This online video course provides counselors with everything they need to lead their students through a life-changing college essay workshop. With over 12 hours of video content it's the most comprehensive course of its kind.
This course includes content geared specifically to counselors that answers frequently asked questions about leading a college essay workshop and provides solutions to the most common workshop struggles that counselors face.
Take your college essay workshops to the next level
hours of Lessons
You’ll get 6 hours of video lessons and 6 hours of recorded Q&A sessions with me that walk you through my favorite methods and resources for helping a group of students brainstorm and write compelling college essays.
Flexible
Watch anywhere, anytime.
No problem. You’ll have access to the video recordings and course material forever.
Years of workshop Experience in one course
The lessons and exercises in this course cover everything from helping your students choose a topic to polishing a final draft. Plus, bonus material to keep the momentum going after the workshop has ended.
PageS OF WorkbooK MAterial
The exercises and activities I use with my own students in PDF or web format, plus an online student guide you can share directly with your own students.
Guaranteed
Take the course and try it out. Not happy? You'll get your money back.
Meet Your Guide
Each year I help thousands of students and counselors around the world through my online courses, workshops, articles, products, and books. I’ve led hundreds of workshops around the country and world and I’m excited to share what I’ve learned with you.
In this online course, I distill the best and most effective college essay writing resources I have ever used in my workshops. I’ll personally walk you through how I guide students from "I have no idea what to write about" to "That's the best thing I've ever written."
“The best workshop I've been to in 35 years in the profession."
-B. Goleman, Independent Counselor
What I COVER IN THE COURSE
PRE-WORK:THE ROLE OF THE FACILITATOR (YOU)
What Are We Doing Here: A 5-Minute Exercise for Setting Workshop Goals and Intentions
MODULE 1: HOW TO ESTABLISH RAPPORT QUICKLY AND MAINTAIN STUDENTS' INTEREST FOR HOURS
Four Great Warm-Up Exercises (aka Vulnerability Training)
How to Lead the Essence Objects in a Workshop Setting
How to Lead the Values Exercise in a Workshop Setting
MODULE 2: HOW TO PICK A TOPIC AND HOW TO STRUCTURE ANY TYPE OF ESSAY
Teaching The Four Types of Essays in a Workshop Setting
Helping students decide Narrative or Montage Structure
A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Structure in a Workshop Setting
Types A & C Essay (The Narrative Essay)
Type B & D Essay (The Montage Essay Exercise)
MODULE 3:STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE FOR LEADING DIFFERENT TYPES OF WORKSHOPS
1-Hr Workshop
2-Hr Workshop
3-Hr (or Half-Day) Workshop
MODULE 4: EVERYTHING ELSE YOU NEED + PRACTICUM
How to Make Sure Students Are Focused During Paired Work Assignments
How to Make the Most of Focused Writing Time
Important Differences for Workshops with 4 students vs. 40 vs. 400
Outlines for Full Day (5-8 Hour) Workshops, Multi-Day, and Multi-Week Workshops
How to Adapt These Resources in a 1-on-1 Setting in Your Private Counseling Practice
“I’ve done a lot of webinars, and this was the best so far. The PDFs are great, as are the links. I’m printing all of it and will make a binder for reference.”
“As a counselor I appreciate how I can replicate (or try really hard to replicate) your sessions because you’ve outlined and scripted it all. We need scripts until we embed practices and make them our own.
Ethan, you are so completely thorough; I love that!”
“My favourite part [of the workshop] was outlining the essay. I also liked all the PDF’s and recorded sessions so I could listen on my own and repeat parts as needed.”
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
The entire How to Lead a Life-Changing Workshop course.
One year of access to the Essay Workshop in a Box: Premium Counselor Version, the workshop curriculum that serves as the basis of this course.
The Complete College Essay Guy Video Library. Over two dozen videos that I use with my own students to help them with their particular struggles.
A private Facebook Support Community for Counselors. Share best practices and learn from hundreds of other counselors.
The student guide. Access for your students to the simple step-by-step student guide so you can walk them through the entire process. Includes all of the brainstorming activities, questionnaires, and exercises I use with my own students.
Lifetime video access. Over 6 hours of video lessons, plus 6 hours of live sessions that you can watch live or anytime via the recording.
Practicums. Get experience practicing using the tools and resources I cover throughout the course.
Prerecorded Q&A Sessions. I answer commonly asked questions and cover issues you might be having with your students. Having trouble inspiring them? Having trouble keeping them on track? I think I can help.
the Essay Workshop in a Box
Includes one year of access to the Essay Workshop in a Box curriculum, including:
Step-by-step lesson plans for counselors
Dozens of videos led by me, Ethan
Dozens of lessons, worksheets, and brainstorming activities to help students through their most common essay struggles
Outlines for leading workshops over one, two, and three days, plus multi-week workshop guides.
Solutions to these common workshop struggles
How to keep your students focused and on task
Tips for adapting your workshop to any size group
How to use this workshop material in a one-on-one setting
Making the most of focused writing time
Tons more. Read more here.
Online Course
How to Lead a Life-Changing Essay Workshop
$597
6 Hours of Video Lessons + Guidebook
1 Year Access to the Essay Workshop in a Box
A Copy of My Book College Essay Essentials
Designed for Workshops Anywhere Between
1-Hour to 3 full Days
Payment Plan
3 Monthly Payments of
$222 /month
6 Hours of Video Lessons + Guidebook
1 Year Access to the Essay Workshop in a Box
A Copy of My Book College Essay Essentials
Designed for Workshops Anywhere Between
1-Hour to 3 full Days
Access is really important to me.
In fact, it’s at the heart of most everything I do, and it’s why so many resources on my site are free or pay-what-you-can.
Are you a public high-school counselor or CBO that works primarily with low-income students?
Click below to request a Pay What You Can spot to the online course.
I’d like to know more about the workshop before I commit--can you share more?
why should I take this course?
A few reasons:
1. Workshops are an incredibly efficient way of helping students write a first draft of a personal statement. It turns out that much of the college essay work can, in fact, be accomplished in a group setting.
2. You're unlikely to find a course anywhere that addresses the particular concerns of leading a personal statement workshop, and you definitely won't find one that addresses the particularities in such a practical, detailed, and step-by-step way.
In this course, I’ll address:
How can I help 30 (or 300) students choose a great topic without having to meet individually with every single one?
Which parts of the college essay writing process can be automated, and which can't?
How can I keep students fully engaged and productive for several consecutive hours without getting bored or burnt out?
Why should I stop my workshop before 3pm?
Should I use music in my workshops, or not? If so, what music? (Spoiler: I'll provide playlists.)
How much time should I ideally spend on each exercise?
How can I help my students identify a solid structure--in about an hour--again, without having to meet individually with each one?
How can I help my students delve more deeply into themselves, especially if they've chosen a superficial topic?
How do I teach my students to revise their essays on their own so that when I get their first draft it's actually pretty decent?
Should students get feedback? When? From whom?
Online Course FAQ
Do STUDENTS need the book, too?
It's not necessary, but the course comes with a free copy for you, the counselor.
What if I have another question?
If you can’t find an answer here, shoot us an email at help@CollegeEssayGuy.com.
