Submit your work to dropbox@optionssolutionsed.com. Please include your name, and some information about the writing you’re submitting for feedback. If you are answering a specific supplement or essay question, please include the prompt with your submitted work.

After you submit your files, you’ll get an automated response confirming when you can expect your writing to be returned.

Writing submitted via email is only returned on Tuesdays and Fridays by 5 PM. For a rush fee, you can have your work returned within 24 hours.

Writing Drop Box FAQ

Who can use the Writing Drop Box?

At this time, the Writing Drop Box is only available to Options Solutions clients as part of our comprehensive educational consulting. For information about becoming an Options Solutions client, please email us at info@optionssolutionsed.com

What can be submitted to the Writing Drop Box?

We give electronic feedback on university and college application essays, supplements, and scholarship essays. High school essays and assignments can also be submitted to the Writing Drop Box.

What is the cost for Writing Drop Box feedback?

The fee for editing, proofreading, and writing feedback is $85 per hour. We bill down to the quarter-hour, and will indicate the total hours spent when we return your writing submissions.

When will my assignment be returned?

We return writing assignments twice a week: on Tuesdays and Fridays by 5 PM.

When you submit your writing, you will receive an automated response confirming when you can expect to have your writing returned to you.

Can I have my writing returned to me within 24 hours?

Yes. For a rush fee of an additional $50 flat fee on top of our hourly rate, we will return writing submissions within 24 hours.

How should I format my files?

We accept files in Microsoft Word, OpenOffice, or Rich-Text format.

What can I do to make sure I get the feedback I need?

The more information you provide with your submission, the better we’ll be able to help you polish and fine-tune your writing.

Let us know what you’re struggling with or what your goals are for a piece of writing, and we’ll focus our feedback accordingly.

***It is imperative that you include the purpose (i.e. Common App essay), writing prompt or essay question, and, if necessary, the name of the college or university for which the essay is being written. This information helps us streamline our feedback to you.***

Personal statements about this past week’s Essay Writing Bootcamp:

“I thoroughly enjoyed this past week. Having a course where note packages were handed out was very useful. I will definitely be referring back to my red binder. I would recommend this course to anyone because I found it to be very clear and the things we learned were really helpful.”

“I would definitely recommend this class for anyone going into Grade 12. I feel like I might be able to actually write an essay acceptable enough to send to universities. It was also really great to have other people my age who I don’t know read my work and edit it because I didn’t care if they thought it was bad or not.”

“This essay bootcamp was very helpful and useful. I have learned many new skills and techniques that will help me through school. I would definitely recommend this course.”

This summer we will be offering:

Essay Writing Boot Camp – A one-week writing intensive boot camp that introduces students to the tenets of good writing. Students will develop skills that will help prepare them for English and all writing-based courses at the high school and university levels. Students applying to universities in the coming year will receive practice writing supplemental essays.

University Send Off – Students will learn how to set themselves up for post-secondary success from an academic and a non-academic perspective. Topics will include: how to learn in a post-secondary environment, organizing your time, preparing for classes, being an independent learner, staying motivated, controlling your level of stress and more.

US Admissions Boot Camp – The goal of this boot camp is to relieve the stress surrounding the US application process. Students will receive a comprehensive overview of the US admissions system. They will learn how to request teacher recommendations, fill out a Common Application and work on producing application essays.

SAT Boot Camp – This boot camp includes a full length SAT exam with 12 hours of group instruction. Students will be taught how to beat the exam , test taking strategies, time-management, vocabulary building and much more. Students will also receive instruction on how to improve their skills for every section of the SAT exam.

Principles of Math 12 – A one week intensive course introducing the concepts of the Principles of Mathematics 12 course for students entering grade 12 math. (This course is preparatory and not for credit). To get the most benefit from this course, it is recommended that students study at least one hour outside of class for every hour spent in class. Materials will be provided.

Introduction to Calculus – A one week blitz of differential and integral calculus and applications, with emphasis on understanding the concepts and methods. For students entering Calculus 12, AP Calculus, or first year university calculus. (This course is preparatory and not for credit). To get the maximum benefit from this course, it is recommended that students study at least one hour outside of class for every hour spent in class. Materials will be provided.

