During the week-long camp, English teacher Jennifer Sikes will help rising Darlington seniors shape their stories into college essays.
By the end of the boot camp, students will have written and “workshopped” their primary college essay and will have received detailed feedback on their drafts and for most, will have a finished version of their essay.
Write Your Own Essay: The week-long intensive writing camp will give students a space to write their own essays while receiving valuable feedback from the instructor.
Review and Polish: The feedback will move beyond copyediting. Students will be pushed to write unique stories that set them apart from all the other applicants.
Common Questions:
What if I already have a draft of my essay? That’s okay! Bring what you have to the class, and we’ll work from there to polish any work you’ve already completed.
Will I have homework? In order to write a sharp essay, you may need to spend some time in between sessions drafting or revising.
What if I’m applying to a school that doesn’t require the Common App? Most schools require some sort of personal statement, so even if you do not have to write the Common App essay, you will have to write a personal statement. Ms. Sikes has worked with a number of students who wrote essays for the Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success.
What are students saying about working with Ms. Sikes on their college essays? “When I started writing my essay, I didn’t know where to start, but Ms. Sikes helped me find my voice and tell the story that best embodied who I am. She encouraged me to take directions in my writing that were bold and unique, and ultimately, I not only grew as a writer, but I also gained a stronger understanding of myself.” - Marissa Joseph, Class of 2019, Harvard
What’s the course format? We will work online in a “live,” synchronous format each day from 9 to 11a.m. You will be able to access the information and receive feedback from anywhere in the world.
Who can attend the camp? The camp is available to rising seniors at Darlington and is limited to 20 students, so reserve your spot today!
What if the camp is already full? Contact Ms. Sikes directly about working privately with you this summer.
About the Director
Jennifer Sikes joined the English department faculty in 2010. She holds a B.A. in English Education from Shorter College and an M.A. in English from Clemson University. Before coming to Darlington, she was an assistant professor of English and the Writing Center founder and director at Shorter College. She was also named Junior Faculty Teacher of the Year at Shorter in 2009. Since her time at Darlington, she has presented at several conferences throughout the Southeast on her work with design thinking and classroom redesign and was named STAR Teacher for Darlington School, the Rome/Floyd County School Districts, and for Region I. Jennifer also leads college essay writing I-Periods at Darlington from August to December and works with Darlington seniors on their college essays and supplemental materials.
