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• 14 Best College Essay Services for 2024 (40 Services Reviewed)

Research conducted by Emily Kierkegaard , PhD, and expert-reviewed by Kevin Wong, PrepMaven Co-founder

Not sure which college application essay coaching and editing service is the best? We compared the top 40 services, created in-depth reviews for 14 of them, and narrowed it down to the 4 best that will help guide you through the process of writing amazing college application essays.

What is the Best College Essay Service?

• PrepMaven  – best college application essay service overall
• College Essay Mentor  – best for individual consultants
• The College Essay Guy  – best for unlimited essay assistance
• College Vine  – best of the big platforms

The best of the rest:

Individual essay consultants:

• College Essay Editor  – small editing team
• Allison Karpf  – former English teacher helping students
• Your College Vision  – former journalist with more affordable rates
• The College Guru  – good on paper but unresponsive
• Sofia Zapiola – budget-friendly application assistance

Mid-size teams:

• Lotus Learning  – focus on health sciences

Large platforms:

• Study Point  – larger platform with mystery editors
• Ivy Select  – larger platform with mystery editors
• Empowerly  – larger platform with mystery editors
• BeMo  – expensive and aggressive with wrong expertise

Schedule a college essay consultation

Best College Application Essay Services in 2024

#1 – prepmaven.

Our Verdict — Best College Essay Assistance Overall Price: $79–349/hour (minimum $510 package) PrepMaven’s one-on-one college essay assistance is the best option overall. Founded by brothers and Princeton grads Greg and Kevin, almost all of PrepMaven’s essay coaches have Ivy-League experience, primarily from Princeton and Harvard. All essay coaches also undergo a thorough training program in PrepMaven’s methods, developed by professional writers with deep understanding of the college admissions process, for helping students to discover the most compelling stories for their essays. Unlike other services, PrepMaven offers college essay assistance at several different price points. At the most accessible rate, students can work with current Ivy-League undergraduates who specialize in writing and have recently aced the college application process. At higher rates, students can work with coaches who are both Ivy-League grads and professional writers (screenwriters, journalists, editors) with many years of experience helping students to craft compelling essays. Interested students can even work directly with founders Greg and Kevin, who have over 15 years of experience helping students through the entire essay-writing process. PrepMaven’s services combine many of the best features of other good options into one, and it’s hard to beat their experience.

Sign up for PrepMaven’s college essay help now

Any student wanting college essay help, at any point in the process, with a range of budgets.

At a glance:

• Cost: $79–349/hour (minimum $510 package)
• Writing coach qualifications: Princeton graduates and professional writers (or current Princeton students); all trained

What we like:

• Ivy League experience —most of their writing coaches are Princeton grads or current students, with some from Harvard and other Ivies
• Different pricing options to meet different families’ circumstances
• More flexible and greater capacity to take on new students compared to individual consultants

Sign up for PrepMaven’s college essay help

#2 – College Essay Mentor

Our Verdict — Best of the Individual Consultants Price: unknown but high Some college essay consulting services consist of just one expert. Of these individual essay consultants, Chris Hunt at College Essay Mentor is our favorite. He combines writing experience as a journalist for the Economist and the Wall Street Journal with personal experience as a graduate of Dartmouth. However, he only works with a small number of students each year, and students need to apply to work with him — he only accepts students with top grades and test scores who are already strong applicants for top schools. Chris offers the option for one-time written feedback, but this only gives big-picture generalizations. (And written-only feedback is always limited.) In order for help with the essay process, students need to purchase a complete essay package.

Students with top grades and test scores who want to work with a one-person business, who have a sizable budget, and who are ready to get started early.

• Cost: $210 for a one-time written essay feedback (big picture only), then $110 per draft feedback; pricing for essay process packages unknown
• Essay coach qualifications: professional journalist, Dartmouth grad
• Professional writing experience as a journalist
• Extensive experience working with college applicants
• Partners with Debra Felix, former Director of Admissions at Columbia, for full application review

What we don’t like:

• One-on-one work is limited to very high-achieving students, who need to apply with a resume : “I limit my one-on-one work to students who I believe will be strong applicants to elite universities. As a rule, this means having high grades in challenging classes, a test score of ACT 34+ or SAT 1500+, and substantial activities outside of the classroom.”
• Works with a limited number of students (60 per year), so often no availability
• All-or-nothing packages don’t allow students to work with Chris for just a few hours or for part of the essay-writing process
• Secretive about pricing (he’ll only give pricing details once he’s reviewed the student’s resume and agreed to work with them), but we expect the minimum cost of working one-on-one to be several thousand dollars

#3 – The College Essay Guy

Our Verdict — Best for Unlimited Essay Assistance Price: $4900 for application to 3 schools, $8050 for application for 10 schools We’re fans of Ethan Sawyer, the original “college essay guy”— his book, College Essay Essentials , is a great guide to the essay-writing process. Ethan doesn’t work directly with many students these days, but he now has a team of consultants who help students follow his principles. Their assistance is really all-or-nothing — they prefer to work with students from the very beginning of the process, and their minimum package is $4900, which includes assistance with essays for three schools. If students are applying to ten schools (a more realistic number for students aiming at competitive colleges), the fee is a hefty $7400.

Students who want unlimited help through the entire process, who have a sizable budget.

• Cost: $4900 (supplemental essays for 3 schools) – $7400 (supplemental essays for 10 schools)
• Essay coach qualifications: mix of Ivy grads and former teachers, some writers/screenwriters; all trained
• Great free resources about the essay-writing process
• Their Matchlighters Scholars Program gives back to the community by providing admissions consulting for select qualifying students
• All-or-nothing packages have a high minimum fee and don’t work for students who want just a few hours of feedback or help with just part of the process

#4 – College Vine

Our Verdict — Best of the Big Platforms Price: $140–180/hour There are plenty of large platforms with large stables of part-time tutors and coaches available to work with students. Of these big platforms, we think CollegeVine has the best offerings. Compared to other large companies, CollegeVine provides more information about their tutors, and students can pick individual tutors to work with from their roster. However, this model is really just a way of finding individual tutors to hire. Tutors don’t receive any training and don’t share a common approach, so it’s a mixed bag. Their rates are fairly high for part-time tutors who don’t have specific expertise and training in college essay consulting. Because CollegeVine is really just a marketplace where individual tutors can find students, the quality and price will vary widely.

Students who want to work with a big company, or those who want a quick session or two to go over their essays.

• Cost: Typically $140–180/hour
• Essay coach qualifications: no specific qualifications, but a few are Ivy League graduates
• Possible to select individual editors to work with from their roster.
• Easy to schedule ad-hoc sessions with a tutor through the website.
• No training or common approach for tutors
• Editors are part-time , with no option to work with full-time college admissions experts
• Relatively expensive for this level of expertise

College Essay Editing Alternatives (that Didn’t Make the Cut)

Individual essay consultants, #5 – college essay editor.

Our Verdict — Small Editing Team Price: Roughly $5,950 for applications to 10 schools College Essay Editor comprises two graduates of Stanford. This means that they have personal experience applying to highly competitive schools. One member of the team also has a college counseling certification, which is a good background for college essays. Based on their website, they appear to focus on the editing and proofreading phase of the essay-writing process. This can be helpful to students, but we recommend working with a service who can help students to uncover their values and brainstorm really great material that allows them to really shine—and if this doesn’t happen at the beginning of the process, it’s much harder to add in later on.

• Cost: $195/1000 words for proofreading, $495/1000 words for 3 rounds of editing and proofreading, or $595/1000 words for unlimited rounds of editing and proofreading; for the purposes of comparison, complete applications to 10 competitive colleges would be around 9,650 words, or $5950.
• Writing coach qualifications: Stanford graduates, one of whom has college counseling certification
• Editors are graduates of Stanford University , and one is a member of NACAC, the national association of college counselors
• They focus on editing and proofreading only , not on the crucial earlier steps of brainstorming and strategy
• Small team with very limited availability
• All asynchronous editing so you won’t be able to cultivate a real relationship with your essay coach.

#6 – Allison Karpf

Our Verdict — Former English Teacher Helping Students Price: $385/hour or $3850 package for application to one school Another option for students looking to hire an individual consultant is Allison Karpf. Allison is a former high school English teacher and a graduate of UC Berkeley who also holds a Masters of Education from Stanford. Her rates are definitely on the higher side, especially for someone who doesn’t have a professional writing background, but she does have extensive experience working with students to craft their essays.

• Cost:  $385/hour or $3850 unlimited counseling (includes supplemental essays for one college)
• Essay coach qualifications: former high school English teacher; Berkeley grad, Stanford MEd
• Lots of experience helping students improve their college essays
• Very quick to respond to client requests
• No professional writing experience or Ivy-Plus undergraduate experience
• High rates relative to other options
• Limited availability , since she works alone

#7 – Your College Vision

Our Verdict: Former Journalist with More Affordable Rates Price: $180/hour, or packages starting from $3500 Laurie Lande is another individual consultant who helps students through the essay-writing process. She comes recommended by other consultants like Chris from College Essay Mentor . Laurie did not herself attend a highly competitive school, so she doesn’t have that personal experience of going through the selective admissions process, but she does have a professional writing background as a journalist for the Wall Street Journal in Hong Kong.

• Cost: $180/hour or packages starting at $3500
• Essay coach qualifications: journalism background
• Affordable pricing , relative to other options
• Not a graduate of a highly selective school

#8 – The College Guru

Our Verdict — Good on Paper but Unresponsive Price: unknown Yet another individual essay consultant is Geanine Thompson from The College Guru. Geanine attended Dartmouth as an undergraduate and also holds an MBA from Duke. She also has a professional writing background as an assistant book editor at Berkley Publishing Group. Like Greg and Kevin at PrepMaven , she combines experience in the business world and at Wall Street firms with experience in education.

• Cost: unknown
• Essay coach qualifications: former assistant book editor; Dartmouth grad, Duke MBA
• Dartmouth graduate and former book editor
• Not responsive to emails and client requests

#9 – Sofia Zapiola

Our Verdict — A budget-friendly, personal essay editor. Price: $80/hour Yet another individual essay consultant is Sofia Zapiola, who offers a mix of essay editing and college application counseling services.

• Cost: $80/hour
• Essay coach qualifications: M.A. from Harvard; certificate in College Counseling from UC San Diego.
• Individual approach, budget-friendly rates, commitment to working within families’ budgets.
• Very few testimonials, so it’s difficult to evaluate how effective she is.

Mid-size Teams

#10 – lotus learning.

Our Verdict — Expensive for Tutor Background Price: $165/hour Founded by a Harvard grad who is a former teacher and veteran of the publishing industry, Lotus learning offers college essay help in the Boston area. They have a small team of tutors, mostly recent grads from good but not Ivy-Plus colleges, and mostly with focus in health sciences.

• Cost: $165/hour (minimum 8 hours)
• Essay coach qualifications: tutors are recent grads, but not Ivy-Plus schools
• Reasonable pricing with flexible packages
• Essay editors aren’t graduates of Ivy-Plus schools and don’t have professional writing experience

Large platforms

#11 – study point.

Our Verdict — Larger Platform with Mystery Editors Price: Rates Between $60 and $120/hr Study Point is a larger essay editing service. They claim to have several decades of experience helping students to craft their college essays, but they do not give information about who their essay coaches are and what qualifications they might have.

• Cost: $60-120/hr, depending on tutor experience
• Essay coach qualifications: unknown
• Larger company with several decades of experience
• Unclear who the essay coaches are
• Lack of statistics about their results

#12 – Ivy Select

Our Verdict — Larger Platform with Mystery Editors Price: unknown Ivy Select makes a lot of big promises on their website about having the best college essay consultants in the business, but they offer no information on who these consultants are, or on their backgrounds. They also brag that each consultant “only” works 20 students in one application cycle, but in our experience, that’s quite high.

• Long list of impressive (but anonymous) testimonials
• Only work with “top students”
• No information on their website about who the editors are
• Each essay coach works with up to 20 students at one time

#13 – Empowerly

Our Verdict — Larger Platform with Mystery Editors Price: High, from $6000/year Empowerly has over 60 college counselors who each work with an average of 5 students per year, in order to have more time to devote to each student. Their counselors come from “different educational backgrounds,” and while they do not provide specific biographical details we can assume that most of their essay coaches did not attend highly selective schools.

• Cost: typically from $6000/year
• Essay coach qualifications: college counselors
• Counselors work with just a few students per year
• You have to upgrade to “Empowerly Elite” to guarantee a counselor with a more selective educational background
• No professional writing experience

#14 – Prepory

Our Verdict — Expensive but with Good Expertise Price: $325/hr Prepory is a college application and career counseling service that offers a comprehensive program for college applications at any stage of the process (including as early as 9th grade). They make a lot of impressive claims about the expertise of their coaches, but it’s quite difficult to actual find much information about their essay coach qualifications.

• Cost: $325/hr
• They have a comprehensive college application program that begins as early as 9th grade.
• Limited information about essay coaches
• High prices

Top 40 College Essay Services Considered

• College Essay Editor
• The College Essay Guy
• College Vine
• College Essay Mentor
• Study Point
• Allison Karpf
• The College Guru
• Lotus Learning
• Summit Prep
• Sofia Zapiola
• Ivy Global / New Summits
• College Essay Solutions
• Your College Vision
• Essay Edge*
• ServicEscape*
• PapersForge*
• QuickWriter*
• JustEditMyEssay*
• JustDoMyEsssay*
• ExpertWriting*
• SpeedyPaper*
• GradeMiners*

* A number of services will edit essays directly for students, or even write portions of the essay for students. We do not condone this. Admissions officers can tell when essays have been written or edited by adults and this can have severe consequences. We have excluded these services from our reviews.

Why are college application essays important?

Can a great college essay alone get you into Harvard?

No. You’ll need your grades, test scores, and extracurricular activities (as well as letters of recommendation and interview) to be outstanding.

But can a mediocre essay be the reason you didn’t get into Harvard?

Yes. There are thousands of amazingly-qualified students who graduate from high school each year. Great grades and test scores might be a prerequisite for admission to a competitive college, but they alone aren’t enough.

College essays are a key component of a student’s application . When done well, they transform a collection of numbers—GPA, class rank, SAT or ACT scores , number of AP classes taken, AP scores—into a glimpse of a real, individual person.

