Why Independent Educational Consultants (IECs) Should Write:
Feeling Imposter Syndrome When Guiding Personal Statements? You’re Not Alone.
Many IECs, even those with strong writing backgrounds, experience anxiety when guiding students on their personal statements. This crucial piece of the college application requires students to showcase their unique voice, self-awareness, and deep insights – a tall order for teenagers often trained to regurgitate information.
But here’s the secret: students crave guidance from those who understand the writing struggle.
How to Become a Writing Mentor for Your Students:
- Lead by Example: Demonstrate your own writing journey by sharing your experiences as a writer (poet, prose writer, etc.). Students connect with vulnerability and the challenges of the writing process.
- Normalize the Process: Acknowledge the “blank page paralysis” and the fear of risk-taking many students face.
- Focus on Process, Not Perfection: Guide students through the drafting and revision stages, emphasizing progress over perfection. Check out my blog post on “shitty first drafts” inspired by one of my favorite authors, Anne Lamott.
Start Writing Today!
Independent Educational Consultants can become invaluable resources for students by actively engaging in the writing process themselves. Here are some ways to get started:
- Start a Journal: Daily writing prompts or reflections can hone your writing skills and provide a springboard for student discussions.
- Explore Different Genres: Experiment with short fiction, “how-to” articles, or even apology letters.
- Take a Writing Course: Local workshops or online classes can refresh your writing skills and provide new techniques to share with students.
By actively engaging in writing, IECs can better support students in crafting authentic personal statements that stand out in the admissions process.
Are you looking for more ways to uplevel your current IEC practice? Take a look at the Capstone Certification Course or consider joining our FREE Capstone Collaborative Community to find a safe place for IECs and Mentors to share resources and ideas!
We have an upcoming event on Ethical Writing Practices this month – check it out!
