College Essay Guy
One-on-One College Essay & Application Coaching

Work with our team of veteran college essay coaches to brainstorm, draft, revise, and refine your best possible college essays & applications.

It's What We Do

Each year, our team helps rising seniors craft outstanding college essays and applications, assisting them on their journey to their top choice colleges and universities around the country… and the world.

“Please go with CEG. The experience with this company is far more authentic, more reliable, and simply better than with anyone else. (Trust me, I tried other companies.) Nothing even comes close to the attention and vast support that your child will receive with CEG. I was terrified of college apps before. Working with CEG didn’t just help me get them done—it taught me that I can tackle even the things I’m scared of, and that’s a valuable lesson that you won’t get from another company.”

Lasya • Former Student

We help students at every stage of their essay writing journey.
Our proven five-step process is designed to support you, no matter where you are today. Just getting started? Drafts that need a polish? We'll meet you there.
PHASE 1
Pre-Work & Coach Matching
If you’ve decided we’re a good fit, we’ll send out parent and student pre-work. This helps us get to know the student through both lenses — yours and theirs — so we can match you with one of our amazing essay coaches. Our goal is to pair you with someone you feel a strong personal connection with, and, just as importantly, someone you trust to guide you through this process of self-discovery and crafting authentic, compelling essays for your college applications..

PHASE 2
Brainstorming & Topic Strategy
Before your first official meeting with your essay coach, you’ll spend about 1–2 hours on some thoughtful pre-work. This includes our most effective brainstorming exercises, a first draft of your Common App activities list, and the additional info section.
In your session with your coach, you’ll dig into your brainstorming together — exploring your life experiences, the communities you’re part of, and the world you come from — to craft a big-picture strategy: a unique narrative and essay topics that bring your story to life. You’ll also start building outlines, mapping the flow of your ideas from a compelling hook all the way to a memorable conclusion.

PHASE 3
Topic Check
Before you dive into drafting, another expert essay specialist from our team will take a look at your topics to make sure you’re showcasing a variety of skills, qualities, values, and interests across your application.
The goal? To help you write about uncommon, memorable topics that stand out — and show colleges just how awesome you’ll be as a student on their campus.

PHASE 4
Drafting, Revising, and Core Content Review
You’ll meet with your essay coach regularly to draft, revise, and polish your essays, Activities List, and Additional Information section.
Most students go through 5–10 drafts of their personal statement and supplemental essays, but the exact number really depends on your writing style, how many essays you’re working on, and (to be honest) how much you want to keep refining.

Halfway through this process, you’ll go through our Core Content Review — where another expert from our team takes a fresh look at your drafts, celebrates your storytelling wins, and offers thoughtful feedback on ways to make your essays even stronger.

PHASE 5
Final Proof
Our mission is to help you feel really good about everything you’re sending to colleges.
When you and your coach agree your essays are in great shape, you’ll compile a document with a clean, polished version of all your essays and application materials for your schools.
Then, as part of our Final Proof process, another essay coach from our team will give everything one last read, offering fresh eyes and thoughtful feedback before you hit submit. If there are any final tweaks to make, you and your coach can hop on for a session or two to get everything just right.
Two college essay coaches looking at laptop
We hate to brag...
But we know parents are often curious about the numbers.
300+
Acceptances each year to every top college, including multiple students going on to each of the Ivies.
80%+
Of the students we work with gain acceptance into one (but usually more) of their top five schools.
98%
Of students we work with have been accepted to top 50 schools (if rankings are your jam).
While essays are just one piece of a holistic admissions process, the students we work with craft outstanding college applications, and go on to top colleges around the US and world.
Meet Our Program Advisors
Here to make sure getting started is as simple and as low stress as possible.
  • Initial consultation – Getting to know you, your situation, and your goals
  • Advice on packages – We'll help you decide whether we're a good fit or not
  • Assistance with signup – The next steps you'll need to take
Stephanie
Core Values: Meaningful Work, Strength, Humor
John
Core Values: Curiosity, Integrity, Joy
Ali
Core Values: Generosity, Excellence, Courage