Essays do many things. Good college essays can highlight extracurricular achievements which otherwise would be overlooked in a sterile list. Strong essays often indicate the student’s future plans —how they plan to leave a mark on their college campus and on the world. They can shine a light on unique challenges that a student may have had to face on their journey.

College admissions officers only have a few minutes to spend on each application. College essays need to be original, interesting, and memorable . They need to grab the attention of the admissions officer and persuade them that this is the student out of hundreds or thousands of other similarly-qualified applicants who should be admitted.

College admissions essays are usually unlike any other kind of writing that students have done before. They’re a combination of memoir and marketing pitch, and they need to be creative but also highly strategic. That’s a tough assignment!

What’s more, students are left to figure this assignment out on their own. A thoughtful and generous high school English teacher may provide guidance or offer to read essays and give feedback, but these teachers are responsible for many students, and they’re (usually) not experts in admissions strategies.

There’s another reason college essays are especially important from 2024 on. After the recent Supreme Court decision, the application essay has become one of the main ways that you can communicate how your racial identity has affected your life.

In fact, the New York Times published an article about how important it can be for students to discuss race in their college application essays!

Why work with a college essay service?

You may want to consider a college essay service if:

• You have no idea where to start in order to write your college application essays
• You feel overwhelmed by all of the different ideas you have and don’t know what would be the most strategic for college admissions—and what topics to definitely avoid for college essays
• You don’t know how to craft a compelling stor y
• You’re not sure how to edit and refine what you’ve written
• You have a hard time keeping yourself on track and want an external structure to hold you accountable
• You’re tired of conflict between students and parents about college essays
• You’re aiming at a competitive college (not just the Ivy League!) and know that you need your essays to be outstanding
• Your grades, test scores, and extracurriculars aren’t exceptional, so you need your essay to make your essay stand out from the pack
• You’re unfamiliar with the US college admissions process (a common situation for international students and first-generation families in the US)

Any of these are strong reasons to consider working with a college essay service!

It’s also worth remembering that a lot of the free advice on college’s website isn’t always very clear. For example, NYU’s admissions Senior Assistant Director of Admissions says that “There is no right or wrong way to answer as long as your answer is genuine to you.”

While that’s true, that doesn’t offer much guidance on how to actually write the essay!

Though many college applicants might not mention it, more and more students are using professional college application consultants. Research at the University of Chicago has shown that over a quarter of high-achieving seniors employed private specialists to help with the college application process.

In fact, according to NPR , some companies are even offering college admissions counseling to their top employees as an incentive–that’s just how important professional help can be in the current landscape of college admissions.

It’s important to note that a good college essay service will not write your college application essays for you . This is unethical and illegal. That’s not just coming from us: take it from a school like Princeton, whose website insists on the importance of writing your own application essays.

A good college essay service will guide you through each step of the process , teaching you how to self-reflect and write well while sharing insider insight about admissions strategy .

What makes a good college essay service?

We strongly believe that students need to write their own college essays , and we do not condone plagiarism or “buying” a college essay.

However, writing college application essays requires a completely new set of skills that is rarely taught in high school!

Writing a personal essay is much more creative than simply writing a good paper for English class. It requires a compelling narrative and a great deal of writing craft . A good essay service will teach how to do this kind of writing.

There are many college essay services that will provide only written feedback to students, usually in the form of comments added to an essay draft. (Remember, it’s important that students write their own essays, so avoid any college essay service that will make edits directly to an essay document .)

Written comments can be an effective component of good essay coaching. However, writing college essays is a deeply personal process , and it’s incredibly difficult to guide a student through the process of self-reflection, brainstorming, and planning purely through written comments.

In addition, a great college essay coach will teach students how to do this entire process of brainstorming, planning, outlining, writing, and revising . It’s difficult to learn why an essay coach is advising certain changes through written comments alone.

For these reasons, look for a college essay service with live, one-on-one services , not just written feedback. These days, it’s easy to work with the best college essay consultants in the country over Zoom!

Students need to reflect on their goals, their passions, and what drives them to be the person they are. This requires a great deal of self-awareness and self-analysis . An experienced college essay coach can help draw these ideas out of students through tested introspection techniques and brainstorming exercises .

On top of all of that, students need to be cognizant of which traits and accomplishments will be most appealing to colleges , and which stories will be cliche and boring. Personal statements and supplementary essays need to fit together to tell a cohesive story, and they need to work together with the rest of the student’s application (extracurriculars, grades, and other accomplishments).

In other words, there’s a great deal of strategy here! An experienced college essay service can help students decide how to present themselves in the best possible light .

Furthermore, most students don’t know how to edit effectively . A really top-notch college essay service will also teach students how to edit their own writing —how to reorder sections for better flow, cut unnecessary words to meet a word count, eliminate passive verbs, and make their writing vivid and exciting. Our students are routinely amazed by how transformative this step can be, and how much they learn by doing it together with the essay coach.

Finally, the best college essay services can also help students to make a writing plan and keep them on track , so that parents don’t have to be involved directly.

Ready to work on your college essays? Schedule a free 15- to 30-minute consultation with Jessica or one of our founders.

Best overall: PrepMaven’s tutors offer the highest quality at the best price. With three tiers of tutors, they make it easy to work with an Ivy League undergraduate for as little as $79/hr. Or, families can work with education professionals or Ivy League graduates from $150/hr. PrepMaven’s track record means that you can be sure every hour is being spent productively, so that you can expect real results from the work.

Best for individual consultants: College Essay Mentor. In theory, College Essay Mentor would offer an unparalleled level of individual attention and guidance: his website boasts of some very impressive results. You might find it hard to actually schedule with him, however, since he’s very selective about his clients.

Best for unlimited essay assistance: The College Essay Guy might not offer that personalized attention you get from live, face to face essay coaching, but they do offer unlimited essay editing for up to 10 schools (if you’re comfortable paying a hefty package price).

Best of the big platforms: College Vine will always be a bit of a gamble. Because it’s a tutor marketplace, your results (and costs) will really depend on how lucky you get with your consultant. From our research, however, many of their essay coaches look to have solid track records.

Ready to work on college essays with one of our experienced writing coaches? Schedule a free test prep consultation with Jessica (Director of Tutoring) or one of our founders to see what would be the best fit for your family.

It’s always best to start early and not wait until the last minute to write your college essays! Remember that essays can be used to earn scholarships as well as college admission, so a few months of writing now can pay off with up to $300,000 in tuition saved later. 

We work with students at all stages of the writing process, from I-have-no-idea-what-to-write to final edits. To start working with an Ivy-League writing coach today, set up a quick free consultation with our team.

Schedule a free college essay consultation

Top College Essay Posts

• Qualities of a Successful College Essay
• 11 College Essays That Worked
• How to Answer the UC Personal Insight Questions
• How Colleges Read your College Applications (A 4-Step Process)
• How to Write the Princeton Supplemental Essays
• The Diamond Strategy: How We Help Students Write College Essays that Get Them Into Princeton (And Other Ivy League Schools)
• What is the College Essay? Your Complete Guide for 202 4
• College Essay Brainstorming: Where to Start
• How to Write the Harvard Supplemental Essays
• How to Format Your College Essay

Emily graduated  summa cum laude  from Princeton University and holds an MA from the University of Notre Dame. She was a National Merit Scholar and has won numerous academic prizes and fellowships. A veteran of the publishing industry, she has helped professors at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton revise their books and articles. Over the last decade, Emily has successfully mentored hundreds of students in all aspects of the college admissions process, including the SAT, ACT, and college application essay. 

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We help you identify how to shorten your writing (usually by 40-60%). Word count is at a premium. And being concise will help you fit in more content, providing a clearer picture of why you are extraordinary.

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College Essay Coaching

Young people need a mentor and guidance to tackle the toughest part of the college application: the essays..

Even great young writers don’t know how to talk about themselves. That’s where I come in. My goal is for students to write essays that college admissions readers won’t forget, and that stay true to the student’s authentic voice. The whole process is fun, effective, and transformational.

I work 1-on-1 with only a handful of students each year, including a few on need-based scholarship. 

• Parents get to step back and focus on their relationship with their child
• I meet confidentially, 1-on-1, to brainstorm, structure, and fine-tune their essays
• My students discover who they are, what they value, and how to express themselves

Online Bootcamp: How to Write a Great College Essay

Enrolling now a four-part online course that guides you step-by-step in 20+ videos and one 1-on-1 call with me..

I’ve been an award-winning writer and a teacher of writing for 25+ years. As an English teacher and assistant director of the Mountain School of Milton Academy, I taught High School juniors and seniors the art of the personal essay, and oversaw their college application process. I also worked as the director of Where There Be Dragons, an organization dedicated to meaningful travel programs for teens. I am one of those rare people who LOVES teenagers. As a trained personal coach, I know how to interview them to get their best ideas powerfully told on the page. My system includes multiple tools, honed with experience, that they can use in college and beyond to write clearly and persuasively. The top five schools attended by the students I’ve advised are Brown, Middlebury, Yale, Bowdoin, and Cornell.

The Process

Pre-Meeting. Before we meet, I’ll send you a few questions to help me get to know you. This frees us up to dig in immediately when we connect and begin the 3-step process.

• Brainstorming.  This is a no-judgement space. I do a series of interviews and share my favorite tools for finding the story that makes you distinctive. We have fun diving in and uncovering your developing sense of self.
• Structure. With a topic in hand, how do you write in a compelling, focused way? How will this essay stand out from the rest? We work on creating a “storyboard” for each essay. I’ll challenge you to take risks. I’ll teach you how to take something that seems so ordinary, so mundane, and write it so vividly that it ends up extraordinary.
• Fine-Tuning . Plan to write 3-5 drafts. We work together to find the best hook, to end with a “bang” and to get rid of any prose that weighs down the writing. I’ll help you with grammar and spelling to avoid distracting errors. I’ll also provide that outside perspective: does this person come across as curious, open, likable?

Let’s Get Started!

Ready to Get Started?

If you’re curious about college essay coaching, try a session on me book a free 30-minute phone consult to gain instant momentum, and to see if working together is the right fit..

Schedule a Free Consult

I offer a few paths forward:

Standard essay package.

This is the worry-free package. It’s a flat rate. I work by phone or in-person, beginning to end. You don’t have to count how many hours we work together. And you can trust that I have your back to brainstorm, generate uncommon ideas, create a structure, provide unlimited editing and revision feedback of the personal statement essay (for either the Common Application or the Coalition Application), plus all supplemental essays/questions for up to 5 colleges (Ivys & UC schools count as 2 schools). This package also includes targeted teachings on how to shine on the page and write the supplementals for all schools beyond the top 5. Book a free 30 min consult to get started. $2,549

Personal Statement/Core Essay

This essay is the toughest because colleges are looking for insight into who this applicant really is in 650 words. It requires reflection, perspective, and a unique angle. The open-ended prompts are overwhelming: “share your story” “what makes you unique?” My system breaks the mountain of writing down into small hills and gives support for the three main steps: 1. Brainstorm 2. Structure 3. Fine tune. Book a free 30 min consult to get started. $949

Supplemental Essays (under 500 words)

For Returning Clients Only

These essays are shorter, but they need to be of the same quality as the core essay. Each school asks for 2-3 of these. Done well, these responses can pull an applicant out of the ‘Maybe’ pile and into the ‘Yes’ pile. $315

Review of Finished Essay

A close look at a polished draft from an outside, experienced perspective. This is to catch grammatical errors, flow, and to help find the best hook and the most powerful ending. Book a free 30 min consult to get started. $150/hour

By popular demand, I’ve added services:

Comprehensive college advising package .

Cover all the bases; Don’t miss a detail. One-on-one coaching every step of the way on all aspects of the college application process. Reserves your spot in my calendar (get first pick of coveted meeting times). Saves you money and includes the packages listed below plus the Standard Essay package above. Book a free 30 min consult to see if this package is right for you. $6549

Find Your Path: Major/Career Coaching 

For any student who wants clarity on who they are, what they want to do, and where they want to go. One-on-one coaching on finding a college major and potential career path based on 25 years experience guiding high school students on their values, interests, and strengths. Book a free 30 min consult to see if this is the right package for you. $549

Make the Match: Build a Custom College List 

Identify the best-fit schools and d iscover programs you may never have heard of before. Strategize for family budget considerations. Build a custom, balanced list that emphasizes fit, plus complete the common app profile and learn how to m ake the most of college visits. This can be done as a 2-day intensive to use momentum to motivate through overwhelm. Book a free 30 min consult to see if this package is right for you. $1849

On Track & On Time Complete Application Support

Don’t miss a deadline!  Soup-to-nuts application support for all colleges on your list. Strategize for scholarships . Develop supplemental essays that stand out (this package includes brainstorm & design of supp. essays but not editing or fine tuning). T rack all school requirements and Honors’ program needs. Learn best practices for communication with coaches and department heads. Grow self-advocacy skills for on-campus accommodation or support services, if needed. Book a free 30 min consult to see if this package is right for you. $2549

Tips for Navigating Uncertainty  

Sign up here for FREE resources. NO Spam. No spam. As my gift to you, I’m sending over my “7 Steps to Overcome Perfectionism.”

• A Short Guide to Being a Friend in a Crisis
• 6 Steps to Reclaim Your Voice
• How to Thrive in a Crisis
• 7 Steps to Overcoming Perfectionism

• College Essay Coaching

Our team of college essay experts is available to help with every aspect of the essay process, from brainstorming to final drafts, from the Common Application to supplemental essays for as many schools as you desire.

• $199 for One-hour Review/Consult Meeting ($100 credited to future essay coaching program)
• $1199 Personal Statement + 2 Supplemental Essays (Up to 8 hours of essay coaching focused on Common App or Coalition App)
• $2699 “All Essays for Up to Five Schools”  (up to 20 hours or essay coaching)

All essay coaching sessions will be held remotely via Zoom. Mindfish essay coaches also spend time reading and commenting on drafts between meetings with students. This asynchronous work, like the one-on-one meetings themselves, is deducted from the total number of hours in our essay coaching packages as we go.

