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If you’re hunting for a high school writing curriculum that actually prepares your teens for college, University-Ready Writing from the Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) might be exactly what you need. It’s designed to help your upper high schoolers gain real college-level skills with minimal prep on your part. Translation? One less thing on your already-full plate!
The Quick Snapshot (Because You’re Busy!)
Let me give you the essentials so you can decide if this is worth exploring:
Grade Level: High school (best for 10th–12th graders)
Subject: Academic writing
Teaching Style: Structured, step-by-step approach
Time Required: About an hour a day, 4 days a week (sometimes less)
Course Length: 12 weeks
Prep Needed: Minimal! (DVD or streaming instruction + complete student binder)
Perfect for families who:
- Want solid college-prep writing without teaching it yourself
- Prefer structured, guided programs
- Value clear expectations and step-by-step instructions
- Need something well-organized that actually works
(Quick Disclaimer: I am an Ambassador for IEW, so I receive complimentary curriculum to use and write an honest review. I only provide my honest opinions because I want to help you!)
What University-Ready Writing Is (and Isn’t)
If you’ve used IEW’s other programs, such as Structure and Style, you’ll recognize the format. If you’re new to IEW, you’re about to discover why so many homeschool families (mine included!) keep coming back to their writing programs.
What It IS:
- A college-prep writing program that covers research writing, literary essays, note-taking, and advanced essay structures
- Instructor-led through engaging video lessons with lifetime streaming access or DVDs
- Comprehensive without feeling rushed. Your teen actually works through each skill with the instructor
This is definitely geared toward upper high school students who need to be ready for college-level writing.
What It’s NOT:
- A creative writing course
- Something your teen can just breeze through
- An open-and-go program without using the videos (the video lessons are essential!)
Your kids won’t be able to skip the videos and figure it out on their own. The video lessons are where the real learning happens, so plan for them to actually watch and participate (they’ll be active, not passive learners).
What Comes in the Box
When your University-Ready Writing package arrives, you’ve got everything you need:
- Student binder (with ALL their materials!)
- Teacher’s manual
- Video DVD lessons or streaming access
- Portable Wall for Academic Writing reference guide
- Plus online materials through your IEW dashboard
How University-Ready Writing Actually Works
Here’s what makes this program so parent-friendly:
The Student Binder has everything your teen needs: weekly schedules spread over four days, reference charts, checklists, board notes, and source materials. It’s all there.
The Teacher’s Manual shows you exactly what the student is working on each day, with helpful notes on the side. You’ll download grading checklists from your online dashboard (and trust me, they make grading so much easier).
The Portable Wall for Academic Writing is a folder that includes quick references to various parts of academic writing (essay model, writing process, definition of what a thesis statement is, and more!).
Think of this as a condensed version of educational posters a teacher might put on a wall for kids to reference, a portable wall.
A Typical Week of Using University-Ready Writing Curriculum
Your teen starts each week with a video lesson (broken up over two days). These aren’t boring videos of someone talking at you. They’re filmed with a real class of students, and Mr. Pudewa (the instructor) is genuinely engaging. My son has always enjoyed his teaching style!
While watching, students take notes, practice concepts, and then complete independent work.
Time commitment? Most days run close to an hour, some a bit less. For a college-prep course, that feels appropriate. Remember, that’s the time your student is working, not you teaching!
Your Role as the Parent
You’re not teaching the content, though it is helpful to know IEW’s writing style so you understand what your child is doing and can offer guidance.
As the parent, you will need to:
- Listen to your teen retell writing from an outline
- Have them read their work aloud to you
- Help with editing
- Grade assignments using the provided checklists
Don’t panic about grading! The checklists tell you exactly what to look for. You’re just checking off whether they included specific elements (like adverb clauses, strong verbs, proper formatting, etc.). The reference pages even show you how MLA and APA format should look, so no need to Google it yourself.
How Much Writing They’ll Actually Do
Your teen won’t dive into full papers right away. The program builds gradually:
- Early assignments: outlines and shorter pieces (like single paragraphs)
- Later assignments: more complex, but skills are built week by week
- Expect about one assignment per week
The progression makes sense and doesn’t overwhelm students.
What I Really Loved About University-Ready Writing
We’ve used IEW for years because their approach works for both my son and me. University-Ready Writing didn’t disappoint!
My favorite things:
- Crystal-clear structure for essays and research papers
- Teaches actual skills teens will use in college (not busywork!)
- Video lessons take the teaching pressure off parents
- Checklists remove the guesswork from grading
- Builds confidence for reluctant writers because of clear expectations
And honestly? My son likes it. That’s a huge win in our house!
Things to Consider First
Before you buy, here are a few things to think about:
It’s rigorous. If your teen hasn’t done much structured essay or research writing, this might feel challenging as they get used to IEW’s style.
Video lessons are long. Teens aren’t watching a quick 15-20 minute lesson. However, you can adjust assignments if needed, but the course will take longer than 12 weeks.
Not for creativity-focused kids. This is structured academic writing with specific formats to follow. It is not a creative writing program.
Requires consistency. Writing and revision take regular time and effort.
Parents grade the work. It’s not time-consuming with the checklists, but it’s still your responsibility.
Who Should Use This Curriculum?
University-Ready Writing is ideal for:
- Teens who’ve used IEW before or thrive with structured programs
- High schoolers preparing for college or dual enrollment
- Parents who need support teaching college-prep writing
- Students who need clear guidance for research papers
- Co-ops looking for a ready-made high school writing curriculum
If any of these sound like you, this curriculum will likely work well!
Our Real-Life Experience with University-Ready Writing
We’re using University-Ready Writing with my high school junior right now, and it’s going great!
As usual, my son enjoys Mr. Pudewa’s lessons (though he wishes they were a bit shorter; he’s impatient and wants to jump in!). The videos are engaging, like he’s actually part of the class.
He appreciates that this is different from the IEW Structure and Style Level C we’re also using. It’s more focused and condensed, specifically targeting essay and research writing he’ll need for college.
One skill he’s particularly benefiting from?
Learning to take notes while listening to presentations, whether video lessons, podcasts, or TED Talks. This is such a valuable college skill!
In our homeschool, he doesn’t normally take notes on my teaching. Other courses have fill-in-the-blank note-taking guides, which are great for beginners, but he needs to learn how to take notes in a real college lecture where the professor isn’t handing out structured handouts.
The only challenge? The Stick and Branch Method of note-taking is new to my son, and he can be resistant to new approaches. But I’m glad he’s getting exposure to different note-taking methods before college.
I truly believe this program is preparing him well. My daughter is a college freshman (Creative Writing and English major), so I see what’s being asked of her. The skills in University-Ready Writing are definitely helpful for any college student!
Final Thoughts on IEW’s University-Ready Writing Curriculum
University-Ready Writing is an excellent curriculum for getting 10th-12th graders ready for college-level writing. Students can work independently with some adult help for reviewing drafts and final papers.
The checklists are a lifesaver for parents who aren’t confident teaching writing at this level.
If you want to prepare your child for college without feeling intimidated or overwhelmed, I highly recommend this curriculum. Our kids will thank us when they hit college and confidently write their first essays or take effective notes in class!
Take a look for yourself. I think you’ll be impressed.
Happy Homeschooling!
