It's College Essay Season!!
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Hello parents and college essay writers! Early action essays are due in early November - are you ready!? Whether you're having trouble getting started, have too many ideas, or just want to take your essay up a notch, it's not too late to book a coaching session with me!
I've coached hundreds of juniors and seniors on their college essays over the past seven years as high school writing center coordinator. Before that, I coached at the University of Minnesota Center for Writing for eight years, helping students at all levels with a variety of application essays for scholarships and internships for programs like pre-med and Carlson School of Management; graduate school programs; and even research and teaching statements for Ph.D. students applying for faculty positions. I know the college essay genre inside and out, and with almost 30 years of experience teaching and studying the craft of writing, I know how to get writers from the blank page to compelling, effective, and (most importantly) finished essays. |
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As a justice-oriented writing coach, I believe in the transformative power of language. I approach the college essay as a way to help writers transform their understanding of themselves - their resilience, their strengths, and their core values!
No college essay writing coach can guarantee any specific outcome because the essays are just a small part of the application process. What I can guarantee, is that writers will create essays that tell memorable stories and demonstrate their strengths and values, their resilience and humility, and most importantly, their readiness for the college or university experience.
If you’d like your young person to get the most out of the college essay writing process, I’d love to help them craft an essay that showcases their character, resilience, and strengths while helping them to reflect on their own burgeoning transformation to adulthood.
I offer a wide range of services to suit any budget and varying degrees of support and independence—from 90-minute workshops to an all-inclusive college essay coaching package. I also offer scholarships and reduced-rate services for low-income students or students from underrepresented groups.
If you'd like to know more about my college coaching philosophy check out my college essay coaching blog post. Check out the rest of this page to learn about my services and tuition, and be sure to reach out if you have any questions.
If you’d like your young person to get the most out of the college essay writing process, I’d love to help them craft an essay that showcases their character, resilience, and strengths while helping them to reflect on their own burgeoning transformation to adulthood.
I offer a wide range of services to suit any budget and varying degrees of support and independence—from 90-minute workshops to an all-inclusive college essay coaching package. I also offer scholarships and reduced-rate services for low-income students or students from underrepresented groups.
If you'd like to know more about my college coaching philosophy check out my college essay coaching blog post. Check out the rest of this page to learn about my services and tuition, and be sure to reach out if you have any questions.
College Essay Coaching Packages
*If using a mobile device, scroll right to view all packages
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Your Common App or Coalition Essay is generally the most important essay in the college application process. It is also a good place to invest your resources because the same essay goes to multiple schools. You may also want to use this package for a school-specific long-form essay. With this package, you can start with nothing and end with a complete draft of your essay.
This package includes:
Tuition: $400 *Coaching may be virtual or in-person |
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There are so many different kinds of supplemental essays! From "why this school," to "diverse perspectives," to "extenuating circumstances," to "what color M&M would you be?" Supplementals can be short (like hashtag short) and apparently simple or long and challenging (explain any weaknesses in your application). This package helps you understand what supplemental essays are about, which ones you should and shouldn't answer, and how to get started. The package is flexible: you decide what you want to cover within the time and word limits.
The Supplemental Essays Package includes
Tuition: $300 Double up: 1 intro hour, 2 coaching hours, 1200 words = $500 |
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If you are planning to apply to multiple schools and want help with more than one essay, the all-inclusive coaching package is your best value. It is also the only way to get weekly coaching, weekly written feedback on all of your college essays, and daily response to your emailed questions.
The package includes:
Tuition:
*Coaching may be virtual or in-person with appropriate COVID safety precautions. |
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Skip the intro and brainstorming phases and get feedback on your draft.
Tuition: $250 |
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A La Carte
*If using a mobile device, scroll right to view all services
One-on-one coaching, online, or face-to-face
Tuition: $80/hr. 10% off after five hours. 20% off after ten hours.
- Any aspect of the college essay writing process
- Repurpose an existing essay
- Research target school together
- Job applications, scholarships, etc.
Tuition: $80/hr. 10% off after five hours. 20% off after ten hours.