Meet Some of Our Essay Coaches
While we can't guarantee the availability of any specific coaches until after we get to know you a little better, we do want you to know you'll be working with industry leaders.
Core Values: Empathy, Authenticity, and Creativity
Allison

Allison R. (she/her) holds a BFA in Drama from NYU Tisch and an MFA in Dramatic Writing from the Savannah College of Art & Design, where she achieved the singular Master’s Outstanding Academic Achievement award for the School of Liberal Arts. A lifelong storyteller and established playwright, Allison has over a decade of experience working with students on their college essays, Musical Theater and Acting auditions, and SAT/ACT preparation. Her goal as an essay coach is to provide every student with the tools to carry them far beyond college applications as both a writer and confident champion of their own story. She firmly believes that every student has a story worth telling and that if they can get their authentic self, unique personality, and humor to shine through on the page, anything is possible. She currently lives in Los Angeles, where she can be found writing in coffee shops, performing with her musical improvisational comedy team, and continuing her pursuit of storytelling at the highest level in theatre and television.

Calvin
Core Values: Integrity, Self-Expression, Kindness
Calvin

Calvin (he/him) studied English Literature at Vassar College and went on to graduate from the prestigious Columbia Teacher’s College at Columbia University. He is a passionate advocate of college access and has guided hundreds of students through the college admissions process and helped students craft essays that have helped them gain admission to some of the most selective colleges in the U.S. He is a passionate reader, writer, and all-around communicator with a deep love of narrative. Having worked in both a classroom setting as an English instructor and through one-on-one college counseling and mentoring, Calvin seeks to leverage structure in writing to elevate students’ stories and help them access their highest college aspirations.

Cat
Core Values: Integrity, Complexity, Curiosity
Cat

Cat (she/her) is an educator, student advocate, and writing coach with twenty years of experience teaching, editing, and writing. Using what she's learned from teaching every grade level from kindergarten through college, she aspires to meet each writer where they are in the process. She loves to work with students to create written work that is both authentic and intentional. Cat grew up in New England, lived in the Marshall Islands and then California for many years, and now resides in Northwest Montana, where she teaches writing at a tribal college. She spends her free time outside hiking, snowshoeing, kayaking, and camping with her family. She loves baking desserts, taking really long road trips, and listening to all kinds of music. Cat earned a BA in English from Dartmouth College and an MA and PhD from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Jennifer
Core Values: Humor, Empathy, Purpose
Jennifer

Jennifer (she/her) holds two degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, a BA in East Asian Studies and an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School. She worked as an analyst on Wall Street for eight years before leaving to focus on raising her two daughters. She began her work in college admissions consulting as a volunteer for ScholarMatch, an organization dedicated to helping high-achieving low-income students through the college admissions process. She also tutors students preparing for the ACT and SAT. Students she has worked with have received acceptances to Harvard, Williams, Yale, Brown, U Penn, Cornell, Dartmouth, and UVA, among others. Outside of work she is a member of the Board of Trustees of her local public school and a docent for school groups at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Cloisters location. She serves on the board of Graham Windham, a child welfare organization, and the Bronxville Historical Conservancy.

Core Values: Community, Belonging, Collaboration
Courtney

Courtney (she/her) has worked in college admissions and college counseling for nearly a decade. After earning her B.S.B.A and MBA from Elon University, Courtney found herself in a critical leadership position within college admissions, influencing recruitment strategy, scholarship review and strategic planning. While her leadership grew, Courtney missed making authentic connections with students and decided to became a college counselor. Empowering students to realize and tell their stories is a passion for Courtney. Her energy, empathy and professional experience lends itself to her coaching style that leaves students feeling confident after every session. She has read thousands of essays as a reviewer and assisted hundreds in crafting their story. Courtney is active within the profession serving on regional professional boards, leading national identity-based groups and serving on college admissions counselor advisory boards. When Courtney is not navigating the college admissions process, you can find her at OrangeTheory Fitness, walking her dog, Simba, on the phone with friends, or trying new restaurants in Atlanta.

