Fiona Hu

In terms of writing the personal statement, I first ask my students to brainstorm ideas. We then discuss what to keep and what to delete when we are structuring the essay. I will then guide my students to give examples and details to demonstrate their skill or experience.

As for writing an academic essay, I will first guide my students to gain knowledge of the material by writing summaries. We will then come up with an argument and structure the essay. Finally, we will add supporting details and examples to demonstrate the main points.

Taking my class is not about me telling my students what the correct answers are. Academic essays, whether it is a personal statement or a history paper, are about me guiding my students to apply critical thinking as they engage with the topic. I want my students to come up with an idea, and we will fine tune it.