Call us at 720-204-1041 or email us at [email protected]

• Essay Coaching Package * Essay Review & Planning Meeting: $199 ($100 credited to future essay program) Personal Statement + 2 Supplemental Essays (up to 8 hours coaching): $1350 All Essays for Up to 5 Schools (up 20 hours coaching): $3150
• Total $0.00

Description

College application essay coaching, perfect your college application essays with the help of mindfish’s experienced writing coaches..

For many students, the personal statement can be one of the hardest parts of the entire admissions process. This assignment challenges them to vividly convey big ideas like who they are and what they value within a very small word count. Adding to the difficulty, the audience they are trying to captivate is comprised of overworked admissions officers who are already reading hundreds and thousands of other application essays. The obstacles to a successful admissions essay are significant, but the rewards can be too. A strong essay can be the “tipping factor” that helps push a student’s application into the admitted pile. Transcripts, grades, and standardized test scores are important, but  a great essay can communicate the student’s unique point-of-view in a way the quantitative data cannot. If you’re looking to help your story stand out from the crowd, we can help. Our essay coaches can offer guidance and feedback at any stage of the process, from the very first brainstorming session to the last polish of the final draft.

In addition to the personal statement, many colleges require shorter “supplemental” essays that ask students about specific elements of their background and gauge students’ interest in particular college majors and programs. The expert tutors at Mindfish can help you not only tell your own story, but also communicate why you are the perfect fit next year’s freshman class at your dream school.

Want to Know More?

Click below to find out more about this specific program or get to know our gifted Mindfish tutors.

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COLLEGE ESSAY REVIEW SERVICES

With our guidance, you will craft essays that make an admissions impact

• Work one-on-one with an expert essay coach to brainstorm your topic and plan for your first draft.
• Students are offered professional college application essay reviews to finesse and improve their essays.
• Our essay coaches listen to and support students throughout the entire process.
• Talk to one of our experts to create an essay plan that meets your child’s needs.

Writing a great college Admissions essay is challenging

We’ll help you stand out from the crowd.

HelloCollege’s full quality review goes beyond basic college essay proofreading. Our team of expert essay coaches, with a combined 80+ years of professional writing experience, begin by assessing an essay’s topic, treatment (how it’s written), content, structure, mechanics, and fact-checking. Subsequent college essay coaching sessions continue to guide students in shaping and polishing the essay, elevating it to its potential.

Essay Review Service Includes:

Essay reviews from your essay coach (in-depth structural critique, proofing and polishing), brainstorming conference(s): video/phone, phone and email support from first to final draft, essay service options.

We offer a variety of hourly packages designed to usher you through essay season.

Work hand in hand with your essay coach to brainstorm, review and polish your essay.  At each step, you will receive in-depth feedback to complete your essay.

Need more time?  The 15 hour package is a great fit for a mid-risk list.  You will focus on your personal statement essay and key supplemental essays.

Are you seeking highly selective schools?  The 25 hour packages allows you a significant amount of coaching time to ensure every supplemental essay is on point.

What Families are Saying About Our Essay Review Services

How the Review Process Works

Choose a package based on the number or types of essays you need to complete

Meet one-on-one with your essay coach to fully vet your essay topic and develop a compelling story

Write and submit your first draft of your essay and submit it online

Within 72 hours, receive expert editorial guidance, review and edits

Continue revising your essay working hand in hand with your essay coach, submitting reviews and revisions

We review Many types of essays

HelloCollege helps you avoid uncertainty and stress by following a strategic college essay assistance process.

Personal Statement Essay (Common Application)

Supplemental essays, honors program essays, uc application personal insight essays, scholarship essays, summer program essays.

Meet Our Essay Team

Kevin Krebs

Founder and Managing Director

Despite the odds stacked against me, I find myself here today. My parents, survivors of World War II bombings and refugee camps, arrived in the United States with just $20, a single suitcase, and no knowledge of the English language. Their lack of formal education didn’t deter them from believing in the power of learning and its potential to create a better future for their five children.

I am Kevin Krebs, the founder of HelloCollege, the largest college planning company in the Midwest. My parents’ unwavering support, guidance, and strong work ethic empowered me to pursue my dreams. My father, a dedicated and no-nonsense bricklayer, served as a mentor through his actions. He woke up at 5:15 a.m. every day, never late, and never missed a day of work, even though he didn’t particularly enjoy his job. He approached his responsibilities with seriousness and determination, tackling every task with diligence. My mother, a kind-hearted lunchroom manager at a school for special needs children, passed away last summer at the age of 88. She encouraged me to set ambitious goals, reminded me to give my best effort each day, and provided unwavering support that boosted my self-confidence beyond measure.

My parents instilled in me the belief that I could achieve anything I dreamed of. I attended Hibbard Elementary, the most ethnically diverse grade school in Chicago, where students from over 50 countries, 90% of whom came from low-income households, gathered. Despite the overcrowded classrooms, I thrived as a strong student, fortunate to have exceptional teachers who cared deeply for their students and pushed me to reach my individual potential.

I successfully tested into Lane Tech High School, a renowned magnet school with over 4,600 students, known for its excellent academics and athletics. Surrounded by a group of motivated and aspirational friends, I set my sights on attending a Big Ten university and participating in sports. Before I knew it, we were seniors preparing for college. I earned a full scholarship to Northwestern University, where I played quarterback on the football team and pitched for the baseball team. Meanwhile, my friends pursued their education at prestigious institutions such as the University of Chicago, Northern Illinois University, University of Wisconsin, and CalArts.

Arriving in Evanston as a broke, first-generation college student could have been overwhelming, both socially and academically. However, it only fueled my focus and determination. The memory of my parents’ sacrifices and perseverance motivated me, especially during countless nights spent writing papers with tight deadlines or pulling all-nighters to study for finals.

Northwestern’s liberal arts curriculum and quarter system exposed me to a wide range of courses that expanded my worldview and honed my critical thinking skills. I had never worked so hard in my life, but I will forever be grateful to the incredible professors who shaped my future. As a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, I graduated with high hopes but without a job.

Despite my excellent grades, I found myself utterly clueless about how the real world, particularly the white-collar professional world, operated. My parents’ network consisted of plumbers, cleaning ladies, and carpenters, not investment bankers, Fortune 500 executives, or influential journalists. Like many unemployed college graduates, I turned to student loans and pursued a master’s degree, accumulating nearly $30,000 in debt.

A year later, I graduated from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, expecting my dream job of anchoring ESPN’s SportsCenter to materialize. However, I found myself unemployed once again, burdened with a Sallie Mae student loan payment each month.

At the age of 25, I felt lost, drowning in debt, and overwhelmed with frustration. How did I end up here? Why had no guidance counselor, academic advisor, coach, or anyone else prepared me for the realities and uncertainties that awaited me?

Driven by these experiences, I founded HelloCollege with the intention of helping students and parents navigate the college path while raising awareness about the escalating costs of higher education. Over the past 20 years, my team and I have had the privilege of sharing our college planning and career readiness workshops, curriculum, and guidance with over 10,000 families.

Looking ahead, we aim to leverage our expertise to assist more than 250,000 students in successfully navigating the college admissions process. Join our movement and discover how students, just like you have gained admission to their dream colleges using our S.A.F.E. method. Together, we are on a mission to shape the next generation of scholars, ensuring they graduate within four years, free from overwhelming debt and equipped with a well-defined career plan.

I am filled with immense gratitude toward my late mother, Mrs. Ursula Krebs, and my 89-year-old father, Mr. Karl Krebs. Their unwavering belief in my potential has been the driving force behind my journey.

Director of Tutoring

In high school, Ian had a diverse set of interests but was unsure of his future path. He loved music, raiding the library’s CD collection after school, playing trumpet in the school band and with friends. He loved English, finding solace in absurdist and surrealist literature, writing short stories and free-form poetry. He loved math, reveling in the real-world applications of each concept, enjoying the puzzle of each problem. He loved history, fascinated with other cultures, inspired by the wealth of knowledge in years past. Ultimately, he loved learning and craved a challenge, a dual passion that took him to the University of Illinois for engineering.

UIUC exposed Ian to the true beauty of math and science in action—the experience was both exhilarating and humbling. Ian graduated from UIUC with his BS in Electrical Engineering, specializing in semiconductor fabrication, analog/digital design, and audio engineering. After working in the field as a design engineer for many years, he took a chance and opened a private tutoring business, a decision that solidified his leading passion, sharing his love of learning with students and guiding them to achieve their true potential. 

Over six years, Ian’s business quickly expanded from just himself to a team of twenty-two trained tutors that helped students navigate the challenging terrain of academics, executive functioning, and college preparation. 

Today, Ian is, at heart, that same high school boy but with a much better head on his shoulders. He loves his wife and two cats. He loves mathematics and electrical circuit design. He loves the outdoors and backpacking in the wild. He still loves music and reading. But most importantly, he loves mentoring others and helping them find their passion so they can change the world. 

Kimberly Shipman

College Counselor

Kim was born and raised in rural Virginia, dreaming of big city life.  She earned dual BS degrees in Human Development and Psychology from Virginia Tech and an M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration from North Carolina State University before taking the leap to live and work in the 3 rd largest city in the country—Houston, TX.

After graduate school, Kim worked in Career Advising at Barton College and Rice University. While at Rice University, Kim designed and implemented career programming specifically to support first generation students.  College access and success for all is a passion of hers.

In the 7 years prior to joining HelloCollege, Kim worked as a high school College Counselor and fell in love with the field.  She combines her experiences to help students discover careers they are passionate about and then plan and execute the path to obtain those careers.  Kim builds relationships with her students to get to know them as individuals allowing her to give every student a personalized experience.  She brings kindness, warmth, and joy to every interaction.

When applying to college herself, Kim had to figure it all out on her own so she has made it her mission to give her students the support she wished she’d had.  Applying to college can be complicated, but Kim strives to make it as approachable and fun as possible for her students. When not working, Kim loves spending time with her husband, son, and fur babies.  They enjoy camping, attending community theater productions, and trying new restaurants together.

Brooke Kent

College Counselor & Essay Coach

Brooke is a dual US-Canadian citizen who was born in Los Angeles, California; raised in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia and Houston, Texas; and studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She understands first-hand how education can equip you for a global future.

Brooke received her bachelor’s summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa in history, policy studies, and Spanish translation from Rice University. She graduated with the J. Venn Leeds Award for Excellence in Scholarship, awarded to Rice University seniors with the 10 highest cumulative GPAs.

As a Boren Fellow for the Defense Language and National Security Education (DLNSEO), Brooke studied abroad at the Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA). She worked directly with the Buenos Aires City Legislature to pinpoint what led not-for-profit organizations to succeed or to fail as they interacted with the city government.

Brooke began her professional career by interviewing several White House chiefs-of-staff for the White House Transition Project, a non-partisan initiative that facilitated the transition between President William J. Clinton and President George W. Bush. Brooke later served as the executive writer for the director of Los Alamos National Laboratory. She was the director’s voice to a staff of 8,000 technical staff members, researchers, and professionals.

For the past two decades, Brooke has helped adults and students tell their stories in a personalized, persuasive, and achievement-focused way. A well-crafted application package can increase your chance of getting into the Ivies by up to 940%. Your application is more than just a chance to tell your story; it’s your opportunity to gain a winning edge.

Brooke’s oldest daughter attends the University of New Mexico on a full-ride Regents Scholarship; she’s continuing her national fencing career under 3-time Olympian and fencing coach Courtney Hurley. Brooke’s son and youngest daughter are also nationally ranked fencers, cross country runners, and discus throwers; she understands the demands and priorities of the NCAA and collegiate recruiting process.

Brooke is passionate about helping each student find the right academic, cultural, and financial fit. Her philosophy is simple: Your Story. Our Support. Your Solution.

Brooke lives with her husband and children in Colorado Springs. She enjoys baking, cooking, reading, cycling, hiking, skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and visiting U.S. national parks (15 down, 47 to go!).

Chris Bench

Director of Essay Services

Chris Bench has known that words were his vocation since he first learned, bedtime-bound, that Horton’d heard a Who. Chris earned his BA in English from Kenyon College, writing poetry and combining his interests in systems theory and cognitive science with contemporary literature (wildly pretentious Honors Thesis title: Pynchon, Gaddis, and the Art of Artificial Life: Cybernetics, Nonlinearity, and the Recovery of Structure in the Discourse of the Novel ), before spending the better part of a decade in the University of Chicago’s English Literature Ph.D. program, teaching courses (both there and at Roosevelt University) on writing, literary analysis, and American literature (wildly pretentious undergrad course title: Wayward Shots from the Western Canon: Alternative Aesthetics of the US West). At UChicago, Chris realized his love of working with young people and, especially, his love of teaching writing. At the same time, he also worked a side gig as the UChicago Laboratory School’s in-house essay tutor, which allowed him to further deepen his love of writing instruction and to hone his editor’s craft. When Chris left academia, that side gig quickly turned – as side gigs are wont to do – into his central pursuit, and Chris has spent the last 15 years aiding students with essays (and tutoring them for SATs and ACTs). Since joining HelloCollege in 2018, Chris has primarily served as an Essay Coach, helping students to transmute experience lived in the world into pixels glowing on a screen – and into admission to institutions ranging from community colleges to Ivy League universities. He now serves as HelloCollege’s Director of Essay Services. When he isn’t ruthlessly pruning students’ superfluous modifiers, Chris enjoys cooking regional Mexican cuisine, binging kung fu films, and scrambling mountains. If you ask him about the time he was emergency choppered out of Alaska’s Gates of the Arctic National Park, he will briefly feign embarrassment before detailing every bumbling step of his ill-fated adventure.

Will Wagner

Essay Coach

Will fell in love with the written word his junior year in high school, thanks to an English teacher named Mrs. Kelley. She exposed him to the magic of writers such as Edgar Allan Poe, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and especially John Steinbeck. Just like that, his future came into focus.

And while Will never became the next Steinbeck (darn!), he did go on to have a gratifying career in publishing as a writer and editor for everything from national magazines to websites. He even wrote a book of his own, Wrigley Blues: The Year the Cubs Played Hardball with the Curse (but Lost Anyway), published in 2004 by Taylor Trade. For the past several years, he also has worked as an essay coach at HelloCollege. His goal in this role is simple: to bring a little “Mrs. Kelley” to the game and help students down the path of fulfilling their passions and achieving their dreams.

