what do you mean by that? As in you get on their nerves? Or upset or offend them?

The great news, is that you're giving valuable time to these girls. I salute your efforts.

@demifeministgal

At age 18, few teenagers are self-reflective. "Whatever."

For college and scholarship applications, their essays need to touch the heart. Show your feelings instead of "just the facts."

"Who inspired you? What did you learn from this person, and how did it change your life?"

"Describe a challenge you faced. How did you respond? Describe what you learned and results you got."

I have to probe and ask deep questions. Teresa started to cry when I asked who inspired her. Her grandmother had just died. I handed her a tissue.

"Let's work on an easier essay," I said. "We'll come back to this question." She calmed down.

@LiterateHiker To be fair, many adults and seniors are still not reflective or self-aware and would have reacted the same way to cry about a dead loved one. Though the whatever statement may not have been said. That is interesting that the US offers such counselling services. I had to write my own essays on my own without input or someone older to guide me. Though that was while in university already not when trying to get in. But my high school didn't offer such programs either. Though loan programs are more reasonable here and tuition much less expensive in Canada, so there's that.