Think of a Proctored Writing Sample as a “live performance” for your child’s writing skills. It’s a 30-minute writing test that happens online (usually through Zoom) where a proctor watches your child write an essay in real-time with no help from parents, no spell-check, no do-overs. It’s become the new normal at many top American private schools, especially those competitive Peninsula schools in California that Luxembourg families often target.

Here’s why it matters so much: while your child’s application essays can be polished and perfected over weeks, this test shows admissions officers how they actually think and write when put on the spot. For Luxembourg kids, this can actually work in their favor! Growing up switching between French, German, and English has already trained their brains to be flexible communicators. But here’s the catch—American academic writing has its own rhythm and style, and doing it under time pressure is a completely different beast than the thoughtful, research-heavy writing they’re used to in Luxembourg schools. That’s why getting familiar with the format ahead of time isn’t just helpful—it’s essential for showing these schools what your child is really capable of.

The good news? Your Luxembourg student already has some serious advantages going into this. The multilingual juggling act they do every day has given them mental agility that many students don’t have. The challenge? They need to learn a completely new way of writing that is fast, focused, and final.

Here’s what actually works: First, they need to get comfortable being watched while they write. It sounds weird, but having someone observe you think through a problem in real-time feels different than regular test-taking. Next, they should dive into understanding how American students are taught to write. It’s often more direct and structured than the nuanced approaches common in European education.

The real game-changer is developing what we call “writing templates” which they can quickly adapt to any prompt type. Whether they get a “tell us about a challenge you faced” prompt or a “what would you change about your school” question, they need a reliable framework to organize their thoughts quickly. Practice sessions should cover everything from personal stories to current events to ethical dilemmas. And here’s a crucial tip: they should practice thinking in English from start to finish during these sessions. Mental translation eats up precious minutes they can’t afford to lose.

Right now, the big names requiring this include Castilleja School, Crystal Springs Uplands School, Sacred Heart Schools Atherton, and The Nueva School. These are all incredibly selective institutions that attract families from around the globe. 

These schools aren’t trying to make life harder for international families. They’re actually trying to level the playing field. They want to see the real student, not the student with extensive essay coaching or AI assistance. For Luxembourg families, this means they’re looking for authentic voices and genuine thinking, which is actually great news since your kids have unique perspectives from growing up in such an international environment.

Here’s what’s important to know: each school might have slightly different requirements or formats, so don’t assume they’re all identical. Some might give different time limits, others might have specific technical requirements for international students. The smart move? Research early and contact admissions offices directly to get the most current information. Schools change their requirements, and you want to make sure you’re preparing for the right thing. Plus, starting early means your child has time to get comfortable with the format rather than cramming preparation into the last few months of application season.

Let’s be honest, 30 minutes feels like nothing when you’re used to Luxembourg’s education system, where good writing means taking time to research, reflect, and revise. Your child has probably been trained to be thoughtful and thorough, which are fantastic qualities. But this test rewards speed and decisiveness, which can feel completely foreign.

The biggest hurdle? Decision paralysis. Luxembourg students often spend too much time trying to craft the “perfect” thesis or find the “best” examples because that’s what good writing has always meant to them. In this format, a good decision made quickly beats a perfect decision made slowly.

Here’s the timing formula that works: 5 minutes to read the prompt and jot down a quick outline, 20 minutes of focused writing (no stopping to perfect sentences), and 5 minutes for a final read-through to catch obvious errors. The key is training their brain to commit to ideas quickly and move forward, even if they think of “better” examples halfway through.

One more crucial tip: practice thinking entirely in English during timed sessions. Many Luxembourg students are so used to thinking multilingually that they don’t realize they’re losing time on mental translation. With practice, they can learn to harness their multilingual advantage—using their diverse perspectives and experiences—while thinking and writing in one language throughout the entire process. It takes practice, but once they get it, they often outperform monolingual students because they simply have more interesting things to say.