Alisha Braun

Alisha worked in higher education for 13 years, having taught at Michigan State University and the University of South Florida. She is the author of 30 book chapters and research articles on diversity and inclusion, comparative and international education, and qualitative research methods. She has consulted for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and has led numerous independent and collaborative community-based research projects and service-learning study abroad programs in Botswana, Cambodia, England, Ghana, Malawi, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, South Africa, Tanzania, and the United States. Working on multiple college campuses domestically and abroad has made Alisha appreciate the diversity of collegiate experiences available to students. As an essay coach, she enjoys mentoring students and families as they navigate the college application process and step towards their college and career goals.

Alisha received her Ph.D. in Educational Policy from Michigan State University with graduate specializations in International Development and African Studies. She also holds a M.A. in School Psychology from Michigan State University and a B.A. Honors degree from the University of Calgary. In her free time, Alisha enjoys yoga, golf, Broadway, and most of all spending time with her husband and young daughters.

Sara currently serves as an Essay Coach at HelloCollege. She has worked as a high school English teacher for the past 15 years, beginning her career at The Dwight School in New York City. Sara later taught at EF Education New York, an international boarding school, where she taught students from more than 49 different nations.

Sara is a graduate of The University of Notre Dame and holds an M.A. in English from the State University of New York at New Paltz. She has been published in The Washingtonian, The Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, and Chronogram. As an essay coach at HelloCollege, she is honored to be a witness to the students’ stories. Sara currently lives in Oak Park with her husband, son and Frankie (their terrier).

Andi Taylor

Andi graduated from the University of Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Linguistics. She specialized in sociolinguistics, studying the wide variety of accents and dialects used by American English speakers in different regions and communities. Over one summer, she held a research assistant position for a project focusing on African American Vernacular English accents among speakers in an upstate New York community. Her approach to editing is informed by her background in linguistics; she values maintaining the unique voice and style of each student while also keeping each essay concise, clear, and appropriate to a collegiate setting.

Throughout her college years, Andi was a Student Visit Coordinator in the UChicago admissions office, helping parents and prospective students gain a better understanding of the application process. Working alongside admissions counselors gave her insight into the fine details that make college essays stand out. This role also ignited her passion for working with soon-to-be college students. Choosing a college to attend is a big decision, and she loves being able to support young adults so that they feel prepared and can focus on the excitement of having so many new possibilities ahead of them!

Andi has been living in Chicago since 2017, but she is originally from Los Angeles, California. She enjoys traveling in her spare time, and she makes it a point to try a few local specialties. Whether it’s a late-night pizza slice in New York City, gelato in Florence, or ahi poke in Honolulu, she loves trying out the classic flavors each location is famous for.

Andi has always liked to read, and her favorite genres are science fiction and fantasy. Her current favorite book is Exhalation by Ted Chiang. She recommends it to anybody who will listen! It explores themes of time, technology, humanism, themes which Andi would like to consider in her own short-form creative writing projects.

Nicholas Pizzo

Nick grew up a New York City native in Midtown, Manhattan. He attended the Bronx High School of Science despite his affinity for reading and writing. Wanting a change of pace, he took his talents to the Green Mountain State to study English and European History at the University of Vermont. After receiving his BA, Nick worked a variety of odd jobs before the world shut down in 2020.

Having (too much) time to reflect on his past, present, and future, Nick ended up applying to the University of Aalborg for an MA in International Relations. He spent a year in Denmark before pivoting back to the U.S. to complete his graduate studies. There, he received an MA in the Humanities, with a focus on creative writing, from the University of Chicago.

Nick spent the next year with the national nonprofit SADD working to push high school and college students to action in community outreach, mental health awareness, LGBTQA+ inclusion and support, and safe driving practices, among other initiatives. The job saw him traveling throughout New York State, from New York City, to Syracuse, to Niagara Falls, and even Whitehall (best bigfoot festival in the country!).

Now a member of the HelloCollege team, Nick is excited to get started on the next round of college essays! Outside of work, he spends his time hiking, writing, and getting disappointed by the New York Knicks. He’s always down to talk about obscure moments in world history or his new favorite fiction.

Sana Rahman

Sana Rahman holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of Chicago, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stony Brook University, both in English Literature.

Her main areas of study were African American literature, critical race theory, Marxist theory, and film studies. During her undergraduate studies, Sana worked as a Resident Assistant and would regularly edit and proofread essays for residents writing on a variety of topics. In her graduate studies, Sana found a passion for turning complex, and sometimes difficult to understand ideas into writing that was approachable and accessible for readers and scholars outside of tight academic circles.

After leaving the classroom setting, Sana has continued to keep in touch with literature by reading, annotating, and critiquing essays and novels of interest to her, typically in the science fiction and speculative fiction genres focusing on authors such as Octavia Butler, Kim Stanley Robinson, and Ursula K. LeGuin. Sana also regularly writes narrative essays and poetry, and is now attempting to write her first novel-length project.

Currently settled in New York, Sana works as an Essay Editor/Coach for HelloCollege. It is her goal to use the skills she has developed in her academic career, with reference to writing, editing, proofreading, and researching, to help college applicants through the difficult task of making the captivating stories unique to them fit for the admissions process. Sana believes it is vital to take a creative approach to this segment of the application, and is eager to assist applicants in turning what could be a boring personal statement into a work of art to be proud of.

Sarah Bellardini

Sarah is a comedy writer with nearly a decade of experience working in scripted television content. She is a native of Upstate New York and a graduate of Boston University where she studied screenwriting despite her mother’s pleas for her to “get into computers.” As a Film & Television major, Sarah enrolled in a program that brought her to Los Angeles for her final semester where she interned on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and in the writers’ office on the final season of AMC’s Mad Men.

After graduating, Sarah began her career as a writer’s assistant and script coordinator on several animated productions before landing her first staff writing job on the Adult Swim comedy Lazor Wulf. As a first time writer, Sarah wrote the pilot episode of the series, and three of the ten total episodes that season. Since then, Sarah has written on over 100 episodes of television produced by Cartoon Network, Comedy Central, TBS, HBO Max, Amazon and Paramount+. She currently works as a freelance scriptwriter while developing and pitching her original material.

Sarah has studied sketch comedy and improv at multiple comedy schools in LA, and spent many years writing, producing and performing weekly comedy shows for (sometimes!) sold out audiences at The Pack Theater. She later became a teaching assistant and co-teacher for the theater’s popular sketch writing program. Sarah is excited to bring her experience in storytelling and appreciation for comedy to her position on the essay team at HelloCollege!

Other things to note: Sarah enjoys volunteering with rescue dogs, is suspiciously good at ping-pong and has an unironic obsession with Guy Fieri. She currently resides in the beautiful San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles with her bull terrier, Nikki Peanuts.

Steven Flores

Steven Flores is a writer and educator based in Wisconsin, where he is currently an AOP Fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Over the past decade, Steven has worked in higher education as a Teaching Assistant, English Advisor, Academic Writing Specialist, Director of Academics, and Director of the Milwaukee Office for a boutique college counseling company. In this latter role, he worked with approximately 100 students on 1,000+ essays for selective and highly selective colleges and universities. His deep love of learning motivates his passion for working with students as they plot out their futures in essay form.

Steven holds a BA in Philosophy and English (Iowa), an MA in Literature (UChicago), and an MFA in Fiction from the highly-selective University of Wisconsin-Madison Creative Writing. Steven’s fiction has been published in The Iowa Review and his book reviews have been published in the Harvard Review. He has received multiple fellowships in support of his novel-in-progress. Over the course of his writing career, Steven has been lucky enough to study with a number of internationally-renowned writers, including a Pulitzer-Prize winner. He brings his deep knowledge of narrative craft to each student, combining his writing experience with his deep knowledge of academia.

Outside of Hello College, Steven also works as a developmental editor for academic books and educational publications, and as a “book doctor” for aspiring novelists. In the summers, Steven teaches the Creative Writing Master Class at Northwestern University’s Center for Talent Development. Away from the page, he enjoys swimming, cycling, yoga, traveling, and spending time with his fiance and their greyhound, Gigi.

Gina Twardosz

Gina Twardosz has always felt safest in an academic space. As a first-generation student, she felt most at home in her school’s library, surrounded by endless knowledge. This hunger for learning and natural curiosity led her to pursue journalism in college. She graduated from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, IN with a BFA in English Writing.

Gina has interned for both the Northwest Indiana Times and the South Bend Tribune; she won five collegiate press awards for investigative journalism while working at Notre Dame University’s student newspaper, the NDSMC Observer. As a student journalist, Gina investigated and reformed the tri-campus community’s mental health resources for students. She is passionate about making academic spaces safe and healthy for everyone.

Her love of storytelling led her to pursue her master’s in creative writing at Columbia College Chicago. While studying, she had the opportunity to teach two creative writing classes a year, and she fell in love with writing workshops and teaching students how to tell their own stories and share them with the world. Currently, she is working to transform the traditional style of writing workshops by making them more inclusive for students of color and LGBTQIA+ Students.

When not teaching, Gina is writing her memoir. She has had ten personal essays and poems published in magazines, literary journals, and zines. In 2022, Thimble Literary Magazine and Gotham’s The Razor nominated two of her pieces for the Pushcart Prize. She also hosts a monthly reading series called “Freshly Squeezed” that invites writers of color and LGBTQIA+ writers to perform their work for a crowd of Chicagoans.

She loves nothing more than to sit on the couch and watch a movie with her cat, Radar, who, despite being a black cat, is very scared of most horror movies. Radar’s favorite film is Kiki’s Delivery Service.

Elena Van Lare

Elena has enjoyed over 30 years of experience as a middle school and high school literature and writing teacher. She grew up in the Finger Lakes area of New York, where her very first high school job included tying grape vines for one of the iconic wineries in the area. She later earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Old Dominion University in Virginia. However, her love of theater, acting, and writing led Elena to share her passion with others; she completed her teaching credential and Master’s degree in Education at Nazareth College of Rochester in New York.

As she embarked upon a career of inspiring teenagers to realize their own potential, she also met her husband, moved from New York to Los Angeles, and had two children. After returning to New York to be closer to family, Elena taught English at the high school and college level for Brockport High School and SUNY Brockport for eleven years. As their children entered middle school, Elena and her husband decided to show their children the world by accepting positions as international teachers, which led them through the next ten years of their lives. They enjoyed teaching at top-tier schools in Myanmar, Jordan, Thailand, and Singapore, while their children graduated high school with IB Diplomas in Southeast Asia.

Elena currently lives in New York City with her husband, her adult children nearby, and the newest addition to the family: Dachshund Sammy. When she’s not working, Elena loves watching the Food Network, Master Chef, and any other platform offering cooking competitions (she is a horrible cook, but loves to eat)!  Elena is an Academic Dean and teaches full-time at Dwight Global, and she is truly excited to work with students at HelloCollege!

Bertrand Cooper

Bertrand spent most of his childhood in New Jersey but moved around a lot once he became a foster youth at the onset of high school. It was not until college that he discovered how much he enjoyed academic life: reading, writing, discussing, and repeating each until you find a niche for your own creativity within a field that interests you. The first year ultimately went down in flames since Bertrand did not understand financial aid and could not afford textbooks or tuition without it. Still, it was enjoyable enough to try again. 

After two years of working all manner of odd and menial jobs, Bertrand returned to school. He went from community college to a four-year and then from a four year to a Master’s program. Being a first generation student, he had to learn to navigate the financial aid process on his own, which led to becoming an informal FAFSA mentor for partners, relatives, and friends. There were many experiences like this that made it clear that teaching was something he wanted to do. Adopting an education major felt like the clear way forward. At the same time, graduate school put a greater emphasis on writing, and though he chose Education Theory, his closest friends chose film and screenplays, which fostered a group dynamic wherein writing appeared like a tool for every form of expression. 

Today, Bertrand lives in a sleepy part of Los Angeles county. He splits his time between formal education work and writing creative non-fiction. For eight years, he worked at an online education company, eventually heading academic content and development there before returning to tutoring. He continues to work as a freelance writer for outlets ranging from the New York Times to Current Affairs, and he plans to complete a book proposal soon. In addition to obsessively reading nonfiction on every subject, Bertrand is an avid powerlifter, martial artist, and beach bum.

Stewart Lewis

Stewart Lewis has published eight critically acclaimed Young Adult and Adult fiction novels, and several non-fiction essays online and in anthologies. His books have been translated into five languages, and called “Charming” by Elin Hiderbrand and “Spirited” by Augusten Burroughs. He has published with Random House, Sourcebooks, and Turner. His latest Young Adult novel, ONE STUPID THING, is now becoming a major motion picture from director Linda Yellen, starring Sky Katz and Corey Fogelmanis, set to be released in 2025. He has been a professor of Creative Writing at the University of Maryland and at Belmont University in Nashville for over a decade combined. In addition to writing and teaching, Stewart has toured and licensed his music as a professional singer songwriter, sharing the stage with such acts as Shawn Colvin, Sheryl Crow, Andy Grammer, and Better Than Ezra. His songs have been featured in the television shows Laguna Beach , Body of Proof , The Biggest Loser , as well as the feature films Firehouse Dog , Violet Tendencies , Shelter , and A Four Letter Word . He is married to Steve Swenson, an NPR executive, and has a daughter, Rowan, who is a commercial dancer. He enjoys traveling, investing in real estate, fine dining, and the cuteness overload from his French bulldog Oliver. 

Emily Phares

Emily is a writer and editor with a “creative and atypical storytelling” style, as a former colleague put it. Her forte is finding the interesting story, and telling it with a unique voice.

Originally from New Orleans, Emily’s background spans academia, journalism, and marketing— including roles at Harvard Medical School, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and America’s Test Kitchen, where she won the Leaders in Innovation award. She’s also worked as a freelance writer, with her work appearing in Eater , Boston Magazine , Metro , and more.

With a keen interest in both health and education, Emily earned a Master of Education degree from Harvard Graduate School of Education where two of her projects were awarded top honors—including a special commendation for her writing. Her curriculum also included coursework at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Prior to that she studied Mass Communication at Louisiana State University, minoring in French Studies, and also completed two study abroad programs with New York University: Italian Cuisine and the Mediterranean Diet (Florence) and Global Food Studies (Paris).

