College/Career Essay

COLLEGE/CAREER ESSAY * PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENT*

You will write either a career or college essay. If responding to an actual college prompt, you will adhere to word count limitations. If writing a career essay or responding to a Ms. Mellen prompt, you will be expected to turn in no less than one typed, double-spaced page. It is important you directly address the prompt (answer the question asked). Your essay should be organized, clear, concise, and in your own voice. (Do not flip through the thesaurus to find words you would never normally use. You will sound pretentious.) FIRST PERSON VOICE IS REQUIRED FOR YOUR ESSAY.

TO BEGIN…

o Research the field you are interested in at http://bls.gov/audience/students.htm (Bureau of Labor and Statistics). . If you are going into the military, you may have to visit the website for the branch in which you are interested. o Select one of the suggested careers. o Copy or print list of training or education required o Research institutions or colleges/universities which offer the required training. . Try one of the following to research two and four year colleges:  https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search (allows you to search either)  http://www.aacc.nche.edu/Pages/CCFinder.aspx (to research two-year community colleges)  collegeview.com (to research four-year institutions by major, location, size, etc.) . Once you’ve selected a college or university, try  princetonreview.com to get more information (check out “campus life” icon to read what students have to say about it), or go directly to the college website (it will end in .edu) o Select a training program, college or university.

 IF YOU WILL BE GOING INTO A BRANCH OF THE MILITARY, OR IF YOUR CAREER DOES NOT REQUIRE A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY: o Begin your rough draft. o Start with a brief story that links to your chosen career/branch of military (sensory/thought shots) o Your essay is to include the following: . the field in which you are interested . the specific job you’ve chosen . the reason you’ve chosen this career  this could be your story . the training required for the job . your plan to reach your goal

 IF YOUR CAREER REQUIRES COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY: o Check essay requirements for your college or university/request an application . If your college or university doesn’t require an essay, respond to one of my prompts. o Select the prompt to which you wish to respond (mine or college’s). o Begin writing. o Start with a brief story that links to your prompt (sensory/thought shots)

CONTINUED ON BACK QUICK CHECK – CRITERIA FOR COLLEGE/CAREER ESSAY  Must be typed and double-spaced. 4pts  Use a font comparable to 11pt Calibri. 2pts  Must have career name or essay prompt included in bold typeface at the top of your paper. 2pts  Must adhere to length limitations (mine or college’s), and have length limit typed next to prompt. 5pts  My length requirement is one-page, minimum, double-spaced  Must respond to prompt intelligently with appropriate language 10pts  Begin with/Include sensory shot  Include a thought shot, action, and/or dialogue shot  Must use first person. 2pts  Include BLS research and prewriting brainstorm (staple to back in that order) 10pts  Save to school server or personal flashdrive to ease revision.

NOTES:  YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT A ROUGH DRAFT (concentrate on content) AND A REVISED FINAL COPY (content and good use of Standard English/MUGS) FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT.  Final Copy must receive an APPROVED stamp to be included in your portfolio FOR FULL POINTS.  Rough Draft and revisions are to be turned in with your Final Copy for your portfolio. . Final copy on top, rough draft behind followed by research and prewriting brainstorm

ROUGH DRAFT (35PTS POS) DUE ______FINAL COPY (50 PORTFOLIO PTS POS) DUE ______

MS. MELLEN’S COLLEGE ESSAY PROMPTS

If your college or university doesn’t require an essay, choose one of the following and address thoroughly in your essay. (Remember your prewriting brainstorm? – these will seem familiar)

1. Evaluate a significant experience or achievement that has special meaning to you. 2. Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you. 3. Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence. 4. What are your career goals, and why did you choose that particular career? How do you see yourself ten years from now? 5. Describe your greatest accomplishment. 6. Describe a significant interest or value you possess. 7. Why do you wish to attend the school you have chosen?

 Make a clear connection to the career or prompt in the introduction  Explain in the body  Summarize in the conclusion

ENG 12 MELLEN 2013-2014