Common Questions About “Crafting Your College Application”

I am applying for summer jobs and internships, and don’t yet know my summer schedule; can I change to a different week if I need to?

Generally yes. I know many students are in this situation — you have applied for things, and you are not yet sure what you will get, or when it will be. In most cases, I’m able to make adjustments to move a student to a different week, provided they have registered and paid. Sometimes in the past I’ve added additional staff to accommodate a few more students. It makes most sense to register early so that you can be certain you have a space, then make adjustments later. Total spaces in the program are limited.

Is this only for students applying to the top universities?

No way! Sure, a lot of our students are interested in the Ivy League schools or the Top 10 universities. But we cover all kinds of schools, from big state universities to small liberal arts colleges, from technical schools to art institutes. One of the things we often do in “Crafting Your College Application” is open the eyes of students and their families to the full range of colleges that might suit their interests and objectives.

What if I don’t live in Northern Virginia?

It’s true that most students come from Fairfax County or surrounding areas. Maryland students have to travel a bit farther, but they find it worthwhile. But every year some students come from even farther away — Texas, California, Illinois, Alabama, and more. Their families often turn it into a family trip to the Nation’s Capital, perhaps finding accommodations on AirBnB for the week.

Should I have essays written before I come to camp?

If you feel inspired, it doesn’t hurt to capture your ideas on paper. But most students don’t write anything in advance, and that can actually be a good thing. Part of what you will learn in “Crafting Your College Application” is that many of the things you might think would be good college application essay material actually can work against you in admissions. We show you where the landmines are, and until you’ve learned that — beware!!

Is there homework?

There are a couple of assignments to complete before the start of camp. I assign those in the late Spring, so students have time to complete them in advance. During the week, some students choose to continue working at home in the evening on essays they started during the day, but that’s not a requirement. If you stay focused and do the work, you should be able to get everything done during the day in camp.

What if I need to miss part of the week?

It’s only one week (with really only four days to work, because we aim to have the applications done by Friday to give them a thorough review), so it’s not great to miss any part of it. However, sometimes this is unavoidable — band auditions, senior portraits, internship meetings, etc. If you need to miss part of a day, we can usually figure out a way to work around that with advance notice.

Can I get help on college applications after the week of camp is over?

One of things you learn in camp is how to modify an application from one college to suit other colleges. This is part of the art of applying to college! At the end of the week, some students say “Thanks, I get it, I’ll be good on my own from here.” Others want a little more help and support during the fall term, and that’s fine. I offer individualized application advising and editing from September through December, for an additional fee. However, this is only available to students who complete the week of summer camp.

What’s for lunch?

The price of camp includes unlimited snacks and refreshments during the day, as well as lunch. We order from a different restaurant each day, with typical favorites being Chipotle, Chick-fil-a, &Pizza, Noodles & Co, or Panera. Many days we also have some type of salad available. But if you prefer, you can always bring your own lunch with you.