Let's Get Started! College Essay Writing Workshop

Jump-start the essay process with this free three-hour workshop, split across two weeknights, designed to inspire and guide each student to produce a rough draft of the Common App essay and several back-up essay ideas.

Work with Caroline Crosson Gilpin, an experienced writer, editor, teacher, and tutor. By registering for this program, you are authorizing Scarsdale Public Library to share your name and contact information with the instructor so she may correspond with you about your pre-work for class.

First session: Monday, May 15, 2023 (1 ½ hours) - Review resources and essay models, brainstorm essay topics, and begin drafting the Common App essay. 

Second session: Wednesday, May 17, 2023 (1 ½ hours) - Develop a first draft, working individually and with one-on-one conferencing help. Students will complete one paragraph “starters” on other essay topics -- work that a student can use later, when writing supplemental essays. 

Workshop will be held at Scarsdale Public Library and is limited to 10 students. Register once for the Monday class and we will automatically register you for both classes. 

Registered students must commit to attending both sessions and will receive an email with further details about pre-work and what to bring to class.

Bring a charged laptop with Zoom installed to both sessions (Monday, May 15 and Wednesday, May 17).

Caroline Crosson Gilpin is an experienced classroom teacher and former staff editor at The New York Times Learning Network. 

For many years, she was education editor at The Scarsdale Inquirer, where she covered local and national education issues and mentored student interns. Currently, she is a writing consultant for Dwight Global Online School. 

She has master’s degrees from Teachers College Columbia University (Teaching of English) and Temple University (journalism), and an undergraduate degree from Connecticut College. 

Caroline Gilpin’s workshop is based on the curriculum she was asked to design for the college counseling team and English faculty at an independent high school in Connecticut.

For more info, visit Carolinegilpintutoring.com