Admissions Essay Coaching

You do not need to have cured cancer or climbed Everest by age twelve to write a killer college admission essay.

If your kid is panicked about starting their personal statement or essay supplements for college, you’ve found the support they need.

Having taught at New York’s Saint Ann’s School for decades, as well as Hunter College and Stern College, I’ve worked with hundreds of students from private and public schools across the five boroughs and around the U.S. I specialize in coaching students through the entire college essay-writing process — essays that have landed admission to colleges and universities of all shapes and sizes (the full list below).

I’ve developed a proprietary method that helps produce a killer essay, no matter how much you struggle with ideating or writing. Once we sit down, believe it or not, it only takes an average of three drafts to get from a vague idea to a finished product.

 

College admissions include:

Amherst, Bates, Bard, Bowdoin, Colby, Carleton, Dickinson, Emory, Sarah Lawrence, Ithaca College, Juilliard, Juniata, Trinity, SUNY Buffalo, SUNY Purchase, SUNY Binghamton, Cornell, Barnard, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, University of Georgia, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Massachusetts, University of Arizona, University of Vermont, Tufts, Oberlin, Vassar, Wesleyan, Harvard, Yale, Brown, Northwestern, Smith, Syracuse, Tulane, Northeastern, Rutgers, Stern College, Yeshiva University, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Hunter College, NYU, USC, and UCLA.

How I work:

  • Light Support (Single Essay)

    For the self-motivators who really just need help getting started: We’ll kick off with one (1) 20-minute idea consult call and follow up with a 60-minute video session before your senior gets to work on their supplemental essay or Common App essay draft. Then, they’ll receive a comprehensive draft review with detailed feedback.

  • College Essay (Full Support)

    For the student who has a pretty clear vision or who needs an ideation session to get the ball rolling. We’ll kick off with the a 20-minute idea consult call, then meet for three (3) 60-minute video coaching sessions. Once the student finishes each draft, they’ll receive a comprehensive review with detailed feedback. At the end of the three sessions, the student will have a ready-to-go, unique, impactful Common App essay.

  • Comprehensive Support (Varies)

    Sometimes, you need more. This flexible package includes unlimited offline and online feedback on the college essay plus multiple supplemental essay drafts (up to 20 schools), including edits, text messaging and phone support. We’ll book regular Zoom sessions from the time of booking until submission deadlines. I’ll help your senior set schedules, send them reminders about upcoming deadlines, and provide feedback on other creative materials, such as writing and portfolios.

Additional Services: Graduate & Fellowship Essays

Essays continue to determine your academic and professional future long after you’ve forgotten about the Common App.

In addition to undergraduate admission essays, I have helped students and young professionals write essays for MFA and PhD programs, the LSAT, prestigious fellowships, and grants. If they assign it, I’ve encountered it. Contact me to discuss specifics and rates.

What the essay writers say:

  • Emily is a godsend. She can help you write anything— from personal statements to academic essays to grant applications. She guides you through the process, never imposing her own ideas on you, but rather helping you understand your own ideas and dig deeper so that you can articulate them. She finds a way to animate ideas and imbue words with life. I'm a better writer and thinker because of her.

    Ilana S.

  • Less than 1% of applicants were admitted to my future PhD program. Emily was contactable 24/7, a careful listener, and an indispensable supporter who inspired my best and never settled for less. With Emily, you get it all and then some.

    Chad S.

  • Emily coached me through 26+ applications, most with supplemental essay questions, and provided new tools for each individual essay. Emily is one of a kind and I was so fortunate to have her guidance and coaching to enhance my personal statement and many supplemental essays. Her tutoring improved my writing tremendously and gave me the confidence to succeed throughout college and now into my working years.

    Jen D.

  • Emily gave me the help and encouragement I needed to articulate my experiences and goals on my college applications by taking the time to get to know me personally. I loved the time I spent working with her! I applied to eleven schools and was accepted to seven, among which were Syracuse University, Northeastern University, and University of California-Santa Barbara! I received over $250,000 in scholarships and will be attending Syracuse University with a half-tuition scholarship!

    Sasha B.

  • During my admissions process, Emily was both kind and constructive. With her help, I felt confident and supported in every step of my applications. If I hadn't had Emily's help during this process, I would have felt like a deer in headlights. I also was accepted to my top-choice schools!

    Tulsi B.

  • Emily helped guide me through my college application process. I was drowning in the amount of supplemental essays I had to write, and I could not have done it without her. With her help I got into every school I applied to, and I have now committed to my top choice school. Emily was a huge help in this process, making it feel fun and far less stressful.

    Marcus B.

  • I was struggling a lot with writing my personal statement for college applications. I had written 10 different drafts and was at my wits end. I read my ideas aloud to Emily and she immediately knew which idea was the one. She coached me through the formatting and helped me find my voice. I got into my first choice school. Emily is a great listener and super easy to work with. I don't know how I would have gotten through the college application process without her help. She is truly the college essay whisperer. I couldn't recommend her more highly!

    Kaitlyn K.

Curious to learn more? Schedule a free 20-minute Zoom call to discuss which of these options is best for your kid/family.