We help your teen
Write a Powerful Personal Statement in Just 4 Days… Guaranteed!
During this 4-day in-person intensive, we will help your teen tell a compelling story that will grab the attention of college admissions officers.
By the end of this workshop, they’ll have a complete draft of the Common Application personal statement, guaranteed.
No excuses. No procrastination. Just RESULTS!
This video was made by one of Village’s students, Matt Gee. He just graduated from Vanderbilt University.
One of the hardest parts about writing your college essay is choosing the “right” topic and getting started.
Our expert team of former admissions officers helps teens uncover their story and tell it in a compelling way that makes them stand out. We’ll also help them avoid common pitfalls that can get their essay overlooked.
We’ll help them stay on task, overcome procrastination, and finish their essay in days…instead of laboring over it for months
We take immense pride in the highly personalized feedback and guidance we provide our students. Our faculty and guest readers are former admission officers from highly selective colleges with expertise you can trust.
By the end of this workshop, students walk away with a working draft of the Common Application personal statement, GUARANTEED!
whAT TO EXPECT FROM OUR 4-Day SUMMER INTENSIVE:
Admissions Expertise – Work with former college admission officers from highly selective colleges who have read thousands of applications.
Elite Coaching – Personalized feedback, proven strategies, insider admissions insights. Each student will benefit from 1:1 sessions with faculty over the 4 days.
Small Cohort – Max of 12 students/session with 2 instructors
Guaranteed Results – Students will leave with a polished, competitive personal statement.
32 Instructional Hours – Equivalent to a full essay coaching program.
HERE’S A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
Day 1: Finding Your Story
✅ Brainstorming powerful personal statement topics
✅ What admissions officers are actually looking for
✅ Case Study: Reviewing real essays with an admissions rubric
✅ Start drafting your personal statement
Day 2: Writing & Refining
✅ Case Study: Admissions Panel - Who gets in and why?
✅ Small-group workshop & personalized instructor feedback
✅ Revising for impact: Voice, depth, and storytelling
Day 3: Writing & Polishing
✅ Advanced editing techniques to elevate your essay
✅ Common pitfalls & how to stand out
✅ Writing strong “Why Us?” and extracurricular essays
Day 4: Finalizing & Admissions Strategy
✅ Final personal statement review + last-round polish
✅ Mock admissions panel: Reviewing essays like an insider
✅ Q&A with former admissions officers—get expert insights!
This doesn’t have to be a time of stress or procrastination. Let our experts guide them through the entire process!
THERE ARE 3 COHORTS THIS SUMMER:
June 8-11
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
The Village Hub, Woodside, CA
June 15-18
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
The Village Hub, Woodside, CA
August 3-6
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
The Village Hub, Woodside, CA
What our past attendees had to say:
“I'm really happy I decided to join Village's summer workshop! Through a series of exercises, I was able to learn more about the college process and brainstorm multiple essay topics that helped make the writing process a lot easier. My instructor also gave a lot of constructive criticism which helped steer me in the right direction.”
“It’s totally helpful and honestly fun. The amount and quality of feedback I got on my drafts were truly great. I feel more confident, not only in my personal statement but the college process in general.”
“...getting to have my drafts reviewed by former college admissions representatives was definitely the most valuable aspect of the workshop. Had I written my personal statement without their help, I think my work would have been significantly weaker. Some of their tips for how to make a more effective personal statement were things I would have never figured out on my own.”
“It is a great way to understand what college admissions people are looking for in your essays and stops you from procrastinating.”
"Grateful for [my daughter's] experience, worth the investment, especially to have your kid tell you, 'Mom, I am so glad we did this!'" — 2025 Workshop Parent
Meet Your Instructors
Cathy Chen, Founder & Coach at Village
Cathy is a former USC admission officer and College Counselor at Menlo School, one of the top prep schools in Silicon Valley. She’s read thousands of college essays and knows how to help you tell your story in a unique and compelling way. You’ll love working with her because she’s a straight shooter with high standards who will challenge you to do your best work. Her goal is to help your essay shine!