Core Values: Community, Love, Music
Diane

Diane (she/her) has worked as a university English professor, taught literature and cultural studies at an independent secondary school, and directed writing programs. But coaching and running workshops on college essays the past decade has been her most joyful and meaningful work. Her approach to coaching is both collaborative and inquisitive, with a goal of seeing this writing as an opportunity to help writers develop their unique, most powerful voice and to understand their own value and dreams through the process of personal writing. After 25+ years in teaching, she started a new career path as a freelance writer. Her current writing project explores the relationship between Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, their music and their fans, questioning if and how this relationship is establishing a new wave of feminism. A native Californian, Diane received her B.A. in English from UC Santa Barbara, then moved East where she earned her M.A. in English at Boston College and her Ph.D. in American Studies from Boston University. Ask her which of her Boston alma maters she roots for in the annual Beanpot hockey tournament. Currently, Diane lives in central New Hampshire, but dreams of living in London and Florence someday. When not writing or collaborating with writers, Diane can be found spinning new vinyl of all genres, hiking and skiing every mountain in New England and beyond, getting her zen on doing yoga and surfing, or playing with her SEVEN pets. She is so excited to get to work with you.

Elica
Core Values: Adventure, Quiet, Wonder
Elica

Elica (she/her) was born and raised in Southern California. She attended an arts high school, where she specialized in creative writing, and holds a BA from UCLA and an MA from CSULB (both in linguistics). While pursuing a PhD, she researched topics in the field of Writing Studies and taught academic writing at UC Santa Barbara. Beyond academics, Elica has been an essay coach and specialist for over seven years, working with students who were applying to four-year universities as well as various types of graduate school. She is committed to and passionate about helping students navigate the admissions essay genre while helping them gain confidence in their agency as young writers. You can find her (still) living in Southern California with her partner (+ two Italian greyhounds & lovebird), where she likes to spend her time reading, writing, and printmaking.

Marvin
Core Values: Laughter, Intuition, Respect
Marvin

Marvin (he/him) is an education enthusiast and advocate. His parents cultivated his interest in learning at a young age and he strives to cultivate that same curiosity in young people today. After graduating from the Trinity School in NYC, Marvin studied Sociology and French at Colgate University. He also completed a graduate degree in Education Entrepreneurship at the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining the College Essay Guy team, Marvin served as a teacher, college admission officer and university development officer. He worked at various institutions, including Babson College, American University and MIT. As a nonprofit professional with a background in K-12 and higher education, Marvin thinks about the full education lifecycle of a learner. He strongly believes that the college admission process is about reflecting and taking stock of one's goals, interests, skills and personal mission. As a college counselor, Marvin has helped many students pursue their postsecondary education goals who have attended top colleges all around the US.

Core Values: Critical Thought, Diversity, Family
Jade

Jade (she/her) brings nine years of professional college admission experience to her coaching role with College Essay Guy. After graduating from Loyola University New Orleans with an English Degree, she began an exciting and fulfilling career in college admission. Jade has worked in multiple admission offices, most recently Agnes Scott College, where she served as Associate Director of Admission and made final admission and scholarship decisions. Driven by a desire to work more closely with students and supporters, Jade transitioned to school-based college counseling and most recently served as the Dean of College Counseling at Atlanta Girls’ School. Jade leverages her experience in selective college admission to counsel students on how to develop competitive applications, while encouraging wellness, self-advocacy, and celebration in their process. Jade recently completed three years of service on the Southern Association of College Admission Counseling (SACAC) Board of Directors, an organization that awarded her the 2020 Rising Star Award. Jade is an active NACAC member and has been selected for the 2024-2025 NACAC Next cohort of emerging admission leaders. When she isn’t helping students confidently and creatively craft their stories, she enjoys getting lost in novels, bragging about New Orleans to anyone who’ll listen, and spending time with a little black cat named Elphaba!

