Hi Iris, My name is Andie, I went for Creative Writing in 2006. btw, I hope you get in, because it is a total blast and probably was one of the best summers of my life, but anyway...the application process isn't too bad. I think one of the big things they look for in your app is your ability to follow the prompts, and I think they also like to see what ways you take the prompts. I'm not one hundred percent sure exactly what they look for but I can tell you that they're not necessarily looking for perfection, just potential. My advice to you would be to just try to keep the pieces free from errors, and make sure that your style really shines through. Don't write what you think they want you to, take the prompts in whichever direction you feel is right. I hope that wasn't too vague or awful. And I really hope you get in! Good luck, and feel free to ask for any clarification on this, I realize it might have been a bit confusing. =) Congrats on applying to Innerspark/CSSSA!
Another living soul at this time of morning! Hallejeuh! XD
Hi Andie, and thank you for being kind enough to give that wonderful response. And no, this response wasn't vague or awful at all - I think it gave me enough clarity to move on. It is very difficult having to divide conventional thinking from creative thinking, and then the craziness that is college applications and how "colleges look for the perfect applicant" blahblahblah. How annoying. But hearing this from you, CSSSA truly is different, so now I can start again :D
Thank you so much! Sorry for replying late - killer schoolwork/lack of sleep.
Wow, this is amazing! I thought that looking at other apps would make me more nervous, but it actually makes me feel a bit better about what I was planning for my app. Everyone, *especially including yours!* seems to have such a genuine voice.
BEST. SUMMER. EVER. I hope you get in. If you do, you must go. I went last year - right out of junior year, same as you. I submitted apps for both creative writing an visual arts, got into both, and chose creative writing. No regrets. I don't know much about the visual arts program at CSSSA, but I've taken many creative writing programs and CSSSA was the best, hands down. Best teachers ever. Best peers ever
( ... )
First: I think Innerspark is an ugly name - it's fun to mispronounce the S's. So thanks for that!
Aaaah omg! Thank you, Saint of Grammar <3 And it is so refreshing to meet someone else who has my motivation/retardation to pursue a bunch of difficult classes. Your situation sounds really familiar =/
Man, that sounds really encouraging! So basically, just go with what you know you do right, and just feel confident about it? That's the advice I've been getting a lot from my teachers and other CSSSA folks.
Haaar! I will refer back to your college app advice next year, certainly. I'm sure I'll know a lot of people who'll pay 2k for someone to proofread their essay "professionally" *headdesk* Exploit your quirks is one of the best pieces of advices I have ever heard.
Ask Zay about the politics behind it. CSSSA was JUST CSSSA until a few years ago when they decided the name needed to be more "friendly" and "accessible" and "fun-sounding." Whatthehell. It's sort of an ironic inside-joke amongst the CSSSA community at large, I guess; it's like, "Lmao, the bureaucracy is so presh. At least we're artsy and brilliant and can get past it with grace
( ... )
Awww *handhugs* Ok, for incognito, perhaps write about an internal struggle with something who's pretending to be something he's not, hence "incognito," and how it's affecting his life for the very worse. It's just an idea, maybe to get the creative juices flowing.
Essentially, a monologue is just a first person point of view talking to someone else. I wrote about a girl who got pregnant with her boyfriend, but she retold the romantic night in which it happened, and then went on to reveal she was pregnant. It doesn't necessarily have to be dialogue...just someone talking to someone else, like a letter, or email.
Comments 14
My name is Andie, I went for Creative Writing in 2006. btw, I hope you get in, because it is a total blast and probably was one of the best summers of my life, but anyway...the application process isn't too bad. I think one of the big things they look for in your app is your ability to follow the prompts, and I think they also like to see what ways you take the prompts. I'm not one hundred percent sure exactly what they look for but I can tell you that they're not necessarily looking for perfection, just potential. My advice to you would be to just try to keep the pieces free from errors, and make sure that your style really shines through. Don't write what you think they want you to, take the prompts in whichever direction you feel is right. I hope that wasn't too vague or awful. And I really hope you get in! Good luck, and feel free to ask for any clarification on this, I realize it might have been a bit confusing. =)
Congrats on applying to Innerspark/CSSSA!
Reply
Hi Andie, and thank you for being kind enough to give that wonderful response. And no, this response wasn't vague or awful at all - I think it gave me enough clarity to move on. It is very difficult having to divide conventional thinking from creative thinking, and then the craziness that is college applications and how "colleges look for the perfect applicant" blahblahblah. How annoying. But hearing this from you, CSSSA truly is different, so now I can start again :D
How was the application experience for you?
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
Wow, this is amazing! I thought that looking at other apps would make me more nervous, but it actually makes me feel a bit better about what I was planning for my app. Everyone, *especially including yours!* seems to have such a genuine voice.
Reply
I hope you get in. If you do, you must go. I went last year - right out of junior year, same as you. I submitted apps for both creative writing an visual arts, got into both, and chose creative writing. No regrets. I don't know much about the visual arts program at CSSSA, but I've taken many creative writing programs and CSSSA was the best, hands down. Best teachers ever. Best peers ever ( ... )
Reply
Reply
Aaaah omg! Thank you, Saint of Grammar <3 And it is so refreshing to meet someone else who has my motivation/retardation to pursue a bunch of difficult classes. Your situation sounds really familiar =/
Man, that sounds really encouraging! So basically, just go with what you know you do right, and just feel confident about it? That's the advice I've been getting a lot from my teachers and other CSSSA folks.
Haaar! I will refer back to your college app advice next year, certainly. I'm sure I'll know a lot of people who'll pay 2k for someone to proofread their essay "professionally" *headdesk* Exploit your quirks is one of the best pieces of advices I have ever heard.
Reply
Reply
Also, including some of your own work for assignment 5 is a must. It'll look a lot better than someone who doesn't put that in.
Reply
Reply
Ok, for incognito, perhaps write about an internal struggle with something who's pretending to be something he's not, hence "incognito," and how it's affecting his life for the very worse. It's just an idea, maybe to get the creative juices flowing.
Essentially, a monologue is just a first person point of view talking to someone else. I wrote about a girl who got pregnant with her boyfriend, but she retold the romantic night in which it happened, and then went on to reveal she was pregnant. It doesn't necessarily have to be dialogue...just someone talking to someone else, like a letter, or email.
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment