Summer 2025
College & MFA Preparation
Preparing an application for college or graduate school can be a daunting experience. Join us for a Journey that unpacks everything you need to know about finding college and graduate school programs, applying to school, preparing personal essays, and getting the most out of your college or graduate school experience. (Mentees: ages 14-18; Mentors: sophomores or above in college, ages 19+ )
Girls Write Now Collaboratory
This Journey Is Closed, but You Can Enroll in a Summer 2026 Journey Now!
Requirements
- Attend Journey meetings.
- Write a personal statement or statement of purpose.
- Create a creative writing portfolio in your chosen genre (for those interested in MFA applications).
- Reach out to recommenders for letters of recommendations.
College & MFA Preparation Courses
In the College & MFA Preparation course, you will tackle the often-daunting process of applying to college and graduate school. You will narrow down your list of preferred schools, finalize your application materials—especially your personal statement and/or statement of purpose—and identify what you want from your ideal college experience.
College & MFA Preparation Mentoring
Mentors and mentees in the College & MFA Preparation Journey will be matched for one cycle. Pairs will meet for at least two sessions each month. Each session should be at least one hour long. Mentors will work on applying for MFAs while mentees will be working on college applications and learning about potential graduate school paths.
College & MFA Preparation Community Experiences
Mentors and mentees in the College and MFA Preparation Journey must attend at least one Community Experience per month. They are expected to attend meetings that are specifically required for College and MFA Preparation. It is strongly recommended that they attend Exploratory Community Studios, College & Career Chats, and Salon Experiences.
College 360 Adventure
The College & MFA Preparation Journey is a part of the College 360 Adventure.
Journeys in the College 360 Adventure focus on the process of getting into college and making the most of your college experience. It is perfect for mentees and mentors who are applying to college or are in college currently.
Learn more about the other Adventures offered at Girls Write Now below.
Find Your Journey
Find Your Journey
Independent Study (Summer 2026)
Create your own experience with our Independent Study Journey. Meet as a pair, attend events of interest, and use coursework to help you plan creative projects and meet your goals.
Career Exploration: From Searching to Securing the Position (Summer 2026)
This Journey provides a strategic roadmap for navigating the modern workforce, moving from self-discovery to landing the position.
Explore Tour (Summer 2026)
Explore all of the creative and storytelling pathways Girls Write Now has to offer through a multimedia, multi-genre experience that includes mini courses, exploratory studios, and one-on-one pair sessions. Discover new skills and build on existing ones with offerings that range from fiction to journalism to publishing, and dive into formats like video, podcasting, visual storytelling, and more. Ideal for mentees who enjoy working across multiple genres and media or are focused on specific projects, this Journey offers the flexibility to tailor your learning experience to your individual needs.
Writing Our Way to Wellness: A Podcast Journey, Pt. II (Summer 2026)
This Journey invites mentees to explore the intersection of storytelling and wellness through the art of podcasting.
Stories of Becoming: Crafting Young Adult Romance (Summer 2026)
This Journey invites participants to dive into the world of young adult romance, exploring the joys, challenges, and complexities of love in adolescence and young adulthood. Through creative writing exercises, character development, and plot crafting, mentees will learn how to create authentic, relatable stories that resonate with YA readers. Participants will explore themes of identity, friendship, and emotional growth while honing their craft in storytelling that captures the heart and imagination.
Teach GWN (Summer 2026)
In this Journey, members of the GWN community will develop curriculum and facilitate a Community Studio for one or more cycles within GWN’s Collaboratory structure. Each cycle involves facilitating three Community Studios, one per month. Participants will gain valuable skills in leadership, teaching, and community building. Mentees and mentors can facilitate a Community Studio either solo (if they are 18 or older) or together as a pair.
Fresh Mouth: Confidence Through Comedy (Summer 2026)
This Journey transforms your unique observations and "wild and wacky" thoughts into a structured comedy set. Through bi-weekly Journey Meetings and personalized coaching, you will explore the mechanics of humor, moving from a raw premise to a polished delivery. You will learn to find the funny in the everyday while building the stage presence and confidence necessary to share your voice. The experience concludes in a live showcase alongside peers and professional comedians, where you will debut your original material and celebrate the power of humor as a tool for connection and self-expression.
College Ready: Drafting Your Narrative (Summer 2026)
This Journey offers a streamlined path to college readiness through interactive workshops, mentoring, and peer exchange. You will move from drafting a compelling personal statement to building a strategic school list and navigating financial planning, all while receiving personalized feedback on your work. By the end of the program, you’ve gained the skills to create a polished application and the insider knowledge needed to present your most authentic self to admissions committees.
Zine Makers: Crafting A Peer Poetry Zine (Summer 2026)
This Journey invites you to step into the role of editor and designer to transform poetry from the spring Poetry Rising Journey into a compelling, collaborative zine. You will move through the specialized stages of the publishing world, beginning with a deep editorial dive to refine existing verses inspired by heritage and created by your peers. As you master visual composition and multimedia design, you will learn to pair these powerful voices with a cohesive aesthetic, ultimately gaining the technical skills and creative vision needed to produce and share a high-impact, independent publication.
Book Club: Fantasy (Summer 2026)
This Journey offers an immersive dive into contemporary literature, shifting from passive reading to a strategic analysis of a writer’s craft.
