With an M.Ed. in Secondary Education and 20 years teaching 12th-grade Literature and Composition, Thomas McDonough has guided over 2,000 seniors through the college essay process. His technique focuses on indirect characterization, which helps students reveal their values through past experiences.
20 years of teaching writing to 12th graders has been distilled into a powerful 1 hour class that will draw out key memories and details to build excellent college essays.
Inside the 44-Page Writing Manual
Developed over two decades, this comprehensive manual provides a sentence-by-sentence guide, word charts, and templates to sift through memories and craft compelling narratives.
Memory Sifting Templates
Powerful Word Charts
Exemplar Essays
Take advantage of powerful word charts and values charts to focus your writing and to express your best self. Line-by-line instruction will help you land on a perfect 650-word essay.
Read two exemplary essays from former students to gauge your writing skills. These essays use personal memories to reveal deep family and cultural values.
Avoid writing clichés and wandering narratives by building upon meaningful memories.
Our Guiding Principle
Stop telling admissions counselors who you are. Show them instead!
Through indirect characterization, you will reveal your true self by writing about those you admire. Avoid clichés and let your life's details drive your writing.
Join an upcoming seminar and finish your college essay with confidence.