FAQS

Writing a college application essay requires a set of skills that are not always taught in school, and certainly are not practiced regularly. It asks students to recognize their own growth through experience; choose a story that best reflects on who they are; identify details that best tell the story and those that should be left out; find an organization for the essay that conveys the story clearly while keeping readers’ attention; edit for structure, clarity and correctness; and know what to cut in order to write a piece that uses every available word but not one over. A coach can help students improve their skill in any and all of these areas of writing, turning them into an overall stronger writer as well as producing an essay for applications that’s more likely to shine.

The best time to start coaching is at the very beginning. For one thing, it will save you the frustration of trying to find a topic and draft a piece without any guidance. For another, you don’t want to invest time into an essay if you’re at all unsure about the topic. When you have a piece you’ve put a lot of time into, you might be reluctant to hear that it needs major changes. I have had many students insist they just needed a final read-through and help with “copy editing.” They were never correct. While most didn’t need an entirely new topic, they did need a lot of restructuring and adding of information and details. It’s really frustrating to feel like you’ve already done significant work on a piece and have to go back almost to what feels like the beginning. If you work with a coach from the start, you’ll save that wasted effort.

That said, it’s never too late to start if you’re unhappy with your essay, especially if you feel like you’re willing to make a lot of changes but don’t know what they should be.

A college application essay is a potentially powerful tool–but it’s not a tool that lasts. If the essay does its work well, the writer will be continuing on to an excellent institution that will require top-notch writing not just for one essay–but all of the time!

An essay coach, on the other hand, is an investment in a writer’s growth and skills. When students work with me, they are learning to beat writer’s block, organize their ideas, and edit their work in ways they rarely learn in school, even in top-rated public schools and high-quality private schools. In addition to my work with college applications, I have worked as a writing coach with college students, students applying to graduate school, students pursuing Master’s and doctorates, and young people beginning careers in law and business. If a student is not adequately trained in these writing skills, they will likely end up paying for this type of tutoring at some point along the way. Investing in these skills the first time the stakes are high–for undergraduate applications–is a smart choice that will continue to pay dividends through college and beyond.

There are many college essay coaches out there, and a Google search might leave you feeling overwhelmed. When you’re evaluating your choices, keep in mind what you should be looking for:

  • You want someone with experience as a writer–they will know what the process should be.
  • You want someone with experience as a teacher–they will know how to break down the process and explain it to you.
  • You want someone with experience as an editor–they will understand how to improve and clarify your writing without changing the style and voice.
  • You want someone who is energetic and positive about the process, to help cheer you on when you’re feeling frustrated.
  • And you want someone who seems open and trustworthy, for your important and sometimes very personal stories.

I live in the greater Boston area, but coaching takes place exclusively online, allowing me to work with students all over the country (and even the world!). Online work is really effective for editing together, as students and I can be looking at the same document at the same time, seeing and discussing changes in real time.

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