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Coaching Philosophy: What It Is and How to Develop Your Own

Fortunately, most coaches get into the business to serve others, and with that heart of service comes a pathway to a personal coaching philosophy.

Personal values and integrity in the field are essential steps in understanding the benefits that coaching brings to the world.

If you’re lucky, your trainer will help to develop this coaching philosophy well during training. Coaches are responsible for how they show up to serve their clients, and being mindful and self-aware is an integral part of that service.

Come along to read more about coaching philosophy and how it can add value to any coaching practice.

Before you read on, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free . These science-based exercises explore fundamental aspects of positive psychology, including strengths, values, and self-compassion, and will give you the tools to enhance the wellbeing of your clients, students, or employees.

This Article Contains:

What is a coaching philosophy, developing your coaching philosophy, 3 examples of coaching philosophies, a look at some examples of life coaching philosophy, inspiring quotes, a take-home message.

Having a well-defined approach for the way each client is served is a crucial part of being a coach. As coaching is used in a wide variety of areas, so too will there be a wide variety of coaching philosophies. The development of a coaching philosophy is a way to set expectations for the coach and the client.

A coaching philosophy is a coaching tool to help guide coaches in their process of coaching. Having a philosophy gives a coach clear guidance on the objectives that should be pursued and how to achieve them. While adhering to values, a coach can make consistent decisions and broader life coaching questions by sticking with their philosophy.

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) has a code of ethics for credentialed coaches, and the coaching philosophy is a part of this code. True coaching involves holding space for a client to allow their personal growth to lead the coaching conversation. Coaches are not advisers, but rather active listeners who are not wedded to the outcome of any coaching conversation.

Becoming well versed in the ICF Code of Ethics will aid coaches in developing the personal standards by which their clients are well served.

A coach’s stand is a great way for a coach to begin effectively determining their coaching philosophy. Through utilizing the commitment portion of the coach’s position, what one stands for clears the way for a well-served client. Unconditional positive regard is a big part of this, but a clear philosophy can be fully developed through a deep understanding of core values.

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The development of your coaching philosophy should start with core values. Do some self-evaluation with values clarification tools , to discover your core values.

Your coaching philosophy should reflect your values, moral standards as well as your integrity. To show up as your best self for your clients, you should have a deep understanding of why you got into the profession in the first place.

Here are a few questions to ask when discovering that “why.”

• What is my motivation for coaching?
• What type of coach do I want to be?
• Why is coaching the right fit for me?
• What is it that I would like to achieve with my clients?
• What will I achieve for myself?

All coaches tells themselves stories that may bring forth the commitments that will undermine the effectiveness of the coaching. Self-awareness in coaching is vital in delivering effective service to clients.

Here are a few examples of what a coach might unintentionally be committed to that hold them back from their philosophy and power as a coach (Lasley, Kellogg, Michaels, & Brown, 2015).

• The need to be admired
• Ensuring the process is being done “right”
• The need to highlight personal knowledge
• Being consumed with the client’s level of comfort
• Being too polite

To be an effective coach, one must step into the shoes of someone whose focus is not on the self. Most coaching philosophies are “others” focused, which allows for coaching environments where creativity and collaboration can flourish.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself in developing that coaching stand.

• Can my clients expect that I bring my best self to each and every session?
• Do I speak to my client’s excellence and accept nothing less than that?
• Am I problem solving? Or am I tapping into my client’s resourcefulness?
• Are the coaching questions I ask in tune with the client’s agenda?
• Am I actively listening ?
• Am I in tune with my intuition?
• Am I bringing my whole self to each and every coaching conversation?

When a coach chooses the style in which they’ll serve their clients, there are perspectives on growth that must be acknowledged. The model or personal style of coaching can be developed by answering these questions. Expand upon the training you’ve already received to more intensely focus on the personal integration necessary for effective coaching to occur.

• What type of client will you choose to serve?
• What personal view of the process of change do you have?
• What objectives does this personal view require for growth?
• How is accountability established for yourself and your client?
• What personal standards will you bring to each client?

A coaching philosophy will directly impact the coach, their clients, and the world around them. Developing this philosophy allows for a type of “standard of care.” Though each conversation will be creative and unique, having a philosophy for the approach will allow the coach to show up in the same way for each person served.

Coaching conversations can shift and change direction. A coach who deeply understands their coaching philosophy can approach each of these conversations with curiosity and ensure their values are respected in the process. When fully in service, a coach will create space for a client to explore possibilities fully.

Here is a graphic to follow in developing your coaching philosophy.

1. Identify your values.

• List three or more specific values. For example: mutual respect, organization, and integrity.

2. Develop a personal belief system by developing actions for each value.

• Mutual respect — Always approach clients with unconditional positive regard.
• Organization — Always be organized with meeting times, administration, and keeping track of progress and discussions.
• Integrity — Always honor the trust and confidence of your clients.

3. Build a mission statement from the answers to the second part on the path.

To be a source of open-minded support for clients as an organized, safe, and honest coach, providing collaborative and creative space to explore personal growth.

1. Sports coaching

When you say the word ‘coach’ to most people, an image of someone with a clipboard and a whistle often comes to mind.

Though athletic coaches have an alternative role to other types of coaches, many of the philosophies are similar. A coaching philosophy may be developed by acknowledging the objectives of the athletes and the team, followed by the type of coach you want to be, and completed with your personal ideals.

The head football coach of the LSU Tigers, Ed Orgeron, developed his coaching philosophy by channeling Pete Carroll of the NFL (Crewe, 2016). The two are wildly successful leaders of young men in the sport. They are clear about why they are serving their athletes and how they are going to build their team into the best possible versions. They stay true to their values in the process of doing so.

Coach Orgeron’s use of Carroll’s mantra, “ Always Compete,” highlights his mentality toward coaching. He considers himself always improving and learning from mistakes. He brings his whole self to how he coaches, and the results are evident in LSU’s 2019 record. Mr. Orgeron’s coaching philosophy has played a large part in the team’s success.

2. Executive/Business coaching

The relationship between executive coaches and the businesses they serve should be similar to an individual coaching relationship. The personal coaching philosophy can serve as a mission statement for the way a coach approaches coaching in business.

Creating a clear vision of the type of client served and the way they’ll be served will allow the process of coaching to reach exponential growth.

Here are some examples of coaching philosophies from several coaches established in the field:

Coaching is a relationship of equals, where accountability for moving oneself forward lies with the individual being coached, and responsibility for providing the insightful and challenging coaching to support that happening for the client lies with the coach.

Dave McKeon

We exist to make the world a better place – one courageous conversation, one liberating truth, one great leader at a time. We partner with individuals, teams and organizations to help leaders and their teams enjoy the journey.

Greg Salciccioli of Coachwell.com

3. Health coaching

Everyone’s health is important. What health coaches hold true is that nobody is the same. Coaching philosophy in this area of coaching must acknowledge that a “one-size-fits-all” mentality won’t work for improving health or supporting someone going through a health crisis.

Here is an example of a possible health coaching philosophy that could serve clients well.

They recognize that everyone is unique and different, so no one diet, exercise, or way of life will work for everyone. Health coaches tailor recommendations and plans for each individual based on the individual. It’s personalized information for you.

How to create your own coaching philosophy – Coach Ajit x Evercoach

Life coaches are similar to personal trainers. There is an element of motivation that is harnessed within a positive coach–client relationship. A life coach’s philosophy will usually align with the ignition of personal responsibility and action toward desired outcomes.

Life coaching can be seen as an umbrella term for coaching. Beneath this umbrella, life coaches can coach in the following areas: personal growth, career, business, health, and relationships, among others. It is a powerful process through trained, skillful interpersonal interaction.

Motivation is followed by strategic planning, which is generated by the client through open-ended questioning. Once a plan is forged, a life coach will then create space to explore how the client wants to be held accountable. The process can be therapeutic, though it is not therapy. It can also bring clarity and greater illumination of purpose.

The Flourishing Center trains positive psychology coaches who may serve others as life coaches, in addition to other areas of coaching. The philosophy taught in this Applied Positive Psychology Coaching certification is one of “purna.” The word means ‘complete,’ and in this training, it is the understanding that both the coach and the client are whole and resourceful. The philosophy taught in this certification program is as follows:

I have within me all that I need. All that I have, I need. They have within them all that they need. All that they have, they need.

This philosophy allows for trained coaches to view clients as whole and resourceful. It keeps the coach working in an approach that is not advising or mentoring but instead attached to intuitive questioning.

This philosophy enables the coach and client to create a collaborative space for personal growth. It allows coaches to adhere to ICF core competencies and stick to the ICF Code of Ethics with a mindset that can approach each client in the same way.

Each client is seen as the expert in their own life. With mutual respect, integrity, and commitment, coaches can serve their clients in reaching their best selves, as determined by the clients themselves. Not all life coaches are created the same, and a solid coaching philosophy will make all the difference.

This informative article outlines the differences between life coaching and positive psychology coaching .

At Positive Acorn , coaches are offered training in developing a personal coaching philosophy. Though the coaching profession is highly unregulated, training opportunities adhering to ICF standards are creating quality in the profession. Coaches who are taught to develop their personal coaching philosophy will serve their clients with increased self-awareness, confidence, and ethical integrity.

Here are some principles that every coach, in every modality, should hold true for themselves and their practice:

• Living life well is a responsibility to the gift of life itself. Purpose is found in the pursuit of a life well lived. Serving others in this pursuit should be the foundation of every coaching conversation.
• The pursuit of a well-lived life cannot come at the expense of another. The pursuit of our personal best should never deprive another of the pursuit of theirs.
• Coaching does not exist to change or fix others. It is about helping others become fully functional in the pursuit of their higher selves in any arena.
• Life well lived requires interconnection. To achieve it, one must serve others in pursuit toward their best selves. Meaning and purpose are illuminated when this service releases ego in favor of abundance and calling.

Related: Mental Health Coaching Software Solutions

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The only place that success comes before work is in the dictionary.

Vince Lombardi

A coach should never be afraid to ask questions of anyone he could learn from.

Bobby Knight

If we were supposed to talk more than we listen we would have two mouths and one ear.

You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them.

Michael Jordan

The first thing successful people do is view failure as a positive signal to success.

Brendon Burchard

A life coach does for the rest of your life what a personal trainer does for your health and fitness.

Elaine MacDonald

If you enjoyed these, we have 54 more inspiring Coaching Quotes for you to enjoy.

When a coach develops and embraces their personal coaching philosophy, fear becomes irrelevant. A coach who embodies the principles of leadership that allow their clients to show up at their best will serve to improve the world around them. A coach who knows and lives with their values will show up for clients at their best for every conversation.

Everyone deserves the gift that is the creative process of coaching. It opens people to their potential and ignites them in that pursuit. When searching for a coach, be sure to ask them about their coaching philosophy.

Thanks for reading!

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free .

• Crewe, P. (2016, October 30). Building a program in his own image. SBNation . Retrieved from https://www.andthevalleyshook.com/2016/10/30/13401740/building-a-program-in-his-own-image-how-ed-orgeron-is-flexing-pete-carroll-s-philosophies-at-lsu
• Lasley, M., Kellogg, V., Michaels, R., & Brown, S. (2015). Coaching for transformation . Discover Press.

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Thank you so much for this wonderful and insightful article. I have much to think about and consider.

This is an excellent article and I find myself agreeing with a lot of points made by Kelly. I think it is essential for every coach ask WHY when they think of becoming a coach. The drive, motivation and ambition behind those thoughts are key. It could also help to take some assessments and determine if they are on the right track. Another point over coaching philosophy is it helps potential clients realise who are going to interact with and the benefits they will get along with assurance of safe environment they need to learn and grow.

Kelly Miller what is your coaching philosophy? Thank you.

Loved reading this, super helpful! Thanks so much for sharing <3

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Home » College Essay Coaching

College Essay Coaching

Young people need a mentor and guidance to tackle the toughest part of the college application: the essays..

Even great young writers don’t know how to talk about themselves. That’s where I come in. My goal is for students to write essays that college admissions readers won’t forget, and that stay true to the student’s authentic voice. The whole process is fun, effective, and transformational.

I work 1-on-1 with only a handful of students each year, including a few on need-based scholarship. 

• Parents get to step back and focus on their relationship with their child
• I meet confidentially, 1-on-1, to brainstorm, structure, and fine-tune their essays
• My students discover who they are, what they value, and how to express themselves

Online Bootcamp: How to Write a Great College Essay

Enrolling now a four-part online course that guides you step-by-step in 20+ videos and one 1-on-1 call with me..

I’ve been an award-winning writer and a teacher of writing for 25+ years. As an English teacher and assistant director of the Mountain School of Milton Academy, I taught High School juniors and seniors the art of the personal essay, and oversaw their college application process. I also worked as the director of Where There Be Dragons, an organization dedicated to meaningful travel programs for teens. I am one of those rare people who LOVES teenagers. As a trained personal coach, I know how to interview them to get their best ideas powerfully told on the page. My system includes multiple tools, honed with experience, that they can use in college and beyond to write clearly and persuasively. The top five schools attended by the students I’ve advised are Brown, Middlebury, Yale, Bowdoin, and Cornell.

The Process

Pre-Meeting. Before we meet, I’ll send you a few questions to help me get to know you. This frees us up to dig in immediately when we connect and begin the 3-step process.

• Brainstorming.  This is a no-judgement space. I do a series of interviews and share my favorite tools for finding the story that makes you distinctive. We have fun diving in and uncovering your developing sense of self.
• Structure. With a topic in hand, how do you write in a compelling, focused way? How will this essay stand out from the rest? We work on creating a “storyboard” for each essay. I’ll challenge you to take risks. I’ll teach you how to take something that seems so ordinary, so mundane, and write it so vividly that it ends up extraordinary.
• Fine-Tuning . Plan to write 3-5 drafts. We work together to find the best hook, to end with a “bang” and to get rid of any prose that weighs down the writing. I’ll help you with grammar and spelling to avoid distracting errors. I’ll also provide that outside perspective: does this person come across as curious, open, likable?

Let’s Get Started!

Ready to Get Started?

If you’re curious about college essay coaching, try a session on me book a free 30-minute phone consult to gain instant momentum, and to see if working together is the right fit..

Schedule a Free Consult

I offer a few paths forward:

Standard essay package.

This is the worry-free package. It’s a flat rate. I work by phone or in-person, beginning to end, for all essays. You don’t have to count how many hours we work together. And you can trust that I have your back to brainstorm, generate uncommon ideas, create a structure, provide unlimited editing and revision feedback of the personal statement essay (for either the Common Application or the Coalition Application), plus all supplemental essays/questions for up to 5 colleges (Ivys & UC schools count as 2 schools). This package also includes targeted teachings on how to shine on the page and write the supplementals for all schools beyond the top 5. Book a free 30 min consult to get started. $2,549

Personal Statement/Core Essay

This essay is the toughest because colleges are looking for insight into who this applicant really is in 650 words. It requires reflection, perspective, and a unique angle. The open-ended prompts are overwhelming: “share your story” “what makes you unique?” My system breaks the mountain of writing down into small hills and gives support for the three main steps: 1. Brainstorm 2. Structure 3. Fine tune. Book a free 30 min consult to get started. $949

Supplemental Essays (under 500 words)

For Returning Clients Only

These essays are shorter, but they need to be of the same quality as the core essay. Each school asks for 2-3 of these. Done well, these responses can pull an applicant out of the ‘Maybe’ pile and into the ‘Yes’ pile. $315

Review of Finished Essay

A close look at a polished draft from an outside, experienced perspective. This is to catch grammatical errors, flow, and to help find the best hook and the most powerful ending. Book a free 30 min consult to get started. $150/hour

By popular demand, I’ve added services:

Comprehensive college advising package .