Emily loves teaching and tutoring, and has experience working with students of all ages–from elementary schoolers to college student-athletes.

Sam was born and raised in Houston and spent their high school years in North Carolina. Growing up, Sam played softball very competitively and was recruited by numerous colleges. They chose to play for the University of Chicago for its balance of athletic and academic rigor. 

At UChicago, Sam found their intellectual passion where they didn’t expect it to be. Sam started undergrad as a pre-med, fell in love with sociology their first year, switched majors, and never looked back. They now hold a Bachelor’s and Master’s in sociology and are earning a PhD in the same subject at the University of Michigan. 

During undergrad at UChicago, Sam studied abroad in Paris, became a Mellon Mays Fellow, and took several writing courses that changed their life. These experiences catalyzed Sam’s joy of travel, love for critical scholarship, and passion for writing and editing. As an undergrad and a PhD student, they have had the opportunity to share this passion with numerous students through teaching and mentorship. Sam works hard to guide their students to understand that the more clear, concise, and persuasive they make their writing, the better chances they have of achieving their academic desires. Sam always looks forward to making this learning process creative and inspiring. 

Sam finds great joy in live music, growing their own veggies, and spending as much time as possible in nature. They live in the northeast and can usually be found near the ocean, the mountains, or a river, no matter the season or weather. They take great delight in the small things in life that seem mundane and would eat ice cream everyday if they could. 

Growing up in Chicago, Emily Mack was a natural storyteller. Inspired by the city around her, she became “the writer girl,” editing her high school’s paper and lit mag and coaching their Louder Than a Bomb poetry slam team. By the time she left Chicago for Columbia University, the choice to study creative writing was instinctual.

At Columbia University, her official concentration was nonfiction which provided the chance to write criticism, essays, and journalistic features. She also learned to mine her own experiences for her work. One of those pieces — “On Belmont and Clark” — was published in The Chicago Neighborhood Guidebook in 2019. The same year, she became an editor at The Columbia Review and, upon graduation in 2020, earned the program’s inaugural Ellis Avery Prize for Creative Writing. The award was for showing “exceptional promise” in the field.

Now, she is putting that promise to use.

First, Emily became a staff writer for Wide Open Media, a subsidiary of Publishers Clearing House, creating content for their Americana sites, Rare.us and Wide Open Country. She turned out several articles per day on topics ranging from pop culture to politics before stepping up to an editorial role at Agent Publishing, a national network of real estate magazines.

As senior editor there, she still writes — a lot — in addition to interviewing subjects, editing stories, training reporters, and planning the monthly print edition of Chicago Agent magazine. Every day brings a new challenge, which she loves. Outside of her nine-to-five, Emily seeks additional opportunities to write and edit.

As an essay coach for HelloCollege, she’s excited to help the next generation kickstart their academic journey. Emily knows everyone has a story to tell. She wants to help students find their own and craft their voice.

Willow Green

Willow is an interdisciplinary artist, writer, and teacher. They grew up in a small town in the foothills of North Carolina, a place which fostered their lifelong love for cicada songs, Southern Gothic literature, and moody folk music. They earned a B.A. in Dance and English from Kenyon College in Gambier, OH. They have also taught and mentored in various roles including dramaturg, English teacher, and LGBTQIA+ student programming manager.

Intertwining their love for writing and dance, Willow has curated several entries for Movement Research’s Critical Correspondence publication. They are in the process of publishing a co-authored biography of Maggie Patton, the founder of Kenyon College’s dance program, in collaboration with Professor Julie Brodie and University of Akron Press. Willow is passionate about oral histories, embodied memory, storytelling, and archives, and they are inspired by their experiences with intergenerational community building.

As a 2022-2023 Fulbright English Teaching Assistant based in Jaffa, Willow co-taught courses at Talpiot College and facilitated immersive English sessions for Israeli and Palestinian students. This included workshops in partnership with TEC4Schools and the U.S. Embassy. Willow also studied and danced alongside local choreographers as part of Machol Shalem’s Creative Incubator, culminating in a festival premiere of their solo choreographic research. Their work has also been performed at 7MPR! at Arts on Site and MOtiVE Brooklyn. 

In all aspects of their life and work, Willow is drawn to storytelling practices that invite us to witness each other more deeply. In their free time, they do their best to go on adventures with their friends. They love adventures big and small, whether it be trying a new sweet treat at the local cafe or hiking through the desert to visit a world wonder.

When Meg was a child, if you asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, you

might get a different answer on any given day—the future was a grand adventure and

the possibilities endless—but the follow-up never changed: “…or a writer or a teacher.”

In the end, writer and teacher both won the day, and as an adult, Meg has built a life

and career that combines these two passions.

After earning a Bachelor of Arts in English and political science from Plymouth State

University, Meg took a job with an independent publisher near her hometown and began

a 20-plus-year career as a professional developmental and copy editor. Non-

professionally, she has worn many hats: homeschooling her children through middle

school, co-leading a Girl Scout troop, teaching writing classes at homeschool co-ops,

and facilitating coming-of-age and lifespan sexuality programs for teenagers at a local

UU church. These days, her work is focused primarily on tutoring and coaching as she

helps young writers learn how to tell their own stories, and after a long hiatus from

academia, she is looking forward to beginning an MFA in creative nonfiction.

A New England native, Meg now lives in Buffalo, New York, with her two teenagers, a

dog, a cat, and a semi-aquatic turtle. When she’s not reading, writing, or teaching

writing, she spends her time dabbling in artistic pursuits, training as a competitive adult

figure skater, teaching skating classes for children and adults, and binge-watching

Gilmore Girls with her daughter. She is excited to be working as an essay coach at

HelloCollege, helping students craft essays that highlight their unique perspectives and

experiences as they explore the endless possibilities of their own grand adventures.

Zee is a passionate educator, prolific writer, and community builder with an unwavering dedication to nurturing the talents of aspiring writers. With over a decade of experience in the field of education, Zee has found her true calling in inspiring and empowering individuals to discover their voices through the written word.

As an educator, Zee’s approach is marked by creativity, empathy, and a deep understanding of the learning process. Her enthusiasm for teaching extends beyond the confines of the classroom, as she constantly seeks innovative ways to engage with her students and ignite their love for literature and writing. Whether she’s leading dynamic workshops, facilitating stimulating discussions, or providing one-on-one mentorship, Zee strives to create an environment where every student feels valued and supported in their journey as a writer.

In addition to her passion for teaching, Zee is a dedicated writer with a diverse portfolio spanning fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Her writing reflects her keen observation of the human experience, exploring themes of identity, belonging, and the intricacies of relationships.

Central to Zee’s work is her commitment to building vibrant communities of writers. Recognizing the importance of collaboration and shared experiences in the creative process, she actively fosters spaces where writers can come together to learn, grow, and inspire one another.

Why Choose Our Essay Services

Peace of mind, industry knowledge.

-Will Wagner, Essay Coach

We are dedicated to helping students and parents successfully navigate the college admissions process, providing a personalized experience based on your unique needs and goals.

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College Essay Coaches

We empower students to achieve more than they imagine possible., we reduce the anxiety families feel  throughout the college application process..

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The Common Application

Personal statements, supplemental essays, interview preparation, resumés.

Welcome to College Essay Coaches

Whether you are a student or a parent, you have found a supportive space to guide you and your family through the complete college essay writing process from the 650 word personal statement, to supplemental essays, and beyond.

Our success stories include students who are accepted—and thrive—at universities across the U.S. including UC Berkeley, University of Michigan, Emory, Northeastern, NYU, Villanova and many more.

Our key is that we reduce stress so that the entire family feels nurtured while students are free to express themselves and discover their own voice. Yes, our students have an impressive roster of acceptances, but even more significant to us at College Essay Coaches, is that our students find their confidence and take pride in their work.

We customize the college process for each applicant. At our initial, one-on-one intake meeting, we brainstorm ideas by providing writing prompts to determine what is important to each student.

What do you think about the world around you? What inspires you? What makes you laugh? Cry?

We distill the most poignant and meaningful moments in our students' lives that result in impactful and powerful essays — in their own words.

From there, we design individualized plans to get essays completed before deadline. We create a sense of freedom and ease around writing.  One caveat: Expect to laugh a lot!

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Why Choose Us

Our founder, Renee Rosen, with a formidable background in documentary filmmaking, media and international development, knows how to craft a story. Through the proven College Essay Coaching process, Renee draws the most meaningful and salient stories out of college applicants.

Renee holds a Masters in Journalism from Columbia University, and an additional Masters degree in Peace and Conflict Resolution from NYU, where she studied identity politics and dispute resolution. This unique combination of studies and practical application have prepared Renee perfectly for the investigative process into telling each student's story... and establishing a peaceful and conflict-free environment throughout the process.

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How to Write a College Essay | A Complete Guide & Examples

The college essay can make or break your application. It’s your chance to provide personal context, communicate your values and qualities, and set yourself apart from other students.

A standout essay has a few key ingredients:

• A unique, personal topic
• A compelling, well-structured narrative
• A clear, creative writing style
• Evidence of self-reflection and insight

To achieve this, it’s crucial to give yourself enough time for brainstorming, writing, revision, and feedback.

In this comprehensive guide, we walk you through every step in the process of writing a college admissions essay.

Table of contents

Why do you need a standout essay, start organizing early, choose a unique topic, outline your essay, start with a memorable introduction, write like an artist, craft a strong conclusion, revise and receive feedback, frequently asked questions.

While most of your application lists your academic achievements, your college admissions essay is your opportunity to share who you are and why you’d be a good addition to the university.

Your college admissions essay accounts for about 25% of your application’s total weight一and may account for even more with some colleges making the SAT and ACT tests optional. The college admissions essay may be the deciding factor in your application, especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurriculars.

What do colleges look for in an essay?

Admissions officers want to understand your background, personality, and values to get a fuller picture of you beyond your test scores and grades. Here’s what colleges look for in an essay :

• Demonstrated values and qualities
• Vulnerability and authenticity
• Self-reflection and insight
• Creative, clear, and concise writing skills

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

It’s a good idea to start organizing your college application timeline in the summer of your junior year to make your application process easier. This will give you ample time for essay brainstorming, writing, revision, and feedback.

While timelines will vary for each student, aim to spend at least 1–3 weeks brainstorming and writing your first draft and at least 2–4 weeks revising across multiple drafts. Remember to leave enough time for breaks in between each writing and editing stage.

Create an essay tracker sheet

If you’re applying to multiple schools, you will have to juggle writing several essays for each one. We recommend using an essay tracker spreadsheet to help you visualize and organize the following:

• Deadlines and number of essays needed
• Prompt overlap, allowing you to write one essay for similar prompts

You can build your own essay tracker using our free Google Sheets template.

College essay tracker template

Ideally, you should start brainstorming college essay topics the summer before your senior year. Keep in mind that it’s easier to write a standout essay with a unique topic.

If you want to write about a common essay topic, such as a sports injury or volunteer work overseas, think carefully about how you can make it unique and personal. You’ll need to demonstrate deep insight and write your story in an original way to differentiate it from similar essays.

What makes a good topic?

• Meaningful and personal to you
• Uncommon or has an unusual angle
• Reveals something different from the rest of your application

Brainstorming questions

You should do a comprehensive brainstorm before choosing your topic. Here are a few questions to get started:

• What are your top five values? What lived experiences demonstrate these values?
• What adjectives would your friends and family use to describe you?
• What challenges or failures have you faced and overcome? What lessons did you learn from them?
• What makes you different from your classmates?
• What are some objects that represent your identity, your community, your relationships, your passions, or your goals?
• Whom do you admire most? Why?
• What three people have significantly impacted your life? How did they influence you?

How to identify your topic

Here are two strategies for identifying a topic that demonstrates your values:

• Start with your qualities : First, identify positive qualities about yourself; then, brainstorm stories that demonstrate these qualities.
• Start with a story : Brainstorm a list of memorable life moments; then, identify a value shown in each story.

After choosing your topic, organize your ideas in an essay outline , which will help keep you focused while writing. Unlike a five-paragraph academic essay, there’s no set structure for a college admissions essay. You can take a more creative approach, using storytelling techniques to shape your essay.

Two common approaches are to structure your essay as a series of vignettes or as a single narrative.

Vignettes structure

The vignette, or montage, structure weaves together several stories united by a common theme. Each story should demonstrate one of your values or qualities and conclude with an insight or future outlook.

This structure gives the admissions officer glimpses into your personality, background, and identity, and shows how your qualities appear in different areas of your life.

Topic: Museum with a “five senses” exhibit of my experiences

• Introduction: Tour guide introduces my museum and my “Making Sense of My Heritage” exhibit
• Story: Racial discrimination with my eyes
• Lesson: Using my writing to document truth
• Story: Broadway musical interests
• Lesson: Finding my voice
• Story: Smells from family dinner table
• Lesson: Appreciating home and family
• Story: Washing dishes
• Lesson: Finding moments of peace in busy schedule
• Story: Biking with Ava
• Lesson: Finding pleasure in job well done
• Conclusion: Tour guide concludes tour, invites guest to come back for “fall College Collection,” featuring my search for identity and learning.

Single story structure

The single story, or narrative, structure uses a chronological narrative to show a student’s character development over time. Some narrative essays detail moments in a relatively brief event, while others narrate a longer journey spanning months or years.

Single story essays are effective if you have overcome a significant challenge or want to demonstrate personal development.

Topic: Sports injury helps me learn to be a better student and person

• Situation: Football injury
• Challenge: Friends distant, teachers don’t know how to help, football is gone for me
• Turning point: Starting to like learning in Ms. Brady’s history class; meeting Christina and her friends
• My reactions: Reading poetry; finding shared interest in poetry with Christina; spending more time studying and with people different from me
• Insight: They taught me compassion and opened my eyes to a different lifestyle; even though I still can’t play football, I’m starting a new game

Brainstorm creative insights or story arcs

Regardless of your essay’s structure, try to craft a surprising story arc or original insights, especially if you’re writing about a common topic.

Never exaggerate or fabricate facts about yourself to seem interesting. However, try finding connections in your life that deviate from cliché storylines and lessons.

