Resources for Our Admissions Colleagues

Welcome to Wow! We’re pleased to share these resources with you and the students, teachers, counselors, and other professionals you work with. Feel free to use them and share widely. Please always remember to credit Wow Writing Workshop. Intellectual property is the only kind of property we have!

These resources were developed by experts in admissions and learning, over the course of more than 15 years. They are instructionally-sound and have been tested with thousands of students, counselors, and other college guidance professionals. 

The Wow Method: Your College Essay in Ten Simple Steps

Group Workshop Materials

Run an in-person or online workshop for any number of students. 

Group Workshop – Timing Options

A variety of timing strategies for Wow's group workshop curriculum.

Group Workshop – Slide Template

Last Update: March 26, 2026

Slide template for Wow's group workshop curriculum.

Group Workshop – Student Worksheets

Last Update: October 18, 2022

Student handouts/worksheets for Wow's group workshop curriculum.

Group Workshop – Leader’s Guide

Last Update: October 18, 2022

Leader's Guide for Wow's group workshop curriculum.

Brainstorming and Review Guides

Essay review and brainstorming resources for counselors, teachers, and admissions professionals.

The Wow Method: Essay Review Guidelines

Last Update: September 12, 2022

Straightforward guidelines for reviewing essays at every stage.

Brainstorming Problems and Solutions

Last Update: March 31, 2022

Straightforward solutions for a range of common brainstorming problems.

Student Resources

Resources for students, originally created for AXS Companion to Common Application.

How to Write Supplemental Essays

Last Update: March 30, 2022

A guide to writing supplements, including how to understand a variety of prompts and how to decide what to write about.

How to Write Why Us College Essays

Last Update: March 30, 2022

A guide to writing Why Us essays, including how to understand any Why Us prompt and how to decide what to include.

How to Write the Common App Personal Essay

Last Update: March 30, 2022

Tips for writing the Common Application personal essay, including detailed explanations of each prompt and guidelines for choosing a topic.