Cover all the bases; Don’t miss a detail. One-on-one coaching every step of the way on all aspects of the college application process. Reserves your spot in my calendar (get first pick of coveted meeting times). Saves you money and includes the packages listed below plus the Core Essay package above. Book a free 30 min consult to see if this package is right for you. $5549

Find Your Path: Major/Career Coaching 

For any student who wants clarity on who they are, what they want to do, and where they want to go. One-on-one coaching on finding a college major and potential career path based on 25 years experience guiding high school students on their values, interests, and strengths. Book a free 30 min consult to see if this is the right package for you. $549

Make the Match: Build a Custom College List 

Identify the best-fit schools and d iscover programs you may never have heard of before. Strategize for family budget considerations. Build a custom, balanced list that emphasizes fit, plus complete the common app profile and learn how to m ake the most of college visits. This can be done as a 2-day intensive to use momentum to motivate through overwhelm. Book a free 30 min consult to see if this package is right for you. $1849

On Track & On Time Complete Application Support

Don’t miss a deadline!  Soup-to-nuts application support for all colleges on your list. Strategize for scholarships . Develop supplemental essays that stand out (this package includes brainstorm & design of supp. essays but not editing or fine tuning). T rack all school requirements and Honors’ program needs. Learn best practices for communication with coaches and department heads. Grow self-advocacy skills for on-campus accommodation or support services, if needed. Book a free 30 min consult to see if this package is right for you. $2549

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Coaching Experience in Sport Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

In sports, coaching has been fundamental tool managers use to enhance the development of team members. Each coach has given principles and ethics they utilize to achieve the desired outcome. Before commencing the training practices, the experienced must identify key areas that require improvement. Upon identifying the personal needs of a player, the manager formulates the most appropriate techniques that will enable the respective players to gain the necessary professional development. Since teams consist of many individuals, the coaches usually employ various coaching styles, which include democratic, autocratic, and holistic, based on the objective intended to be achieved. Despite the number of players in the team, sports managers ensure each person is respected and treated with the utmost respect. The aim is to make sure the possible ego of the coach remains invisible and the interest of the players is met. The aspect of coaching is an all-around practice that requires the leaders to have different abilities, including motivating, advising, analyzing, and coordinating relevant training programs to meet the development needs of all players in the team.

My Experience with Rugby Team Coaches

At the age of 15 when I was in grade 10, I developed an interest in playing rugby. The school head coach was one of the educators with whom I interacted frequently during class lessons. Following my physical fitness and the urge to enroll in the team, I applied for the chance to join division three of the rugby team. During this time, I had limited skills and competencies required to be an excellent player. In the category, several other individuals did not have the relevant abilities as well. The school had three coaches responsible for the training and development of each of the teams. After some duration and subsequent tests, I managed to break through to division two and then to the main team where I became one of the recognized players. The success of the processes was significantly influenced by the various head coaches. They undertook different roles and commitments to ensure they impart relevant skills to enhance the professional growth of each player. The managers used various coaching techniques that allowed the development to be easier and more achievable.

Coaching Process

Since coaching entails a series of events, the leaders ensure that the players derive maximum professional development to enhance their practices. Generally, it was the duty of the head coach to ensure all the multi-disciplinary approaches are utilized together to facilitate effective engagement. Before setting the goals and objectives for the team, the frontrunner used to take a close observation of each player, especially during training sessions (Sullivan et al., 2021). Afterward, the individual team member was contacted by the trainers to discuss the possible areas that require immediate adjustments. The coaching process was deeply dependent on the philosophy and coaching ethics used in the team.

Coaching Philosophy

The team’s head coach had an outstanding coaching philosophy that applied to the whole training program. According to the manager’s idea, he believed that knowledge and skills are transferable from one person to the other (Cahill, 2022). Based on this perspective, the frontrunner maintained that through effective coaching practices, using appropriate and reliable approaches each player has the potential to improve their talents in sports. Furthermore, the manager acknowledged that through playing games, there is strong character development and confidence which is essential for the growth of an individual. The key components of the philosophy included the objective, the technique used to coach players, and the principles applied.

Before commencing the training session, the coach used to come up with an already prepared objective that the team must aim towards. The trainer first communicates his purpose and expectations once the practice is over. To warrant that the training program is conducted effectively, the manager ensures the atmosphere is positive and accommodating for all the players and the support staff. The approach proved effective because each team member understood the primary reason for the coaching exercise, and thus they worked accordingly towards achieving them. For instance, when engaging in physical activities, the coach always alerted players before preparing them psychologically. The technique proved vital in developing the required attitude for participating in the game. Therefore, it was important to set a clear objective and make it known to the players to facilitate their concentration and commitment to professional development.

To have an effective coaching process, several principles must be applied to facilitate engagement. By definition, sports coaching is known as the training that focuses on individual improvement and that of the whole team members while considering both specific and general performances. Some key principles the rugby coach applies are an emphasis on behaviors, proper order during the training session, rapid correction and instructions, provision of immediate feedback, and use of questions and clarifications. While relying heavily on the stated values, the manager made it easier to handle any possible challenge that could occur to team members. Players as well adapted to the approach, which further simplified the process and created harmony and deep understanding amongst the trainees and the staff members.

Coaching Ethics

Sports attract the interest of individuals from different cultural backgrounds and have varied perspectives. To coordinate and maintain an effective team, coaching morals is a necessary tool. During my time with the school rugby team, the head coach was always applauded, following the respect he accorded the players and the supporting staff. The manager understood that people have different values and beliefs. Furthermore, he considered role differences, ethnicity, age, language, sexual orientation, origin, and socioeconomic status to ensure each player is not treated differently from the others based on attributes (Sabzi et al., 2022). The team reported no case of prejudice and immoral conduct portrayed by the head coach and the assistant. He valued the rights and dignity of all participants, which made the training environment welcoming and accommodating for the various players. In addition, the management set several rules that guide participants’ behaviors in and out of the training sessions. Most of the time, the team was encouraged to respect and uphold practices that embrace moral conduct. For instance, performers were frequently advised to take responsibility, remain fair and apply integrity in every situation they might encounter.

My Experience as a Sports Coach

I have been involved in coaching activities engaging people from different groups, ages, clubs, and gender. I have been exposed to the practice for a couple of years, leading to significant experience in the field. Currently, I am training girls below the age of 16 years to touch rugby and contact rugby as well. In addition, I am the chief instructor for Kids Outdoor Adventure Company, where I coach boys and girls between the ages of 6 to 12 years. Furthermore, I am a certified personal trainer and a CrossFit coach. The mentioned involvements have given me relevant encounters in coaching practices. Since I have been dealing with different individuals, I opted to use the long-term athlete development model as a tool to enhance the ability to improve specific and general improvements among the groups I train.

Long-Term Athlete Development

The long-term athlete development (LTAD) model is a framework created to enhance the quality of physical activity in sports and to allow the players to fully realize their potential and possible ways of exploring them effectively. Coaching is a dynamic program that requires the coach to constantly keep formulating and implementing new training methods that best suit the needs of the performers being trained (Costa et al., 2021). To ensure all my players in their respective groups attain their potential, I employed the LTAD approach to establish the required solution. By definition, LTAD is a properly planned and progressive system that assists in developing individual players. The tool is essential, especially for coaching juniors who are still undergoing various body developments. I used the LTAD to know what to do at any stage of performers’ advancement to enhance their engagement in healthy physical activities. It further provides solutions for handling the players with the talent and drives to succeed in games.

In general, LTAD aims to provide what seems best for the team throughout the training period. It promotes a positive experience for the participants, limiting possible shortcomings that might hinder the engagement of players in physical activities. I adopted the use of the LTAD model because it is applicable in all stages, right from childhood to adulthood. Being that I am dealing with teenagers and some adults, the system provides a proper approach to handling each group effectively. The LTAD framework has seven critical stages that give the coach a platform to guide the training, participation, and recovery process during the involvement (Costa et al., 2021). LTAD is useful since it recognizes involvement and performance-oriented tracks in sports. In addition, the model encompasses fun-based physical literacy necessary for teams aged between 6 to 12 years. The key phases that are making coaching practices include active start, fundamentals, learn to train, train to train, train to compete, training to win, and active for life.

Before applying the LTAD model, as a coach, I considered several factors to ensure that participation, training, and competition were successful. The aspects include physical literacy, specialization, trainability, age, emotional development, periodization, competition, system alignment, excellent task time, and continuous improvement. Each of the mentioned elements significantly benefits the participants and ensures they advance their specific and general physical, intellectual, and mental development.

Periodization Planning

When conducting training activities, I have depended on periodization planning to ensure I deliver the services on time. Since the coaching process entails different activities, it is important to structure and formulates the right period for each training exercise. In most cases, I break the coaching activities into components to be done in sessions, days, and weeks. The approach enables me to be situation specific whereby I bring the required training to enhance the necessary improvement in the team.

Goal Setting

Generally, the participants have different abilities and potentials in the team. To ensure all the performers are engaged and improve their professional development, I create objectives that cover process, performance, and outcome. This is because coaching is a sequential program geared towards unlocking the potential of each player in the team (Cronin et al., 2022). When making developing the goals, I ensure they are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound. The technique has made it easier to impart new skills to the participants in an effective manner.

Coaching Roles and Responsibilities

Coaching is an involving practice that comes with several responsibilities to be performed. Generally, team managers are responsible for planning, organizing, and providing different sports programs to enhance the physical fitness of the team members (Cho et al., 2021). Some of the key roles I play include teaching performers various relevant skills to enhance their abilities in rugby. Similarly, I train different tactics and techniques that players can use during competition. Apart from focusing on physical development, I frequently monitor and promote the overall performance by encouraging the individual participant and issuing positive feedback. In addition, I evaluate and identify the strengths and weaknesses of team members to plan for needed adjustments. Since health is a concern when it comes to sports, I advise the performers and their parents on ways to maintain a good lifestyle throughout their life. Other activities are creating appropriate training programs that suit the demands of players and other support staff.

Coaching Styles

As a coach, the most fundamental aspect of coaching is the style being used. When the approach is ineffective, the overall outcome of the involvement will be insignificant. It is necessary to apply the style that best tackles various cultures and behaviors that might prevent the development of each player (Samson & Bakinde, 2021). I have been using the democratic style to enhance the training of teams. The technique is aimed at making the athletes contribute to every aspect of the training program (Kim et al., 2021). Since I deal with people from different age groups, I usually apply the method to individuals aged 12 and above because they understand what is appropriate for them. The coaching technique enables performers to focus on the objectives outlined by the training program which is essential for their physical development.

Teaching Skills

Coaching a team focuses on skill development and each performer is required to gain the necessary abilities that improve their talents. I subject the players to six levels of training to enhance their competencies in sports. Initially, the player learns the relevant skill by engaging in the learning process (Newman et al., 2021). It is then followed by the aspect of skill mastery through a continuous repeat of the technique. The third phase encompasses adding speed to the already known skill to enhance faster execution. The next step is adding fatigue to enable the participants to understand the impact of tiredness on their accuracy and quality. The fifth stage involves adding pressure to make sure the player can apply their abilities when under pressure. The last level entails decision-making; the performer must be able to make the right decision fast during the execution process.

Coaching is an effective process that allows coaches to teach the players relevant skills to enhance their professional development. It is fundamental for the trainers to understand the needs of each performer before planning and structuring the required training programs. Coaching philosophies and the whole process is vital in ensuring the expected outcome is achieved. By applying the LTAD model, it is easier for the coach to provide proper training for the participants while considering various factors such as age, trainability, and physical literacy. In addition, the coaching style promotes the ability of trainees to execute the instructions. The democratic approach has proved player-centered thus making them remain active.

Cahill, G. (2022). Coaching philosophy:” Why we do things the way we do?” ITF Coaching & Sport Science Review , 30 (86), 7-9.

Cho, H., Kim, S., & Lee, Y. H. (2021). Sport coaches’ positive emotions, task performance, and well-being: The mediating role of work satisfaction. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching , 16 (6), 1247-1258.

Costa, M. J., Marinho, D. A., Santos, C. C., Quinta-Nova, L., Costa, A. M., Silva, A. J., & Barbosa, T. M. (2021). The coaches’ perceptions and experience implementing a long-term athletic development model in competitive swimming. Frontiers in Psychology , 1626.

Cronin, L., Ellison, P., Allen, J., Huntley, E., Johnson, L., Kosteli, M. C., Hollis, A., & Marchant, D. (2022). A self-determination theory based investigation of life skills development in youth sport. Journal of Sports Sciences , 40 (8), 886-898.

Kim, S., Park, S., Love, A., & Pang, T. C. (2021). Coaching style, sport enjoyment, and intent to continue participation among artistic swimmers. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching , 16 (3), 477-489.

Newman, T., Black, S., Santos, F., Jefka, B., & Brennan, N. (2021). Coaching the development and transfer of life skills: A scoping review of facilitative coaching practices in youth sports. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology , 1-38.

Sabzi, A. H., Golzadeh, F., Aghazadeh, A., & Heidarian Baei, E. (2022). Explaining of correlational model of organizational ethical culture with professional ethics in sport coaches. Sport Psychology Studies (ie, mutaleat ravanshenasi varzeshi) , 11 (39), 195-218. Web.

Samson, A. B., & Bakinde, S. T. (2021). Relationship between Coaches’ Leadership Style and Athletes’ Performance in Kwara State Sports Council. THE SKY-International Journal of Physical Education and Sports Sciences (IJPESS) , 5 (1), 91-104. Web.

Sullivan, M. O., Woods, C. T., Vaughan, J., & Davids, K. (2021). Towards a contemporary player learning in development framework for sports practitioners. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching , 16 (5), 1214-1222.

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Essay Samples on Coaching

My mentorship expirience in social health care practice.

Mentor is an accomplished senior guide who recognizes the academic and proficiency requirements of a lesser individual while helping the person in question seek after the chances and encounters to meet them. Mentee is the person in the job of 'leaner' in the coaching relationship....

The Difference Between the Three Levels of Listening

It is quite interesting to explain first the difference between the three levels of listening as identified by the authors of 'Co-Active Coaching'. Our listening level differs depending on the role we are playing in a conversation, whether as regular individuals or as coaches, therapists,...

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Track and Field as a Transformative Force in My Life

Introduction Track and field has played a significant role in shaping my life and has had a profound impact on my physical, mental, and personal development. As a competitive athlete, I have experienced the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, and the invaluable life...

