Comp I: Risk Your Writing

Bristol Community College

ENG 11/CSS 11 Instructor: J. Thomas Grady

This college transfer essay assignment will demonstrate your ability to incorporate risk-taking in writing to a high stakes audience. What are you going to write about yourself that will distinguish you from the boring pile of transfer essays, and whip your writing to the front of the pack? “Colleges have piles of essays that sound too profound for their own good. Students need to focus on the little things that they wonder about during the day - the oddities, the quirks of who they are. I find that most kids tend to play it safe when in reality, writing about a deceased grandparent is not going to score you as many points as writing about the time you fell off your chair in English class.” - Evan Bailyn

Your essay will include the following:

1) Your info, name, etc. (see model on syllabus)

2) A title

3) The exact prompt from a real transfer institution and the name of the college or university

4) A note to the reader which, in a few sentences, states the risk you took, concerns about it and its strengths. (start like this: Note: …)

5) The essay in the word count suggested in the application (usually 1000-1,500 words)

The essay will be evaluated on your ability to be creative and correct. The essay will be mistake free; otherwise, an admission office would believe you lacked commitment to them and yourself as a prospective student.

LEARNING OUTCOMES - evaluation criteria[1]

Writing: Students will move through the processes of writing: inventing, composing, revising, and editing according to the conventions of Standard Written English.
Critical reading: Students will critically read and respond to a variety of texts.
Audience, purpose, voice: Students will compose in a voice appropriate to the audience and purpose of the writing.
Thesis: Students will formulate a thesis and support it with evidence.
Organization: Students will compose coherent and cohesive essays and other texts.
Research, documentation: Students will locate, evaluate, integrate, and document primary and/or secondary source materials to support a position.

[1] Developed by the Writing Committee of Project Connect, a partnership of public higher education institutions in southeastern Massachusetts—Bridgewater State College, Bristol Community College, Cape Cod Community College, Massasoit Community College, and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.