Program’s cost: $1600 for 5 days program
Each February, admissions officers throughout the land pore over stacks of documents, searching for something to distinguish an applicant from the thousands of others who present good grades, strong test scores and effusive recommendations. Very often, what creates that distinction is an essay that reveals what transcripts, score reports and even the most thoughtful and observant recommendations do not: a first-hand look at how a student thinks and writes. The College Essay Workshop is a week-long program for students who plan to apply to college within the next two years. Combining daily squash training with an intensive essay writing workshop, is offers the same level of athletic experience as any other squash session during the summer at Squash and Beyond Camps. By the end of the week, campers will have completed drafts of one main application essay and one supplemental essay. The workshop is headquartered at Williams College’s Paresky Center, just above the dining hall, but takes advantage of other inspiring, writing-friendly venues within walking distance of the squash courts and dormitory.
How does it work?
Campers will write and discuss their work and continue to perfect their essays for two hours each day between squash sessions during the week. After dinner each evening, campers will participate in fun outdoor activities through 9 PM. At night, the campers will spend 60 minutes working on their individual college essay before going to bed. (Note: all Squash and Beyond writing courses require that students bring a laptop to camp.)
Instructor: Jim Moore
Jim Moore is the chairman of the English department and director of the squash program at Blair Academy where he is also the faculty advisor to the literary magazine. A writer of fiction and non-fiction, Moore has served as board chairman of Writers & Books, a literary organization with over 5,000 members in Rochester, NY. Before becoming a full-time teacher, Jim directed the college counseling offices at Blair and Savannah (GA) Country Day School; he also served as director of alumni relations at the University of Rochester’s William E. Simon Graduate School Business. Jim earned a BA in English from Cornell University and has been a Squash and Beyond staff coach since 2012. In addition to his work on the court, Moore currently leads our College Essay Workshop in June. In 2015, Jim and his wife Wendy led the Squash and Beyond trip to the Dutch Junior Open, Amsterdam. In 2017, they led our squash tour of Italy and Portugal.
Participants in this education program will enjoy a normal squash camp experience as part of the Squash session.
Night Activities:
Sunday night: Volleyball tournament
Monday: Ramblewild Mountain park
Tuesday: Movie night
Wednesday: Kayaking on the Deerfield River
Thursday: Soccer night