by j9robinson | Apr 9, 2016
Looking for a college admissions conference this summer to help launch your application process? I will be the featured essay writing coach at the My Pathway to College conference for college-bound students in San Diego. I will be working with students on their...
by j9robinson | Mar 29, 2016
Workshops for
Educational Consultants
and Students
I offer in-person and cyber workshops and private tutoring to counselors, teachers and other educators.
Counselor and Teacher Workshops
Become an official Essay Jumpstart Expert!
Get certified through my one-hour cyber training or put together your own group.
Cost: $200 for private session.
Put together a group of two or more and the costs go down accordingly. Email me for details: Essayhell@gmail.com. (I use Zoom)
During these sessions, I teach counselors and English teachers what I believe makes a “great” or effective college application essay, and then how to teach their students to write them using a narrative (story-telling) style to showcase their defining qualities and values.
In effect, I share my main essay writing Show AND Tell “method,” including how I help students brainstorm and identify engaging topics, use anecdotes (mini real-life stories) to hook readers and make their essays personal and meaningful, and a slew of other tips and techniques to craft powerful personal essays.
Participants receive copies of my trade-marked handouts and worksheets (my SampleOutline™, AnecdoteBuilder™, Sample Essays, ProblemFinder™) in one digital companion workbook (that you can print out), as well as a digital badge (two options) to use for marketing.
They also receive digital versions of my popular writing guides, Escape Essay Hell! and Heavenly Essays.
For information on how to set up a private or group workshop, either in person or via Skype, email Janine Robinson: EssayHell@gmail.com.
If you live within an hour of my home in Laguna Beach, California, I can come to you, or we can set up a workshop here. I also work with groups via Zoom, Skype or other Webinar platforms. Just ask and we can make it happen!
Read about the first workshop and newest official Essay Jumpstart Experts from San Diego in my latest blog post!
TESTIMONIALS FROM ESSAY JUMPSTART EXPERTS
* * * * *
“After reading Janine’s books: Escape Essay Hell and Heavenly Essays, I was craving more. I am a new college consultant and Janine’s method was exactly what I had been searching for. I was thrilled to become an “Essay Jumpstart Expert.” My one-on-one time with Janine was invaluable. I appreciated getting to know the origin of her ideas through her journalism experience. She bridges key concepts and strategies from her journalism background to approaching college essay writing.
She had a very well-organized Power Point that covered her points, from her books, with more depth and complexity. Her instruction provided me with a more sophisticated understanding of the college essay writing process. Best of all, Janine is so generous with her materials and resources. She provided me with a workbook that I can easily use with the clients, immediately. She exudes passion for what she does and wants to set others up for success! From the bottom of my heart, thank you Janine!”
* * * * *
“There is a big difference between being able to recognize a good college essay and being able to coach someone
to write that good essay, and the workshop helped tremendously to train me in coaching.”
Laurel Reidy of LWR Admissions Support in Encinitas, CA
* * * * *
“Janine’s process and formula provides a way for counselors and independent college consultants
to maximize the way that students approach writing the essay in a way that helps them to really explore
more about who they are, what is important to them and why it is important…
The way she delivers her workshop is clear, concise, with tons of great examples so that it is easy to follow.
I thoroughly recommend her training!”
* * * * *
Student Workshops
I work for private college admissions consultants who want me to work with their clients on their essays, either in person or via group Skype.
During my interactive workshops with students, I help them understand what makes a great college application essay, and take them through various writing exercises to help them identify strong topics, teach them narrative writing techniques and show them how to craft “slice-of-life” personal essays.
I use a variety of hand-outs, worksheets, videos and exercises to make the workshops lively and interactive.
Anyone is welcome to put together their own group, including educational consultants, counselors, teachers, parents and students.
Workshop Rates: I charge a per-student rate, and the total cost goes down depending on the number of students. Email me for details: EssayHell@gmail.com.
* * * * *
Private Consulting
As a professional writing coach, I counsel you one-on-one on how to teach your students to write narrative-style college application essays using the approach I developed and share in my writing guides, videos, online courses and blog.