Core Values: Inclusion, Adaptability, Growth
Laura

Laura G has been in education for over a decade, with ten years of experience as a classroom teacher of students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. She has worked in general education as a middle school English teacher, and as a special education teacher and case manager in a variety of settings, including as a high school math co-teacher, elementary resource teacher, and middle school modified language arts teacher. As a tutor, she has spent the past eight years working with students on test prep for standardized tests (SAT/ACT/ISEE/HSPT), college essays, and executive functioning and study skills. Laura holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Northeastern University and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Tufts University, and also maintains teaching certifications in California and Massachusetts, having taught in both states. She has worked extensively with students with learning differences (ADHD, autism, specific learning disabilities, dyslexia, etc), and loves breaking down challenging concepts into concrete steps, as well as leveraging student strengths and interests to build success. She strives to figure out what level of understanding students are coming in with, and meets them where they’re at to create a gradual but meaningful learning plan targeted to each student’s individual needs. In 2023, she transitioned from full-time classroom teaching to working with students primarily online, which has allowed her to provide more individualized instruction, support students at their own pace and instructional levels, work with students and families across the US, and learn from incredible educators from around the world. In every session, Laura aims to create a relationship-based non-intimidating learning environment where students feel comfortable asking questions, taking risks, and making mistakes to learn in the way that works best for them. When she is not working with students and families, she sings in a choir and two rock bands, writes music, and enjoys hiking around Los Angeles.

Sofia
Core Values: Trust, Courage, Relationships
Sofia

Sofia (she/her) is committed to helping students making education count and living bigger lives. She has worked with hundreds of students, designed and led college application essay workshops and helped students write powerful stories to gain admission to the college of their dreams. Sofia is the author of Journeys to the Heart, a book about social entrepreneurs, failed ideas and change-makers in Indonesia. She has lived in Asia and Europe and has worked as a strategy consultant in Washington DC. Sofia graduated from Brown University majoring in international relations. She holds a masters in European political science from L’institute des Sciences Politiques and a Masters in diplomacy and international business from Georgetown University. She loves theater, any kind of science and politics, modern art, board games, painting, mindful practices, kickboxing, a good read, empowering conversations and her amazing family. She believes in the power of young people’s ideas and creativity to make positive impacts throughout their lives.

Rene
Core Values: Collaboration, Kindness, Humor
Rene

Rene (she/her) is a veteran educator who has taught academic writing courses at Duke University for a decade as well as advised faculty there on increasing inclusivity through effective intercultural communication. As a writing coach, she has supported Duke undergraduate students, law school students, and Ph.D. candidates in addition to working privately with high school students on their college application essays. She enjoys guiding students to develop narratives that share personal insights and that invite their readers into another world. Rene has worked with students who have been accepted to some of the country’s top schools. Her past experience includes teaching undergraduates in Puerto Rico as well as serving as an undergraduate admissions reader for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She lives out in the countryside near Chapel Hill.

Core Values: Communication, Authenticity, Fun
Mahika

Mahika (she/her) hails from the bustling streets of New York City. She attended a competitive Ivy League Prep School in NYC and later graduated from the University of Chicago. There, she earned a BA in both Psychology (Honors) and Comparative Human Development before fast tracking her way to an MA in Social Science during her senior year. Now, as a behavioral scientist, she works to craft lasting change in a variety of prosocial contexts. An avid reader and seasoned traveler, she's traversed landscapes both literal and literary, soaking up stories from every corner of the globe. But her true passion lies in guiding others through the labyrinth of college applications. Having felt the frustration of brilliant ideas lost in translation, she's made it her mission to help students unlock the perfect prose to tell their tales. So, whether you're struggling to find the right words or just need a sounding board, Mahika’s got your back.

