September 18, 2025
Know a high school junior or senior who could use some free help with writing their college essay?
826 Boston will be hosting our College Essay Boot Camp for high school juniors and seniors in Greater Boston to prepare for their upcoming college applications!
It doesn’t matter if students have a blank page, first draft, or final draft: volunteers will support students at any stage of the college essay writing process.
Required by every college enrollment application, the college essay provides students with the opportunity to showcase their individuality beyond the standard application forms and test score numbers, giving college admissions a personal narrative as to why they would be a good fit for each college, university, or program. It gives applicants a unique opportunity to creatively tell their story and show admission officers their growth, authentic voice, and strong writing skills.
According to college application and essay coaching service Prompt, “Strong essays increase your admissions chances by up to 10 times” and a common understanding is that the essay component accounts for nearly 25% of the overall score. With the importance of college essays being more important than ever (see coverage from PBS and The Chronicle of Higher Education), 826 Boston supports students at any point in their journey.
In the 2024-25 school year, 826 Boston’s staff and volunteers provided college essay support to 975 students, totalling more than 3,000 hours. With assistance and guidance from hundreds of volunteers, students have been accepted and attended colleges from coast to coast; from Ivy League schools to prestigious state universities to esteemed community colleges in our backyard, including Dartmouth College, Bentley University, Bunker Hill Community College, UMass Lowell, UMass Boston, and many others.
826 Boston’s College Essay Boot Camp is open to high school juniors and seniors from any school, including those in Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Somerville, etc.
Need help with FAFSA or have other financial aid questions? Aspire will be on-site to assist students with financial aid applications.
Date and times:
Saturday, October 25, 2025
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
1:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Location:
Suffolk University
Sawyer Building
8 Ashburton Place
Boston, MA 02108
Register at 826boston.org/essay
If you have any questions, email workshops@826boston.org
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