Personal statement writing guides

Because of the fast pace of senior year, it can be difficult to find dedicated time for weekly tutoring. It’s more important than ever to stay on top of your progress, especially the personal statement, which is received by every college in the U.S. that utilizes the Common App portal.

Here, we provide a ten-page writing guide with a projected timeline to keep you on track, as well as worksheets to assist in the process of template-specific writing.

  • Ideation maps to assist with brainstorming for the perfect essay idea

  • Freytag’s pyramid to guide the narrative flow

  • Resume templates tailored to high schoolers

  • Letter of continued interest template for deferrals

ESSAY COMPETITIONS

Recommended for sophomores & juniors

To get a head start on refining your skills in reading, writing, and critical thinking, Aporia Writers hosts group classes for students to learn specific rhetorical tools and disciplinary frameworks necessary for their growth. At the end of each session, students submit their final written product for review to internationally-renowned competitions.

Because of the authentic audiences reading students’ work, this is a popular option for rising sophomores and juniors. If a student is able to cinch a victory at any of these competitions, they will be able to add it as another feather in their hat when they send applications off to college!

This includes:

  • 1-on-1 mentorship with your instructor to address your strengths, weaknesses, and growth edges

  • Tailored feedback to usher you toward the area of most optimal growth

  • College-level writing samples across multiple disciplines—expository research, journalistic, creative, editorial, and formal argumentation

  • Previous competitions include:

    • New York Times Tiny Memoir Contest

    • New York Times Editorial Contest

    • John Locke Essay Competition

    • Bennington Young Writers Conference

    • Harvard International Review Competition

    • … and more!

UNDERGRADUATE APPLICATIONS

Applying to college is a daunting process. You have a ton of essays, unique supplementary writing, resumes, portfolios to refine, letters of continued interest, and, in some cases, interview prep!

Luckily, we can help you with all of this. We spend the first tutorial session dedicated to the first set of major college essays, and use the second tutorial session to tie up all loose ends.

This includes:

  • Ideation, brainstorming, goal-setting, and creating useful timelines to manage college preparation alongside the demands of senior year

  • Polished essays for the Common App’s Personal Statement, the “Why Major” and “Why College” prompts, the University of California, and all supplemental essays

  • Resumes, C.V.s, letters of continued interest

GRADUATE APPLICATIONS

At the end of your college career, you might start thinking about further education. Whether you’re eyeing an M.D., J.D., Master’s, or even a PhD, we can provide a fresh pair of eyes on your application package to ensure that your work is relevant, specific, and bespoke.

This includes:

  • A tailored personal statement for every single program, as well as a strong statement of purpose that indicates you are staying abreast of the most current research in the field

  • Calendars with weekly milestones to ensure that you are sending out writing samples, requests for letters of recommendation, and external portfolio revisions on time

  • Case studies that cover the best practices of a successful application, as well as an in-depth review detailing the most common mistakes to avoid