Admissions Essay

Track 4: Recommended Student Timeline

Month 1

Evaluation & Personal Story Discovery

Essay Profile Evaluation:
Founders assess the student's academic background, extracurricular highlights, and key personal stories.
Narrative Strategy Meeting:
1:1 meeting with founders to identify compelling life experiences and brainstorm potential essay topics.
Personal Narrative Development:
Students begin developing their personal narrative themes — unique angles that set their application apart.
Writing Skill Foundation:
Focused writing classes with expert writing coach to strengthen storytelling, structure, and voice.
Supplemental Essay Strategy:
Identify key supplemental essays required by target universities (e.g., "Why this school?", "Community impact," "Intellectual curiosity").
Topic Brainstorming:
Students meet directly with Brightspark founders to brainstorm creative, impactful, and tailored essay topics, targeting the unique culture, values, and prompts of each specific university.

Month 2

Drafting

Outline Creation:
Detailed Common App essay outline built around selected core story.
First Draft Writing:
Students complete the first full draft of their Common Application essay with mentor guidance.
Structured Feedback:
Founders provide detailed feedback on narrative strength, authenticity, clarity, and emotional engagement.
Revision Process:
Students refine and strengthen their draft through 1–2 rounds of targeted edits.

Month 3

Final Polishing & Submission Preparation

Final Editing and Proofreading:
Grammar, tone, flow, and style refinement for every essay.
Polished Final Versions:
Students finalize Common App and supplemental essays to submission-ready quality.
Submission Strategy Consultation:
Confirm which essays align with which universities, edit down for strict word counts, and prioritize submission timelines.