for schools & educators

Write College Prep in High Schools

Write College Prep partners with schools to equip students with the writing skills, strategy, and confidence they need to navigate college applications well.

Partnering with High Schools

Supporting Students. Partnering with Counselors & Educators. Simplifying the College Process.

Write College Prep partners with high schools to provide structured college guidance and strategic essay instruction for students in grades 9–12. As a former English teacher and current writing coach, Angela Henderson Smith brings both classroom experience and real-world college application insight to every campus she serves.

We teach the process of writing a college application essay — the unique genre of creative nonfiction (CNF).

We lead students from a Common App essay question to a strong, submission-ready essay.

We empower students to apply this process to craft compelling essays for their supplemental essays & scholarships.

Two curved blue lines, one dark and one light, arc across a black background from the lower left to the upper right corner.
option 1

One-Day College Prep Talk

Angela will guide students through the key elements of a strong college application essay, including what college admission officers are—and are not—looking for, effective genre techniques, how to find and express their unique voice, appropriate use of AI, and analysis of sample essays. Students will receive Angela’s handcrafted brainstorm activity to begin developing ideas for their own essay.

Materials Included:

Angela’s handcrafted materials designed for her individual students in Write College Prep Camps.

Session Options:

  • Guides students through key elements of the college application essay—what admissions officers are and are not looking for, effective genre techniques, how to find and express your authentic voice, proper use of AI, and examples of strong essays.

    Best for juniors and seniors. (45–60 minute sessions)

  • Walks students step-by-step through creating their personal story arc in the Common App—how to showcase individuality through the activities list (maximizing the 150-character descriptions), essays (selecting topics for the main and supplemental essays while maintaining voice), recommendation letters (who, when, and how to request), and other key application components that help students stand out to admissions.

    Ideal for all high schoolers (45–60 minute sessions)

  • Combines both focuses, giving students the full experience of developing their Common App story arc and beginning their essay. A powerful advantage for students preparing to submit their applications!

    Ideal for juniors and seniors. (90-minute sessions)

  • Guides juniors and seniors through Option 1 for a deeper dive into essay writing, and freshmen and sophomores through Option 2 to begin shaping their own story arc in the Common App process. Lowerclassmen learn how to identify meaningful activities, build their narrative over time, and make intentional choices about GPA, test prep, and other high school priorities that will impact their senior-year applications.

    Excellent for all high schoolers. (60-minute sessions)

option 2

Three-Day College Prep Workshops

Angela will connect with students through clear, practical instruction, an enthusiastic approach, and encouraging interactions. When she’s not actively teaching or modeling the writing process, she’ll move from group to group, partnering with English teachers to offer helpful, personalized feedback and support throughout each session.

Each day will introduce a focused, progressive lesson that builds on the previous one, ensuring students stay engaged and make measurable progress toward a completed college essay.

What You Get:

  • Everything in Option 1 PLUS:

  • The process of writing a college application essay, a unique genre of creative nonfiction

  • Guiding students from a Common App essay question to a clear structure and strong working draft

  • Empowering students to apply the writing process they’ve learned to craft compelling essays that highlight their strengths for all additional application and scholarship prompts

  • Modeling effective strategies for teaching the college essay, equipping teachers to adapt and personalize them for their own classroom instruction.

Materials Included:

Angela’s handcrafted materials designed for her individual students in Write College Prep Camps. In this extended workshop, she also provides a one-page, customized lesson guide for the English team and educators to support instruction before, during, and after her visit—maximizing the overall impact of the experience for both educators and students.

option 3

Four-Day College Prep Workshops

Angela will connect with students through clear, practical instruction, an enthusiastic approach, and encouraging interactions. When she’s not actively teaching or modeling the writing process, she’ll move from group to group, partnering with English teachers to offer helpful, personalized feedback and support throughout each session.

Each day will introduce a focused, progressive lesson that builds on the previous one, ensuring students stay engaged and make measurable progress toward a completed college essay.

What You Get:

  • Everything in Option 1 and 2 PLUS:

  • Students will get the full instruction of the entire process and may complete the essay within the four-day timeframe.

Materials Included:

Angela’s handcrafted materials designed for her individual students in Write College Prep Camps. In this extended workshop, she also provides a one-page, customized lesson guide for the English team and educators to support instruction before, during, and after her visit—maximizing the overall impact of the experience for both educators and students.

Notes for Educators

Both Option 2 and Option 3 include minimal yet meaningful preliminary work that Angela will provide in advance for the librarian to share with the English team. This may include videos and other handcrafted materials. Since class periods are limited to 50 minutes, students will benefit from completing part of their writing independently following each day’s guided session in order to finish the essay during Angela’s visit.