These private sessions include the same information and resources I offer my group workshops participants, including my handouts/worksheets, certification of completion, badge and two of my popular writing guides (Escape Essay Hell! and Heavenly Essays.)
Private Consulting Rates: Depending on what skills you want to develop (helping students identity compelling essay topics, find and tell their real-life stories, map out writing plans, apply literary writing techniques and strategies, edit and polish their own work, etc.), I work in person or via Zoom, Skype and phone consultations. Cost: $300 an hour. Group rates are less. Email me for details: EssayHell@gmail.com.
Recent former workshop clients include:
- Square One Counseling, Laguna Beach, CA: Gave essay writing workshops to the clients of Lynn Fair, a top college counselor in Laguna Beach, CA. Summer 2013-2016.
- Cleveland Foundation College Now Scholar Program, Cleveland, OH: Gave online essay writing workshops to their “Top 50” students. Summer 2015.
- Palisade High School, Palisade, CO: Gave essay writing workshops to the IB students as part of a college admissions seminar. Summer 2015.
- Texas Region One GEAR UP, Edinburg, TX: Conducted weeklong essay writing workshops to the top 160 students, and 35 English teachers, from 30 high schools in the Rio Grande Valley. (Read more about these workshops HERE.) GEARUP also purchased licenses to my online essay writing course for 10,500 students. Spring and Fall 2014-2017.
- Bergen County Technical High School, Teterboro, NJ: Presented cyber essay writing workshops to their junior years students as well as to English and other teachers at this magnet school, ranked #6 in New Jersey. Summer 2016,
- Colorado Academy, Denver, CO: Daylong workshop to about 100 rising seniors on how to brainstorm, craft and edit their Common Application essays. Summer 2017.
- Girls, Inc. of Orange County: Gave essay writing workshops to freshmen and sophomore girls at their annual Eureka! Camp summer program at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, CA. Summer 2017.
- City of Laguna Beach: Gave weekend college application essay writing workshops through the city’s Recreation Department at the City Community Center downtown. Summer 2017.
- Shanghai International School: Spent a week giving essay writing workshops to 380 juniors from SAS at a college admissions retreat in beautiful Hangzhou, China. Spring 2018.
- Laguna Beach High School, Laguna Beach, CA: Gave essay writing training workshop to their college counselors. Fall 2018.
All my students receive free copies of my popular ebook guides:
ESCAPE ESSAY HELL! and HEAVENLY ESSAYS.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Click HERE to contact me any time.
Janine Robinson
* * * * *
PAYMENT: All clients must pay in advance of my services (below), and then as they go for editing help.
NOTE: Please do not make payments until we have discussed and confirmed the exact services I will be providing.
Just email me any questions at: EssayHell@Gmail.com. Thanks!
PAYMENT OPTIONS:
PAY $200
(Click “Buy Now” button below): For Hourlong Jumpstart session.
PAY $100
(Click “Buy Now” button below): For expedited 2-day editing.
Use the DONATE “Buy Now” Button below to pay agreed-upon fee other than in options above (such as UC edits at $400).
(You fill in the amount)
by j9robinson | Nov 24, 2015
UPDATE: as of March 23, 2016
The University of California announced NEW essay prompts for 2016-17.
Read about how to answer them HERE.
It’s Not Too Late to Write Your College App Essays
Before the Nov. 30 Deadline
Yes, you have waited until the last minute. But don’t despair!
There’s still time to pound out two awesome essays!
If you’re working on your two college application essays for the University of California freshman application, I’ve put together a short list of my most helpful posts.
Read through them, watch the videos, and get crankin!!
Prompt 1: Describe the world you come from — for example, your family, community or school — and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations. (more…)
by j9robinson | Sep 11, 2015
Go Deep
in Your College Application Essay!
When writing narrative-style college application essays, I advise students to start by sharing a real-life story that illustrates one of their defining qualities or characteristics.
All stories contain some type of problem. It’s just the universal nature of all stories—there’s a conflict of some type. I call these problems.
Once a student shares a real-life story with a problem (either big or small), they are poised to explain how they dealt with it.
