A 6-week college-prep writing course in Huntsville, AL for students in grades 8–12. Learn to write analytical, argumentative, and research essays with expert instruction from a University of Edinburgh graduate. Perfect for homeschool, private school, and public school families across Madison County — including students at Grissom, Bob Jones, James Clemens, Randolph, and Westminster Christian.
May 4 – June 8, 2026 | South Huntsville Public Library | $275 per student
Enroll NowLearn to develop strong, defensible thesis statements that anchor your entire essay and guide your argument.
Master the CEC paragraph structure used in college writing — the gold standard for analytical paragraphs.
Write three distinct essay types with hands-on practice and real-time instructor guidance.
Develop a polished, scholarly tone that demonstrates critical thinking and earns top marks in college courses at UAH, Auburn, and Alabama.
Transform revision from a chore into a thinking tool — learn to self-edit with purpose and precision.
The purpose of the essay, the dos and don'ts, basic essay structure and formatting. Assignment: Write a 3-paragraph baseline essay. Handout: Basics Cheat Sheet.
How to read a prompt, structure a thesis statement, and write an analytical essay. Assignment: 5-paragraph analytical essay. Handout: Analytical Essay Cheat Sheet.
What is an argumentative essay, how to outline your argument, building claims with evidence. Assignment: 5-paragraph argumentative essay. Handout: Argumentative Essay Cheat Sheet.
What is a research essay, how to find credible sources, integrating research into writing. Assignment: 5-paragraph research essay. Handout: Research Essay Cheat Sheet.
How to revise your own work, how to give constructive peer feedback. Assignment: Revise any previous essay.
Compare your first essay to your latest work. Discuss revised essays. Final Q&A and next steps for college writing.
Fill out the enrollment form with your student and parent information. Add one student or several — it's that easy.
Secure your spot with a one-time payment of $275 per student via Stripe. No hidden fees.
Show up at South Huntsville Public Library on May 4. Six weeks later, your student writes at a college level.
Olivia Carroll is a credentialed writing instructor and college essay coach serving Huntsville, Alabama. She holds an MS in Creative Writing from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland — one of the world's top programs — and a BA in English from the University of Alabama. Her experience spans creative writing, academic composition, and structured essay instruction for middle and high school students. Olivia specializes in helping students prepare for AP Language & Composition, college admissions essays, SAT/ACT writing, and freshman composition courses.
Essay Writing 101 is $275 per student for the full 6-week course — less than $46 per session. The fee includes all instruction, handout cheat sheets, and personalized feedback on 3 completed essays. Compared to private tutoring rates in Huntsville ($50–100/hour), this small group format offers significantly more value.
Essay Writing 101 is specifically designed for Huntsville high school students preparing for college. Students learn analytical, argumentative, and research essay formats — the exact skills tested in AP Language & Composition, college admissions essays, and freshman composition at UAH, Auburn, and Alabama.
Our students come from across Huntsville and Madison County, including Grissom High School, Bob Jones High School, James Clemens High School, Huntsville High School, Randolph School, Westminster Christian Academy, and numerous homeschool programs.
Absolutely — homeschool students are one of our largest groups. Essay Writing 101 provides structured, rigorous writing instruction that complements homeschool curricula and prepares students for college admissions essays and freshman composition courses.
Olivia Carroll holds a Master's degree in Creative Writing from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and a Bachelor's degree in English from the University of Alabama. She specializes in college-prep essay instruction for middle and high school students.
The skills taught — thesis development, evidence-based argumentation, analytical writing, and revision — are exactly what standardized test writing sections assess. Students who complete this course are well-prepared for SAT essay and ACT writing components.
Most college counselors recommend starting the summer before senior year. However, the foundational skills taught in Essay Writing 101 benefit students starting as early as 8th grade. The earlier they build these skills, the more polished their applications will be.
Classes meet in person at the South Huntsville Public Library in Huntsville, Alabama. Easily accessible for families in Huntsville, Madison, Hampton Cove, Meridianville, Harvest, Jones Valley, and across Madison County.
Class sizes are intentionally kept small to ensure individualized attention and detailed feedback. The small student-to-instructor ratio is what sets us apart from large tutoring centers. Spots are limited — enroll early.
Most parents notice significant improvement by the end of the 6-week course. Students complete three full essays with personalized feedback, and we return their original baseline essay on the final day so they can see their growth side by side.