Admissions officers read thousands of essays each year, and they typically spend only a few minutes reading each one. To get your message across, your introduction , or hook, needs to grab the reader’s attention and compel them to read more..

Avoid starting your introduction with a famous quote, cliché, or reference to the essay itself (“While I sat down to write this essay…”).

While you can sometimes use dialogue or a meaningful quotation from a close family member or friend, make sure it encapsulates your essay’s overall theme.

Find an original, creative way of starting your essay using the following two methods.

Option 1: Start with an intriguing hook

Begin your essay with an unexpected statement to pique the reader’s curiosity and compel them to carefully read your essay. A mysterious introduction disarms the reader’s expectations and introduces questions that can only be answered by reading more.

Option 2: Start with vivid imagery

Illustrate a clear, detailed image to immediately transport your reader into your memory. You can start in the middle of an important scene or describe an object that conveys your essay’s theme.

A college application essay allows you to be creative in your style and tone. As you draft your essay, try to use interesting language to enliven your story and stand out .

Show, don’t tell

“Tell” in writing means to simply state a fact: “I am a basketball player.” “ Show ” in writing means to use details, examples, and vivid imagery to help the reader easily visualize your memory: “My heart races as I set up to shoot一two seconds, one second一and score a three-pointer!”

First, reflect on every detail of a specific image or scene to recall the most memorable aspects.

• What are the most prominent images?
• Are there any particular sounds, smells, or tastes associated with this memory?
• What emotion or physical feeling did you have at that time?

Be vulnerable to create an emotional response

You don’t have to share a huge secret or traumatic story, but you should dig deep to express your honest feelings, thoughts, and experiences to evoke an emotional response. Showing vulnerability demonstrates humility and maturity. However, don’t exaggerate to gain sympathy.

Use appropriate style and tone

Make sure your essay has the right style and tone by following these guidelines:

• Use a conversational yet respectful tone: less formal than academic writing, but more formal than texting your friends.
• Prioritize using “I” statements to highlight your perspective.
• Write within your vocabulary range to maintain an authentic voice.
• Write concisely, and use the active voice to keep a fast pace.
• Follow grammar rules (unless you have valid stylistic reasons for breaking them).

You should end your college essay with a deep insight or creative ending to leave the reader with a strong final impression. Your college admissions essay should avoid the following:

• Summarizing what you already wrote
• Stating your hope of being accepted to the school
• Mentioning character traits that should have been illustrated in the essay, such as “I’m a hard worker”

Here are two strategies to craft a strong conclusion.

Option 1: Full circle, sandwich structure

The full circle, or sandwich, structure concludes the essay with an image, idea, or story mentioned in the introduction. This strategy gives the reader a strong sense of closure.

In the example below, the essay concludes by returning to the “museum” metaphor that the writer opened with.

Option 2: Revealing your insight

You can use the conclusion to show the insight you gained as a result of the experiences you’ve described. Revealing your main message at the end creates suspense and keeps the takeaway at the forefront of your reader’s mind.

Revise your essay before submitting it to check its content, style, and grammar. Get feedback from no more than two or three people.

It’s normal to go through several rounds of revision, but take breaks between each editing stage.

Also check out our college essay examples to see what does and doesn’t work in an essay and the kinds of changes you can make to improve yours.

Respect the word count

Most schools specify a word count for each essay , and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit.

Remain under the specified word count limit to show you can write concisely and follow directions. However, don’t write too little, which may imply that you are unwilling or unable to write a thoughtful and developed essay.

Check your content, style, and grammar

• First, check big-picture issues of message, flow, and clarity.
• Then, check for style and tone issues.
• Finally, focus on eliminating grammar and punctuation errors.

Get feedback

Get feedback from 2–3 people who know you well, have good writing skills, and are familiar with college essays.

• Teachers and guidance counselors can help you check your content, language, and tone.
• Friends and family can check for authenticity.
• An essay coach or editor has specialized knowledge of college admissions essays and can give objective expert feedback.

The checklist below helps you make sure your essay ticks all the boxes.

College admissions essay checklist

I’ve organized my essay prompts and created an essay writing schedule.

I’ve done a comprehensive brainstorm for essay topics.

I’ve selected a topic that’s meaningful to me and reveals something different from the rest of my application.

I’ve created an outline to guide my structure.

I’ve crafted an introduction containing vivid imagery or an intriguing hook that grabs the reader’s attention.

I’ve written my essay in a way that shows instead of telling.

I’ve shown positive traits and values in my essay.

I’ve demonstrated self-reflection and insight in my essay.

I’ve used appropriate style and tone .

I’ve concluded with an insight or a creative ending.

I’ve revised my essay , checking my overall message, flow, clarity, and grammar.

I’ve respected the word count , remaining within 10% of the upper word limit.

Congratulations!

It looks like your essay ticks all the boxes. A second pair of eyes can help you take it to the next level – Scribbr's essay coaches can help.

Colleges want to be able to differentiate students who seem similar on paper. In the college application essay , they’re looking for a way to understand each applicant’s unique personality and experiences.

Your college essay accounts for about 25% of your application’s weight. It may be the deciding factor in whether you’re accepted, especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurricular track records.

A standout college essay has several key ingredients:

• A unique, personally meaningful topic
• A memorable introduction with vivid imagery or an intriguing hook
• Specific stories and language that show instead of telling
• Vulnerability that’s authentic but not aimed at soliciting sympathy
• Clear writing in an appropriate style and tone
• A conclusion that offers deep insight or a creative ending

While timelines will differ depending on the student, plan on spending at least 1–3 weeks brainstorming and writing the first draft of your college admissions essay , and at least 2–4 weeks revising across multiple drafts. Don’t forget to save enough time for breaks between each writing and editing stage.

You should already begin thinking about your essay the summer before your senior year so that you have plenty of time to try out different topics and get feedback on what works.

Most college application portals specify a word count range for your essay, and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit to write a developed and thoughtful essay.

You should aim to stay under the specified word count limit to show you can follow directions and write concisely. However, don’t write too little, as it may seem like you are unwilling or unable to write a detailed and insightful narrative about yourself.

If no word count is specified, we advise keeping your essay between 400 and 600 words.

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• Common App Essays | 7 Strong Examples with Commentary
• How Long Should a College Essay Be? | Word Count Tips
• How to Apply for College | Timeline, Templates & Checklist
• How to End a College Admissions Essay | 4 Winning Strategies
• How to Make Your College Essay Stand Out | Tips & Examples
• How to Research and Write a "Why This College?" Essay
• How to Write a College Essay Fast | Tips & Examples
• How to Write a Diversity Essay | Tips & Examples
• How to Write a Great College Essay Introduction | Examples
• How to Write a Scholarship Essay | Template & Example
• How to Write About Yourself in a College Essay | Examples
• Style and Tone Tips for Your College Essay | Examples
• US College Essay Tips for International Students

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COLLEGE ADMISSIONS ESSAY COACHING

We coach each student to write a personal essay for college admissions that authentically captures their voice, personal history, and distinctive identity through exemplary storytelling.

For many high school students, writing is hard. When you combine that with the pressure of college admissions and the challenge of writing a personal narrative, which many students haven’t done, the composition process becomes even more daunting. The essay is perhaps the most personal part of the application, and that can be a source of significant stress for young writers.

Our college essay coaches are brilliant mentors, and they understand what the admissions essays need to communicate about the student—about their identity, capability, life experience, and passions. With a deft and gentle touch, they guide students through the writing, helping them to decide on a topic, develop a narrative, and refine it.

Through this process, our mentors support each student’s voice and personal history to come through in a way that captures their distinctive identity, as follows:

STORYTELLING

We consider the topics, experiences, and stories that might make the most engaging essay, relying on our storytelling expertise to help students choose the subject.

STRUCTURAL SUPPORT

Once students settle on a topic, we help them outline the essay and develop notes for it.

SUPPLEMENTAL GUIDANCE

At the end of our coaching sessions, we give students assignments to flesh out the essay, which we’ll help them strengthen during subsequent sessions.

After refining the draft, we vet the final version, making sure that the storytelling is strong and the grammar is top-notch.

Our students have written outstanding college admissions essays about living as an expat in Italy, becoming closer to an uncle with developmental disabilities, camping in a snowstorm, creating a rogue school sweater, performing a comedy routine, and reflecting on the passage of time. Our mentors have an ability to hear our students’ inner truths, and, in turn, our young writers are empowered to go deep in their essays.

“Exciting news! I got into NYU’s, Emerson’s, and Chapman’s BFA programs! I wanted to thank you and Jeremy for all the help! Without you two placing me in the right direction and getting me through this entire application process I don’t know where I’d be!” —Z.G.

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Whether you have a good start on your essay and you want to take it to the next level, or you need some coaching to craft the perfect piece from the ground up, we’ve got you covered!

Of our students are admitted into at least one of their top choice schools.

Full Essay Coaching

The best option if you want to craft the ultimate essay from the ground up or need to discuss your current draft’s narrative. Your admissions consultants will take you from topic planning to final draft.

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A great option if you already know what you want to write about and you’d mostly benefit from an expert admissions consultant helping you perfect your style, tone, and message.

You’re a unique person, with unique experiences and ambitions, but how do you best show this in a response to an essay prompt? With Full Essay Coaching, your expert Admissions Consultant will guide you from beginning to end and make sure your strongest attributes come through clearly and concisely.

This is a great option for the Common App personal statement, reach schools, and other high-stakes situations.

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You have a good start on your essay, but you want an expert to help you perfect it? PrepScholar Admissions Consultants are top-notch writers who know exactly what colleges are looking for. No matter your background or school choices, they’ll help you wordsmith and perfect your essay so you can present your thoughts in the best possible manner.

This is an affordable option for lower-stakes situations and almost-ready essays that require some polishing before they’re submissions-ready.

Upload your rough essay draft

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Finish with a completely polished essay, see for yourself.

Curious to see the process in action? See two samples of our essay review and revision process for real essays. SAMPLE ONE | SAMPLE TWO

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Leverage experienced admissions consultants.

At PrepScholar, you have access to the nation’s best storytellers, profile-builders, and application crafters. By working one-on-one with one of our expert Admissions Consultants, students build their profiles and develop their unique story resulting in a standout application.  

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We personally and thoughtfully recommend the best consultant based on your profile.

We start our work by getting to know you in depth. With the help of our Student Profile Questionnaire, we ask relevant questions about your academic profile, challenges, and admissions goals. To gain a deeper understanding, we also ask thought-provoking questions to get your insights about your formative years, personal interests, hopes, and dreams.

Your questionnaire is personally reviewed by our Head of Admissions, a Harvard and Yale graduate with 10+ years of counseling experience. They have worked closely with all the consultants on our team and understand their areas of specialization and track record. Based on your answers, our Head of Admissions matches you with the best consultant to help you reach your goals.

Our matching process is carefully designed and consistently leads to successful consultant and student matches; as a result, reassignment is virtually never necessary. However, if the need for a reassignment arises, we are happy to accommodate such a request.

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Pricing tiers.

The Full Essay Coaching and Essay Review services are priced by number of essays.

To choose the right tier, identify the number of essays you would like to work on and select the corresponding option. We recommend fitting multiple essays into one package to save!

*We can also help you with the Common App activities list. All you need to do is count it as an essay.

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The flexibility and availability offered to me by my selected tutor as well as her willingness to work with me until we perfected the things needed for my college journey. I would Highly recommend prepscholar to anyone looking for help or improvement in high school.

I really liked the personalized support for my essays and how my consultant took the time to understand me as a person to know how to best reflect myself in my essay. She was also very understanding when I needed more time to work on the draft before another round of revisions

Many of the people that reviewed my essay told me the same thing: show don’t tell. However, they never explained what they meant or how to accomplish that. Lily was really nice and helpful in demonstrating what I needed to change instead of just saying it needed improvement. She was also really nice!

Through the consulting sessions, Laura was able to hone in on Mike’s true values, and the best positioning to colleges.  She helped pick the best activities and way to word the activities on the applications.

After many sessions, the application and essay writing became more natural for Mike. I’m glad to say that his voice fully shines through the essays. His consultant just helped him cut out unneeded information, and help hit the word limit and make the most important points. Shewas an expert at knowing how to position clubs and activities as well.

My consultant did an excellent job helping me tell my story. Over our first week, he provided very helpful feedback on my topic ideas and quickly identified a concept that ended up leading to a well-formed essay. He was also very helpful and encouraging throughout the process, and he provided accurate and specific feedback that helped me create an essay that felt very true to myself. Paradoxically, the essay we created together felt much more genuine than any of the attempts I had made at drafting an essay on my own beforehand!

Prepscholar’s personalized approach to the admissions process is invaluable. Eric’s “show, don’t tell” philosophy is practical and proven. Allen and the Prepscholar team embody this essential value with their own degrees and educational accolades. I trust them with my collegiate future. I would suggest that anyone needing guidance through the admissions process do the same.

From Our Blog:

177 College Essay Examples for 11 Schools + Expert Analysis

How to Write a Perfect “Why This College” Essay

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Lisa Michaels

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I am passionate about using my creative writing skills to help high school students write essays that can change their lives.

“Lisa walked me through every step of the college essay process and helped me feel at ease when I was staring at a list of 30+ essays I had to write. She helped us navigate this territory we knew nothing about. In part due to her excellent advice and support, I have been accepted early-action into Harvard College Class of 2022! Not only did she help me get into my dream school, but she taught me skills that will serve me while I’m at Harvard and beyond.” 

— Aspen Buck

I am a published author and the mother of two high-school-age boys. I love working as a college essay writing coach because it allows me to share my craft, while leading young people to their fullest potential.

I started writing while an undergraduate at UCLA. I received my Masters in Fine Art from Mills College in Oakland and published a memoir, Split: A Counterculture Childhood (a New York Times Notable Book). My first novel, Grand Ambition , was named a “best book of the year” by Booklist and the Los Angeles Times . I have written essays and book reviews for Condé Nast Traveler and the Wall St. Journal , and taught creative nonfiction at Antioch University Los Angeles and the University of Washington Extension. I am passionate about using my creative writing experience to help high school students write essays that can change their lives.