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Health Coaching: Motivating Lifestyle Change

As life becomes more fast paced and cutthroat with each passing second, chronic illnesses such as stress, hypotension and chronic pain become more common. What’s most unfortunate about such illnesses is that they do not have a solid cure, as they arise due to a...

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Ideology and Foundation of Coaching Philosophy

In other words, the idealistic rhetoric of a coaching philosophy is unlikely to be seamlessly achieved in the complex and messy realities of coaching pedagogy. Therefore, more authentic and detailed pictures of coaching practice are needed (Hall et al, 2015) A coach’s ‘philosophy’ above all...

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Merits of Listening in Non-Judgemental Coaching

Sometimes, all you need is someone who will listen. It is fortune enough to have people around you who hear you and not judge you.” This quote by Tara Estacaan highlights the importance of Listening as a cornerstone of effective communications and successful interpersonal engagements....

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The Rise of Jose Mourinho

José Mourinho is a charismatic football (soccer) manager from Portugal, broadly regarded as one of the best coaches in the game’s history. He is extensively known both for his coaching success, and for his controversial leadership style. He has headed the most important European teams...

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Best topics on Coaching

1. My Mentorship Expirience In Social Health Care Practice

2. The Difference Between the Three Levels of Listening

3. Track and Field as a Transformative Force in My Life

4. Health Coaching: Motivating Lifestyle Change

5. Ideology and Foundation of Coaching Philosophy

6. Merits of Listening in Non-Judgemental Coaching

7. The Rise of Jose Mourinho

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My consultant did an excellent job helping me tell my story. Over our first week, he provided very helpful feedback on my topic ideas and quickly identified a concept that ended up leading to a well-formed essay. He was also very helpful and encouraging throughout the process, and he provided accurate and specific feedback that helped me create an essay that felt very true to myself. Paradoxically, the essay we created together felt much more genuine than any of the attempts I had made at drafting an essay on my own beforehand!

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College admissions creative designer and lead admissions expert, table of contents, 1. check the college essay coach’s credentials and experience, 2. review their track record, 3. assess their coaching style, 4. request a sample session from the college essay coach, 5. discuss their availability, 6. inquire about their approach to essay writing, 7. consider their familiarity with different colleges, 8. assess their ability to provide constructive feedback, 9. look for personalized attention, 10. check their ethical standards, 11. review their communication skills, 12. compare costs and services:.

Stay up-to-date on the latest research and college admissions trends with our blog team.

Writing essays can often feel like an uphill battle. From the initial brainstorming session to crafting a piece that is both cohesive and compelling, students frequently face difficulties in gaining confidence with long-form writing . This challenge intensifies when the essays serve as a key component in the college admissions process, offering admissions officers a window into the student’s personality and achievements — it can feel like a lot of pressure! Many universities have adopted and still push test-optional policies during their admissions process, so personal statements have become increasingly important in the university’s decision-making process. So, how can you effectively manage these anxieties and successfully create impactful essays?

With increasing competition and the ever-growing importance of a stellar college essay, many families turn to college essay coaches for guidance and support. However, not all coaches are created equal and are a right fit for your student! In this blog post, we’ll explore 12 essential tips for finding the best college essay coach in 2024, helping you and your child find the right expertise for their goals and personality.

Before we begin, here’s an interesting video on why tackling essays alone can be challenging for any student as well as some of the ways to begin thinking about the essay writing and editing process!

When searching for a college essay coach to support your student through their journey, it’s important to explore their credentials and experience in writing and editing pieces, specifically those related to college admissions. College admissions essays take a lot of care and patience to write and require the same when editing them, so it’s important to find a college easy coach who will spend the time and have the empathy and experience needed to help support students through their drafting and editing stages. 

Look for coaches with a background in writing, education, or college admissions counseling. A strong foundation in these areas will help indicate that the coach has the expertise to provide valuable guidance throughout the essay-writing process! Additionally, see if the coach can provide examples of their own writing, as you can get a feel for their caliber and perspective/tone of voice.

When deciding upon a college essay coach to work with your student, it doesn’t hurt to ask about their experiences helping students through the admissions essay process! Ask potential coaches for examples of past success stories of students they helped. You can ask questions like:

• Where did your students end up?
• What was the process you followed with them to get their essays to their final products?
• What approaches did you use throughout the writing process?
• How do you help students find the topics they can write strongly about?

While these questions may seem rudimentary, having some questions to begin the search can help you find a coach that fits your student’s personality and make the process much easier. Additionally, most universities ask different questions to students for their applications, so finding a coach that fits your student’s college admissions goals will be a much better approach to the process and help your family holistically move through it easily.

Every student is unique, and so is every coach! Coaches have their own teaching, writing, and essay approaches, so it’s important to consider your child’s learning style and preferences when choosing a coach to work with. Some students may thrive with intensive one-on-one guidance, while others prefer more independent work with occasional check-ins. Therefore, it’s important to find a coach who can support your student in the way that best suits them!

Understanding how coaches work through the essay development process is also crucial. Discuss with them how they edit admissions essays and writing pieces. What do they look for? When crafting a draft or building their topic lists, what are some things to consider? What should students look out for when crafting their essays during preparation? These questions can guide the conversation and help you and your students understand what to expect from working with them.

Here is a great example of how an essay coach will edit a piece:

Requesting a sample session before committing to a coach is a great idea. This initial trial will allow you to evaluate the coach’s methods and compatibility with your student’s needs and see if they are a good personality fit! During your first conversations with the coach, ask if they offer a sample session and arrange for your student to participate. It’s essential that your student attends this session, as they will be the ones benefiting from the service most! 

During the session, pay attention to how the coach helps your student develop ideas and how the coach carries the initial conversation through. Be sure to ask any questions you might have as they work with your student, and see how they provide feedback and whether they effectively communicate strategies for improving the essay.

Undoubtedly, the high school years are an incredibly busy time for most families. Between juggling sports, academics, extracurriculars, and more, schedules for both students and parents can fill up fast. With this in mind, it’s important to prioritize discussing availability in the initial conversations!

Make sure that the coach’s availability aligns with your student’s schedule. Also, discuss deadlines and expectations in advance to avoid scheduling conflicts later. Having a coach who is easy to reach and quick to respond throughout this highly busy and stressful time will offer valuable support during the application process.

Another critical aspect of finding the right college essay coach for your student is understanding their approach to essay writing. It is essential to choose a coach who prioritizes helping students develop their unique voice and narrative rather than merely editing their work. A good coach will guide your student through a comprehensive process that includes brainstorming, outlining, and revising, helping to ensure essays are authentic and compelling, reflecting the student’s personality and experiences.

During your search, learn more about the coach’s methodology and how they plan to support your student in crafting their story. The ideal coach should encourage creative thinking and help students articulate and effectively their ideas, focusing on teaching students how to organize their thoughts, construct a strong narrative, and refine their writing through multiple drafts. This process improves the quality of the essays and empowers students with valuable writing skills that will benefit them beyond the college application process.

Just like some tutors have skills in certain fields, it’s important to remember that essay coaches do, too! Every school has a different set of questions they ask students to answer in their application, so the coach you find must be able to help support the writing process for particular universities your student is applying to. Some coaches specialize in advising students on specific types of colleges, such as liberal arts colleges, Ivy League institutions, or STEM-focused schools, so their lens of guidance and thought process will likely follow suit. 

When finding the best-fit college essay coach, consider your child’s interests and aspirations and the types of colleges they are targeting. Suppose your student has experience within STEM areas and wishes to apply to an engineering major at their desired university, for instance. In that case, it’s important to ensure the essay coach can help students utilize their experience within that field to their advantage. A coach who understands the nuances of different admissions processes for schools of all different types can help provide tailored guidance that aligns with your child’s goals.

Feedback is an incredibly important part of the essay drafting process. Implementing feedback into your writing can help you see and understand perspectives you might not have originally thought about, help develop a cleaner, more concise, and more persuasive tone, and help get you back on the right track. With this in mind, finding a coach who will provide constructive and effective feedback to support your student throughout the writing process is important.

Feedback looks different for each individual coach, but effective feedback in essay writing contains a few basic things: positivity, questions/clarification from a higher level to a lower level, and a critique of the writing, not the writer themselves. Additionally, pay attention to the tone of the critique and whether it follows the golden rule of effective feedback—it should be considerate and not bash or negate the student’s work.

Students are unique, and so is their writing! Each student has their own perspective, voice, experiences, interests, and aspirations, and their college essays will be the lens admissions officers have into the student who is applying. Knowing this, choose an essay coach that provides a personalized approach throughout each step of the process and gives your student the best chance at developing a story true to themselves. 

From mind mapping and brainstorming to final edits, your student’s essay coach should focus on tailoring their guidance to your student’s goals and writing style from the get-go. A coach who takes the time to get to know your child’s background and ambitions will provide more effective support and, in turn, help your student write essays that will be sure to wow the admissions officers!

Ethical integrity is paramount when selecting a college essay coach. Avoid coaches who act unethically in their work, such as writing essays for students or making false promises about admission outcomes. These practices undermine the student’s learning experience and can have serious consequences, including jeopardizing the student’s admission prospects and damaging their academic reputation.

When evaluating potential coaches, prioritize those who are honest, transparent, and promote ethical conduct in their coaching practice. Essay coaches should work to empower students to express their own thoughts and ideas authentically and provide guidance and support, helping students brainstorm, outline, and revise their own personal essays, not the writing of the coach.

Transparency is also important to ethical coaching. Look for coaches who are upfront about their methods, expectations, and realistic outcomes of their assistance. They should be clear about what they can and cannot do, avoiding any admission guarantees to specific colleges. Instead, they will emphasize the importance of effort, authenticity, and personal growth in the application process.

Effective feedback is essential for enhancing a student’s essay-writing skills and ensuring their writing growth. When searching for a college essay coach, prioritize those who offer specific, actionable feedback that will help students understand their strengths and identify areas for improvement within their writing.

Look for a coach who provides detailed comments and suggestions that clarify why certain changes are needed. For instance, instead of correcting a vague sentence, the coach should explain why it lacks clarity and offer strategies to make it more precise. Additionally, avoid coaches who simply rewrite or heavily edit essays without offering an explanation. While this might result in a polished essay, it doesn’t teach the student how to improve their writing skills. The goal is to develop the student’s ability to think critically about their work and make informed decisions about their revisions so they can become a better writer and thinker in the future!

Finally, when deciding on a college essay coach, it’s important to consider the cost of coaching services and what is included in the offered package! While price shouldn’t be the sole determining factor, ensuring that the coaching services align with your budget and expectations is essential, especially considering the applications’ costs. Be sure to compare the costs and services different coaches offer to find the best value for your investment and find a coach that provides the best service quality without breaking the bank!

Finding the best college essay coach for your student requires careful consideration of their practice, including their credentials, coaching style, expertise, and ethical standards. Use these 12 tips to help select a coach who provides personalized guidance, supports your child’s individual needs and aspirations, and helps them craft compelling essays that stand out to admissions officers!

Looking for extra essay support? Empowerly’s here to help! Our team of expert essay editors and counselors is here to support your student during the stresses of the college admissions process. They are available to provide edits, help brainstorm, and empower your student to create essays that will not only wow the admissions officers, but show students all they have achieved on their own. Schedule a free consultation to get started with our team today!

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Getting College Essay Help: Important Do's and Don’ts

College Essays

If you grow up to be a professional writer, everything you write will first go through an editor before being published. This is because the process of writing is really a process of re-writing —of rethinking and reexamining your work, usually with the help of someone else. So what does this mean for your student writing? And in particular, what does it mean for very important, but nonprofessional writing like your college essay? Should you ask your parents to look at your essay? Pay for an essay service?

If you are wondering what kind of help you can, and should, get with your personal statement, you've come to the right place! In this article, I'll talk about what kind of writing help is useful, ethical, and even expected for your college admission essay . I'll also point out who would make a good editor, what the differences between editing and proofreading are, what to expect from a good editor, and how to spot and stay away from a bad one.

Table of Contents

What Kind of Help for Your Essay Can You Get?

What's Good Editing?

What should an editor do for you, what kind of editing should you avoid, proofreading, what's good proofreading, what kind of proofreading should you avoid.

What Do Colleges Think Of You Getting Help With Your Essay?

Who Can/Should Help You?

Advice for editors.

Should You Pay Money For Essay Editing?

The Bottom Line

What's next, what kind of help with your essay can you get.

Rather than talking in general terms about "help," let's first clarify the two different ways that someone else can improve your writing . There is editing, which is the more intensive kind of assistance that you can use throughout the whole process. And then there's proofreading, which is the last step of really polishing your final product.

Let me go into some more detail about editing and proofreading, and then explain how good editors and proofreaders can help you."

Editing is helping the author (in this case, you) go from a rough draft to a finished work . Editing is the process of asking questions about what you're saying, how you're saying it, and how you're organizing your ideas. But not all editing is good editing . In fact, it's very easy for an editor to cross the line from supportive to overbearing and over-involved.

Ability to clarify assignments. A good editor is usually a good writer, and certainly has to be a good reader. For example, in this case, a good editor should make sure you understand the actual essay prompt you're supposed to be answering.

Open-endedness. Good editing is all about asking questions about your ideas and work, but without providing answers. It's about letting you stick to your story and message, and doesn't alter your point of view.

Think of an editor as a great travel guide. It can show you the many different places your trip could take you. It should explain any parts of the trip that could derail your trip or confuse the traveler. But it never dictates your path, never forces you to go somewhere you don't want to go, and never ignores your interests so that the trip no longer seems like it's your own. So what should good editors do?

Help Brainstorm Topics

Sometimes it's easier to bounce thoughts off of someone else. This doesn't mean that your editor gets to come up with ideas, but they can certainly respond to the various topic options you've come up with. This way, you're less likely to write about the most boring of your ideas, or to write about something that isn't actually important to you.

If you're wondering how to come up with options for your editor to consider, check out our guide to brainstorming topics for your college essay .

Help Revise Your Drafts

Here, your editor can't upset the delicate balance of not intervening too much or too little. It's tricky, but a great way to think about it is to remember: editing is about asking questions, not giving answers .

Revision questions should point out:

• Places where more detail or more description would help the reader connect with your essay
• Places where structure and logic don't flow, losing the reader's attention
• Places where there aren't transitions between paragraphs, confusing the reader
• Moments where your narrative or the arguments you're making are unclear

But pointing to potential problems is not the same as actually rewriting—editors let authors fix the problems themselves.

Bad editing is usually very heavy-handed editing. Instead of helping you find your best voice and ideas, a bad editor changes your writing into their own vision.

You may be dealing with a bad editor if they:

• Add material (examples, descriptions) that doesn't come from you
• Use a thesaurus to make your college essay sound "more mature"
• Add meaning or insight to the essay that doesn't come from you
• Tell you what to say and how to say it
• Write sentences, phrases, and paragraphs for you
• Change your voice in the essay so it no longer sounds like it was written by a teenager

Colleges can tell the difference between a 17-year-old's writing and a 50-year-old's writing. Not only that, they have access to your SAT or ACT Writing section, so they can compare your essay to something else you wrote. Writing that's a little more polished is great and expected. But a totally different voice and style will raise questions.

