Learn about Summer 2025 Pre-College opportunities at UMass Amherst. Our residential and online pre-college programs are designed to give you a preview of the UMass student experience, including college-level academics and being part of a learning community of high school students from all across the U.S. and the world. Our programs feature faculty-led courses, state-of-the-art facilities, and the #1 campus dining in the U.S., as ranked by the Princeton Review. Find out more!
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Good writers write easily.
Writing is a solitary activity.
There is only one way to write well.
You only need to know how to write for your English class.
We could add to this list of myths about writing. But instead, we will use this course to prove them false. In Write for your Life, you will learn ways to make writing communal and elastic. You will also come to appreciate that writing is an essential skill not only for high school and college courses, but also for life. Together we will work through a wide range of genres, including editorials, literary and visual analyses, creative works, technical writing pieces, and the college admissions essay.
Each day, students will be given time to write on their own and contribute to a Writer’s Portfolio that they will build, with feedback from their peers and the instructor.
Most class meetings will also feature a writing-related field trip (with visits to the Renaissance Center and the Emily Dickinson Museum, for example) or a visit from a speaker (such as an editor at the Boston Globe).
At the end of two weeks, students will have the opportunity to present pieces of their work to their peers and to take stock of the many skills they have learned.
Writing can be hard, but it becomes much easier when you have a toolbox of strategies to approach your writing projects and a supportive writing community behind you. __________________________________
This course is offered at the UMass Amherst campus as a residential program. Local students may apply to attend as a commuter.
Cost and Session Information
Dates: June 29 – July 12, 2025
Two-Week Intensives: $3,907 residential / $2,262 commuter
*Program fees listed above include tuition and room & board; materials and software may be required.
*All programs require submission of $45 application fee.
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