A workshop in crafting a stellar college admission essay helped close the college-going gap for Latino students.
Acceptance into college is the holy grail of school opportunity. But the path toward that grail is more clearly marked for some seekers than others. Underserved students who want to attend college but receive no guidance in high-stakes, gatekeeping tasks—such as writing a strong college admission essay—start out at a disadvantage. Yet few schools devote time to this kind of activity. Even English language learners or students who are the first in their families to aim for college must manage on their own or rely on support from family members (Early, 2006).