Frequently Asked Questions

• How much weight do application essays have? In other words, are personal statements actually important, or are they essentially secondary factors without much influence on admissions decisions?
  Picture yourself an admissions officer at a prestigious university. It’s mid-February. For the last six weeks, you have been utterly entombed with work. Each day, with the help of a venti Caffe Americano, you review over 100 student applications, most of which showcase strong grades, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, and test scores. You would never admit this to anyone, but if you’re forced to read one more application from yet another straight-A student with a 34 on the ACT and two years of varsity swimming… well, you may just lose it. The work you do is important, and you take your responsibility seriously, but there are only so many times you can trudge through an essay in which a student simply recites his or her achievements in a blatant attempt to come across as intelligent and well-rounded. At The Playbook, we spend a lot of time consulting with admissions officers about the applications that really seize their attention. Increasingly, admissions officers cite the essay as the number one way that students can distinguish themselves from other applicants. Here’s a quote from Martha C. Merrill, a Harvard graduate and former dean of admissions, that illustrates the importance of the application essay: “The truth is that while no essay will make an unqualified student acceptable, a good essay can help a qualified applicant stand out from the competition. A good essay just might be what turns a ‘maybe’ into a ‘yes.’”
• Why do students need this course? Don’t high school English classes cover what students need to know?
  High school English classes teach students many valuable skills, from analyzing works of literature to constructing a cohesive five-paragraph essay. However, crafting a distinctive personal statement is not the same as writing a paper for school. In fact, the personal statement is unlike any other form of writing students have studied at school, even in Honors or A.P. classes. Composing a memorable application essay combines elements of persuasive and creative writing with autobiographical writing, since students are essentially telling a story that will hopefully persuade admissions officers to vote admit. We teach students how to discover the story that will most resonate with application readers, and then we lead them through a proven, step-by-step framework for writing a personal statement that will give them a competitive edge.
• Will students complete their personal statement during the Boot Camp?
  Many students do. We give participants all the tools they need to complete not just the first draft of their essays, but the final draft. Some students compose their personal statement during the course; others wait until the Boot Camp has ended to begin writing. Because the entire course is recorded, students can access the content whenever they would like, even after the Boot Camp has ended.
• Do we need to pair this course with one-on-one coaching, or will the sessions be enough to complete the personal statement and supplemental essays?
  Approximately half of our participants do seek one-on-one coaching, but there is no need or expectation to do so. Our course provides students with all the information and strategies they need to find the story that’s right for them and to bring that story to life. That said, many students do take advantage of one-on-one essay coaching. If you are interested in exploring essay guidance on a one-on-one basis, either as a supplement or alternative to our course, please email us at info@LearnThePlaybook.com, and we’ll be glad to schedule a free consultation.
• Since the students are all learning the same writing techniques, isn’t there a danger that their essays will wind up being similar?
  Our goal is quite the opposite: we teach students how to uncover their unique voice and story. The narrative techniques we teach apply to all students—techniques like building tension, using evocative language, and connecting with readers on an emotional level. However, the personal statements that students create during or after our Boot Camp are by no means interchangeable. They’re as different from one another as the students themselves.
• What are the qualifications of the instructor?
  The individuals who lead our Boot Camp have over a decade of experience each in helping students hone their application essays. In fact, we share many of the successful essays former students have written during the course. We don’t bore students with long lectures on the elements of fiction. Rather, we collaborate with students in lively discussions, believing that students learn best when they are fully engaged in the process. All our Boot Camp instructors have sterling academic credentials and, more importantly, a deep reservoir of experience mentoring students through the college admissions process. They are dedicated educators whose enthusiasm for teaching and commitment to students is evident from the very first moment of the course.