The first-ever College Application Boot Camp was a hit, according to Jennifer Buyens, one of the co-founders of Grady’s College and Career Connections Center. She estimated that 90 seniors – nearly a quarter of the grade – attended.

“We figured if we got between 20 and 30 students to come we would be doing really well,” Buyens said.

Even though the College Application Boot Camp took place in early August, students were told of it in early May. The coordinators of the workshop had to confront the issue of reaching seniors over the summer.

To combat this obstacle, the majority of the outreach was done online.

“We did it all on Facebook and on our website,” Buyens said.

Senior Elen Pease attended hoping to learn more about the college application process.

“I thought the workshop would have a lot to offer,” Pease said. “[I would get] useful information, get a good jumpstart on my senior year and be as prepared a possible.”

Pease said that although the workshop was helpful, much of it consisted of basic information she already knew.

 Senior Mona Adams went at the encouragement of her mother, and found the college essay presentation particularly useful.

“The presenter was interesting,” Adams said. “…It is so different from how we’re taught to write essays in high school, and [it is] good to be told how to do it differently.”

Adams suggested that in future years the workshop be held in the spring. “I’d recommend them doing it for juniors at the end of the year because they talk about touring colleges and it is kind of late for that, but I think it was helpful, and I am glad they did it,” Adams said.

Buyens said the CCC staff is already considering changing the boot camp to after spring break.

“The difference would be that the juniors who would become rising seniors over the summer would have time to work on essays,” she said.

The workshop included presentations of financial aid, essay writing, the online resource big future.org – a new student friendly subsidiary to the College Board – and a question session with recruiters from nine Georgia colleges.

“Hopefully students are intrigued enough to come into the CCC and look at the resources,” Buyens said.

Pease was happy with her decision to attend.

“I am glad I got to see what they had to offer, and I appreciate them for coming out,” Pease said.