College Essay Consulting
Cut the clichés. Find your voice. Tell the story only you can tell.
I spent years as an admissions counselor, reading literally thousands of college essays—12,000 to 15,000 per season, give or take. And yes, I still remember the truly great ones, like the one about how much someone loved peanut butter. I also remember the truly terrible ones. And unfortunately, I don’t remember the forgettable ones, which were probably about mission trips, sports victories, or how hard calculus was—but who’s to say?
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Here's the truth: your essay doesn’t need to be epic. It needs to be you—thoughtful, real, reflective, and yes, well-written. That’s where I come in.
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With me, you won’t get a ghostwriter or someone who rewrites your story in their voice. What you will get is someone who knows exactly what admissions officers are looking for (because I’ve been one), and who can guide you to find your story, shape it, and say it well. We’ll laugh, we’ll revise, and we’ll polish until your essay shines because of who you are—not in spite of it.
Services
Applying to college (or grad school) is stressful enough—your essay process shouldn’t be. I offer a range of coaching options, from long-term one-on-one consulting to fast-paced summer bootcamps, all designed to help you find your story, sharpen your writing, and submit essays that stand out. And because no two students (or deadlines) are the same, every service is flexible—if you don’t have six months before your applications are due, we’ll streamline the process to focus on what matters most.
One-on-One Consulting
For the student who wants a thoughtful, supportive, all-in guide through the full writing process.
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$2000 for 6 months*
Ideal for rising juniors and seniors
How it works:
We’ll work together across three distinct phases:
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What's Your Story? (First 2 months)
Journaling, brainstorming, and uncovering the gold in your everyday life. -
Refine & Define (Next 2 months)
Turning your story into a compelling personal statement. Structure, clarity, tone, the works. -
Polish + Supplements (Final 2 months)
Final revisions on your main essay + school-specific supplemental essay support.
What’s included:
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2 one-hour video calls per month (12 total)
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Up to 4 hours monthly of detailed written feedback
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Grammar + punctuation support (because commas matter, friends)
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Storytelling coaching from an MFA-trained writer
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Real insights from someone who’s read tens of thousands of applications and knows what stands out
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Encouragement, accountability, and a little tough love when needed
*Pricing dependent on length of work or amount of essays.
Essay Bootcamp
Get in, get writing, get confident.
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$250 | One Day Intensive
Max: 15–20 students
A fast-paced, interactive, high-energy workshop for students who want to kickstart their college essay writing and walk away with a real draft and a roadmap.
What the day looks like:
🕘 Session 1: What's Your Story?
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Guided journaling & reflection
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Story-mining exercises to find your unique angle
🕛 Session 2: From Story to Statement
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How to turn raw ideas into compelling essays
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What admissions readers are actually looking for
🕒 Session 3: Supplements & Specifics
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Tackling “Why Us?” and other school-specific prompts
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Q&A and live feedback session
You'll leave with clarity, confidence, and a solid draft—or at least a better story than “that one time I won the big game.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the process like?
We’ll approach the entire application essay journey together—step by step. Whether you’re working on undergraduate or graduate admissions essays, we’ll start by looking at your deadlines, then work backwards to build a plan that keeps you on track. No last-minute panic writing here!
How will we meet?
All sessions are held via Zoom. Some will be conferences where we brainstorm and revise together in real time, while others will involve me giving you detailed written feedback so you can refine your drafts between meetings.
How often will we meet?
That depends on the package you choose. With one-on-one consulting, we’ll meet for two hour-long sessions per month, with regular feedback in between. For bootcamps, it’s one big intensive day designed to jumpstart your writing and get you drafting fast.
Do you write the essay for me?
Nope. That’s not what this is about—and admissions officers can always tell. My job is to help you find your voice, tell your story, and polish it so it shines. You’ll do the writing, but you’ll never be doing it alone.
What if I don’t know what to write about?
That’s completely normal (and honestly, kind of the fun part). I’ll help you brainstorm, journal, and uncover the stories that admissions officers actually want to hear. Spoiler: it’s not always the mission trip or the game-winning goal.
Why work with you?
Because I’ve read thousands of essays from the admissions side and I know what makes one unforgettable, what makes one fall flat, and what makes one disappear into the “forgettable middle.” And as a former English teacher with an MFA in Creative Writing, I know how to teach writing in a way that’s approachable, practical, and (dare I say it) even fun. My job is to make sure your essay doesn’t just check the boxes—it leaves an impression.
When is your next bootcamp?
I run bootcamps twice a year, timed to align with major application deadlines. You can expect one in the winter months (to help students polish essays before the January 15th deadline) and 2–3 bootcamps in the summer (to get a strong head start before the November 1st early action/early decision deadline). Exact dates will be posted on my site and booking page, so check back often—or join my mailing list to be the first to know.