Where's the Line Between Helpful Editing and Unethical Over-Editing?

Sometimes it's hard to tell whether your college essay editor is doing the right thing. Here are some guidelines for staying on the ethical side of the line.

• An editor should say that the opening paragraph is kind of boring, and explain what exactly is making it drag. But it's overstepping for an editor to tell you exactly how to change it.
• An editor should point out where your prose is unclear or vague. But it's completely inappropriate for the editor to rewrite that section of your essay.
• An editor should let you know that a section is light on detail or description. But giving you similes and metaphors to beef up that description is a no-go.

Proofreading (also called copy-editing) is checking for errors in the last draft of a written work. It happens at the end of the process and is meant as the final polishing touch. Proofreading is meticulous and detail-oriented, focusing on small corrections. It sands off all the surface rough spots that could alienate the reader.

Because proofreading is usually concerned with making fixes on the word or sentence level, this is the only process where someone else can actually add to or take away things from your essay . This is because what they are adding or taking away tends to be one or two misplaced letters.

Laser focus. Proofreading is all about the tiny details, so the ability to really concentrate on finding small slip-ups is a must.

Excellent grammar and spelling skills. Proofreaders need to dot every "i" and cross every "t." Good proofreaders should correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar. They should put foreign words in italics and surround quotations with quotation marks. They should check that you used the correct college's name, and that you adhered to any formatting requirements (name and date at the top of the page, uniform font and size, uniform spacing).

Limited interference. A proofreader needs to make sure that you followed any word limits. But if cuts need to be made to shorten the essay, that's your job and not the proofreader's.

A bad proofreader either tries to turn into an editor, or just lacks the skills and knowledge necessary to do the job.

Some signs that you're working with a bad proofreader are:

• If they suggest making major changes to the final draft of your essay. Proofreading happens when editing is already finished.
• If they aren't particularly good at spelling, or don't know grammar, or aren't detail-oriented enough to find someone else's small mistakes.
• If they start swapping out your words for fancier-sounding synonyms, or changing the voice and sound of your essay in other ways. A proofreader is there to check for errors, not to take the 17-year-old out of your writing.

What Do Colleges Think of Your Getting Help With Your Essay?

Admissions officers agree: light editing and proofreading are good—even required ! But they also want to make sure you're the one doing the work on your essay. They want essays with stories, voice, and themes that come from you. They want to see work that reflects your actual writing ability, and that focuses on what you find important.

On the Importance of Editing

Get feedback. Have a fresh pair of eyes give you some feedback. Don't allow someone else to rewrite your essay, but do take advantage of others' edits and opinions when they seem helpful. ( Bates College )

Read your essay aloud to someone. Reading the essay out loud offers a chance to hear how your essay sounds outside your head. This exercise reveals flaws in the essay's flow, highlights grammatical errors and helps you ensure that you are communicating the exact message you intended. ( Dickinson College )

On the Value of Proofreading

Share your essays with at least one or two people who know you well—such as a parent, teacher, counselor, or friend—and ask for feedback. Remember that you ultimately have control over your essays, and your essays should retain your own voice, but others may be able to catch mistakes that you missed and help suggest areas to cut if you are over the word limit. ( Yale University )

Proofread and then ask someone else to proofread for you. Although we want substance, we also want to be able to see that you can write a paper for our professors and avoid careless mistakes that would drive them crazy. ( Oberlin College )

On Watching Out for Too Much Outside Influence

Limit the number of people who review your essay. Too much input usually means your voice is lost in the writing style. ( Carleton College )

Ask for input (but not too much). Your parents, friends, guidance counselors, coaches, and teachers are great people to bounce ideas off of for your essay. They know how unique and spectacular you are, and they can help you decide how to articulate it. Keep in mind, however, that a 45-year-old lawyer writes quite differently from an 18-year-old student, so if your dad ends up writing the bulk of your essay, we're probably going to notice. ( Vanderbilt University )

Now let's talk about some potential people to approach for your college essay editing and proofreading needs. It's best to start close to home and slowly expand outward. Not only are your family and friends more invested in your success than strangers, but they also have a better handle on your interests and personality. This knowledge is key for judging whether your essay is expressing your true self.

Parents or Close Relatives

Your family may be full of potentially excellent editors! Parents are deeply committed to your well-being, and family members know you and your life well enough to offer details or incidents that can be included in your essay. On the other hand, the rewriting process necessarily involves criticism, which is sometimes hard to hear from someone very close to you.

A parent or close family member is a great choice for an editor if you can answer "yes" to the following questions. Is your parent or close relative a good writer or reader? Do you have a relationship where editing your essay won't create conflict? Are you able to constructively listen to criticism and suggestion from the parent?

One suggestion for defusing face-to-face discussions is to try working on the essay over email. Send your parent a draft, have them write you back some comments, and then you can pick which of their suggestions you want to use and which to discard.

Teachers or Tutors

A humanities teacher that you have a good relationship with is a great choice. I am purposefully saying humanities, and not just English, because teachers of Philosophy, History, Anthropology, and any other classes where you do a lot of writing, are all used to reviewing student work.

Moreover, any teacher or tutor that has been working with you for some time, knows you very well and can vet the essay to make sure it "sounds like you."

If your teacher or tutor has some experience with what college essays are supposed to be like, ask them to be your editor. If not, then ask whether they have time to proofread your final draft.

Guidance or College Counselor at Your School

The best thing about asking your counselor to edit your work is that this is their job. This means that they have a very good sense of what colleges are looking for in an application essay.

At the same time, school counselors tend to have relationships with admissions officers in many colleges, which again gives them insight into what works and which college is focused on what aspect of the application.

Unfortunately, in many schools the guidance counselor tends to be way overextended. If your ratio is 300 students to 1 college counselor, you're unlikely to get that person's undivided attention and focus. It is still useful to ask them for general advice about your potential topics, but don't expect them to be able to stay with your essay from first draft to final version.

Friends, Siblings, or Classmates

Although they most likely don't have much experience with what colleges are hoping to see, your peers are excellent sources for checking that your essay is you .

Friends and siblings are perfect for the read-aloud edit. Read your essay to them so they can listen for words and phrases that are stilted, pompous, or phrases that just don't sound like you.

You can even trade essays and give helpful advice on each other's work.

If your editor hasn't worked with college admissions essays very much, no worries! Any astute and attentive reader can still greatly help with your process. But, as in all things, beginners do better with some preparation.

First, your editor should read our advice about how to write a college essay introduction , how to spot and fix a bad college essay , and get a sense of what other students have written by going through some admissions essays that worked .

Then, as they read your essay, they can work through the following series of questions that will help them to guide you.

Introduction Questions

• Is the first sentence a killer opening line? Why or why not?
• Does the introduction hook the reader? Does it have a colorful, detailed, and interesting narrative? Or does it propose a compelling or surprising idea?
• Can you feel the author's voice in the introduction, or is the tone dry, dull, or overly formal? Show the places where the voice comes through.

Essay Body Questions

• Does the essay have a through-line? Is it built around a central argument, thought, idea, or focus? Can you put this idea into your own words?
• How is the essay organized? By logical progression? Chronologically? Do you feel order when you read it, or are there moments where you are confused or lose the thread of the essay?
• Does the essay have both narratives about the author's life and explanations and insight into what these stories reveal about the author's character, personality, goals, or dreams? If not, which is missing?
• Does the essay flow? Are there smooth transitions/clever links between paragraphs? Between the narrative and moments of insight?

Reader Response Questions

• Does the writer's personality come through? Do we know what the speaker cares about? Do we get a sense of "who he or she is"?
• Where did you feel most connected to the essay? Which parts of the essay gave you a "you are there" sensation by invoking your senses? What moments could you picture in your head well?
• Where are the details and examples vague and not specific enough?
• Did you get an "a-ha!" feeling anywhere in the essay? Is there a moment of insight that connected all the dots for you? Is there a good reveal or "twist" anywhere in the essay?
• What are the strengths of this essay? What needs the most improvement?

Should You Pay Money for Essay Editing?

One alternative to asking someone you know to help you with your college essay is the paid editor route. There are two different ways to pay for essay help: a private essay coach or a less personal editing service , like the many proliferating on the internet.

My advice is to think of these options as a last resort rather than your go-to first choice. I'll first go through the reasons why. Then, if you do decide to go with a paid editor, I'll help you decide between a coach and a service.

When to Consider a Paid Editor

In general, I think hiring someone to work on your essay makes a lot of sense if none of the people I discussed above are a possibility for you.

If you can't ask your parents. For example, if your parents aren't good writers, or if English isn't their first language. Or if you think getting your parents to help is going create unnecessary extra conflict in your relationship with them (applying to college is stressful as it is!)

If you can't ask your teacher or tutor. Maybe you don't have a trusted teacher or tutor that has time to look over your essay with focus. Or, for instance, your favorite humanities teacher has very limited experience with college essays and so won't know what admissions officers want to see.

If you can't ask your guidance counselor. This could be because your guidance counselor is way overwhelmed with other students.

If you can't share your essay with those who know you. It might be that your essay is on a very personal topic that you're unwilling to share with parents, teachers, or peers. Just make sure it doesn't fall into one of the bad-idea topics in our article on bad college essays .

If the cost isn't a consideration. Many of these services are quite expensive, and private coaches even more so. If you have finite resources, I'd say that hiring an SAT or ACT tutor (whether it's PrepScholar or someone else) is better way to spend your money . This is because there's no guarantee that a slightly better essay will sufficiently elevate the rest of your application, but a significantly higher SAT score will definitely raise your applicant profile much more.

Should You Hire an Essay Coach?

On the plus side, essay coaches have read dozens or even hundreds of college essays, so they have experience with the format. Also, because you'll be working closely with a specific person, it's more personal than sending your essay to a service, which will know even less about you.

But, on the minus side, you'll still be bouncing ideas off of someone who doesn't know that much about you . In general, if you can adequately get the help from someone you know, there is no advantage to paying someone to help you.

If you do decide to hire a coach, ask your school counselor, or older students that have used the service for recommendations. If you can't afford the coach's fees, ask whether they can work on a sliding scale —many do. And finally, beware those who guarantee admission to your school of choice—essay coaches don't have any special magic that can back up those promises.

Should You Send Your Essay to a Service?

On the plus side, essay editing services provide a similar product to essay coaches, and they cost significantly less . If you have some assurance that you'll be working with a good editor, the lack of face-to-face interaction won't prevent great results.

On the minus side, however, it can be difficult to gauge the quality of the service before working with them . If they are churning through many application essays without getting to know the students they are helping, you could end up with an over-edited essay that sounds just like everyone else's. In the worst case scenario, an unscrupulous service could send you back a plagiarized essay.

Getting recommendations from friends or a school counselor for reputable services is key to avoiding heavy-handed editing that writes essays for you or does too much to change your essay. Including a badly-edited essay like this in your application could cause problems if there are inconsistencies. For example, in interviews it might be clear you didn't write the essay, or the skill of the essay might not be reflected in your schoolwork and test scores.

Should You Buy an Essay Written by Someone Else?

Let me elaborate. There are super sketchy places on the internet where you can simply buy a pre-written essay. Don't do this!

For one thing, you'll be lying on an official, signed document. All college applications make you sign a statement saying something like this:

I certify that all information submitted in the admission process—including the application, the personal essay, any supplements, and any other supporting materials—is my own work, factually true, and honestly presented... I understand that I may be subject to a range of possible disciplinary actions, including admission revocation, expulsion, or revocation of course credit, grades, and degree, should the information I have certified be false. (From the Common Application )

For another thing, if your academic record doesn't match the essay's quality, the admissions officer will start thinking your whole application is riddled with lies.

Admission officers have full access to your writing portion of the SAT or ACT so that they can compare work that was done in proctored conditions with that done at home. They can tell if these were written by different people. Not only that, but there are now a number of search engines that faculty and admission officers can use to see if an essay contains strings of words that have appeared in other essays—you have no guarantee that the essay you bought wasn't also bought by 50 other students.

• You should get college essay help with both editing and proofreading
• A good editor will ask questions about your idea, logic, and structure, and will point out places where clarity is needed
• A good editor will absolutely not answer these questions, give you their own ideas, or write the essay or parts of the essay for you
• A good proofreader will find typos and check your formatting
• All of them agree that getting light editing and proofreading is necessary
• Parents, teachers, guidance or college counselor, and peers or siblings
• If you can't ask any of those, you can pay for college essay help, but watch out for services or coaches who over-edit you work
• Don't buy a pre-written essay! Colleges can tell, and it'll make your whole application sound false.

Ready to start working on your essay? Check out our explanation of the point of the personal essay and the role it plays on your applications and then explore our step-by-step guide to writing a great college essay .

Using the Common Application for your college applications? We have an excellent guide to the Common App essay prompts and useful advice on how to pick the Common App prompt that's right for you . Wondering how other people tackled these prompts? Then work through our roundup of over 130 real college essay examples published by colleges .

Stressed about whether to take the SAT again before submitting your application? Let us help you decide how many times to take this test . If you choose to go for it, we have the ultimate guide to studying for the SAT to give you the ins and outs of the best ways to study.

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Anna scored in the 99th percentile on her SATs in high school, and went on to major in English at Princeton and to get her doctorate in English Literature at Columbia. She is passionate about improving student access to higher education.

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Personal Statement Essay (Common Application)

Supplemental essays, honors program essays, uc application personal insight essays, scholarship essays, summer program essays.

Meet Our Essay Team

Kevin Krebs

Founder and Managing Director

Despite the odds stacked against me, I find myself here today. My parents, survivors of World War II bombings and refugee camps, arrived in the United States with just $20, a single suitcase, and no knowledge of the English language. Their lack of formal education didn’t deter them from believing in the power of learning and its potential to create a better future for their five children.

I am Kevin Krebs, the founder of HelloCollege, the largest college planning company in the Midwest. My parents’ unwavering support, guidance, and strong work ethic empowered me to pursue my dreams. My father, a dedicated and no-nonsense bricklayer, served as a mentor through his actions. He woke up at 5:15 a.m. every day, never late, and never missed a day of work, even though he didn’t particularly enjoy his job. He approached his responsibilities with seriousness and determination, tackling every task with diligence. My mother, a kind-hearted lunchroom manager at a school for special needs children, passed away last summer at the age of 88. She encouraged me to set ambitious goals, reminded me to give my best effort each day, and provided unwavering support that boosted my self-confidence beyond measure.

My parents instilled in me the belief that I could achieve anything I dreamed of. I attended Hibbard Elementary, the most ethnically diverse grade school in Chicago, where students from over 50 countries, 90% of whom came from low-income households, gathered. Despite the overcrowded classrooms, I thrived as a strong student, fortunate to have exceptional teachers who cared deeply for their students and pushed me to reach my individual potential.

