Supplies: markers, posters, tape, admissions essay prompts

 On a half sheet of paper (share with a neighbor) write down your name, your top 5 college choices, and if you have started applying/writing essays for each school. I will collect these later!

 Rules:  When the music is on, you are writing, and not talking.  You write for the duration of the song (until I change it) and when it stops, you stop  When I say rotate, you will rotate to the next table group  You may sit or stand, but you may not talk (yet!)

 Now that you have completed all 6 prompts, we are going to talk! At this rotation, discuss this with your group. Be prepared to share with the class!  The best answer on the poster and why

 Now, please discuss this at your new table. Be prepared to share your ideas with the class:  What do you think the admissions counselor or the school is looking for with this prompt? What kind of response do you think would help you get admitted?

 This time, please discuss the following:  Read the prompt again, and talk about what the admissions counselor would not want to see written and why.

 Find two strong responses on your poster and compare them. What do they have in common? Why are they good responses?

 What do you think the admissions counselor or the school is looking for with this prompt? What kind of response do you think would help you get admitted?

 Read over the responses on your poster. Discuss any interesting themes and similarities between them.  After that, discuss the differences in answers, and how two completely different answers could both be strong and help a student get admitted.

 Choose one of the prompts and write how you would respond to it if that was your admissions prompt.  You may either write a paragraph, brainstorm ideas, or do a mixture. Just begin to think about those admissions essays!