College Application
Essay Coaching
Help your student find the story only they can tell.
The college application essay can feel surprisingly hard.
Your student may be staring at a blank document, convinced they have nothing interesting to write about. Maybe they've started three different essays and hate all of them. Or maybe they have a draft, but neither of you knows whether it's actually good.
That's where I come in.
I help students move from uncertainty and overwhelm to a clear idea, a strong story, and an essay they're genuinely proud to submit.
And because I'm guiding the process, you get to step out of the role of editor, reminder, and negotiator...and go back to being their parent.
The essay should still sound
like your student.
A strong college essay isn't about using impressive words or trying to guess what an admissions officer wants to hear.
It's about helping the reader understand something meaningful about the person behind the application.
As an editor, writing coach, and former educator, I know how to ask questions that help students uncover the stories they often don't recognize as interesting or important.
Then I help them shape those ideas into clear, compelling writing while protecting the most important part of the essay: their own voice.
I don't write essays for students, and I don't use AI to manufacture their stories. I coach them through the thinking and writing process so the finished essay belongs to them.
From Blank Page to
Final Draft
DISCOVER
We start with the student, not the prompt. Through conversation and guided brainstorming, we'll uncover experiences, moments, interests, and ideas that could become a meaningful essay.
DEVELOP
We'll choose the strongest direction and identify what the essay is really about, beyond simply what happened.
DRAFT
The student writes. I provide structure, guidance, and support without taking over their voice or their story.
REFINE
We'll look at the bigger picture first: story, structure, clarity, reflection, and impact. Then we'll strengthen the writing through revision.
POLISH
Finally, I'll look closely at language, grammar, punctuation, flow, and the small details that can distract from an otherwise strong essay.
The result isn't an essay that sounds like it was written by a professional editor.
It's an essay that sounds like your student on their very best writing day.
Choose the Right Level
of Essay Support
Every student comes to the college essay process in a different place.
Some just need help finding the right story. Others have a draft but know it isn't quite there yet. And some benefit from having an experienced coach guide them from the blank page all the way through the final draft.
Choose the level of support that fits your student best.
College Essay Brainstorming Guide
If your teen is avoiding the college essay, this guide gives them a way in. It doesn't tell them what to write. It helps them figure that out for themselves.
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A self-paced PDF
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Designed to avoid clichés and spark meaningful ideas
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Helps them begin without pressure
Price: $29
I start all of my 1:1 coaching clients with this same guide. If you purchase it now and decide to upgrade to coaching later, the full $29 will be credited toward your package.
Essay Strategy Session
$250
For the student who needs help getting unstuck.
This focused 60-minute session is designed to solve one specific challenge and give your student a clear path forward.
We can use the session to:
• Brainstorm possible essay topics
• Choose between several ideas
• Develop a promising story or direction
• Work through an essay that's stalled
• Review an existing draft and identify what needs attention
Includes:
• Pre-session questionnaire
• One 60-minute private coaching session
• Clear recommendations and next steps
Best for: A student who feels comfortable working independently once they have some expert guidance.
Essay Review & Refinement
$450
Already have a draft? Let's make it stronger.
For students who have chosen their topic and written a complete Common App essay, but want experienced feedback before submission.
We'll look beyond grammar and punctuation to make sure the essay has a clear focus, strong structure, meaningful reflection, and, most importantly, still sounds like the student who wrote it.
Includes:
• Full developmental review of one Common App personal statement
• Written feedback and recommendations
• One 60-minute coaching and revision session
• Review of one revised draft
• Final proofreading and polish
Best for: A student who has done the writing but wants a second set of expert eyes and guidance on how to make the essay stronger.
Common App Essay Coaching
$995
Start-to-Finish Support
From "I have no idea what to write" to an essay they're proud to submit.
This is start-to-finish coaching for the Common App personal statement.
I'll guide your student through brainstorming, finding the story worth telling, developing and organizing that story, drafting, and revising.
My role isn't to write the essay for them or turn it into something that doesn't sound like a teenager. It's to ask the right questions, help them recognize what's interesting and meaningful in their own experiences, and teach them how to communicate that effectively on the page.
Includes:
• Pre-coaching questionnaire and brainstorming exercises
• 60–90 minute brainstorming and strategy session
• Topic selection and story development
• Guidance on structure and organization
• Feedback on the first complete draft
• Two rounds of revision feedback
• Final proofreading and polish
• Brief email support between stages
The result: One polished Common App personal statement that tells your student's story in their own voice and is ready to submit.
Best for: A student who wants guidance throughout the entire essay process but is comfortable doing the writing and revisions independently between coaching and feedback.
Additional coaching or revision beyond what's included in the package is available at $125/hour.
Need More Support?
Signature College Essay Coaching
$1,600
More guidance.
More accountability.
More support throughout the process.
Some students benefit from having someone more closely involved throughout the essay process.
Signature Coaching provides the same start-to-finish guidance as Common App Essay Coaching, with additional 1:1 support, accountability, access, and help with supplemental essays.
It's designed for the student who may have trouble getting started, tends to get overwhelmed or stuck during revision, benefits from talking ideas through, or simply wants an experienced coach alongside them throughout the process.
Includes everything in Common App Essay Coaching, plus:
• Additional private coaching throughout the process
• More extensive brainstorming and story development
• Hands-on support during drafting and revision
• Up to three full rounds of revision feedback
• Regular check-ins and accountability
• Priority feedback
• Expanded email support between sessions
• Deadline planning
• Coaching and review for up to two supplemental essays
The result: A polished Common App personal statement, support with supplemental essays, and a structured, guided process that keeps your student moving forward.
Best for: A student who benefits from more frequent interaction, structure, and accountability rather than working primarily independently between stages.