I successfully tested into Lane Tech High School, a renowned magnet school with over 4,600 students, known for its excellent academics and athletics. Surrounded by a group of motivated and aspirational friends, I set my sights on attending a Big Ten university and participating in sports. Before I knew it, we were seniors preparing for college. I earned a full scholarship to Northwestern University, where I played quarterback on the football team and pitched for the baseball team. Meanwhile, my friends pursued their education at prestigious institutions such as the University of Chicago, Northern Illinois University, University of Wisconsin, and CalArts.

Arriving in Evanston as a broke, first-generation college student could have been overwhelming, both socially and academically. However, it only fueled my focus and determination. The memory of my parents’ sacrifices and perseverance motivated me, especially during countless nights spent writing papers with tight deadlines or pulling all-nighters to study for finals.

Northwestern’s liberal arts curriculum and quarter system exposed me to a wide range of courses that expanded my worldview and honed my critical thinking skills. I had never worked so hard in my life, but I will forever be grateful to the incredible professors who shaped my future. As a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, I graduated with high hopes but without a job.

Despite my excellent grades, I found myself utterly clueless about how the real world, particularly the white-collar professional world, operated. My parents’ network consisted of plumbers, cleaning ladies, and carpenters, not investment bankers, Fortune 500 executives, or influential journalists. Like many unemployed college graduates, I turned to student loans and pursued a master’s degree, accumulating nearly $30,000 in debt.

A year later, I graduated from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, expecting my dream job of anchoring ESPN’s SportsCenter to materialize. However, I found myself unemployed once again, burdened with a Sallie Mae student loan payment each month.

At the age of 25, I felt lost, drowning in debt, and overwhelmed with frustration. How did I end up here? Why had no guidance counselor, academic advisor, coach, or anyone else prepared me for the realities and uncertainties that awaited me?

Driven by these experiences, I founded HelloCollege with the intention of helping students and parents navigate the college path while raising awareness about the escalating costs of higher education. Over the past 20 years, my team and I have had the privilege of sharing our college planning and career readiness workshops, curriculum, and guidance with over 10,000 families.

Looking ahead, we aim to leverage our expertise to assist more than 250,000 students in successfully navigating the college admissions process. Join our movement and discover how students, just like you have gained admission to their dream colleges using our S.A.F.E. method. Together, we are on a mission to shape the next generation of scholars, ensuring they graduate within four years, free from overwhelming debt and equipped with a well-defined career plan.

I am filled with immense gratitude toward my late mother, Mrs. Ursula Krebs, and my 89-year-old father, Mr. Karl Krebs. Their unwavering belief in my potential has been the driving force behind my journey.

Director of Tutoring and Essay Services

In high school, Ian had a diverse set of interests but was unsure of his future path. He loved music, raiding the library’s CD collection after school, playing trumpet in the school band and with friends. He loved English, finding solace in absurdist and surrealist literature, writing short stories and free-form poetry. He loved math, reveling in the real-world applications of each concept, enjoying the puzzle of each problem. He loved history, fascinated with other cultures, inspired by the wealth of knowledge in years past. Ultimately, he loved learning and craved a challenge, a dual passion that took him to the University of Illinois for engineering.

UIUC exposed Ian to the true beauty of math and science in action—the experience was both exhilarating and humbling. Ian graduated from UIUC with his BS in Electrical Engineering, specializing in semiconductor fabrication, analog/digital design, and audio engineering. After working in the field as a design engineer for many years, he took a chance and opened a private tutoring business, a decision that solidified his leading passion, sharing his love of learning with students and guiding them to achieve their true potential. 

Over six years, Ian’s business quickly expanded from just himself to a team of twenty-two trained tutors that helped students navigate the challenging terrain of academics, executive functioning, and college preparation. 

Today, Ian is, at heart, that same high school boy but with a much better head on his shoulders. He loves his wife and two cats. He loves mathematics and electrical circuit design. He loves the outdoors and backpacking in the wild. He still loves music and reading. But most importantly, he loves mentoring others and helping them find their passion so they can change the world. 

Kimberly Shipman

College Counselor

Kim was born and raised in rural Virginia, dreaming of big city life.  She earned dual BS degrees in Human Development and Psychology from Virginia Tech and an M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration from North Carolina State University before taking the leap to live and work in the 3 rd largest city in the country—Houston, TX.

After graduate school, Kim worked in Career Advising at Barton College and Rice University. While at Rice University, Kim designed and implemented career programming specifically to support first generation students.  College access and success for all is a passion of hers.

In the 7 years prior to joining HelloCollege, Kim worked as a high school College Counselor and fell in love with the field.  She combines her experiences to help students discover careers they are passionate about and then plan and execute the path to obtain those careers.  Kim builds relationships with her students to get to know them as individuals allowing her to give every student a personalized experience.  She brings kindness, warmth, and joy to every interaction.

When applying to college herself, Kim had to figure it all out on her own so she has made it her mission to give her students the support she wished she’d had.  Applying to college can be complicated, but Kim strives to make it as approachable and fun as possible for her students. When not working, Kim loves spending time with her husband, son, and fur babies.  They enjoy camping, attending community theater productions, and trying new restaurants together.

Chris Bench

Assistant Director of Tutoring & Essay Services

Chris Bench has known that words were his vocation since he first learned, bedtime-bound, that Horton’d heard a Who. Chris earned his BA in English from Kenyon College, writing poetry and combining his interests in systems theory and cognitive science with contemporary literature (wildly pretentious Honors Thesis title: Pynchon, Gaddis, and the Art of Artificial Life: Cybernetics, Nonlinearity, and the Recovery of Structure in the Discourse of the Novel ), before spending the better part of a decade in the University of Chicago’s English Literature Ph.D. program, teaching courses (both there and at Roosevelt University) on writing, literary analysis, and American literature (wildly pretentious undergrad course title: Wayward Shots from the Western Canon: Alternative Aesthetics of the US West). At UChicago, Chris realized his love of working with young people and, especially, his love of teaching writing. At the same time, he also worked a side gig as the UChicago Laboratory School’s in-house essay tutor, which allowed him to further deepen his love of writing instruction and to hone his editor’s craft. When Chris left academia, that side gig quickly turned – as side gigs are wont to do – into his central pursuit, and Chris has spent the last 15 years aiding students with essays (and tutoring them for SATs and ACTs). Since joining HelloCollege in 2018, Chris has primarily served as an Essay Coach, helping students to transmute experience lived in the world into pixels glowing on a screen – and into admission to institutions ranging from community colleges to Ivy League universities. He now serves as HelloCollege’s Director of Essay Services. When he isn’t ruthlessly pruning students’ superfluous modifiers, Chris enjoys cooking regional Mexican cuisine, binging kung fu films, and scrambling mountains. If you ask him about the time he was emergency choppered out of Alaska’s Gates of the Arctic National Park, he will briefly feign embarrassment before detailing every bumbling step of his ill-fated adventure.

Will Wagner

Essay Coach

Will fell in love with the written word his junior year in high school, thanks to an English teacher named Mrs. Kelley. She exposed him to the magic of writers such as Edgar Allan Poe, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and especially John Steinbeck. Just like that, his future came into focus.

And while Will never became the next Steinbeck (darn!), he did go on to have a gratifying career in publishing as a writer and editor for everything from national magazines to websites. He even wrote a book of his own, Wrigley Blues: The Year the Cubs Played Hardball with the Curse (but Lost Anyway), published in 2004 by Taylor Trade. For the past several years, he also has worked as an essay coach at HelloCollege. His goal in this role is simple: to bring a little “Mrs. Kelley” to the game and help students down the path of fulfilling their passions and achieving their dreams.

Alisha Braun

Alisha worked in higher education for 13 years, having taught at Michigan State University and the University of South Florida. She is the author of 30 book chapters and research articles on diversity and inclusion, comparative and international education, and qualitative research methods. She has consulted for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and has led numerous independent and collaborative community-based research projects and service-learning study abroad programs in Botswana, Cambodia, England, Ghana, Malawi, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, South Africa, Tanzania, and the United States. Working on multiple college campuses domestically and abroad has made Alisha appreciate the diversity of collegiate experiences available to students. As an essay coach, she enjoys mentoring students and families as they navigate the college application process and step towards their college and career goals.

Alisha received her Ph.D. in Educational Policy from Michigan State University with graduate specializations in International Development and African Studies. She also holds a M.A. in School Psychology from Michigan State University and a B.A. Honors degree from the University of Calgary. In her free time, Alisha enjoys yoga, golf, Broadway, and most of all spending time with her husband and young daughters.

Sara currently serves as an Essay Coach at HelloCollege. She has worked as a high school English teacher for the past 15 years, beginning her career at The Dwight School in New York City. Sara later taught at EF Education New York, an international boarding school, where she taught students from more than 49 different nations.

Sara is a graduate of The University of Notre Dame and holds an M.A. in English from the State University of New York at New Paltz. She has been published in The Washingtonian, The Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, and Chronogram. As an essay coach at HelloCollege, she is honored to be a witness to the students’ stories. Sara currently lives in Oak Park with her husband, son and Frankie (their terrier).

Andi Taylor

Andi graduated from the University of Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Linguistics. She specialized in sociolinguistics, studying the wide variety of accents and dialects used by American English speakers in different regions and communities. Over one summer, she held a research assistant position for a project focusing on African American Vernacular English accents among speakers in an upstate New York community. Her approach to editing is informed by her background in linguistics; she values maintaining the unique voice and style of each student while also keeping each essay concise, clear, and appropriate to a collegiate setting.

Throughout her college years, Andi was a Student Visit Coordinator in the UChicago admissions office, helping parents and prospective students gain a better understanding of the application process. Working alongside admissions counselors gave her insight into the fine details that make college essays stand out. This role also ignited her passion for working with soon-to-be college students. Choosing a college to attend is a big decision, and she loves being able to support young adults so that they feel prepared and can focus on the excitement of having so many new possibilities ahead of them!

Andi has been living in Chicago since 2017, but she is originally from Los Angeles, California. She enjoys traveling in her spare time, and she makes it a point to try a few local specialties. Whether it’s a late-night pizza slice in New York City, gelato in Florence, or ahi poke in Honolulu, she loves trying out the classic flavors each location is famous for.

Andi has always liked to read, and her favorite genres are science fiction and fantasy. Her current favorite book is Exhalation by Ted Chiang. She recommends it to anybody who will listen! It explores themes of time, technology, humanism, themes which Andi would like to consider in her own short-form creative writing projects.

Nicholas Pizzo

Nick grew up a New York City native in Midtown, Manhattan. He attended the Bronx High School of Science despite his affinity for reading and writing. Wanting a change of pace, he took his talents to the Green Mountain State to study English and European History at the University of Vermont. After receiving his BA, Nick worked a variety of odd jobs before the world shut down in 2020.

Having (too much) time to reflect on his past, present, and future, Nick ended up applying to the University of Aalborg for an MA in International Relations. He spent a year in Denmark before pivoting back to the U.S. to complete his graduate studies. There, he received an MA in the Humanities, with a focus on creative writing, from the University of Chicago.

Nick spent the next year with the national nonprofit SADD working to push high school and college students to action in community outreach, mental health awareness, LGBTQA+ inclusion and support, and safe driving practices, among other initiatives. The job saw him traveling throughout New York State, from New York City, to Syracuse, to Niagara Falls, and even Whitehall (best bigfoot festival in the country!).

Now a member of the HelloCollege team, Nick is excited to get started on the next round of college essays! Outside of work, he spends his time hiking, writing, and getting disappointed by the New York Knicks. He’s always down to talk about obscure moments in world history or his new favorite fiction.

Sana Rahman

Sana Rahman holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of Chicago, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stony Brook University, both in English Literature.

Her main areas of study were African American literature, critical race theory, Marxist theory, and film studies. During her undergraduate studies, Sana worked as a Resident Assistant and would regularly edit and proofread essays for residents writing on a variety of topics. In her graduate studies, Sana found a passion for turning complex, and sometimes difficult to understand ideas into writing that was approachable and accessible for readers and scholars outside of tight academic circles.

After leaving the classroom setting, Sana has continued to keep in touch with literature by reading, annotating, and critiquing essays and novels of interest to her, typically in the science fiction and speculative fiction genres focusing on authors such as Octavia Butler, Kim Stanley Robinson, and Ursula K. LeGuin. Sana also regularly writes narrative essays and poetry, and is now attempting to write her first novel-length project.

Currently settled in New York, Sana works as an Essay Editor/Coach for HelloCollege. It is her goal to use the skills she has developed in her academic career, with reference to writing, editing, proofreading, and researching, to help college applicants through the difficult task of making the captivating stories unique to them fit for the admissions process. Sana believes it is vital to take a creative approach to this segment of the application, and is eager to assist applicants in turning what could be a boring personal statement into a work of art to be proud of.

Sarah Bellardini

Sarah is a comedy writer with nearly a decade of experience working in scripted television content. She is a native of Upstate New York and a graduate of Boston University where she studied screenwriting despite her mother’s pleas for her to “get into computers.” As a Film & Television major, Sarah enrolled in a program that brought her to Los Angeles for her final semester where she interned on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and in the writers’ office on the final season of AMC’s Mad Men.

After graduating, Sarah began her career as a writer’s assistant and script coordinator on several animated productions before landing her first staff writing job on the Adult Swim comedy Lazor Wulf. As a first time writer, Sarah wrote the pilot episode of the series, and three of the ten total episodes that season. Since then, Sarah has written on over 100 episodes of television produced by Cartoon Network, Comedy Central, TBS, HBO Max, Amazon and Paramount+. She currently works as a freelance scriptwriter while developing and pitching her original material.

Sarah has studied sketch comedy and improv at multiple comedy schools in LA, and spent many years writing, producing and performing weekly comedy shows for (sometimes!) sold out audiences at The Pack Theater. She later became a teaching assistant and co-teacher for the theater’s popular sketch writing program. Sarah is excited to bring her experience in storytelling and appreciation for comedy to her position on the essay team at HelloCollege!

Other things to note: Sarah enjoys volunteering with rescue dogs, is suspiciously good at ping-pong and has an unironic obsession with Guy Fieri. She currently resides in the beautiful San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles with her bull terrier, Nikki Peanuts.

Steven Flores

Steven Flores is a writer and educator based in Wisconsin, where he is currently an AOP Fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Over the past decade, Steven has worked in higher education as a Teaching Assistant, English Advisor, Academic Writing Specialist, Director of Academics, and Director of the Milwaukee Office for a boutique college counseling company. In this latter role, he worked with approximately 100 students on 1,000+ essays for selective and highly selective colleges and universities. His deep love of learning motivates his passion for working with students as they plot out their futures in essay form.

Steven holds a BA in Philosophy and English (Iowa), an MA in Literature (UChicago), and an MFA in Fiction from the highly-selective University of Wisconsin-Madison Creative Writing. Steven’s fiction has been published in The Iowa Review and his book reviews have been published in the Harvard Review. He has received multiple fellowships in support of his novel-in-progress. Over the course of his writing career, Steven has been lucky enough to study with a number of internationally-renowned writers, including a Pulitzer-Prize winner. He brings his deep knowledge of narrative craft to each student, combining his writing experience with his deep knowledge of academia.

