On Tuesday, April 21st, the Fulbright Educational Advising Center-EducationUSA hosted a special workshop titled “Building Your Way to U.S. Graduate Admissions: Writing Persuasive Essays”, coordinated by Jamie Beth Weaver, Fulbright English Teaching Assistant and Columbia College graduate.

During the workshop, which lasted over an hour, Jamie helped the 20 participants – mainly prospective Fulbright applicants - get a solid grasp of the differences between the study objectives essay and the personal statement and start developing effective writing strategies for both.

Her engaging presentation expertly guided the attendees through the “do’s” and “don’ts” of writing a strong essay, highlighting the importance of weaving a story and zooming in on whatever can help the applicant stand out among one’s peers.

Prospective applicants acquainted themselves with effective ways to emphasize their strong suits by looking at excerpts from successful Fulbright applications. The last part of the workshop also included valuable advice on matters of structure and style.

Jamie was happy to take questions throughout the workshop, providing participants with insider’s tips on writing, proofreading and the Fulbright application in general.