College Essay Writing Workshop
WE HELP YOUR TEEN WRITE A POWERFUL PERSONAL STATEMENT IN JUST 4 DAYS…GUARANTEED!
During this 4-day in-person workshop, 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!
Sign up for one of 3 workshops this summer:
JUNE 9-12 | JUNE 16-19 | AUGUST 4-7
The Village Offices - Burlingame, CA
SPACE IS LIMITED - SIGN UP TODAY!
One of the hardest parts about writing your college essay is choosing the “right” topic and getting started.
Our expert team 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 WORKSHOP:
🎓 Admissions Expertise – Work with former college admission officers from highly selective colleges who have read thousands of applications.
🏆 Elite Coaching – Personalized feedback, proven strategies, and insider admissions insights.
👥 Small Cohort – Max of 14 students/session for individualized attention.
✅ 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 Like an Insider
✅ Case Study: Admissions Panel—Who gets in and why?
✅ Small-group workshop & personalized instructor feedback
✅ Revising for impact: Voice, depth, and storytelling
Day 3: Polishing & Supplemental Essays
✅ 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!
Have a question about the workshop? Ask one of our experts! Fill out this form and we will get back to you within 24 hours.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WORKSHOP IN THIS QUICK 1-MINUTE VIDEO:
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.”
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.