Outside of Hello College, Steven also works as a developmental editor for academic books and educational publications, and as a “book doctor” for aspiring novelists. In the summers, Steven teaches the Creative Writing Master Class at Northwestern University’s Center for Talent Development. Away from the page, he enjoys swimming, cycling, yoga, traveling, and spending time with his fiance and their greyhound, Gigi.

Eleanor Russell

Eleanor is a writer and communications professional with a doctorate in Theatre and Drama from Northwestern University. She has spent more than a decade working in university departments, non-profits, and arts administration. With a BA in Religious Studies and a Women and Gender Studies minor, two MAs in theatre history and criticism in addition to her doctoral degree, Eleanor is passionate about academic writing, and loves helping students find and hone their voice as writers. She has taught at Brooklyn College, Northwestern University, and Southern Illinois University, in addition to carceral settings, including Newton Correctional Facility in Newton, Iowa and Cook County Jail in Chicago, IL.

After graduating from Grinnell College, Eleanor moved to Brooklyn, NY where she spent four years working as a tutor for middle-grade students, among other jobs. It was during this time that Eleanor learned how to combine her passion for writing and language with the joys of collaborating with young people. She believes that learning how to write is another way of learning how to think. She is excited to work with HelloCollege students on this essential life skill. Originally from Glencoe, IL, Eleanor has lived in Albion, MI, Grinnell, IA, Brooklyn, NY, Chicago, IL, and now resides in Taos, NM with her husband André, six-year-old son Jean-Jacques, and pitbull Bubba. Eleanor trained as a classical singer for more than ten years. In addition, she loves collecting vinyl records and making music with her family. She is also working on a book project about stand-up comedy audio recordings: The Listening Avant-Garde: Sounds of Stand-Up (1960-2021).

Gina Twardosz

Gina Twardosz has always felt safest in an academic space. As a first-generation student, she felt most at home in her school’s library, surrounded by endless knowledge. This hunger for learning and natural curiosity led her to pursue journalism in college. She graduated from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, IN with a BFA in English Writing.

Gina has interned for both the Northwest Indiana Times and the South Bend Tribune; she won five collegiate press awards for investigative journalism while working at Notre Dame University’s student newspaper, the NDSMC Observer. As a student journalist, Gina investigated and reformed the tri-campus community’s mental health resources for students. She is passionate about making academic spaces safe and healthy for everyone.

Her love of storytelling led her to pursue her master’s in creative writing at Columbia College Chicago. While studying, she had the opportunity to teach two creative writing classes a year, and she fell in love with writing workshops and teaching students how to tell their own stories and share them with the world. Currently, she is working to transform the traditional style of writing workshops by making them more inclusive for students of color and LGBTQIA+ Students.

When not teaching, Gina is writing her memoir. She has had ten personal essays and poems published in magazines, literary journals, and zines. In 2022, Thimble Literary Magazine and Gotham’s The Razor nominated two of her pieces for the Pushcart Prize. She also hosts a monthly reading series called “Freshly Squeezed” that invites writers of color and LGBTQIA+ writers to perform their work for a crowd of Chicagoans.

She loves nothing more than to sit on the couch and watch a movie with her cat, Radar, who, despite being a black cat, is very scared of most horror movies. Radar’s favorite film is Kiki’s Delivery Service.

Elena Van Lare

Elena has enjoyed over 30 years of experience as a middle school and high school literature and writing teacher. She grew up in the Finger Lakes area of New York, where her very first high school job included tying grape vines for one of the iconic wineries in the area. She later earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Old Dominion University in Virginia. However, her love of theater, acting, and writing led Elena to share her passion with others; she completed her teaching credential and Master’s degree in Education at Nazareth College of Rochester in New York.

As she embarked upon a career of inspiring teenagers to realize their own potential, she also met her husband, moved from New York to Los Angeles, and had two children. After returning to New York to be closer to family, Elena taught English at the high school and college level for Brockport High School and SUNY Brockport for eleven years. As their children entered middle school, Elena and her husband decided to show their children the world by accepting positions as international teachers, which led them through the next ten years of their lives. They enjoyed teaching at top-tier schools in Myanmar, Jordan, Thailand, and Singapore, while their children graduated high school with IB Diplomas in Southeast Asia.

Elena currently lives in New York City with her husband, her adult children nearby, and the newest addition to the family: Dachshund Sammy. When she’s not working, Elena loves watching the Food Network, Master Chef, and any other platform offering cooking competitions (she is a horrible cook, but loves to eat)!  Elena is an Academic Dean and teaches full-time at Dwight Global, and she is truly excited to work with students at HelloCollege!

Bertrand Cooper

Bertrand spent most of his childhood in New Jersey but moved around a lot once he became a foster youth at the onset of high school. It was not until college that he discovered how much he enjoyed academic life: reading, writing, discussing, and repeating each until you find a niche for your own creativity within a field that interests you. The first year ultimately went down in flames since Bertrand did not understand financial aid and could not afford textbooks or tuition without it. Still, it was enjoyable enough to try again. 

After two years of working all manner of odd and menial jobs, Bertrand returned to school. He went from community college to a four-year and then from a four year to a Master’s program. Being a first generation student, he had to learn to navigate the financial aid process on his own, which led to becoming an informal FAFSA mentor for partners, relatives, and friends. There were many experiences like this that made it clear that teaching was something he wanted to do. Adopting an education major felt like the clear way forward. At the same time, graduate school put a greater emphasis on writing, and though he chose Education Theory, his closest friends chose film and screenplays, which fostered a group dynamic wherein writing appeared like a tool for every form of expression. 

Today, Bertrand lives in a sleepy part of Los Angeles county. He splits his time between formal education work and writing creative non-fiction. For eight years, he worked at an online education company, eventually heading academic content and development there before returning to tutoring. He continues to work as a freelance writer for outlets ranging from the New York Times to Current Affairs, and he plans to complete a book proposal soon. In addition to obsessively reading nonfiction on every subject, Bertrand is an avid powerlifter, martial artist, and beach bum.

Stewart Lewis

Stewart Lewis has published eight critically acclaimed Young Adult and Adult fiction novels, and several non-fiction essays online and in anthologies. His books have been translated into five languages, and called “Charming” by Elin Hiderbrand and “Spirited” by Augusten Burroughs. He has published with Random House, Sourcebooks, and Turner. His latest Young Adult novel, ONE STUPID THING, is now becoming a major motion picture from director Linda Yellen, starring Sky Katz and Corey Fogelmanis, set to be released in 2025. He has been a professor of Creative Writing at the University of Maryland and at Belmont University in Nashville for over a decade combined. In addition to writing and teaching, Stewart has toured and licensed his music as a professional singer songwriter, sharing the stage with such acts as Shawn Colvin, Sheryl Crow, Andy Grammer, and Better Than Ezra. His songs have been featured in the television shows Laguna Beach , Body of Proof , The Biggest Loser , as well as the feature films Firehouse Dog , Violet Tendencies , Shelter , and A Four Letter Word . He is married to Steve Swenson, an NPR executive, and has a daughter, Rowan, who is a commercial dancer. He enjoys traveling, investing in real estate, fine dining, and the cuteness overload from his French bulldog Oliver. 

Emily Phares

Emily is a writer and editor with a “creative and atypical storytelling” style, as a former colleague put it. Her forte is finding the interesting story, and telling it with a unique voice.

Originally from New Orleans, Emily’s background spans academia, journalism, and marketing— including roles at Harvard Medical School, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and America’s Test Kitchen, where she won the Leaders in Innovation award. She’s also worked as a freelance writer, with her work appearing in Eater , Boston Magazine , Metro , and more.

With a keen interest in both health and education, Emily earned a Master of Education degree from Harvard Graduate School of Education where two of her projects were awarded top honors—including a special commendation for her writing. Her curriculum also included coursework at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Prior to that she studied Mass Communication at Louisiana State University, minoring in French Studies, and also completed two study abroad programs with New York University: Italian Cuisine and the Mediterranean Diet (Florence) and Global Food Studies (Paris).

Emily loves teaching and tutoring, and has experience working with students of all ages–from elementary schoolers to college student-athletes.

Sam was born and raised in Houston and spent their high school years in North Carolina. Growing up, Sam played softball very competitively and was recruited by numerous colleges. They chose to play for the University of Chicago for its balance of athletic and academic rigor. 

At UChicago, Sam found their intellectual passion where they didn’t expect it to be. Sam started undergrad as a pre-med, fell in love with sociology their first year, switched majors, and never looked back. They now hold a Bachelor’s and Master’s in sociology and are earning a PhD in the same subject at the University of Michigan. 

During undergrad at UChicago, Sam studied abroad in Paris, became a Mellon Mays Fellow, and took several writing courses that changed their life. These experiences catalyzed Sam’s joy of travel, love for critical scholarship, and passion for writing and editing. As an undergrad and a PhD student, they have had the opportunity to share this passion with numerous students through teaching and mentorship. Sam works hard to guide their students to understand that the more clear, concise, and persuasive they make their writing, the better chances they have of achieving their academic desires. Sam always looks forward to making this learning process creative and inspiring. 

Sam finds great joy in live music, growing their own veggies, and spending as much time as possible in nature. They live in the northeast and can usually be found near the ocean, the mountains, or a river, no matter the season or weather. They take great delight in the small things in life that seem mundane and would eat ice cream everyday if they could. 

Growing up in Chicago, Emily Mack was a natural storyteller. Inspired by the city around her, she became “the writer girl,” editing her high school’s paper and lit mag and coaching their Louder Than a Bomb poetry slam team. By the time she left Chicago for Columbia University, the choice to study creative writing was instinctual.

At Columbia University, her official concentration was nonfiction which provided the chance to write criticism, essays, and journalistic features. She also learned to mine her own experiences for her work. One of those pieces — “On Belmont and Clark” — was published in The Chicago Neighborhood Guidebook in 2019. The same year, she became an editor at The Columbia Review and, upon graduation in 2020, earned the program’s inaugural Ellis Avery Prize for Creative Writing. The award was for showing “exceptional promise” in the field.

Now, she is putting that promise to use.

First, Emily became a staff writer for Wide Open Media, a subsidiary of Publishers Clearing House, creating content for their Americana sites, Rare.us and Wide Open Country. She turned out several articles per day on topics ranging from pop culture to politics before stepping up to an editorial role at Agent Publishing, a national network of real estate magazines.

As senior editor there, she still writes — a lot — in addition to interviewing subjects, editing stories, training reporters, and planning the monthly print edition of Chicago Agent magazine. Every day brings a new challenge, which she loves. Outside of her nine-to-five, Emily seeks additional opportunities to write and edit.

As an essay coach for HelloCollege, she’s excited to help the next generation kickstart their academic journey. Emily knows everyone has a story to tell. She wants to help students find their own and craft their voice.

Willow Green

Willow is an interdisciplinary artist, writer, and teacher. They grew up in a small town in the foothills of North Carolina, a place which fostered their lifelong love for cicada songs, Southern Gothic literature, and moody folk music. They earned a B.A. in Dance and English from Kenyon College in Gambier, OH. They have also taught and mentored in various roles including dramaturg, English teacher, and LGBTQIA+ student programming manager.

Intertwining their love for writing and dance, Willow has curated several entries for Movement Research’s Critical Correspondence publication. They are in the process of publishing a co-authored biography of Maggie Patton, the founder of Kenyon College’s dance program, in collaboration with Professor Julie Brodie and University of Akron Press. Willow is passionate about oral histories, embodied memory, storytelling, and archives, and they are inspired by their experiences with intergenerational community building.

As a 2022-2023 Fulbright English Teaching Assistant based in Jaffa, Willow co-taught courses at Talpiot College and facilitated immersive English sessions for Israeli and Palestinian students. This included workshops in partnership with TEC4Schools and the U.S. Embassy. Willow also studied and danced alongside local choreographers as part of Machol Shalem’s Creative Incubator, culminating in a festival premiere of their solo choreographic research. Their work has also been performed at 7MPR! at Arts on Site and MOtiVE Brooklyn. 

In all aspects of their life and work, Willow is drawn to storytelling practices that invite us to witness each other more deeply. In their free time, they do their best to go on adventures with their friends. They love adventures big and small, whether it be trying a new sweet treat at the local cafe or hiking through the desert to visit a world wonder.

Brooke Kent

Brooke has spent two decades helping students, executives, and professionals craft personalized, persuasive, and achievement-focused essays, resumes, and LinkedIn profiles.

Brooke received her bachelor’s summa cum laude in history, policy studies, and Spanish translation from Rice University. While there, she won a Boren Award for International Study for pin-pointing what led not-for-profit organizations in Buenos Aires to succeed or to fail as they interacted with the city government.

Brooke began her communications career by interviewing several White House chiefs-of-staff for the White House Transition Project, a non-partisan initiative that facilitated the transition between President William J. Clinton and President George W. Bush.

Brooke later served as the executive writer for the director of Los Alamos National Laboratory. She was the director’s voice to a staff of 8,000 technical staff members, researchers, and professionals.

Brooke then started her own writing and speaking business. Her work as a writer and lecturer for a community-wide, multi-generational program saw adult enrollment increase by 54% and children’s enrollment grow by 160%.

Brooke lives with her husband and three children in Colorado Springs, where she enjoys baking, cooking, reading, cycling, hiking, skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and visiting U.S. national parks (15 down, 47 to go).

When Meg was a child, if you asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, you

might get a different answer on any given day—the future was a grand adventure and

the possibilities endless—but the follow-up never changed: “…or a writer or a teacher.”

In the end, writer and teacher both won the day, and as an adult, Meg has built a life

and career that combines these two passions.

After earning a Bachelor of Arts in English and political science from Plymouth State

University, Meg took a job with an independent publisher near her hometown and began

a 20-plus-year career as a professional developmental and copy editor. Non-

professionally, she has worn many hats: homeschooling her children through middle

school, co-leading a Girl Scout troop, teaching writing classes at homeschool co-ops,

and facilitating coming-of-age and lifespan sexuality programs for teenagers at a local

UU church. These days, her work is focused primarily on tutoring and coaching as she

helps young writers learn how to tell their own stories, and after a long hiatus from

academia, she is looking forward to beginning an MFA in creative nonfiction.

A New England native, Meg now lives in Buffalo, New York, with her two teenagers, a

dog, a cat, and a semi-aquatic turtle. When she’s not reading, writing, or teaching

writing, she spends her time dabbling in artistic pursuits, training as a competitive adult

figure skater, teaching skating classes for children and adults, and binge-watching

Gilmore Girls with her daughter. She is excited to be working as an essay coach at

HelloCollege, helping students craft essays that highlight their unique perspectives and

experiences as they explore the endless possibilities of their own grand adventures.

Zee is a passionate educator, prolific writer, and community builder with an unwavering dedication to nurturing the talents of aspiring writers. With over a decade of experience in the field of education, Zee has found her true calling in inspiring and empowering individuals to discover their voices through the written word.

