Are college essay writing workshops actually helpful for improving my essays?
I've seen flyers at my school about college essay writing workshops and my English teacher keeps telling us to attend. But I'm not sure if they're really worth it or if it's just more of the same stuff we've heard in class already.
Has anyone who's gone to these workshops felt like they made a real difference in your essay quality? Did you get practical advice, or was it mostly just general info you could've found online? Trying to figure out if I should sign up for one, since my essays definitely need more work, but my schedule is already packed with APs and sports right now.
Has anyone who's gone to these workshops felt like they made a real difference in your essay quality? Did you get practical advice, or was it mostly just general info you could've found online? Trying to figure out if I should sign up for one, since my essays definitely need more work, but my schedule is already packed with APs and sports right now.
4 months ago
•
16 views
Camille Luong
• 4 months ago
Advisor
College essay writing workshops can actually be pretty helpful, especially if you feel like you need more direction or feedback than what you've gotten so far. The kind of experience you get can really depend on who’s running the workshop and how interactive it is.
If the workshop is just a big lecture rehashing what your teachers have said (like, "Don’t start with a cliché intro" or "Be yourself"), it might not add much value beyond what you already know. But many workshops, particularly those run by experienced counselors or writers, dive deeper. They’ll often give you exercises to brainstorm unique topics, help you pinpoint where your essay could be more personal or vivid, and sometimes even offer 1-on-1 feedback.
For example, a friend of mine went to a weekend workshop where she revised her essay with help from the instructor. She said they pushed her to focus less on her whole soccer journey, and more on a single moment that changed how she saw herself—a detail she hadn’t considered important before. That one-on-one feedback and the brainstorming activities were way more helpful for her than just reading online examples.
If your essays are still in the early stages, these workshops can help you get moving with topic ideas, structure, or even just getting words on the page. If you’re further along, a workshop where you get real-time feedback on a draft can point out what’s working and what’s not, so you’re not just guessing if your essay is strong enough.
If your time’s tight, see if the workshop offers smaller group sessions or individual feedback. Sometimes you can even bring a rough draft and get direct suggestions, which can save you time in the long run. If possible, ask your teacher or the workshop organizer what the format will be, or talk to students who’ve attended in previous years.
Bottom line: a hands-on, interactive workshop with chances for real feedback is usually worth it, especially if you know you want more guidance. If it's just info you could Google, maybe not—but most are designed to go deeper than that. If you can fit one into your schedule, it’s likely to give you something specific you can use to improve your essays.
If the workshop is just a big lecture rehashing what your teachers have said (like, "Don’t start with a cliché intro" or "Be yourself"), it might not add much value beyond what you already know. But many workshops, particularly those run by experienced counselors or writers, dive deeper. They’ll often give you exercises to brainstorm unique topics, help you pinpoint where your essay could be more personal or vivid, and sometimes even offer 1-on-1 feedback.
For example, a friend of mine went to a weekend workshop where she revised her essay with help from the instructor. She said they pushed her to focus less on her whole soccer journey, and more on a single moment that changed how she saw herself—a detail she hadn’t considered important before. That one-on-one feedback and the brainstorming activities were way more helpful for her than just reading online examples.
If your essays are still in the early stages, these workshops can help you get moving with topic ideas, structure, or even just getting words on the page. If you’re further along, a workshop where you get real-time feedback on a draft can point out what’s working and what’s not, so you’re not just guessing if your essay is strong enough.
If your time’s tight, see if the workshop offers smaller group sessions or individual feedback. Sometimes you can even bring a rough draft and get direct suggestions, which can save you time in the long run. If possible, ask your teacher or the workshop organizer what the format will be, or talk to students who’ve attended in previous years.
Bottom line: a hands-on, interactive workshop with chances for real feedback is usually worth it, especially if you know you want more guidance. If it's just info you could Google, maybe not—but most are designed to go deeper than that. If you can fit one into your schedule, it’s likely to give you something specific you can use to improve your essays.
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Camille Luong
Nomadic
Stanford University, BAH in Urban Studies
Experience
5 years
Rating
5.0 (5 reviews)