Core Values: Interdependence, Excellence, Truth
Michael

Michael (he, him) has a B.A. from the University of Chicago and an MFA from the Bennington Writing Seminars. For seven years he served as the Writing Specialist at the University of Chicago Laboratory High School. While at Lab he assisted hundreds of students begin and complete essays that helped them gain admission to Columbia, Harvard, Northwestern, Princeton, Reed College, Stanford, Yale, the University of Michigan, Berkeley, the University of Chicago, BS/MD program at Brown, and many others. His private clients have gained admission to Carnegie Mellon, Duke, Haverford, MIT, Pitzer, and the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. He has taught adults and high school students in the Illinois Humanities Council’s Odyssey Project. A freelance writer and reviewer, he has published poems, reviews, and essays in Asymptote, Booklist, Chicago Review, Essays in Criticism, The Hopkins Review, Literary Imagination, Literary Matters, and Raritan. His first book was published in 2013.

Semilore
Core Values: Community, Compassion, Honesty
Semilore

Semilore (she/her) is a doctoral candidate in the English Department at Brown University. She holds a B.A. in African & African-American Studies and Comparative Literature from Stanford University, as well as a M.A. in English from Brown. As a graduate student, she has worked on both research and teaching, leading her own seminar classes as well as working one-on-one with students as a writing center associate for the Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning. She's been lucky enough to work with students applying to various levels of postsecondary institutions and fellowships, but keeps a special place in her heart for the undergraduate college application experience. Semilore is excited to continue to help introduce students to one of her favorite genres of writing: the personal essay. Other things that excite her include trashy romance novels, blue raspberry slushies, and Mariah Carey. She is currently working on adding yoga to that list.

Core Values: Meaningful Work, Personal Development, Authenticity
Valerie P.

Valerie P (she, her) has been an educator for over twenty-five years and excels at creating relationships and learning environments that inspire students to accomplish their goals. After she received an undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Pepperdine University, Valerie paved a career path as a teacher in middle school and then in high school. At Notre Dame High School in Los Angeles, she ultimately found her passion in counseling overthe past sixteen years. She has been an ardent college counselor guiding students through the college application process and in discovering their desired majors and suitable curriculum preparation. Her expertise in writing enabled her to mentor students to write compelling college essays that captured their unique talents, passions, and challenges. Valerie is now retired from the high school setting but remains an avid student advocate and continues to invest in students’ growth through independent and volunteer opportunities.

 
“College Essay Guy is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! We could not be pleased more with how Kate worked with our son. They took away the stress of the application process and writing essays from us and made our son a better, more confident writer in the process. Could not have asked for anything more!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! He became a better, more confident writer. Period!”

Cindy R • Parent

“I cannot stress enough how much I recommend working with College Essay Guy. They took my experiences and helped me transform them into an application I was proud of which told a compelling story. With their help, I got into my dream school, and can't thank them enough!”

Hattie B.
Stanford University

“I loved the positive attitude and willingness to listen. I felt like you really cared about what I wanted and where I wanted to be. You helped me find my voice and tell a consistent story. You also helped me coordinate my essays and common app information so I was able to highlight different aspects of my experience and personality, which I was having trouble doing myself. I got into my dream school; thank you so much!”

Aarav M.
Cornell University

“Cannot imagine going through this process without you. The process flow is terrific with the value brainstorming at the beginning and the thoughtful essay shaping to bring out the story behind the applicant. Highly recommend.”

Nira K.
Parent

Essay & Application Coaching Packages & Pricing
Develop your essay strategy
and brainstorm compelling topics
Bring your essays to life through drafting, revising, & polishing
Get your essays reviewed by our team of coaches
“Best investment I have ever made for my college-bound child. I truly feel working with CEG made all the difference in submitting a polished, well-read application.”