As an educator, Zee’s approach is marked by creativity, empathy, and a deep understanding of the learning process. Her enthusiasm for teaching extends beyond the confines of the classroom, as she constantly seeks innovative ways to engage with her students and ignite their love for literature and writing. Whether she’s leading dynamic workshops, facilitating stimulating discussions, or providing one-on-one mentorship, Zee strives to create an environment where every student feels valued and supported in their journey as a writer.

In addition to her passion for teaching, Zee is a dedicated writer with a diverse portfolio spanning fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Her writing reflects her keen observation of the human experience, exploring themes of identity, belonging, and the intricacies of relationships.

Central to Zee’s work is her commitment to building vibrant communities of writers. Recognizing the importance of collaboration and shared experiences in the creative process, she actively fosters spaces where writers can come together to learn, grow, and inspire one another.

Why Choose Our Essay Services

Peace of mind, industry knowledge.

-Will Wagner, Essay Coach

We are dedicated to helping students and parents successfully navigate the college admissions process, providing a personalized experience based on your unique needs and goals.

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Everything you need to apply to T-20s with confidence

One-on-one college essay coaching designed to help your student write college essays that make them stand out when applying to highly selective colleges.

Want to see how I can help?

“For students without a hook, there's no better hook than having outstanding essays. ”

What Is It?

1-on-1 College Essay & Admission Coaching

My College Essay Coaching program offers all-in-one support to help your student write effective college essays for the most selective colleges.

Unlimited One-on-One College Help

Work one-on-one with me, Ryan, to develop and write your essays.

You'll receive unlimited Zoom meetings to get feedback on your essays and step-by-step guidance.

Plus, I'll be your dedicated essay coach you can reach out to anytime you have questions.

Unlimited Essay Editing & Feedback

You'll get content-based feedback, not just writing style and meeting word counts.

With unlimited essay editing and quick turnaround times (often as soon as 24 hours), your student will have all the support they need to write their best essays.

Full Course Access

Your student will get access to my premium video course, The College Essay Bootcamp .

This course is designed to help students write their best essays, with step-by-step guidance and tons of actionable essay advice.

Designed for Top-20 College Admissions...

“[Ryan] ...played a key role in my son getting admitted to his dream school . Ryan empowered my son to express his ideas authentically and to articulate his thoughts and aspirations in a way that was truly impressive, a testament to his exemplary dedication and expertise. Thank you Ryan for going above and beyond; two thumbs up! ”

How Does It Work?

Get the Guidance You Need To Have Outstanding Applications

Write essays that are t20-ready.

Only 3% of U.S. colleges have acceptance rates below 20%. 1 For students reaching for these top schools, I want to help you have your best chances.

Top colleges require a higher level of writing than most other schools. But even if you're not a "strong writer," you can have great, authentic essays.

1 IPEDS Surveys

Get honest feedback and actionable advice, anytime

You'll get simple and actionable feedback. I'll share exactly my perspective from having read thousands of top college essays.

Take the guesswork out of writing strong essays. I'll help you make a memorable impression, without having cookie-cutter essays.

Save time & rest easy knowing you're on track

You don't have to worry about whether your essays are "good enough" anymore. College essays may seem intimidating, but by following a few principles you can write great essays, no matter the topic.

And with unlimited support and feedback, you can feel confident to press "submit."

" Ryan, I want to express our great appreciation to you for your help on [George]'s application essays. You have provided invaluable help! P.S. I will certainly recommend you to our friends. "

" Ryan—[David] got into The University of Michigan!!! Only 4 kids got in out of 200 that applied at his school!!! Thank you so so much for everything "

" Thank you for the incredible help Ryan - both [Hannah]and I have said repeatedly that we could not have done it without you! "

Everything you need for outstanding college applications, plus more

Our Proven Process for Top-20 Worthy Application Essays

of our students get into one or more of their top choice schools

Google Rating

client satisfaction rating

1-on-1 College Application and Essay Coaching Packages

Each coaching package includes meeting with me as many times as needed to complete your college essays, including...

Developing an effective application strategy

Brainstorming your best topics and ideas

Drafting, revising, and polishing your essays to perfection

Unlimited video meetings and essay editing for every written part of 3 applications plus Common App personal statement.

• Unlimited video meetings
• Unlimited essay editing
• Supplemental essays for up to THREE schools (Typically 5-15+ essays)
• Common App personal statement (650 words)
• Common App Activities List
• Common App Additional Information statement (650 words)
• Bonus: Access to my full premium course, guides, and resources

Unlimited video meetings and essay editing for every written part of 6 applications plus Common App personal statement.

• Supplemental essays for up to SIX schools (Typically 10-20+ essays)

Unlimited video meetings and essay editing for every written part of 9 applications plus Common App personal statement.

• Supplemental essays for up to NINE schools (Typically 15-25+ essays)

All Schools

Unlimited video meetings and essay editing for every written part of ALL applications plus Common App personal statement.

• Supplemental essays for ALL schools (Typically 30-40+ essays)
• College counseling, list building, waitlist letters, & scholarships

What Is EssaysThatWorked.com ?

My name is Ryan Chiang, and I'm the founder of EssaysThatWorked.com. Since 2018, I've helped students write their best application essays possible for top-20 schools.

My website features over 200+ successful essays from admitted students at top-20 schools. I've created dozens of free resources, guides, and videos to help families navigate the college admissions process.

I've worked with hundreds of students and parents to apply confidently with their best essays possible. Will you be next?

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is this program for.

This program is for students applying to undergraduate colleges or transferring to a new college.

It's ideal for 11th and 12th graders aiming for the most selective colleges.

How many hours of coaching calls do I get?

You receive as much support as you need to feel confident in your applications. Typical coaching time varies by package (see above).

Most of the coaching time you'll receive is provided through detailed written feedback on your drafts. I prioritize working asynchronously, as it benefits both of us, but you’ll do video calls at defined points and as needed.

There is no limit on the total number of hours you can receive, but there is a 2 hour limit per week to ensure our time together is high value.

Who will I work with?

Just me, Ryan. I'm a team of one, so your student will get to work with me directly.

Can I upgrade my package later?

Yes. You can always upgrade your package as your needs change.

How involved can I be (or should I be) as a parent?

Parents don’t need to be involved as I work 1-on-1 with students, but I welcome parent questions and feedback. Parents can observe – attending calls in the background or reading drafts as they see fit. If parents have any questions, they can communicate with me directly at all times throughout the process.

How much essay feedback will I receive?

You'll get unlimited essay editing, which means you can send me as many drafts as you want and I'll work on returning them one-by-one.

How fast are the editing turnaround times?

On average, you’ll receive feedback within 24-48 hours of requesting it. However, longer essays or more complex feedback requests may take longer to review.

How will I communicate with you?

You'll have 7-days-a-week access to me via email and text for any questions that may arise.

You'll also be able to schedule video calls as needed, and submit your essays for feedback via email.

How are video calls and editing feedback conducted?

I use Zoom for all video calls. You'll have a personalized link to schedule and join calls with me.

I use Google Docs or Microsoft Word to provide written feedback on essays, and occassionally use Loom to record short video feedback on essays.

Are my essays kept private and confidential?

College applications are personal, and we take the privacy of our students very seriously.

Your essays are only shared with me, nobody else, and aren't published without your permission.

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I'd love to learn more about your goals and how I can help you achieve them. Schedule a time to talk with a free consultation — no obligations or commitments.

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Everyone has a story. Let’s find the best way to tell yours.

Receive as much support as you need. We keep working together until you feel confident in your applications.

Start your program whenever it’s best for your family. You can upgrade at any point if you need coaching on more applications. 

Need help deciding? Talk to a program specialist.

1-on-1 College Application and Essay Coaching Packages

Prompt now offers payment plans, all schools.

Students applying to many Ivy and Ivy-equivalent colleges

Writes ~20-50+ essays

Receives ~30-50+ hours of written feedback and calls

Students applying to a few Ivy and Ivy-equivalent colleges and many other selective colleges

Writes ~10-35 essays

Receives ~20-30 hours of written feedback and calls

Students applying Early Decision or Early Action to only a few selective colleges

Writes ~5-25 essays

Receives ~15-20 hours of written feedback and calls

Getting started or students prioritizing their top choice college

Writes ~2-10 essays

Receives ~8-10 hours of written feedback and calls

Students applying to less selective colleges that likely don't have additional essays

Writes 1 essay

Receives ~4-5 hours of written feedback and calls

What Every Package Includes

Your own support to ensure you’re confident in your applications.

You’ll receive guidance from start to finish. We’ll create a plan and hold you accountable to the plan to ensure every application is compelling and completed early. Your support team includes:

• Student Success Manager: Creates a personalized timeline and monitors your progress to help you stay on track. Available for any questions you may have.
• Writing Coach: Provides written feedback on every draft of every essay. Meets with you on video calls to plan your content.

Access to our essay management platform

The Prompt platform is your home for managing the process of completing every application. It automatically creates a list of every essay you need to write. And it contains everything you need to interact with your Support Team, from scheduling calls to submitting drafts and receiving feedback.

Coaching on every written part of your applications

Your Writing Coach will guide you through brainstorming, outlining, writing, revising, and completing every essay and written part of your applications, including:

• The Common Application Essay
• The University of California Personal Insight Questions
• School-specific supplements
• Other school-specific essays for scholarships, honors programs, majors, and more
• All other writing, such as the activities list, additional information, and portfolios.

Note: The Common Application Essay Package only includes coaching on one essay, the Common Application Personal Statement Essay, and doesn’t include support on school-specific supplements or any other part of the application.

Which Package Should I Choose? 

Get a feel for how many applications you’ll submit..

Your school list may not be complete yet – and that’s okay. Having a sense of how many applications you’ll be submitting will help you select a package.

Typically speaking, high-achieving students targeting more selective colleges (25% or lower admit rates) apply to an average of 12 colleges – but an increasing number apply to 15-20+.

Students targeting less selective colleges (50% or higher admit rates) typically apply to 5 or fewer. Everyone else is in between.

Get a feel for where your essays will matter.

As a rule of thumb, the lower a college’s admit rate, the more essays matter. Selective colleges use essays to differentiate between tens of thousands of academically similar applicants.

We recommend getting coaching on your applications where your essays matter the most, which typically are:

Selective Colleges Ivy and Ivy-equivalent, prestigious private colleges (Boston University, USC, NYU), competitive public colleges (UNC, Michigan, UCLA).

Selective majors and programs at less selective colleges Often, some majors and programs have lower admit rates than the college as a whole. Common examples include computer science, engineering, nursing, business, and honors colleges.

Desirable out-of-state public colleges Often, out-of-state applicants have lower admit rates than in-state (UT Austin, UVA, Florida).  

Choose the right approach for you.

Here’s 3 approaches you can take to choose the right package for you.

Simple approach (recommended) Get the package that matches the number of selective colleges, majors, and programs you’ll be applying to. This typically means an All Schools Package for high-achieving students likely to submit 12+ applications. It can also be our 3 Schools or 6 Schools Package for students only applying to a few reach colleges.

Top-choice approach Only get coaching on your top choices with a 3 Schools or 1 School Package. You’ll spend less and get substantial value. You’ll then transfer what you learned to completing your other applications yourself.

Widespread approach Get a Common App Essay Package to make sure you’re confident in the essay you submit to many colleges. Most college applications use the Common App personal statement essay.

Note: You can always upgrade your package later, but it may result in a higher price (e.g., prices increase in September).

Join the thousands of families who trust Prompt to get their students into their top choice colleges every year.

Frequently asked questions.

• You’ll receive a receipt via email and an email with instructions on next steps.
• Students and parents will each fill out a questionnaire to help us get to know you a little better and begin the coach-matching process.
• You’ll also schedule a 20-minute onboarding call with a Student Success Manager (SSM) to align on your goals, set a timeline, and learn how to use our platform.
• We will take the information from your onboarding questionnaire to assign you a coach and during the onboarding call, we’ll get your first meeting scheduled with your coach. 
• After onboarding, the student will complete our Application Plan module before their first brainstorming call with the Writing Coach. 
• You’ll have your first call, where you build out and align on your most compelling content with your Writing Coach.
• You’ll continue to follow your personalized timeline until you complete your applications.
• Your SSM will continue to stay in touch with you for any needs that arise. 
• Ivy and Ivy-equivalent colleges: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown, Penn, Columbia Dartmouth, Cornell, MIT, Stanford, UChicago, Northwestern, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Michigan, CalTech, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, Vanderbilt, WashU.
• Selective private colleges: Boston University, Northeastern, Notre Dame, Rice, Emory, Carnegie Mellon, USC, NYU, Tufts, Wake Forest, Boston College, Tulane, Case Western, Brandeis, Syracuse.
• Competitive public colleges, majors, and programs: UNC, Texas, Virginia, Georgia Tech, UCSD Engineering, Washington Computer Science, Florida Honors Program.
• Other public colleges: UCSB, UCSD, UC Irvine, UC Davis, Florida, San Diego State, Penn State, Ohio State, Virginia Tech, Minnesota, Auburn, Georgia, Illinois, Alabama, Michigan State, Arizona, Arizona State, Indiana, Colorado, Missouri, Rutgers, Clemson.
• International colleges: Cambridge, Oxford, London School of Economics, Waterloo, Toronto, Trinity.

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• Free Resources

14 Best College Essay Services for 2024 (40 Services Reviewed)

Research conducted by Emily Kierkegaard , PhD, and expert-reviewed by Kevin Wong, PrepMaven Co-founder

Not sure which college application essay coaching and editing service is the best? We compared the top 40 services, created in-depth reviews for 14 of them, and narrowed it down to the 4 best that will help guide you through the process of writing amazing college application essays.

What is the Best College Essay Service?

• PrepMaven  – best college application essay service overall
• College Essay Mentor  – best for individual consultants
• The College Essay Guy  – best for unlimited essay assistance
• College Vine  – best of the big platforms

The best of the rest:

Individual essay consultants:

• College Essay Editor  – small editing team
• Allison Karpf  – former English teacher helping students
• Your College Vision  – former journalist with more affordable rates
• The College Guru  – good on paper but unresponsive
• Sofia Zapiola – budget-friendly application assistance

Mid-size teams:

• Lotus Learning  – focus on health sciences

Large platforms:

• Study Point  – larger platform with mystery editors
• Ivy Select  – larger platform with mystery editors
• Empowerly  – larger platform with mystery editors
• BeMo  – expensive and aggressive with wrong expertise

Schedule a college essay consultation

Best College Application Essay Services in 2024

#1 – prepmaven.

