On Thursday, May 24, the College and Career Center will be holding a workshop for juniors to aid in writing their main college essay and to supply techniques for college interviews. The workshop will be split into three sessions, one per lunch wave, during period seven, and will be presented by Maureen Pine, Assistant Director of Admissions at Smith College.

“The workshop is always extremely worthwhile and fantastic. It’s best to hear from an actual college representative so all juniors should really try to come,” said Susan Fugitt, a counselor at the College and Career Center. “We know our students need help writing their college essays so we have this workshop on top of running our own.”

This workshop is once again on the same day as the College Panel Night, where admissions officers speak about the college process. A representative from Smith College attends the event every year, so they supplement their visit by holding the workshop at Staples during the day.

“For many students, writing application essays is a daunting prospect.  Students often believe that the college essay is the make or break piece of the college application and feel a lot of pressure to produce a great piece of work,” Pine said. “An essay-writing workshop can help to demystify the essay-writing process and admissions officers can offer great tips.”

With a usual showing of about 20 to 30 students per session, teachers are invited and encouraged to bring down their junior classes to the workshop. This year marks the fourth annual College Essay Writing and Interview Techniques Workshop.

“I personally will not be attending the workshop because I went through some of these workshops already at a summer program, and, like many other Staples students do, I have a private college tutor who will help me write my essays,” said Jill Rappaport ’13. “Although I am sure the sessions will be very informative.”