College admissions can be confusing, time-consuming, and stressful. And the reality is that many students make avoidable mistakes—from the colleges they choose, to the essays they submit, to the way they describe their extracurriculars. That’s why I offer one-on-one assistance with all aspects of the college admissions process — whether you just need help with a single essay, or seek ongoing guidance through your full range of applications.
Available services include:
Planning and management through all phases of the college admissions process, from selecting ideal target schools to navigating the UC application, Common App, other application forms, financial aid, and more.
Guidance with all types of essays, from pre-writing through multiple drafts and edits. Students who work with me write essays that are engaging, insightful, and highly effective. (Note that I do not author or "ghostwrite" essays for students.)
Expert advice for framing extracurricular activities, additional information, and special circumstances (especially important for students with learning differences, inconsistent performance, and/or unusual educational trajectories).
My students have been accepted into a long list of top colleges and universities around the country, from UC's and regional public schools to Harvard, NYU, Stanford, Princeton, Columbia, Penn--and just as importantly, many other schools that represent ideal fits for those students.
What You Should Know I want each family I work with to understand 3 things about college essays:
They're really important! Colleges receive thousands of applications with similar GPA's, test scores, and activities each year. Essays are a student's best opportunity to distinguish themselves, and they often make the difference between "yes" and "no"—and this is even more true for students applying without SAT/ACT scores.
Most students start with great ideas, but have the same concept of what a college essay "should" look like. As a result, they end up with essays that look like everyone else's. The more you can break away from what a college essay "should" look like, the more memorable and effective your essay will be.
Essay writing can and should be a chance for self discovery. After all, the questions students are answering—What's important to you? Who do you admire? What do you want to do with your life?—are meaningful ones. Students should get much more out of this process than "just" great essays.
Fees and Structure No-Cost Initial Feedback: I will read one draft of any essay and provide basic initial feedback at no cost. With my feedback, you can make informed decisions about how to proceed and whether to hire me for additional services. My fee for college advising and essay assistance is $200/hour, with some need-based discounts available.