First of all, congratulations on completing your first major assignment for this class. Our work with Antigone led to several good discussions and raised powerful ideas. I am looking forward to reading your interpretations of it all.
Second, you need to purchase a copy of William Shakespeare's Hamlet and have it in class for Thursday. The bookstore has them available, and I know Half-Price Books in town has copies too. I recommend having the same copy of the play as we will be using in class. Although there are no new scenes, there are different versions based on different original sources (the First or Second Folio, the Quarto, or others).
For today we will focus on those of you who are completing applications for college. Obviously there are many different things people will be doing next year. Furthermore, if you are filling out applications and writing essays, you will be at a different stage than others in the classroom. I am devoting this day to discussing the college application process to do a few things: help demystify it, realize others are doing it, and learn strategies to help you write the best possible essay.
I started by sharing the chart on this page, showing which factors play the most important role in the decision-making process in the college admissions office.
I shared these examples of especially powerful and effective essays. Many colleges and universities publish successful essays on their website - do some Googling to find others!
I showed you this handout, including three sample essays and a helpful list of thoughts to keep in mind to help with your writing.
I also gave you this fun example of a totally different approach to the essay.
