughout the year. Please bookmark it on your browser so you can find your way back later. (Simply google "wirthy english" if using another computer.)

As part if our begining of the year goal-setting process, you will be completing a practice Accuplacer exam. This exam is used by colleges after you have already been admitted to place you in classes and also to determine if you need to do any remedial work in English or mathematics.

Many students enter their senior year feeling like they really don't need much but a diploma. Taking a practice Accuplacer will help you find out if you are as ready as you may think you are.

An useful resource that includes practice questions for the Accuplacer is at:
www.testprepreview.com/accuplacer_practice.htm

Not all of you will go to college, but we want and expect all of you to be college ready.