“Working together on the essays for college was very helpful. I had no idea where to start and what colleges were looking for. I am so used to writing in a technical way I didn’t know how to write personal essays. You asked me questions that guided me to think in a different way and get more out of me than I thought I could. I am not very creative but you brought that out in me by explaining my stories and you helped me construct my essays to be more entertaining to read. Thank you so much for your help!” —Elise Bengston

HOW IT WORKS – For the parent

I know the college application process is stressful for parents. We’ve all read the news about the difficulty of getting into a top school. According to USA Today, “Personal statements are one of the most important parts of the application and sometimes the deciding factor for admission.”

But I have good news: with a burst of intensive effort your student can write an essay that admissions officers won’t forget. A powerful personal statement turns a list of grades and scores turn into a three-dimensional person. This is a page and a half of writing that can change your student’s life.

I have been writing creative nonfiction for twenty years. I can walk your student through the process, from brainstorming and freewriting to line editing and proofreading. Let’s talk, so I can get to know your student!

“Lisa helped me find my voice at a stressful time. She created a calm, pressure-free environment where I could breathe and put down all my essay ideas on paper. Together we worked on strengthening my ideas, enhancing my vocabulary, and replacing dull sentences, all while keeping my main points. Lisa never urged me to change my topics or ideas instead she encouraged me to think and grow as a writer and a student. I’m now a second year student at UC Davis studying biological psychology and still to this day use parts of the essays and short responses we wrote together for job, research, and award applications.”

— Anouk Thomas

HOW IT WORKS – For the student

I can help you draft a standout personal statement–and you might even have a little fun along the way.

We will start by talking, either in my office or over Skype. I have questions that will help you figure out the best way to tell your story.

In our first meeting, we will outline your essay, scene by scene, and I will show you how to keep the writing fresh.

I have methods that can help you write a rough draft in one day.

Once we have captured the energy you want to convey, we will begin shaping the writing.

I will guide you through the steps of revision, until you have painted a vivid picture of yourself, one that admissions officers can’t forget. Together, we will create an essay that captures who you are and what makes you special.

Hourly Rate: $150 an hour for one-on-one coaching

  1) In-depth interview and brainstorming session

2) Help with a scene-by-scene outline of your primary personal statement

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House where four University of Idaho students were killed will be demolished

The off-campus residence where  four University of Idaho students were found dead  in November will be demolished, the school said Friday.

The owner of the three-story King Street House where the  bodies of Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves  were found offered it to the university.

The offer was accepted by the university. The school decided to get rid of the structure, which is located blocks away from campus, University President Scott Green said in a statement.

The slayings rocked the small community of Moscow, where investigators grappled with what the town’s police chief would later describe as a “very complex” case.

“This is a healing step and removes the physical structure where the crime that shook our community was committed,” Green said. “Demolition also removes efforts to further sensationalize the crime scene.”

The university is also “evaluating options where students may be involved in the future development of the property.”

Scholarships in honor of three of the students have been established and a fourth is in the works, Green said. A plan to create a memorial is also being developed.

“We will never forget Xana, Ethan, Madison and Kaylee, and I will do everything in my power to protect their dignity and respect their memory,” Green said.

Three of the victims were roommates in the house, and Kernodle’s boyfriend, Chapin, was staying overnight, according to investigators.

Bryan Christopher Kohberger, 28, was arrested  late last year in Pennsylvania and has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and burglary.

The four charges of first-degree murder carry sentences that could include life in prison to the death penalty.

He is scheduled for a five-day preliminary hearing starting June 26.

At the time of the slayings, Kohberger was a  doctoral student , studying criminal justice and criminology at Washington State University in Pullman, a short drive over the state line from Moscow. A WSU official has said Kohberger is no longer enrolled.

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com .

Mirna Alsharif is a breaking news reporter for NBC News based in New York City.

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How to Write a Non-Cliche College Essay About Sports + Examples

What’s covered:, what makes a sports essay cliche.

• How To Make Your Sports Essay Unique

Great Examples of College Essays About Sports

Where to get your college essay edited for free, or by an expert.

You’ve been brainstorming essay topics for your college applications, and you think you’ve finally found the right one: an extended metaphor likening your experience on the field with overcoming personal struggles. The problem: many other students have this same thought. 

The purpose of a college essay is to make yourself stand out as a unique individual, but when students write about sports, they often blend in. Because of that, students are usually advised to pick a different topic.

That being said, it is possible to write a non-cliche college essay about sports if you put in a little extra effort. Read along to learn how to make your sports essay different from all the other sports essays.

Sports essays are cliche when they follow a standard trajectory. Some of these trajectories include writing a story about:

• An agonizing defeat
• Forging bonds with teammates
• Overcoming adversity
• Overcoming an injury
• Refusing to quit
• Victory during a big game

Because sports essays have very similar themes and “lessons learned,” it can be difficult to make your story stand out. These trajectories also often focus too much on the sport or storyline, and not enough on the writer’s reflections and personality.

As you write your essay, try to think about what your experience says about you rather than what you learned from your experience. You are more than just one lesson you learned!

(Keep in mind that the sports essay is not the only college essay cliche. Learn about other essay cliches and how to fix them in our complete guide).

How to Make Your Sports Essay Unique

1. focus on a specific moment or reflection..

The college essay is a way for students to humanize themselves to admissions officers. You do not feel human if you are describing yourself as just another player on the field!

One important way to make your essay about you (not just about sports) is by focusing on a specific moment in time and inviting the reader to join you in that moment. Explain to the reader what it would be like to be sitting in that locker room as you questioned the values of the other players on your team. Ask your reader to sit with you on the cot in the trainer’s room as your identity was stripped away from you when they said “your body can’t take this anymore.” Bring your reader to the dinner table and involve them in your family’s conversation about how sports were affecting your mental health and your treatment of those around you.

Intense descriptions of a specific experience will evoke emotions in your reader and allow them to connect with you and feel for you.

When in doubt, avoid anything that can be covered by ESPN. On ESPN, we see the games, we see the benches, we even see the locker rooms and training rooms. Take your reader somewhere different and show them something unique.

2. Use sports to point out broader themes in your life.

The main risk when writing about sports is neglecting to write about yourself. Before you get started, think about the main values that you want to express in your sports essay. Sports are simply your avenue for telling the reader what makes you unique. 

As a test, imagine if you were a pianist. Would you be able to talk about these same values? What if you were a writer? Or a chemist? Articulating your values is the end, and sports should simply be your means.

Some values that you might want to focus on:

• Autonomy (you want to be able to set your mind to anything and achieve it on your own)
• Growth (you seek improvement constantly)
• Curiosity (you are willing to try anything once)
• Vulnerability (you aren’t afraid to fail, as long as you give it your all)
• Community (you value the feedback of others and need camaraderie to succeed)
• Craft (you think that with deliberate care, anything can be perfected)
• Responsibility (you believe that you owe something to those around you and perhaps they also owe something to you)

You can use the ESPN check again to make sure that you are using sports as an avenue to show your depth.

Things ESPN covers: how a player reacts to defeat, how injuries affect a player’s gameplay/attitude, how players who don’t normally work well together are working together on their new team.

Things ESPN doesn’t cover: the conversation that a player had with their mother about fear of death before going into a big surgery (value: family and connection), the ways that the intense pressure to succeed consumed a player to the point they couldn’t be there for the people in their life (value: supporting others and community), the body image issues that weigh on a player’s mind when playing their sport and how they overcame those (value: health and growth).

3. Turn a cliche storyline on its head.

There’s no getting around the fact that sports essays are often cliche. But there is a way to confront the cliche head-on. For example, lots of people write essays about the lessons they learned from an injury, victory, and so on, but fewer students explain how they are embracing those lessons. 

Perhaps you learned that competition is overwhelming for you and you prefer teamwork, so you switched from playing basketball to playing Dungeons & Dragons. Maybe, when your softball career ended abruptly, you had to find a new identity and that’s when you became obsessed with your flower garden and decided to pursue botany. Or maybe, you have stuck with football through it all, but your junior-year mental health struggle showed you that football should be fun and you have since started a nonprofit for local children to healthily engage with sports.

If your story itself is more cliche, try bringing readers to the present moment with you and show why the cliche matters and what it did for you. This requires a fair amount of creativity. Ensure you’re not parroting a frequently used topic by really thinking deeply to find your own unique spin.

Night had robbed the academy of its daytime colors, yet there was comfort in the dim lights that cast shadows of our advances against the bare studio walls. Silhouettes of roundhouse kicks, spin crescent kicks, uppercuts and the occasional butterfly kick danced while we sparred. She approached me, eyes narrowed with the trace of a smirk challenging me. “Ready spar!” Her arm began an upward trajectory targeting my shoulder, a common first move. I sidestepped — only to almost collide with another flying fist. Pivoting my right foot, I snapped my left leg, aiming my heel at her midsection. The center judge raised one finger. 

There was no time to celebrate, not in the traditional sense at least. Master Pollard gave a brief command greeted with a unanimous “Yes, sir” and the thud of 20 hands dropping-down-and-giving-him-30, while the “winners” celebrated their victory with laps as usual. 

Three years ago, seven-thirty in the evening meant I was a warrior. It meant standing up straighter, pushing a little harder, “Yes, sir” and “Yes, ma’am”, celebrating birthdays by breaking boards, never pointing your toes, and familiarity. Three years later, seven-thirty in the morning meant I was nervous. 

The room is uncomfortably large. The sprung floor soaks up the checkerboard of sunlight piercing through the colonial windows. The mirrored walls further illuminate the studio and I feel the light scrutinizing my sorry attempts at a pas de bourrée, while capturing the organic fluidity of the dancers around me. “Chassé en croix, grand battement, pique, pirouette.” I follow the graceful limbs of the woman in front of me, her legs floating ribbons, as she executes what seems to be a perfect ronds de jambes. Each movement remains a negotiation. With admirable patience, Ms. Tan casts me a sympathetic glance.   

There is no time to wallow in the misery that is my right foot. Taekwondo calls for dorsiflexion; pointed toes are synonymous with broken toes. My thoughts drag me into a flashback of the usual response to this painful mistake: “You might as well grab a tutu and head to the ballet studio next door.” Well, here I am Master Pollard, unfortunately still following your orders to never point my toes, but no longer feeling the satisfaction that comes with being a third degree black belt with 5 years of experience quite literally under her belt. It’s like being a white belt again — just in a leotard and ballet slippers. 

But the appetite for new beginnings that brought me here doesn’t falter. It is only reinforced by the classical rendition of “Dancing Queen” that floods the room and the ghost of familiarity that reassures me that this new beginning does not and will not erase the past. After years spent at the top, it’s hard to start over. But surrendering what you are only leads you to what you may become. In Taekwondo, we started each class reciting the tenets: honor, courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, courage, humility, and knowledge, and I have never felt that I embodied those traits more so than when I started ballet. 

The thing about change is that it eventually stops making things so different. After nine different schools, four different countries, three different continents, fluency in Tamil, Norwegian, and English, there are more blurred lines than there are clear fragments. My life has not been a tactfully executed, gold medal-worthy Taekwondo form with each movement defined, nor has it been a series of frappés performed by a prima ballerina with each extension identical and precise, but thankfully it has been like the dynamics of a spinning back kick, fluid, and like my chances of landing a pirouette, unpredictable. 

Why it works:

What’s especially powerful about this essay is that the author uses detailed imagery to convey a picture of what they’re experiencing, so much so that the reader is along for the ride. This works as a sports essay not only because of the language and sensory details, but also because the writer focuses on a specific moment in time, while at the same time exploring why Taekwondo is such an important part of their life.

After the emotional image is created, the student finishes their essay with valuable reflection. With the reflection, they show admissions officers that they are mature and self-aware. Self-awareness comes through with statements like “surrendering what you are only leads you to what you may become” and maturity can be seen through the student’s discussion of values “honor, courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, courage, humility, and knowledge, and I have never felt that I embodied those traits more so than when I started ballet.” These are the kinds of comments that should find their way into a sports essay!

“Advanced females ages 13 to 14 please proceed to staging with your coaches at this time.” Skittering around the room, eyes wide and pleading, I frantically explained my situation to nearby coaches. The seconds ticked away in my head; every polite refusal increased my desperation.

Despair weighed me down. I sank to my knees as a stream of competitors, coaches, and officials flowed around me. My dojang had no coach, and the tournament rules prohibited me from competing without one.

Although I wanted to remain strong, doubts began to cloud my mind. I could not help wondering: what was the point of perfecting my skills if I would never even compete? The other members of my team, who had found coaches minutes earlier, attempted to comfort me, but I barely heard their words. They couldn’t understand my despair at being left on the outside, and I never wanted them to understand.

Since my first lesson 12 years ago, the members of my dojang have become family. I have watched them grow up, finding my own happiness in theirs. Together, we have honed our kicks, blocks, and strikes. We have pushed one another to aim higher and become better martial artists. Although my dojang had searched for a reliable coach for years, we had not found one. When we attended competitions in the past, my teammates and I had always gotten lucky and found a sympathetic coach. Now, I knew this practice was unsustainable. It would devastate me to see the other members of my dojang in my situation, unable to compete and losing hope as a result. My dojang needed a coach, and I decided it was up to me to find one. 

I first approached the adults in the dojang – both instructors and members’ parents. However, these attempts only reacquainted me with polite refusals. Everyone I asked told me they couldn’t devote multiple weekends per year to competitions. I soon realized that I would have become the coach myself.

At first, the inner workings of tournaments were a mystery to me. To prepare myself for success as a coach, I spent the next year as an official and took coaching classes on the side. I learned everything from motivational strategies to technical, behind-the-scenes components of Taekwondo competitions. Though I emerged with new knowledge and confidence in my capabilities, others did not share this faith.

Parents threw me disbelieving looks when they learned that their children’s coach was only a child herself. My self-confidence was my armor, deflecting their surly glances. Every armor is penetrable, however, and as the relentless barrage of doubts pounded my resilience, it began to wear down. I grew unsure of my own abilities.

Despite the attack, I refused to give up. When I saw the shining eyes of the youngest students preparing for their first competition, I knew I couldn’t let them down. To quit would be to set them up to be barred from competing like I was. The knowledge that I could solve my dojang’s longtime problem motivated me to overcome my apprehension.