Meredith Herrera, Village Coach
Meredith loves helping students find their authentic voice and tell their story through their college essays. As a former admission officer and college counselor at Crossroads School and Branson School, two highly regarded independent schools in California, Meredith knows her stuff. She's designed and led essay writing workshops for nearly two decades. Despite being a stickler for sound writing technique, students love the way Meredith makes essay writing fun and less stressful. After her workshops, students report feeling both proud of their finished product and more confident about the process overall.
Andrea Pien, Village Coach
Andrea brings extensive experience from her roles as an admissions officer at Swarthmore College and a college counselor at The Bay School and Friends’ Central School. She has also served as a part-time application reader for Stanford University, giving her a deep understanding of what top colleges are looking for. Andrea’s expert guidance will help you craft a standout application, and her thoughtful, supportive approach will empower you to present your authentic story with confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Bard
Boston College
Boston University
Brandeis
Carnegie Mellon University
Cornell University
Duke
Emory
Fordham University
Georgia Tech
Northeastern
Northwestern
Notre Dame
NYU
Pitzer
Purdue
Smith
Stanford
Tulane
UIUC
University of Miami
University of Wisconsin
Wash U St. Louis
and more…
This is a partial list of colleges where our previous College Essay Workshop participants have been admitted.
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Bellarmine College Prep
Carlmont HS
Castilleja School
Cate School
Crystal Springs Upland School
Flintridge Prep
Gunn High School
Harvard Westlake
Los Altos HS
Lowell High School
Marin Academy
Menlo Atherton High School
Menlo School
Mercy Burlingame
Mountain View High School
Palo Alto High School
Sacred Heart Preparatory
Saint Francis High School
San Mateo High School
Stevenson School
The Nueva School
The Peddie School
The Urban School of San Francisco
Woodside Priory
and more
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A complete, working draft of their Common App personal statement - guaranteed. That's not a rough outline or a few paragraphs. It's a full draft they're proud of, ready for final polish. Most students are genuinely surprised by what they can produce in four days.
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It means exactly what it says. Every student who attends all four days leaves with a complete draft of their personal statement. Our small cohort size, structured curriculum, and 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio are specifically designed to make sure that happens. And in the rare case a student needs more time, we keep working with them until they have a draft they're proud of. In six years of running this intensive, we've never had a student leave without a finished essay.
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A few things set it apart. First, the immersive format: four consecutive days of focused writing, is more effective than weekly sessions stretched over months. Second, the cohort energy: students feed off each other's momentum in ways that just don't happen in 1:1 settings. And third, our faculty aren't just writing coaches: they're former admissions officers who have read thousands of applications. They know exactly what works.
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That's actually the ideal starting point. Day one is entirely dedicated to brainstorming, finding the right topic, and uncovering their story. Students who arrive with a blank slate often produce the most authentic essays because they haven't already talked themselves into a topic that doesn't fit.
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Absolutely. In fact, strong writers often get the most out of it. The challenge with college essays isn't grammar or prose style; it's knowing what admissions officers are actually looking for and how to tell a compelling personal story. Our faculty bring that insider perspective, and even the strongest writers are often surprised by how much they learn.
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This is actually one of the most common reasons families come to us, and one of the most rewarding transformations we see. The personal statement isn't an academic essay. There's no thesis, no research, no formal structure to master. It's a personal story, and every student has one worth telling. Our faculty are skilled at meeting students exactly where they are, drawing out their voice, and helping them put it on the page. Students who arrive convinced they "can't write" are often the ones who surprise themselves the most.
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The workshop is especially effective for these students. The structured environment, small group, and consistent faculty support make it easier to stay on task and build momentum. We've worked with many students with ADHD, ASD, and reading/writing LDs, and the intensive format often works better for them than drawn-out weekly sessions.
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The honest answer: you're getting 32 hours of instruction from former admissions officers in a cohort of no more than 12 students. That's a 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio with two instructors in the room at all times. Compare that to the cost of private tutoring, test prep, and essay coaching spread across junior year. This is a contained, high-impact investment with a guaranteed outcome.
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Registration fees are non-refundable but fully transferable. If your summer plans change, you can apply your registration to a different session date or transfer it to another student.
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You can either fill out this form and we will get back to you within 24 hours.
Or you can book a 15-minute chat with Cathy Chen, founder & coach.
Sign up Today
Choose your date below and click the PURCHASE button. Remember, if your summer plans change, you can apply your registration to a different session date or transfer it to another student.
