In regards to your college essay...
1. Just because something sad or horrible has happened to you does not mean that you will be a good college student. Unless you only use the horrible experience as a lens with which to magnify your own personal characteristics, you will not write a good essay.
2. Essays should fit in well with the rest of a candidate's application, explaining the unexplained and steering clear of that which is already obvious.
3. "Diversity" is the biggest buzzword. Every college, professional school, or graduate school wants to increase diversity. Address specifically how your diversity will contribute to the realm of campus opinion, the academic environment, and social life.
4. Don't mention weaknesses unless you absolutely need to explain them away. Why admit to weakness when you can instead showcase your strengths?
5. Be honest, but not for honesty's sake. Unless you are a truly excellent writer, your best, most passionate writing will be about events that actually occurred. Write an essay about your life that demonstrates your personality
Did You Pick the Right Topic?
When finalizing the topic for your college essay, consider the following:
• Have you selected a topic that describes something of personal importance in your life, with which you can use vivid personal experiences as supporting details?
• Is your topic a gimmick? You should be very, very careful if you are planning to do this. Almost always, this is done poorly and is not appreciated by the admissions committee.
• Will your topic only repeat information listed elsewhere on your application? If so, pick a new topic.
• Can you keep the reader's interest from the first word. The entire essay must be interesting, considering admissions officers will probably only spend a few minutes reading each essay.
• Is your topic overdone?
• Will your topic turnoff a large number of people? The only thing worse than not writing a memorable essay is writing an essay that will be remembered negatively.
• If you are presenting a topic that is controversial, you must acknowledge counter arguments without sounding arrogant.
• Will an admissions officer remember your topic after a day of reading hundreds of essays? What will the officer remember about your topic? What will the officer remember about you?
• Have you selected a topic that describes something of personal importance in your life, with which you can use vivid personal experiences as supporting details?
• Is your topic a gimmick? You should be very, very careful if you are planning to do this. Almost always, this is done poorly and is not appreciated by the admissions committee.
• Will your topic only repeat information listed elsewhere on your application? If so, pick a new topic.
• Can you keep the reader's interest from the first word. The entire essay must be interesting, considering admissions officers will probably only spend a few minutes reading each essay.
• Is your topic overdone?
• Will your topic turnoff a large number of people? The only thing worse than not writing a memorable essay is writing an essay that will be remembered negatively.
• If you are presenting a topic that is controversial, you must acknowledge counter arguments without sounding arrogant.
• Will an admissions officer remember your topic after a day of reading hundreds of essays? What will the officer remember about your topic? What will the officer remember about you?
Essential Question #4
Choice 1: How does "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" follow the archetype of an Old English poem?
Choice 2: Where do we see seduction and lust start to destroy Gawain, our young hero? What is the author trying to tell us?
Choice 2: Where do we see seduction and lust start to destroy Gawain, our young hero? What is the author trying to tell us?
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Part 1
Things to consider:
1. How do Hrothgar and King Arthur compare and contrast? Hrothgar was consistently referenced as a hero, but it was no secret that his love of wealth, excess, and "mead" lead to the downfall of the Danes. Does the author of SGGK follow this pattern in creating Arthur's character? How does he/she depict Arthur? Reference lines 85-101.
2. Where do the knights of the round table sit in relation to Guenevere? Why is this so important? P.S. A la dure main means directly next to, or literally "to the hard hand of".
3. Take note that the Green Knight arrived wearing no armor and bearing a sign of peace. This may remind us of our dear friend Beowulf. What causes these men to be so confident...or cocky?
4. The Green Knight is not the only one who is posing a challenge. Gawain is challenging himself and his own courage. This is where we see our hero start to form. Do you still have Cambell's heroic cycle? At what stage is Gawain entering?
5. A quick shout out: Andrew is the man for remembering (twice!) and correctly using the term comitatus. I hope he is not the only one who knows it...