English teachers are welcome to extend each lesson in the days following to support students as they complete and polish their essays. Angela grants permission for the English teachers to use her materials with students who attend the sessions on the designated dates of her visit and for up to three weeks afterward.

To continue using Angela’s copyrighted materials beyond that period—or to use them with students who did not attend the workshops—please submit a written request for permission. This includes any copies of her exclusive brainstorming forms, outline aids, and other resources.

Total Cost per Option

Write College Prep Workshops Valued at $595 per student. Take advantage of our discounted rates for presentations.

Option 1

One-Day College Prep Talk

$1,996

Option 2

3-Day College Prep Workshops

$5,085

Option 3

4-Day College Prep Workshops

$5,980

Two women smiling and sitting with laptops at a table prepping for college success together.
Three students sit at a table with laptops and notebooks, focused on college prep in a bright, modern study room.
A woman in a floral dress and a young man in a navy t-shirt smile in a modern waiting room before their college prep meeting.
Five high school students sit around a table with laptops and folders, smiling as they work on college prep in a bright meeting room.

Testimonials

What Students & Families are Saying
  • "Angela was an incredible asset to our students. Whether they were headed for college, trade school, or a career, she met them with infectious energy and insider knowledge. Her unique insights into the essay-writing process turned a daunting task into a manageable, successful experience for everyone involved. I strongly believe our work with Angela made a tangible difference in our students’ confidence and the quality of their submissions."

    Leslie Whitaker, Claude ISD

  • “Write College Prep Camp made me feel prepared and knowledgeable on how to go about the college application process and how to write a college essay properly.”

    Cline Becker, Senior

  • “Write College Prep Camp made the essay process easier by breaking it down into simple, achievable steps.”

    Olive Manes, Junior

  • “Write College Prep Summer Camp helped me by taking things step by step to make writing easier.”

    Jhurni Farmer, Junior

  • “Write College Prep helped me learn how to plan my essays out and how to write them in a structured way.”

    Joshua Abraham, Junior

  • “I will use the skills taught about AI and how to use it properly in future classes.”

    Clara Beth Lewallyn, Junior

  • “I believe these skills will support me this upcoming school year, as I will be able to better articulate my words to show my true voice.”

    Leah Devaraj, Senior

  • “This is truly helping me maintain my voice in my writing, something I hope to do in my school work.”

    Victoria Henderson, Senior

  • “Write College Prep helped me what colleges are looking for and learn how to brainstorm.”

    Emery Stevens, Senior

  • “Write College Prep’s detailed structures, process, and examples were really helpful.”

    Olivia Butler, Junior

  • “Streamlining the college essay process made everything less overwhelming.”

    Noah Chappetta, Senior

  • “Explaining what to do and what not to do when writing essays was very helpful.”

    Ava Macha, Junior

  • "Write College Prep was helpful for knowing where to start, and knowing how to structure my essay in the right way that the college admissions officers want."

    Cate Macha, Junior

  • “Write College Prep helped me learn what the colleges are looking for in a personal essay and the one-on-one conversations we had to help improve my essay.”

    Aiden Garcia, Junior

  • “It was always helpful having a professional there to help if I got stuck, or needed help.”

    Elijah Deen, Senior

  • “These skills will definitely help me for this upcoming school year and help me write better essays.”

    Emery Stevens, Senior

  • “I now have a different view of brainstorming which will make my essay writing far easier for the rest of the year.”

    Noah Chappetta, Senior

  • “These skills will help me feel more comfortable when writing essays. I will have more organized thoughts, and know not to over complicate things.”

    Cate Macha, Junior

  • “The importance of brainstorming and outlining was something that I will definitely take away from Write College Prep camp.”

    Cline Becker, Senior

  • “This process has showed me that you can grow in few days and that it is important to trust the process. I will use this to help me during the upcoming year.”

    London Groves, Senior

  • “I can apply this in my English classes when we write! The brainstorming, planning, efficiency!”

    Olivia Phan, Senior

  • “I am going into duel credit and I think the resources I was shown in Google Classroom will help me through that class.”

    Quincy Hughes, Junior

  • “I can use the time management skills that I have learned and that will be helpful for future essays.”

    Laney Jacobs, Junior

Angela Henderson Smith in a yellow dress and denim jacket, smiling confidently with arms crossed—ready to teach college prep—by a wooden wall background.

Meet Angela

Write College Prep grew out of Angela Henderson Smith’s own experience as both an educator and a parent navigating the college process. After walking through applications with her oldest child and seeing how overwhelming it could feel, she began researching what colleges truly look for and helping students craft stronger, more authentic essays. Today, she and her team guide families with clear strategy, thoughtful planning, and writing support that helps students approach college prep with confidence.