COLL-1
Pre-College Essentials:
Essay Test Mastery For
College-Bound Students
Suggested Grade Level: 9th to 12th grade
Heading to college? Take this must-have course
to master the skills of essay writing for tests
in a timed setting -- and be completely prepared
for college-level essay tests...
Your Course Description
Master in-class essay tests with this how-to course with practical, prescriptive, clear direction on how to decipher a prompt, think and process the instructions clearly, quickly brainstorm an answer, and write an essay in a linear narrative format with few errors — to “show the teacher what you know” with style. Learn essay writing secrets from Professor Brown’s 20 years of college-level teaching and college writing course curriculum development at three universities. Come prepared to write — and to enjoy writing!
Your Course Outline
Class 1: The Timed Essay Writing Process: The Goal of an Essay, Types of Essays, and What’s So Special About Timed Essays?
Class 2: Analyzing and Using the Prompt: The Set-Up, Question, and Action
Class 3: Analyzing and Using the Prompt: Using Keywords and “Diamond Words”
Class 4: The Writing Process: Brainstorming with “The Big 10” When You Have to Work Fast (How to Brainstorm Quality Content)
Class 5: The Writing Process: Arranging and Ordering Content for Clarity and Power
Class 6: Writing Essays about Course Content (texts, readings, class materials, and experiences); Tips on Studying and Remembering Content for Essay Questions
Class 7: Writing Essay About (and With) New Ideas: Synthesis
Class 8: Must-Do Essay Tips for Success
Your Course Details
Total Number of Classes: 8
Prerequisite: Required: High School Essential Writing 1-4 (HS 9-1, 9-2, 9-3, & 9-4).
Because this is an advanced course that assumes your student has key writing foundations and the advanced writing how-to’s in place that are specifically taught at Aquinas Writing Advantage (AWA), 9-1 through 9-4 writing courses are required prerequisites.
Students may take the prerequisites in Unlimited Access recording or LIVE. An alternative to the prerequisite: a passing assessment from the Aquinas Writing Advantage Assessment service. Please contact [email protected] for any questions on permissions.
Suggested Grade Level: 9th to 12th grade
Duration: 55 minutes
Suggested Credit: One (1) full semester’s credit for Writing or English
Course Materials: All materials are provided FREE by the instructor. Students must have the ability to turn in assignments in Microsoft Word format (either through purchasing Word or using Google Docs or another format, then downloading the document into Word format before uploading it into the grading system).
Homework: Written assignments are given each week. The average weekly time estimate for homework (including both brainstorming and writing time) is two (2) to five (5) hours, depending on the student’s abilities.
How this course fits with your other High School Writing courses…
Fall Semester | Spring Semester | ||
---|---|---|---|
ACADEMIC WRITING | |||
X-5 Punctuation/Grammar II | COLL-1 Mastering College Essay Writing | ||
ADVANCED FICTION WRITING & LITERARY FORM | |||
X-9 Hero's Journey, Part 1 | X-10 Hero's Journey, Part 2 | ||
X-11 Screenwriting, Part 1 | X-12 Screenwriting, Part 2 | ||
11-6 Authoring a Book, Part 1 | 11-8 Authoring a Book, Part 2 | ||
11-7 Writing the Short Story | X-19 SF/Fantasy Short Story | ||
X-15 Fiction Writing Workshop | X-16 Screenwriting Workshop | ||
CREATIVE WRITING: EXPRESSIVE & POETIC FORMS | |||
X-17 Comedy Writing, Part 1 | X-18 Comedy Writing, Part 2 | ||
X-13 Intro to Poetry | X-14 Poetry: Joining the Great Tradition | ||
BUSINESS WRITING | |||
11-9 Pro Business Writing Essentials | 11-10 Foundations of Journalism |
* This is a one-semester course that can be taken at any time during high school after the 9-Series Courses.
Your Instructor
LIVE, INTERACTIVE COURSES
When you sign up for the Live course available Spring 2021, your instructor is the designer and Director of Aquinas Writing Advantage, Erin M. Brown, MA, MFA (aka author EB Conroy/Erin Brown Conroy). Click here to to sign up for the LIVE course.
One Sign Up Option
LIVE, INTERACTIVE COURSE
Students attend a LIVE class in a virtual classroom on a specific day, at a specific time. After class (during the week), the student independently completes the coursework and weekly quizzes; the quizzes are graded automatically by the computer for instant feedback. Your instructor gives feedback on assignments and grades student work; the instructor is available for communication outside of class via email, to help answer questions. Homework time outside of class is estimated to be one to three hours per week, depending on your student’s skills.
UNLIMITED ACCESS RECORDED COURSE
This course will be available in Unlimited Access recordings in the Summer Semester of 2021.
Specific Course FAQs
Is this course required?
This course is foundational for preparing the student for college-level writing. If a student plans on attending any level of college, university, or specialized post-high school training (any major), take this course to be prepared and make college-level writing easier.
Can I start the COLL-1 course in the Fall Semester?
In the 2020-21 school year, the course is only offered in the Spring Semester in a LIVE class format. The course will be available in Unlimited Access format (the recorded version) Summer 2021.
Can I take another writing course at the same time?
Yes! With the shorter, single-area courses here at Aquinas Writing Advantage, many students take two separate writing courses during a semester. Because the course is college prep, students may want to take the course in their junior or senior year. Any advanced student is welcome to take the course, if the 9-Series prerequisites have been met.
Courses that “fit well” with this course include the advanced fiction writing courses (The Hero’s Journey, Screenwriting, Comedy Writing, and Poetry), the High School Punctuation and Grammar 2 course (to ensure strong punctuation and grammar skills), Journalism, and Business Writing. Students planning on moving directly to a career or vocational training will benefit from the Business Writing course.
Is this course considered an English, Literature, or Writing course?
This is an English and Writing course that prepares your student for college-level writing.