Please see our online calendar for dates and times or contact us at info@optionssolutionsed.com to reserve a space.

Students are encouraged to attend the next three workshops, as different topics will be covered in each session. New students may join the sessions now as well.

Workshop 2, held on January 25^th, will cover essay specifics – all the specifics of format, grammar and style that students need to know to prepare them for university writing. Students should come ready with any specific questions they have regarding essay writing.

Workshop 3, held on February 8^th, will cover more of the writing process, focusing on the beginning process of free writing and the final process of proofreading and editing.

Workshop 4 will introduce students to all forms of writing they will encounter in university. From formal e-mails and letters to research papers, in-class essays, short paragraphs, technical writing and creative writing pieces, the students will leave the workshop prepared for any form of writing university has to hand to them.

Students must have proper writing, organizational, and grammatical knowledge in order to excel in essay composition. However, for many students we realize that this is not the reality. In high schools today, the focus seems to be on forming an opinion rather than organizing a complex argument. The Class of 2011 has been taught to express their every thought on Twitter, Facebook and on innumerable blogs. Often these teens have something of importance to say; however, the subject matter is buried in a quagmire of bad grammar, incorrect spelling and inadequate punctuation.

Students who enter university armed with the skills it takes to produce a university level paper will excel far beyond their classmates who lack this ability. Those who have not been taught basic writing skills will struggle. Professors do not have the time to cover language and writing basics; they have more important material to teach. It is up to the student to learn, on their own, the correct way to write at a university level.

At Options Solutions, we aim to bridge the gap between what high schools teach and what universities require. We want to ensure that all of our clients are armed with a solid writing foundation. Options Solutions is proud to introduce a series of Essay Writing Workshops. In these sessions, students will be taught the basic tenants of solid writing. Students are encouraged, but not required, to attend all sessions. Each of the four workshops will focus on a different topic; these topics include:

Outlining an Essay - Clarity and organization in writing

Free-writing - Editing

Essay Specifics - Formal letters and emails

Research Papers - Creative Writing

Schedule:

Tuesday, January 11^th      5:00 – 7:00

Tuesday, January 25^th    5:00 – 7:00

Tuesday, February 8^th     5:00 – 7:00

Tuesday, February 22^nd  5:00 – 7:00

You can reserve your spot by contacting the West Vancouver office: (604) 922-8456 or westvan@optionssolutionsed.com

With January comes a series of four intensive Essay Writing Workshops, also put on by Nicky. Finishing her English Language degree at UBC, Nicky is excited to get others enthused about essay writing and to introduce them to all the basic tenets of good writing. The four progressive workshops will feature outlining, editing, free writing, formatting and researching and will be creative and interactive. This is a great opportunity for Grade 12 students to get geared up for the rigorous demands of university writing, as well as for Grade 10 and 12 students who are preparing to take provincial exams this year. These workshops will run from 5:00 to 7:00 every second Tuesday from January 11^th to February 22^nd. Please phone the West Vancouver office to reserve your spot.

WRITE, OFTEN Sitting down regularly to write for your application essays helps you maximize your output and manage your time wisely. The most successful Options’ applicants, the ones who have time to make revisions before they meet their deadlines, are the ones who take the writing process one step at a time. These students don’t wait until they’re in the mood to write—or until the last minute—but chip away at their essays a few times a week, working consistently and conscientiously toward a finished product.

Taking the process one step at a time means making regular time for writing, setting aside at least 1-3 hours a week between now and your deadline when you’ll sit yourself down and write, no matter what’s going on around you. This piece of advice is one of the reasons why we hold regular Options Solutions Writing w

Workshops during university application season; we want to give you the time you need to make your best draft, not your first draft, your final copy. Seasoned writers will also endorse a regular writing routine as the key to success. Check out Jerry Seinfeld’s fabulous writing tip for software developer Brad Isaac on this posting (link: http://lifehacker.com/281626/jerry-seinfelds-productivity-secret)  of Lifehacker, a blog devoted to tips for “getting things done.” You might not need to “write every day,” as Seinfeld suggests, but you might like to try out his suggestion for improving your writing by making it a bigger part of your regular routine.

By: Monica Brown