Coastal College Advising, your compass for navigating the new college landscape and application process, is offering in-person workshops that help rising high school seniors get a jumpstart on the college application process. The College Essay Workshop and Common Application Boot Camp will be held at the Merry Barn Writers’ Retreat in Edgecomb the week of August 15. These workshops provide the perfect opportunity for students to complete the majority of the written work of applying to college before the school year begins, enabling them to spend senior year focusing on campus visits, interviews, and course workload. 

“Colleges want to know two things: They want to know you can do college-level work, and they want to know who you are – what you will bring to their community,” said Kristen Pett, founder of Coastal College Advising. “Our student-centered approach helps students recognize their own contributions, and cultivate the process of writing in an authentic voice. This is the opportunity to tell the story only they can tell.” With over 20 years of experience advising students as a high school college counselor and a former dean of admission at a liberal arts college, Kristen Pett brings a comprehensive and knowledgeable perspective on the college admission process. 

“Having the help of someone who was able to walk me through each step was incredibly helpful. The combination of [workshop] activities allowed me to find a topic I truly felt represented me and craft an essay that I was proud of,” said Lincoln Academy graduating senior, Katie Sanborn. Cedar Cannon, another Lincoln Academy graduating senior said, “Every time I went to work with [Kristen] I felt welcomed, relieved, and inspired to produce my best work. Looking back, I know that I couldn't have asked for a better person to help guide me through this process.” 

Coastal College Advising and the Merry Barn will follow all CDC recommendations. The Merry Barn is a literacy center in Edgecomb (417 River Road), where creativity and curiosity are nurtured and celebrated through retreats, workshops, and community events www.merrybarn.com. 

For more information or to register, please visit www.CoastalCollegeAdvising.com. Questions? Contact Kristen Pett at (207) 200-5281 or klpett@gmail.com. Coastal College Advising is committed to equal access. Financial assistance is available.