John • Parent


Up to 3 Schools/ Programs

Includes:

  • Common App main personal statement (650 words)
  • Supplemental essays for up to THREE schools/programs (Typically 5-10+ essays)
  • Common App Activities List
  • Common App Additional Information statement (300 words)
  • Internal Committee Team Reviews of Your Essays
  • Dedicated Family Liaison
  • Bonus: Access to our signature college essay courses for students
$4,950


Up to 6 Schools/ Programs

Includes:

  • Common App main personal statement (650 words)
  • Supplemental essays for up to SIX schools/programs (Typically 8-12+ essays)
  • Common App Activities List
  • Common App Additional Information statement (300 words)
  • Internal Committee Team Reviews of Your Essays
  • Dedicated Family Liaison
  • Bonus: Access to our signature college essay courses for students
$6,900


Up to 10 Schools/ Programs

Includes:

  • Common App main personal statement (650 words)
  • Supplemental essays for up to TEN schools/programs (Typically 15-20+ essays)
  • Common App Activities List
  • Common App Additional Information statement (300 words)
  • Internal Committee Team Reviews of Your Essays
  • Dedicated Family Liaison
  • Bonus: Access to our signature college essay courses for students
$9,900


Premium Essay Support

Includes:

  • All components in our essay coaching packages
  • Feedback and guidance from Ethan throughout the process
  • Regular sessions with your essay specialist
  • Package customized to your needs
Schedule a call to learn more
Packages from $14,850.

Applying to more than 10 colleges? Adding schools after getting started? Don’t worry. You can upgrade at any time by paying the difference in packages.

 Important Information on Essay Coaching Packages:
  • The University of California application system requires extensive essay and activities list requirements, so is counted as two schools/programs in essay packages, but may be used to apply to all 9 UC campuses

  • If students are applying to specialized programs that require additional essays beyond the required essays for their undergraduate admissions application, we may often consider those as two colleges. These programs may include but are not limited to honors colleges, BS/MD programs, specialized business programs, the US service academies, film, theater, arts, or other creative programs. Inquire for more details about your specific programs. See below in the FAQ for a longer list of programs. Please note that most scholarships and honors colleges do not require additional essays.

  • The packages above include assistance with the college essay components noted in the packages above and do not include college admissions counseling or college list development guidance, which is a separate service provided by our veteran college counselors. See more below about these options, or ask us to learn more.

Looking for assistance beyond your college essays?
 CEG College Counseling Services
We have an experienced team of college counselors, who help rising seniors go beyond their essays, offering strategic support to navigate the entire admissions process.
Many of our counselors have direct experience in admissions, reviewing student applications and making admissions decisions.
One-on-One Sessions Include...
 
Developing a customized list of colleges
 
 
Early Decision and Early Action strategy
Intended major selection strategy
Personalized recommendations based on your unique circumstances
 
Interested?
You can learn a little more about our College Counseling services for 9th-12th grade students by clicking below. Your Program Advisor will then advise on the best way to get a comprehensive college application strategy.
“I was really amazed by how transformative the process was. How my son’s personal essay evolved, and the finished product really reflected him. When I read it for the first time, there was no doubt that it could have been anyone else as the subject in the essay. It was authentic. Jon did a really great job helping with that process, and was incredibly patient with my son! Thank you!”

- Donna J. • Parent

Ready To Sign Up?
If you've already spoken with one of our program advisors and you're ready to get started, all you need to do is send us an email confirming which package you'd like to get started with.

Step 1
Initial consultation with a Program Advisor
Step 2
Choose your package from the options above.
Step 3
Email your Program Advisor to get started.
Email your Program Advisor and let them know the package you’d like to sign up for. They’ll follow-up with next steps for getting started.
Haven't spoken with a program advisor yet? Sit tight. We'll be in touch very soon.
Frequently Asked Questions
 
  • Do you cover all aspects of the college application process (not just essays)?

    Yep! Though the company is called College Essay Guy (because that's what Ethan has become known for in the industry), we have a good deal of expertise (a combined 150+ years experience) counseling students through the process, as well as counselors on our team with decades of experience working with students and in college admissions offices. In short: we can do it all.

  • Where do sessions take place?

    Online via Zoom, email and Google docs. We have an essay management platform to help you stay organized and collaborate with us throughout the process.

  • How do you match students with your team?