1. How do Hrothgar and King Arthur compare and contrast? Hrothgar was consistently referenced as a hero, but it was no secret that his love of wealth, excess, and "mead" lead to the downfall of the Danes. Does the author of SGGK follow this pattern in creating Arthur's character? How does he/she depict Arthur? Reference lines 85-101.
2. Where do the knights of the round table sit in relation to Guenevere? Why is this so important? P.S. A la dure main means directly next to, or literally "to the hard hand of".
3. Take note that the Green Knight arrived wearing no armor and bearing a sign of peace. This may remind us of our dear friend Beowulf. What causes these men to be so confident...or cocky?
4. The Green Knight is not the only one who is posing a challenge. Gawain is challenging himself and his own courage. This is where we see our hero start to form. Do you still have Cambell's heroic cycle? At what stage is Gawain entering?
5. A quick shout out: Andrew is the man for remembering (twice!) and correctly using the term comitatus. I hope he is not the only one who knows it...
Love According to AP Literature...
In case you missed them, here a few highlights from our discussion of courting in the 21st century. If we ruled the world...
1. Never appreciate her any less than you did when you first fell in love with her. Never take her for granted no matter how long you are together. Always keep that feeling of initial love.--Michael Fullerton
2. If the date went according to plan, the guy should take her home. Means of transportation does not matter. Taking the 70 can give you an opportunity to snuggle up. Once at her home, tell her you really enjoyed tonight, give her a hug. If you are lucky, the girl should approach for a kiss. From there, you should part ways.--Daryl Thomas
3. COOK! The way to any man’s heart is definitely food. Of course going out to a restaurant for dinner is always good, but there’s nothing better than a home cooked meal.--Dora Ocampo
4. Before your first date, go through a checklist: make sure you smell nice, make sure your breath does not smell, and check to see that your zipper is up. Trust me, these may be basic things but forget one of them, and you may find yourself single in no time.--Dave Oreste
5. "Thou shalt not covet anything that belongs to your friends."
Especially their girlfriends.--Lu Li
6. If someone breaks your heart, do not give up. Keep your head held high at all times...If your heart is ever in a million pieces, buy yourself a quart of cookie dough ice cream and move on with your life. I promise things will definitely get better.--Genevieve Noonan
7. Cherish her for who she is and who she’s not. From her beauty, her intelligence, her hopes, her dreams, to her flaws, her corny jokes, her bad hair days, and everything in between.--Macda Gerard
1. Never appreciate her any less than you did when you first fell in love with her. Never take her for granted no matter how long you are together. Always keep that feeling of initial love.--Michael Fullerton
2. If the date went according to plan, the guy should take her home. Means of transportation does not matter. Taking the 70 can give you an opportunity to snuggle up. Once at her home, tell her you really enjoyed tonight, give her a hug. If you are lucky, the girl should approach for a kiss. From there, you should part ways.--Daryl Thomas
3. COOK! The way to any man’s heart is definitely food. Of course going out to a restaurant for dinner is always good, but there’s nothing better than a home cooked meal.--Dora Ocampo
4. Before your first date, go through a checklist: make sure you smell nice, make sure your breath does not smell, and check to see that your zipper is up. Trust me, these may be basic things but forget one of them, and you may find yourself single in no time.--Dave Oreste
5. "Thou shalt not covet anything that belongs to your friends."
Especially their girlfriends.--Lu Li
6. If someone breaks your heart, do not give up. Keep your head held high at all times...If your heart is ever in a million pieces, buy yourself a quart of cookie dough ice cream and move on with your life. I promise things will definitely get better.--Genevieve Noonan
7. Cherish her for who she is and who she’s not. From her beauty, her intelligence, her hopes, her dreams, to her flaws, her corny jokes, her bad hair days, and everything in between.--Macda Gerard
Essential Question #3
Option 1: Develop your own guidelines for a courtly relationship in 2009.
Option 2: Develop your own chivalric code for 2009.
Option 2: Develop your own chivalric code for 2009.