Medfield Resident Helping MHS Seniors with College Application Essays

Medfield resident Jerry Cianciolo has been the editor of Emerson & Church, Publishers for 25 years and offers his expertise to Medfield High School seniors facing the challenges that come with filling out and writing a college application essay.

"I do it simply because, as an editor for the past 25 years, I feel I can help, and I like working with students," Cianciolo said. "My daughter is a high school senior so I’m in touch with the angst this essay can produce."

The has teamed up again this year with Cianciolo to offer free assistance to seniors with their college entrance essay. Cianciolo volunteers for this project and his assistance is restricted to Medfield High students only.

If your child is having a hard time identifying a topic, Cianciolo offers the following suggestions as a jumping off point:

• If you were to protest something, for or against, what would it be and why?
• On what subject do you disagree with most people, and why?
• Recall an occasion when you took a risk that you now know was the right thing to do.
• What is the best advice you ever received?  Why? And did you follow it?
• What do you think people who know you would be surprised to learn about you?
• Have you experienced a moment of epiphany, as if your eyes were opened to something you were previously blind to?  Describe this moment and your perceptions about it.
• What single adjective do you think would be most frequently used to describe you by those who know you best?  Briefly explain.
• If you could invent something, what would it be, and why?
• Tell us about a conversation you've had that changed your perspective or was otherwise meaningful to you.
• What keeps you up at night?
• If you were to describe yourself by a quotation, what would the quote be? Explain your answer.

Students wishing to meet with Cianciolo at the library, either to generate topics for their essay or for an objective reading of what they’ve written, should e-mail him at jerrycianciolo@verizon.net.