    After we have a chance to review the pre-work of your student, we like to assign coaches based on each student's individual personality, writing style, targeted schools, and the “parent homework” questionnaire. All of the coaches I work with are amazing at what they do and have experience working with students of various writing abilities and learning and working styles, so you are in great hands no matter who you work with. But we know that chemistry is an important factor to the essay coaching process so we like to make sure it’ll be a good fit.

  • Are there any colleges or programs that might be considered as two colleges in your package?

    Most scholarships, honors colleges, or specialized programs and majors don't have additional essay requirements beyond those required by the undergraduate application. However, some programs do require additional essays or materials and are considered by our team as an additional college given the time required to help you develop strong applications and essays. Here's a non-exhaustive list of some of these programs that may be considered as an additioanl college in your package:

  • Honors programs (Penn State Schreyer Honors College, UPitt Honors College)
  • BS/MD programs (Brown University's PLME program, etc.)
  • Theater, fine arts, and film school supplemental applications or essays
  • Business programs or specialized business/technology programs (UPenn’s M&T program, University of Michigan’s Ross School and portfolio application)
  • Specialized medical programs (UPenn’s Bio-Dental or Nursing and Healthcare Management Programs)
  • Scholarship programs with essays beyond the requirements for the undergraduate application (UNC's Morehead Cain scholarship, etc.)

  • Where have your students been accepted?

    Each year, we have dozens of students that go on the Ivies, as well as every other top school. See links at the top of this page our most recent acceptances. We’re fortunate to work with lots of highly motivated and high-achieving students.

    It's important to note that our services are advisory in nature and we can't (of course) guarantee admission to a highly selective school. But we can help you put together the best possible application and essays to demonstrate your gifts, skills and values.

  • Do you write essays for students?

    No. Beyond being unethical, that would be doing you a great disservice to you and also undermine the transformative element of this process. The essays submitted will be the original work of the student. 

  • Do you offer hourly packages?

    We work with students through a tried-and-true process of brainstorming topics to polishing the final drafts. We find it super important that the college essay and application be grounded in an in-depth brainstorming process and some discussion to help you get to the point where you’ve found your deepest stories and are comfortable tackling your first draft. And that sometimes takes a session or two or three.

    As a result of this, we don’t offer hourly help and prefer to avoid giving essay feedback without the context of all of the other things that you’ve accomplished or experienced in your rich and colorful life. We’ve also found that it’s so important to have the flexibility to meet without hourly time restrictions to help you have great essays. It gives you (the student) and your essay specialist the freedom to spend time getting to know each other, to experiment and get creative, and to try things out without concern for how much time you’ve spent so far, or have left. We do offer limited hourly packages for 9th-11th graders working on essays for summer programs.

  • What if I (student) am not a good writer?

    The process may take a bit longer. That’s okay with us.

  • What advice do you have as I begin the process?

    We highly recommend developing a balanced college list. Most students, for example, fixate on 1 or 2 highly selective (usually Ivy League) schools, but we find the students who are most happy with the process are those who have developed a wide range (usually 8 - 12 schools) with around 3 reach, 4 maybe, and 3 likely.

  • Can I start with a smaller package and upgrade later in the process?

    Students are welcome to upgrade their package at any point!  

    We recommend that students try to have at least 3 of the colleges they’ll be working on with us prior to their first meeting, and to finalize all of the colleges they’ll be working on with us prior to the 4th meeting to help set students up for effective brainstorming and essay content strategy. This also helps us to guarantee that our coach will be available to assist with any additional colleges.

    Most importantly, this will help students and coaches to work most effectively in their initial brainstorming meetings to select topics and map out a strategy that will allow them to see where there is opportunity for overlap on topics. In our experience, this helps students reduce the overall amount of writing, focus their energy more efficiently, and ultimately write better college essays.



  • Can my son/daughter meet with your team to get an idea of how the whole process works?

    Absolutely. We’ll be happy to set up a call to walk you through the process and answer any questions you have.