Now that my dojang flourishes at competitions, the attacks on me have weakened, but not ended. I may never win the approval of every parent; at times, I am still tormented by doubts, but I find solace in the fact that members of my dojang now only worry about competing to the best of their abilities.

Now, as I arrive at a tournament with my students, I close my eyes and remember the past. I visualize the frantic search for a coach and the chaos amongst my teammates as we compete with one another to find coaches before the staging calls for our respective divisions. I open my eyes to the exact opposite scene. Lacking a coach hurt my ability to compete, but I am proud to know that no member of my dojang will have to face that problem again.

In the beginning, you might think this is another cliche sports essay about overcoming adversity. But instead, it becomes a unique statement and coming-of-age tale that reads as a suspenseful narrative. 

The author connects their experience with martial arts to larger themes in their life but manages to do so without riffing off of tried-and-true themes. Through statements like “I knew I couldn’t let them down. To quit would be to set them up to be barred from competing like I was” we learn about the students values and their desire to be there for those who depend on them. 

The student also brings it full circle, demonstrating their true transformation. By using the “Same, but Different” ending technique , the student places themself in the same environment that we saw in the intro, but experiences it differently due to their actions throughout the narrative. This is very compelling!

“1…2…3…4 pirouettes! New record!” My friends cheered as I landed my turns. Pleased with my progress, I gazed down at my worn-out pointe shoes. The sweltering blisters, numbing ice-baths, and draining late-night practices did not seem so bad after all. Next goal: five turns.

For as long as I can remember, ballet, in all its finesse and glamor, had kept me driven day to day. As a child, the lithe ballerinas, donning ethereal costumes as they floated across the stage, were my motivation. While others admired Messi and Adele, I idolized Carlos Acosta, principal dancer of the Royal Ballet. 

As I devoted more time and energy towards my craft, I became obsessed with improving my technique. I would stretch for hours after class, forcing my leg one inch higher in an effort to mirror the Dance Magazine cover girls. I injured my feet and ruined pair after pair of pointe shoes, turning on wood, cement, and even grass to improve my balance as I spun. At competitions, the dancers with the 180-degree leg extensions, endless turns, and soaring leaps—the ones who received “Bravos!” from the roaring audience—further pushed me to refine my skills and perfect my form. I believed that, with enough determination, I would one day attain their level of perfection. Reaching the quadruple-pirouette milestone only intensified my desire to accomplish even more. 

My efforts seemed to have come to fruition two summers ago when I was accepted to dance with Moscow’s Bolshoi Ballet at their renowned New York City summer intensive. I walked into my first session eager to learn from distinguished ballet masters and worldly dancers, already anticipating my improvement. Yet, as I danced alongside the accomplished ballerinas, I felt out of place. Despite their clean technique and professional training, they did not aim for glorious leg extensions or prodigious leaps. When they performed their turn combinations, most of them only executed two turns as I attempted four. 

“Dancers, double-pirouettes only.” 

Taken aback and confused, I wondered why our teacher expected so little from us. The other ballerinas seemed content, gracing the studio with their simple movements. 

As I grew closer with my Moscow roommates, I gradually learned that their training emphasized the history of the art form instead of stylistic tricks. Rather than show off their physical ability, their performances aimed to convey a story, one that embodied the rich culture of ballet and captured both the legacy of the dancers before them and their own artistry. As I observed my friends more intently in repertoire class, I felt the pain of the grief-stricken white swan from Swan Lake, the sass of the flirtatious Kitri from Don Quijote, and I gradually saw what I had overlooked before. My definition of talent had been molded by crowd-pleasing elements—whirring pirouettes, gravity-defying leaps, and mind-blowing leg extensions. This mindset slowly stripped me from the roots of my passion and my personal connection with ballet. 

With the Bolshoi, I learned to step back and explore the meaning behind each step and the people behind the scenes. Ballet carries history in its movements, from the societal values of the era to each choreographer’s unique flair. As I uncovered the messages behind each pirouette, kick, and jump, my appreciation for ballet grew beyond my obsession with raw athleticism and developed into a love for the art form’s emotive abilities in bridging the dancers with the audience. My journey as an artist has allowed me to see how technical execution is only the means to a greater understanding between dancer and spectator, between storyteller and listener. The elegance and complexity of ballet does not revolve around astonishing stunts but rather the evocative strength and artistry manifested in the dancer, in me. It is the combination of sentiments, history, tradition, and passion that has allowed ballet and its lessons of human connection to become my lifestyle both on and off stage.

This essay is about lessons. While the author is a dancer, this narrative isn’t really about ballet, per se — it’s about the author’s personal growth. It is purposefully reflective as the student shows a nice character arc that begins with an eager young ballerina and ends with a reflection on their past. The primary strength of this essay is the honesty and authenticity that the student approaches it with.

In the end, the student turns a cliche on its head as they embrace the idea of overcoming adversity and demonstrate how the adversity, in this case, was their own stereotypes about their art. It’s beautiful!

“Getting beat is one thing – it’s part of competing – but I want no part in losing.” Coach Rob Stark’s motto never fails to remind me of his encouragement on early-morning bus rides to track meets around the state. I’ve always appreciated the phrase, but an experience last June helped me understand its more profound, universal meaning.

Stark, as we affectionately call him, has coached track at my high school for 25 years. His care, dedication, and emphasis on developing good character has left an enduring impact on me and hundreds of other students. Not only did he help me discover my talent and love for running, but he also taught me the importance of commitment and discipline and to approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running. When I learned a neighboring high school had dedicated their track to a longtime coach, I felt that Stark deserved similar honors.

Our school district’s board of education indicated they would only dedicate our track to Stark if I could demonstrate that he was extraordinary. I took charge and mobilized my teammates to distribute petitions, reach out to alumni, and compile statistics on the many team and individual champions Stark had coached over the years. We received astounding support, collecting almost 3,000 signatures and pages of endorsements from across the community. With help from my teammates, I presented this evidence to the board.

They didn’t bite. 

Most members argued that dedicating the track was a low priority. Knowing that we had to act quickly to convince them of its importance, I called a team meeting where we drafted a rebuttal for the next board meeting. To my surprise, they chose me to deliver it. I was far from the best public speaker in the group, and I felt nervous about going before the unsympathetic board again. However, at that second meeting, I discovered that I enjoy articulating and arguing for something that I’m passionate about.

Public speaking resembles a cross country race. Walking to the starting line, you have to trust your training and quell your last minute doubts. When the gun fires, you can’t think too hard about anything; your performance has to be instinctual, natural, even relaxed. At the next board meeting, the podium was my starting line. As I walked up to it, familiar butterflies fluttered in my stomach. Instead of the track stretching out in front of me, I faced the vast audience of teachers, board members, and my teammates. I felt my adrenaline build, and reassured myself: I’ve put in the work, my argument is powerful and sound. As the board president told me to introduce myself, I heard, “runners set” in the back of my mind. She finished speaking, and Bang! The brief silence was the gunshot for me to begin. 

The next few minutes blurred together, but when the dust settled, I knew from the board members’ expressions and the audience’s thunderous approval that I had run quite a race. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough; the board voted down our proposal. I was disappointed, but proud of myself, my team, and our collaboration off the track. We stood up for a cause we believed in, and I overcame my worries about being a leader. Although I discovered that changing the status quo through an elected body can be a painstakingly difficult process and requires perseverance, I learned that I enjoy the challenges this effort offers. Last month, one of the school board members joked that I had become a “regular” – I now often show up to meetings to advocate for a variety of causes, including better environmental practices in cafeterias and safer equipment for athletes.

Just as Stark taught me, I worked passionately to achieve my goal. I may have been beaten when I appealed to the board, but I certainly didn’t lose, and that would have made Stark proud.

This essay uses the idea of sports to explore a more profound topic—growing through relationships. They really embrace using sports as an avenue to tell the reader about a specific experience that changed the way they approach the world. 

The emphasis on relationships is why this essay works well and doesn’t fall into a cliche. The narrator grows not because of their experience with track but because of their relationship with their coach, who inspired them to evolve and become a leader.

Have a draft of your college essay? We’re here to help you polish it. Students can participate in a free Peer Review, or they can sign up for a paid review by CollegeVine’s experts. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to start improving your essay and your chances of acceptance!

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We Help You Write and Edit College Application Essays

Writing college application essays can feel overwhelming. To help you understand the services we offer, we offer a free consultation to answer all of your questions about Essay Coaching.  Sign up for a free consultation here.

We help students applying to college write strong college application essays. Our positive, proven process also helps high school families reduce their stress during those busy application months.

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We also help graduate school applicants write personal statements. We specialize in medical school, law school, social work school, nursing school, business school, and PhD programs.

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With our guidance, learn how to write an essay that would compel a scholarship judge to say, “That one—that’s the winner.”

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Package of  meetings:   A success package of five zoom or face-to-face meetings (described below).  Purchase a success package of meetings here.

Expert written feedback: A single session of expert written feedback of essay drafts.  Read a description of our expert written feedback here .

Purchase expert written feedback here . (Click the down arrow under “Services.”)

To help you understand the services we offer, we offer a free consultation to answer all of your questions about Essay Coaching.  Sign up for a free consultation here.

Success Package of Five Zoom or Face-to-face Meetings

Completed essays are always an amazing improvement over the original drafts—more compelling, unique, and memorable. Students take away writing skills that help them succeed in college and beyond.

Prior to session one:

Before we meet, students use the jumpstart questionnaire to relax and recall experiences in their comfort of their own home. Students also complete a jumpstart contact form to help us stay in touch.  You’ll receive a 13-page handout with tips and five sample essays.

Session one:

Students learn what colleges are looking for in the college essay, and get all their questions answered.  Time is spent interviewing the student and discussing their questionnaire as a way of getting to know him/her, reviewing helpful handouts with sample essays, teaching essay writing tips, and brainstorming best topics.  Usually at the end of the first session, the student has one or more essay ideas. At the end of each session, we outline goals for the next session and confirm the calendar date of our next meeting.

This first appointment is perfect for a student who needs help selecting an essay topic or desires a thorough and professional evaluation of essay drafts.

About half of all Essay Coaching students walk in not knowing what they want to write–or should write–on an admissions essay.  That’s OK!

Writing a strong college application essay is rarely taught in school, but is thoroughly covered in the first Essay Coaching appointment. All questions are welcomed…and answered! Students walk out relieved, knowledgeable, with essay samples, and usually with a strong idea for their own essay.

The other half of Essay Coaching students walk in with a draft, but aren’t sure of how it will affect a college admissions officer.  Those students walk out with helpful feedback generated through a game and a discussion. Students wondering is this essay good enough? find this first appointment stress-relieving and helpful.

After session one:

Students write!  They can type on a phone, ipad or computer, handwrite in a book, or dictate speech-to-text into a phone.

Session two:

At  the second session, the student will bring essay drafts, ideas, or may write during the session. Often we will simultaneously view their draft on a google doc.  We will play a game to evaluate the writing as a college admissions officer would, discuss how to expand ideas into an essay, and may outline the essay.  The other three sessions are spent editing the essay together and starting to brainstorm and draft additional essays.

After session two:

After session two: For college-specific essays, we encourage students to do their research.  Students need to ask themselves what they know about the school, its courses, professors, classes, and their intended major if they have one.  They can do this by reading websites, talking with students, faculty, alumni or college counselors.Students will continue to edit their essay drafts based on our session insights.

Sessions three to five:

During sessions three to five we will review college-specific essay drafts and continue to polish the common application essay.

Questions we ask at Essay Coaching before delivering one-on-one feedback.

• What did I learn about this student from reading this essay?
• Was I interested and/or impressed with what I learned? Did I learn about qualities that might help this student to enjoy, participate in and graduate college?
• Could I follow this essay, especially the timeline? Did any parts of the story confuse me?
• Was there anything mentioned that I was curious to hear more about?
• Does the essay seem as impressive as the student I read about in the questionnaire or met on a zoom?
• When I try to envision the student and his/her story, what images from the essay do I see, what phrases do I remember?
• Were there any obvious grammatical errors?
• Were there any sentences or paragraphs that were not needed or should be moved?

Remember : Application essays show what you care about, and what you’ve done about it. Colleges read these essays to envision you graduating from their college.

Five-appointments Package Includes:

• Solving the College Admissions Puzzle:  A Guide for Students and Families about College Selection, Essay Writing, and High-Stakes Testing , by Debbie E. Merion, M.S.W, M.F.A, John B. Boshoven, M.A., M.S.W and Geraldine Markel, Ph.D. – Gold Medal Winner of the 2014 Global Ebook Awards.
• Essay Coaching Handouts Package

Package deal with five sessions:

Sign up for a fall package price of $1150.

For the student who needs help selecting an essay topic, and structuring, writing, and editing the essay.

The five-appointment package covers the average number of appointments it takes to write one winning essay, but one student wrote eight essays during her five sessions!

Purchase a success package now.

Dear Ms. Merion, I want to thank you for your expert advice and suggestions for my college essays last fall.  I feel like I am often misunderstood, so it really helped that you took the time to get to know me, to ensure my voice was shining through with enthusiasm, visual imagery, and clarity in my writing.  I was fortunate to be accepted to Harvard, University of Chicago, University of Michigan, Caltech, and my top choice, MIT — and I’m sure my essays and your guidance played a part in this.  I am beyond excited to move to Cambridge this fall to study at MIT.  Thanks again, and I hope you continue to share your talents with kids like me. –R.T. MIT Class of 2022

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There's an amazing essay in you. Let it out!

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Dr. Pat Wilk is a writing coach who listens.

The college essay is more important than ever.

Because many schools  have kept the test-optional admission policy they adopted during the pandemic, the college essay carries more weight than it ever has. (Harvard's test-optional policy has been extended through the Class of 2030.)  Post affirmative action, the essay could explore your racial/cultural identity. 

It's game time! Let's have some fun.

Good news dr. wilk can take you from absolutely no ideas to an essay you'll be proud of in just one day..

You can write your essay from home, or come to a live workshop.    

You may think you've got nothing now, but you're wrong. You've got your life. There is an incredible essay in you, and it's our job to let it out. The process of getting there is easier than you'd expect, will certainly hold some surprises for you, and will leave you with some skills that can help you in college. 

In fact, after your College Essay Boot Camp workshop, you'll never look at an essay the same way again. 

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