Written Feedback on Long-Form Essays (Common App, Coalition Essay, or any essay more than 500 words)
Written feedback on short-form supplemental essays (less than 500 words each)
Light Feedback
If your coach determines that the draft needs only light feedback on previously reviewed writing, you may be charged a reduced rate, generally $25.
- Receive written feedback on up to three drafts of the same essay
- $250 for each long-form essay 500–800 words
Written feedback on short-form supplemental essays (less than 500 words each)
- Submit drafts of as many supplemental essays as you’d like in a single document
- Receive written feedback on up to three drafts of the same essay(s) in a single document
- $150 for up to 400 words and $50 for each additional 200 words. For example:
- Up to 400 words $150
- Up to 400–600 words $200
- Up to 600–800 words $250
- And so on . . .
Light Feedback
If your coach determines that the draft needs only light feedback on previously reviewed writing, you may be charged a reduced rate, generally $25.
The college essay writing process provides a great opportunity to improve your writing skills!
How does writing skills coaching work?
If you are interested in tutoring, I would conduct an assessment to identify learning goals for improving your writing skills. While you are writing your college essays, we will take time to mindfully learn and practice skills, such as
By the end of the summer, you will have finished essays AND improved writing skills to bring with you into your senior year and beyond.
Tutoring and essay writing will be done together. It is an enrichment service that does not require separate sessions. Essay completion may take longer because of the focus on skills, but all tutoring sessions move the writer toward the completion of their essays.
Can I get writing skills tutoring if I am not writing college essays?
If you are not writing college essays, and you would still like to receive tutoring for writing skills, you will need to have a writing sample of at least 500 words to work with. We can use a written assignment from the previous school year, an employment cover letter, or we can get a jump start on your college essays!
Tuition: $80/hr. 5% off five hours. 10% off after 10 hours. 15% off after 15 hours.
Tutoring/coaching may be virtual or in-person with appropriate COVID safety precautions.
How does writing skills coaching work?
If you are interested in tutoring, I would conduct an assessment to identify learning goals for improving your writing skills. While you are writing your college essays, we will take time to mindfully learn and practice skills, such as
- Varying sentence structure
- Organizing paragraphs
- Word choice
- Patterns of grammatical errors
By the end of the summer, you will have finished essays AND improved writing skills to bring with you into your senior year and beyond.
Tutoring and essay writing will be done together. It is an enrichment service that does not require separate sessions. Essay completion may take longer because of the focus on skills, but all tutoring sessions move the writer toward the completion of their essays.
Can I get writing skills tutoring if I am not writing college essays?
If you are not writing college essays, and you would still like to receive tutoring for writing skills, you will need to have a writing sample of at least 500 words to work with. We can use a written assignment from the previous school year, an employment cover letter, or we can get a jump start on your college essays!
Tuition: $80/hr. 5% off five hours. 10% off after 10 hours. 15% off after 15 hours.
Tutoring/coaching may be virtual or in-person with appropriate COVID safety precautions.
Discounts & Scholarships
*If using a mobile device, scroll right to view individuals, organizations, and donations
20% off any services for families who qualify for free and reduced lunch
You will not need to provide personal financial information to receive this discount. Inquire for details.
BIPOC scholarship:
At least one all-inclusive package is available pro-bono each summer. Submit your application here, or contact me for more information.
You will not need to provide personal financial information to receive this discount. Inquire for details.
BIPOC scholarship:
At least one all-inclusive package is available pro-bono each summer. Submit your application here, or contact me for more information.
If you are a nonprofit organization, school, or organization that serves BIPOC, LGBTQ, homeless, or other underrepresented youth, contact me about:
All coaching and workshops may be virtual or in-person
- Sponsoring or Hosting Pro-bono and low-bono workshops
- Sponsoring or Hosting a one-day Bootcamp to include:
- Both the Common App and Supplemental Essays workshops, brainstorming, and quick-writing in the morning
- 1:1 coaching in the afternoon
- Review of one draft in the week following the Bootcamp
- Reduced-rate college essay coaching services booked for a group of your clients in a back-to-back block
All coaching and workshops may be virtual or in-person