Formal Writing: A Sample

This post is a short sample from my work for an educational consultancy startup based in the USA, initiated by a few of my fellows from high school. Basically, I drafted the Mission Statement, services' descriptions and job descriptions for their college counsellors and mentors. I understand that assigning roles & responsibilities to respective personnel via meticulously drafted job descriptions and service statements is crucial in the successful operation of an organization. Also, they were kind enough to allow me to publish it as part of my blog post series.

Mission Statement

With the level of competition being raised each year in terms of academics and college admissions, a huge amount of social burden is placed on the students' shoulders to achieve the best possible grades and admissions respectively. This can, however, prove a bit tough to pull off due to the highly competitive and complex process of college applications. CollegeSmart is an initiative that aims to guide students through this intricate process and help them achieve the best possible admissions at an affordable cost. Our counsellors boast admissions in some of the biggest and most prestigious universities in the world including MIT, Vanderbilt University, Stanford and Dartmouth among other top tier colleges in the US and UK.

Additionally, we are also pioneering a new concept of Mentorship, where students from Grade 9 through A1 will be assigned a 'college mentor' who will help them build up an impressive and meaningful extracurricular profile that will enhance their college applications.

Counselling Service

Counselling services will be provided to students who are in the second year of their A’ Levels program i.e. A2s. With experienced individuals who have gone through the rigorous process of college applications themselves and have secured admissions in some of the top universities in the world, the students are sure to be in safe hands. Our vision is to provide the best possible services to all students without money factoring into the equation so as to give students hailing from different backgrounds, a chance to achieve their full potential.

Job Description: Counsellor

• You will be assigned a maximum number of five students at one time.
• The 'time to reply' for any of the student's query or essay is 72 hours.
• In case you cannot reply within 72 hours or have a busy week, please let the Administrator know beforehand.
• You have to submit a weekly progress report for all your students to the Administrator.
• The primary mode of communication will be e-mail.
• You will be paid for your work, depending on the number of students who sign up. (Note: This amount will not be substantial. Its sole purpose is to ensure a professional working environment)
• Write to the group email if you have any of your questions or queries.

Mentorship Service

We believe that a 'good' college application hinges on three things; academics, essays and an attractive extra-curricular profile. The main issue for Grade 9 through A1 students when applying for colleges is the lack of preparedness. This is where CollegeSmart comes in. Our mentors are college enrolled students who have gone through the college applications process and can provide essential guidance. Not only will the mentor help give you a leg up when applying for colleges but will also help you in your high school subjects' selection and extra curricular activities. This service is available for students from Grade 9 through to A1, with the mentors being assigned according to the interests of each student, broadly spread over five categories; STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math), Debates, Sports, Community Service and Model United Nations.

Job Description: Mentor

• A mentor will be assigned between 7-10 mentees at one time
• The 'time to reply' for any of the student's query is 72 hours.
• In case you cannot reply within 72 hours or have a busy week, please let the Administrator know beforehand.
• You have to submit a monthly report for all your students to the Administrator
• The primary mode of communication will be e-mail. However, other electronic media can be used, once confirmed with the mentee.
• This job falls under the volunteering category and there is no monetary compensation involved.
• Each mentor will be expected to be up-to-date with current high school level competitions, conferences and internships.
• It must be your utmost priority to direct your assigned mentees towards a decent extra-curricular profile.

Fin.