In this energetic talk, the founder of Hillside Writing, Allan Reeder, helps college applicants — and their parents! — see the application-essay writing project less as a challenge and more as a motivating opportunity, and he teaches students practical and effective ways to get started.

With a case-study approach, Allan invites attendees to enter the sentences and the evolving sensibilities of past college applicants who have progressed beyond the worry about having to say something significant and into the confidence of having something specific and meaningful to say. The instruction prompts students toward the personal stories through which they can discover the authentic reflection that admissions officers seek in essays.

The talk ultimately replaces students' worries and head-scratching with an informed sense of purpose and an eagerness to get started.  Parents have greatly appreciated the calming effect of Allan’s teaching. For instance, one parent recently remarked: "I was blown away by this presentation — some of the most engaging and inspiring teaching I've experienced, ever. It not only made me wish that my kids had had Allan as a teacher; it made me want to write my own college-application essays all over again, which is saying something!"