<p>I agree, siliconvalleymom, that a semester-long class devoted to college essay-writing may seem excessive, but I think what else is going on there is twofold:</p>
<p>1) The kids are forced to look carefully at themselves and at what really matters to them, which may translate in to wiser college choices than they might make without such introspection</p>
<p>2) The teachers (guidance counselor + English teacher) are getting to know the students well and in a way that will also translate into better student/college matches</p>