Writing Prompts for Seniors

Based on The Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate, answer these prompts thoroughly to you gather ideas for your Final Statement

Take some time to draft this final statement. Answer these questions as thoroughly as possible to get plenty of information and decide what will best showcase your learning. If you have difficulty finding a focus or making connections, print out an unofficial transcript, share it with faculty and peers, and ask for ideas to include in your final draft. The sooner you get started, the more time you will have to get help from faculty and the Writing Center.

Remember, your final academic statement is a permanent part of your transcript. We highly recommend you avoid including information that can be seen in a negative light by outside audiences, such as grad schools or future employers. Once you submit the final draft to your transcript, you cannot revise it anymore.

Learn more about the Six Expectations of an Evergreen Graduate.

Synthesizing What You’ve Learned

  • Articulate and assume responsibility for your own work

    What have you focused on and what have you learned? (Summarize your education. Find big ideas and details for support)

  • Participate collaboratively and responsibly in our diverse society

    How have you collaborated with others and what did you accomplish? (Have you worked in groups to foster understanding, tutored others or supported the learning of others, built bridges between different group members/different groups? Have you developed/implemented strategies to address social or cultural issues?)

  • Communicate creatively and effectively

    What research papers, essays, and presentations have you written/made? (Show how you how effectively and creatively communicated your ideas. Of course, your Final Statement will show your writing skills by default.)

  • Demonstrate integrative, independent and critical thinking

    How have programs/courses that you have taken built on one another? (What different lines of thought or evidence have you investigated to reach a conclusion? Have you developed a method to solve a problem? If so, describe it.)

  • Apply qualitative, quantitative and creative modes of inquiry appropriately to practical and theoretical problems across disciplines

    • What programs or courses have you taken?

    • What disciplines did they cover (art, science, humanities, social science)?

    • What have you learned (topic or theme) and how did you learn it (research paper, art or science project, program, field or lab research)?

    • Have you done outstanding original work? Did you design an ILC and learn skills that the faculty evaluation did not cover? Did you complete work that required a high level of integration of theory and practice? Describe them.

  • As a culmination of your education, demonstrate depth, breadth, and synthesis of learning, and the ability to reflect on the personal and social significance of that learning

    As you reflect on your final year and your education as a whole…

    • What are the highlights?

    • What have you studied in depth? What is your focus or emphasis?

    • What have you learned along the way?

    • What connections can you draw between your learning?

    • How is what you learned important?

Getting Further Help

Hopefully this gives you a give starting point for writing your Academic Statement this year. If you feel like you still need help, you have several options.

Submit and Share Your Statement Early and Often

The turn-in window for the annual statement starts in week 7 of fall quarter and closes on the deadline in week 7 of spring quarter. The sooner and more often you share with faculty, academic advisors, core connectors, and peer mentors the more support you will get and the bigger the likelihood that you will accomplish your goals and meet Evergreen’s expectations.