A public informational talk, “How to Get Organized for the College Application Process and What You Can Do to Get a Head Start,” will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 4 at Merry Barn Writers’ Retreat, 417 River Road, Edgecomb. Led by Kristen Pett, Coastal College Advising provides guidance for students and families throughout the college search and application process.

In a College Research & Application Workshop Series, Pett is collaborating with Merry Barn to offer a series of workshop-style seminars for high school juniors. Participants will meet for three hours a month, beginning in March and continuing through the fall of senior year. The seminars this spring will focus on college research, visits and an initial list of schools. In the fall, the same group of students, as seniors, will focus on the components of the application, including the essay, activities, deadlines and managing stress.

Two other intensive workshops on the College Essay (Aug. 10-12) and Common Application (Aug. 14-15) will be led by Pett at Merry Barn this summer.

“Colleges want to know two things: They want to know you can do college-level work; and they want to know who you are, what you will bring to their community,” said Pett. “Our student-centered approach helps students recognize their own contributions, cultivate the process of writing in an authentic voice, and realize all they have to offer. This is their opportunity to tell the story only they can tell.”

“With a junior in my own home, I was instantly drawn to Kristen’s philosophy on the college admissions process. It allows students to drive the process and find schools that match their interests and strengths,” says Merry Barn founder Stephanie Noyes McSherry. “Coastal College Advising’s workshops will be a great asset to students and families in our communities."

For more information or to register, please contact Coastal College Advising at (207) 200-5281 or visit www.CoastalCollegeAdvising.com

For more information about the Merry Barn Writers’ Retreat, visit www.merrybarn.com