Syllabus – College Application Bootcamp

Week 1 – March 19

Creating a Strategic College List

- Identify “safety,” “match,” and “reach” schools based on your academic profile

- Filter for colleges that meet ≥ 75% of financial need

- Tools to research academic programs, scholarships, and campus life

- Hands-on Activity: Draft a preliminary list of 12–15 schools

How to Find and Apply for Scholarships and Financial Aid

- The 4 types of aid (federal, state, institutional, private)

- Exact calendar for FAFSA, CSS Profile, and external scholarships

- Strategies to find local and national scholarships

- How to organize financial documents and avoid common mistakes

Homework: Create your preliminary college list and research key requirements for each.

Week 2 – March 26

How to Write the Perfect College Essay

- What colleges are looking for in your personal statement

- Winning structure: hook, body, and memorable ending

- Essay writing do’s and don’ts

- Analysis of real essay examples (the good, the bad, and the excellent)

Homework: Choose a prompt and write the first draft of your personal essay. Identify possible topics for supplemental essays.

Week 3 – April 2

Setting Up the Common Application and Submission Strategies

- Full profile setup in the Common Application

- How to add colleges and track each one’s specific requirements

- Priority order for submitting (EA, ED, RD)

- Avoiding common mistakes in testing, grades, and recommendations

- How to review, submit, and confirm receipt of each application

Homework: Create your Common App account and add colleges to your application portal.