Then comes the most important part: What they learned in the process.
This analysis, reflection or questioning is the most important part of an effective college application essay. Why? Because this is where a student can show colleges how they think, what they care about and what they value.
It’s called “intellectual vitality.” (more…)
by j9robinson | Jun 1, 2015
I offer all sorts of help for writing your dreaded college application essay. Depending on how much time, energy and money you have to invest—and how you like to learn—there are all levels of support here. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? (from cheapest to...
by j9robinson | May 12, 2015
How To Write a College Application Essay:
This mini, online tutorial e-course teaches you how to write a narrative-style college application in less than one hour!
Upon enrollment, you will be sent a link and personal password for complete access to this self-directed course, which includes:
- 11 short instructional videos by Writing Coach Janine Robinson of Essay Hell
- 15 downloadable handouts that include sample essays by real-life students, topic tips, StoryFinder™, sample outlines, my AnecdoteBuilder™, and more.
- Unlimited access to digital versions of all 4 Essay Hell writing guides: Escape Essay Hell!; Heavenly Essays; Writing Survival Kit and 2015-16 Prompts Primer.
- The video tutorials walk you through 10 simple steps through the brainstorming, outlining, writing and editing process, which results in a standout personal statement essay. Start anytime and work at your own pace.
- JUST ADDED! Access to 2 PowerPoints: “How to Write Supplemental Essays” and “How to Write UC Essays”
- Cost: only $99.
Who Should Take This Course?
My concentrated, on-demand course is ideal for college-bound students who need to write personal statement essays for The Common Application, as well as other core essays for universities, graduate programs (med, law, business schools), scholarships, transfers, internships and other educational institutions.
It’s also perfect for parents, teachers, high school counselors, college admissions counselors and educational consultants who work with students on these dreaded essays, and want to understand what makes them effective and help students write their own. I offer significant discounts to educators and counselors who want to purchase the course in bulk for their students.
Like Having Your Own Private Writing Coach
In this concentrated course, I literally step you through the exact approach I use with my private students–-helping brainstorm a unique topic, find your real-life stories, map out a writing plan, learn powerful literary and creative writing techniques, and finally edit and polish your “slice-of-life” essay.
Along with my short video presentations, I share the most effective tips and advice through instructive handouts and worksheets, which include sample essays from real students and the most helpful excerpts from my popular essay writing guides, published on Amazon.
The course also includes my ProblemFinder™ andAnecdoteBuilder™ handouts, which walk students through a quick-and-simple formula to identify and spin a real-life moment into an engaging anecdote.
I know how busy you are, so in this crash course you will quickly learn exactly what you need in your essay to set you apart from the pack, and then the steps (brainstorming, writing and editing) you need to take to write your own. All 10 instructional videos are well under five minutes each—so you can watch them and review all the handouts easily within several hours.
The rest of the course is the time you take to craft your outline, rough draft and final draft along the way—all at your own pace.
Bootcamp students also will have free access to the entire Essay Hell Library, which includes complete online access to my popular writing guides: Escape Essay Hell; Writing Survival Kit and Heavenly Essays. (about a $30 value in themselves).
Students will have unlimited access through the end of 2019.
Course Content
You start by learning exactly what college admissions officers want in these essays, and then launch into the 10 steps of crafting your own. During the crash course, you will:
- Identify your defining qualities and characteristics
- Find your real-life stories for a “slice-of-life” essay
- Learn what makes a hot topic and how to generate your own
- Discover the secret to a great story
- Map out your narrative-style essay
- Learn how to write the all-powerful anecdote
- Reveal your intellectual vitality, grit and life lessons
- Bump up your writing with literary writing tricks and techniques
- Craft a conclusion that is memorable
- Self-edit and polish your winning essay
You can move through these steps all in a single day, or over a week or two, or several months. It just depends on how fast you work. But by the end, you will have a killer college application essay in hand that reveals what makes you you–and will be the most potent and personal component of your college application.
Also, without even trying, you will have dramatically boosted your writing ability and learned language tools and techniques that will help you once you land in your dream college, as well as with future projects in the workplace.