Our Verdict — Best College Essay Assistance Overall Price: $79–349/hour (minimum $510 package) PrepMaven’s one-on-one college essay assistance is the best option overall. Founded by brothers and Princeton grads Greg and Kevin, almost all of PrepMaven’s essay coaches have Ivy-League experience, primarily from Princeton and Harvard. All essay coaches also undergo a thorough training program in PrepMaven’s methods, developed by professional writers with deep understanding of the college admissions process, for helping students to discover the most compelling stories for their essays. Unlike other services, PrepMaven offers college essay assistance at several different price points. At the most accessible rate, students can work with current Ivy-League undergraduates who specialize in writing and have recently aced the college application process. At higher rates, students can work with coaches who are both Ivy-League grads and professional writers (screenwriters, journalists, editors) with many years of experience helping students to craft compelling essays. Interested students can even work directly with founders Greg and Kevin, who have over 15 years of experience helping students through the entire essay-writing process. PrepMaven’s services combine many of the best features of other good options into one, and it’s hard to beat their experience.

Sign up for PrepMaven’s college essay help now

Any student wanting college essay help, at any point in the process, with a range of budgets.

At a glance:

• Cost: $79–349/hour (minimum $510 package)
• Writing coach qualifications: Princeton graduates and professional writers (or current Princeton students); all trained

What we like:

• Ivy League experience —most of their writing coaches are Princeton grads or current students, with some from Harvard and other Ivies
• Different pricing options to meet different families’ circumstances
• More flexible and greater capacity to take on new students compared to individual consultants

Sign up for PrepMaven’s college essay help

#2 – College Essay Mentor

Our Verdict — Best of the Individual Consultants Price: unknown but high Some college essay consulting services consist of just one expert. Of these individual essay consultants, Chris Hunt at College Essay Mentor is our favorite. He combines writing experience as a journalist for the Economist and the Wall Street Journal with personal experience as a graduate of Dartmouth. However, he only works with a small number of students each year, and students need to apply to work with him — he only accepts students with top grades and test scores who are already strong applicants for top schools. Chris offers the option for one-time written feedback, but this only gives big-picture generalizations. (And written-only feedback is always limited.) In order for help with the essay process, students need to purchase a complete essay package.

Students with top grades and test scores who want to work with a one-person business, who have a sizable budget, and who are ready to get started early.

• Cost: $210 for a one-time written essay feedback (big picture only), then $110 per draft feedback; pricing for essay process packages unknown
• Essay coach qualifications: professional journalist, Dartmouth grad
• Professional writing experience as a journalist
• Extensive experience working with college applicants
• Partners with Debra Felix, former Director of Admissions at Columbia, for full application review

What we don’t like:

• One-on-one work is limited to very high-achieving students, who need to apply with a resume : “I limit my one-on-one work to students who I believe will be strong applicants to elite universities. As a rule, this means having high grades in challenging classes, a test score of ACT 34+ or SAT 1500+, and substantial activities outside of the classroom.”
• Works with a limited number of students (60 per year), so often no availability
• All-or-nothing packages don’t allow students to work with Chris for just a few hours or for part of the essay-writing process
• Secretive about pricing (he’ll only give pricing details once he’s reviewed the student’s resume and agreed to work with them), but we expect the minimum cost of working one-on-one to be several thousand dollars

#3 – The College Essay Guy

Our Verdict — Best for Unlimited Essay Assistance Price: $4900 for application to 3 schools, $8050 for application for 10 schools We’re fans of Ethan Sawyer, the original “college essay guy”— his book, College Essay Essentials , is a great guide to the essay-writing process. Ethan doesn’t work directly with many students these days, but he now has a team of consultants who help students follow his principles. Their assistance is really all-or-nothing — they prefer to work with students from the very beginning of the process, and their minimum package is $4900, which includes assistance with essays for three schools. If students are applying to ten schools (a more realistic number for students aiming at competitive colleges), the fee is a hefty $7400.

Students who want unlimited help through the entire process, who have a sizable budget.

• Cost: $4900 (supplemental essays for 3 schools) – $7400 (supplemental essays for 10 schools)
• Essay coach qualifications: mix of Ivy grads and former teachers, some writers/screenwriters; all trained
• Great free resources about the essay-writing process
• Their Matchlighters Scholars Program gives back to the community by providing admissions consulting for select qualifying students
• All-or-nothing packages have a high minimum fee and don’t work for students who want just a few hours of feedback or help with just part of the process

#4 – College Vine

Our Verdict — Best of the Big Platforms Price: $140–180/hour There are plenty of large platforms with large stables of part-time tutors and coaches available to work with students. Of these big platforms, we think CollegeVine has the best offerings. Compared to other large companies, CollegeVine provides more information about their tutors, and students can pick individual tutors to work with from their roster. However, this model is really just a way of finding individual tutors to hire. Tutors don’t receive any training and don’t share a common approach, so it’s a mixed bag. Their rates are fairly high for part-time tutors who don’t have specific expertise and training in college essay consulting. Because CollegeVine is really just a marketplace where individual tutors can find students, the quality and price will vary widely.

Students who want to work with a big company, or those who want a quick session or two to go over their essays.

• Cost: Typically $140–180/hour
• Essay coach qualifications: no specific qualifications, but a few are Ivy League graduates
• Possible to select individual editors to work with from their roster.
• Easy to schedule ad-hoc sessions with a tutor through the website.
• No training or common approach for tutors
• Editors are part-time , with no option to work with full-time college admissions experts
• Relatively expensive for this level of expertise

College Essay Editing Alternatives (that Didn’t Make the Cut)

Individual essay consultants, #5 – college essay editor.

Our Verdict — Small Editing Team Price: Roughly $5,950 for applications to 10 schools College Essay Editor comprises two graduates of Stanford. This means that they have personal experience applying to highly competitive schools. One member of the team also has a college counseling certification, which is a good background for college essays. Based on their website, they appear to focus on the editing and proofreading phase of the essay-writing process. This can be helpful to students, but we recommend working with a service who can help students to uncover their values and brainstorm really great material that allows them to really shine—and if this doesn’t happen at the beginning of the process, it’s much harder to add in later on.

• Cost: $195/1000 words for proofreading, $495/1000 words for 3 rounds of editing and proofreading, or $595/1000 words for unlimited rounds of editing and proofreading; for the purposes of comparison, complete applications to 10 competitive colleges would be around 9,650 words, or $5950.
• Writing coach qualifications: Stanford graduates, one of whom has college counseling certification
• Editors are graduates of Stanford University , and one is a member of NACAC, the national association of college counselors
• They focus on editing and proofreading only , not on the crucial earlier steps of brainstorming and strategy
• Small team with very limited availability
• All asynchronous editing so you won’t be able to cultivate a real relationship with your essay coach.

#6 – Allison Karpf

Our Verdict — Former English Teacher Helping Students Price: $385/hour or $3850 package for application to one school Another option for students looking to hire an individual consultant is Allison Karpf. Allison is a former high school English teacher and a graduate of UC Berkeley who also holds a Masters of Education from Stanford. Her rates are definitely on the higher side, especially for someone who doesn’t have a professional writing background, but she does have extensive experience working with students to craft their essays.

• Cost:  $385/hour or $3850 unlimited counseling (includes supplemental essays for one college)
• Essay coach qualifications: former high school English teacher; Berkeley grad, Stanford MEd
• Lots of experience helping students improve their college essays
• Very quick to respond to client requests
• No professional writing experience or Ivy-Plus undergraduate experience
• High rates relative to other options
• Limited availability , since she works alone

#7 – Your College Vision

Our Verdict: Former Journalist with More Affordable Rates Price: $180/hour, or packages starting from $3500 Laurie Lande is another individual consultant who helps students through the essay-writing process. She comes recommended by other consultants like Chris from College Essay Mentor . Laurie did not herself attend a highly competitive school, so she doesn’t have that personal experience of going through the selective admissions process, but she does have a professional writing background as a journalist for the Wall Street Journal in Hong Kong.

• Cost: $180/hour or packages starting at $3500
• Essay coach qualifications: journalism background
• Affordable pricing , relative to other options
• Not a graduate of a highly selective school

#8 – The College Guru

Our Verdict — Good on Paper but Unresponsive Price: unknown Yet another individual essay consultant is Geanine Thompson from The College Guru. Geanine attended Dartmouth as an undergraduate and also holds an MBA from Duke. She also has a professional writing background as an assistant book editor at Berkley Publishing Group. Like Greg and Kevin at PrepMaven , she combines experience in the business world and at Wall Street firms with experience in education.

• Cost: unknown
• Essay coach qualifications: former assistant book editor; Dartmouth grad, Duke MBA
• Dartmouth graduate and former book editor
• Not responsive to emails and client requests

#9 – Sofia Zapiola

Our Verdict — A budget-friendly, personal essay editor. Price: $80/hour Yet another individual essay consultant is Sofia Zapiola, who offers a mix of essay editing and college application counseling services.

• Cost: $80/hour
• Essay coach qualifications: M.A. from Harvard; certificate in College Counseling from UC San Diego.
• Individual approach, budget-friendly rates, commitment to working within families’ budgets.
• Very few testimonials, so it’s difficult to evaluate how effective she is.

Mid-size Teams

#10 – lotus learning.

Our Verdict — Expensive for Tutor Background Price: $165/hour Founded by a Harvard grad who is a former teacher and veteran of the publishing industry, Lotus learning offers college essay help in the Boston area. They have a small team of tutors, mostly recent grads from good but not Ivy-Plus colleges, and mostly with focus in health sciences.

• Cost: $165/hour (minimum 8 hours)
• Essay coach qualifications: tutors are recent grads, but not Ivy-Plus schools
• Reasonable pricing with flexible packages
• Essay editors aren’t graduates of Ivy-Plus schools and don’t have professional writing experience

Large platforms

#11 – study point.

Our Verdict — Larger Platform with Mystery Editors Price: Rates Between $60 and $120/hr Study Point is a larger essay editing service. They claim to have several decades of experience helping students to craft their college essays, but they do not give information about who their essay coaches are and what qualifications they might have.

• Cost: $60-120/hr, depending on tutor experience
• Essay coach qualifications: unknown
• Larger company with several decades of experience
• Unclear who the essay coaches are
• Lack of statistics about their results

#12 – Ivy Select

Our Verdict — Larger Platform with Mystery Editors Price: unknown Ivy Select makes a lot of big promises on their website about having the best college essay consultants in the business, but they offer no information on who these consultants are, or on their backgrounds. They also brag that each consultant “only” works 20 students in one application cycle, but in our experience, that’s quite high.

• Long list of impressive (but anonymous) testimonials
• Only work with “top students”
• No information on their website about who the editors are
• Each essay coach works with up to 20 students at one time

#13 – Empowerly

Our Verdict — Larger Platform with Mystery Editors Price: High, from $6000/year Empowerly has over 60 college counselors who each work with an average of 5 students per year, in order to have more time to devote to each student. Their counselors come from “different educational backgrounds,” and while they do not provide specific biographical details we can assume that most of their essay coaches did not attend highly selective schools.

• Cost: typically from $6000/year
• Essay coach qualifications: college counselors
• Counselors work with just a few students per year
• You have to upgrade to “Empowerly Elite” to guarantee a counselor with a more selective educational background
• No professional writing experience

#14 – Prepory

Our Verdict — Expensive but with Good Expertise Price: $325/hr Prepory is a college application and career counseling service that offers a comprehensive program for college applications at any stage of the process (including as early as 9th grade). They make a lot of impressive claims about the expertise of their coaches, but it’s quite difficult to actual find much information about their essay coach qualifications.

• Cost: $325/hr
• They have a comprehensive college application program that begins as early as 9th grade.
• Limited information about essay coaches
• High prices

Top 40 College Essay Services Considered

• College Essay Editor
• The College Essay Guy
• College Vine
• College Essay Mentor
• Study Point
• Allison Karpf
• The College Guru
• Lotus Learning
• Summit Prep
• Sofia Zapiola
• Ivy Global / New Summits
• College Essay Solutions
• Your College Vision
• Essay Edge*
• ServicEscape*
• PapersForge*
• QuickWriter*
• JustEditMyEssay*
• JustDoMyEsssay*
• ExpertWriting*
• SpeedyPaper*
• GradeMiners*

* A number of services will edit essays directly for students, or even write portions of the essay for students. We do not condone this. Admissions officers can tell when essays have been written or edited by adults and this can have severe consequences. We have excluded these services from our reviews.

Why are college application essays important?

Can a great college essay alone get you into Harvard?

No. You’ll need your grades, test scores, and extracurricular activities (as well as letters of recommendation and interview) to be outstanding.

But can a mediocre essay be the reason you didn’t get into Harvard?

Yes. There are thousands of amazingly-qualified students who graduate from high school each year. Great grades and test scores might be a prerequisite for admission to a competitive college, but they alone aren’t enough.

College essays are a key component of a student’s application . When done well, they transform a collection of numbers—GPA, class rank, SAT or ACT scores , number of AP classes taken, AP scores—into a glimpse of a real, individual person.

Essays do many things. Good college essays can highlight extracurricular achievements which otherwise would be overlooked in a sterile list. Strong essays often indicate the student’s future plans —how they plan to leave a mark on their college campus and on the world. They can shine a light on unique challenges that a student may have had to face on their journey.

College admissions officers only have a few minutes to spend on each application. College essays need to be original, interesting, and memorable . They need to grab the attention of the admissions officer and persuade them that this is the student out of hundreds or thousands of other similarly-qualified applicants who should be admitted.

College admissions essays are usually unlike any other kind of writing that students have done before. They’re a combination of memoir and marketing pitch, and they need to be creative but also highly strategic. That’s a tough assignment!

What’s more, students are left to figure this assignment out on their own. A thoughtful and generous high school English teacher may provide guidance or offer to read essays and give feedback, but these teachers are responsible for many students, and they’re (usually) not experts in admissions strategies.

There’s another reason college essays are especially important from 2024 on. After the recent Supreme Court decision, the application essay has become one of the main ways that you can communicate how your racial identity has affected your life.

In fact, the New York Times published an article about how important it can be for students to discuss race in their college application essays!

Why work with a college essay service?

You may want to consider a college essay service if:

• You have no idea where to start in order to write your college application essays
• You feel overwhelmed by all of the different ideas you have and don’t know what would be the most strategic for college admissions—and what topics to definitely avoid for college essays
• You don’t know how to craft a compelling stor y
• You’re not sure how to edit and refine what you’ve written
• You have a hard time keeping yourself on track and want an external structure to hold you accountable
• You’re tired of conflict between students and parents about college essays
• You’re aiming at a competitive college (not just the Ivy League!) and know that you need your essays to be outstanding
• Your grades, test scores, and extracurriculars aren’t exceptional, so you need your essay to make your essay stand out from the pack
• You’re unfamiliar with the US college admissions process (a common situation for international students and first-generation families in the US)

Any of these are strong reasons to consider working with a college essay service!

It’s also worth remembering that a lot of the free advice on college’s website isn’t always very clear. For example, NYU’s admissions Senior Assistant Director of Admissions says that “There is no right or wrong way to answer as long as your answer is genuine to you.”

While that’s true, that doesn’t offer much guidance on how to actually write the essay!

Though many college applicants might not mention it, more and more students are using professional college application consultants. Research at the University of Chicago has shown that over a quarter of high-achieving seniors employed private specialists to help with the college application process.

In fact, according to NPR , some companies are even offering college admissions counseling to their top employees as an incentive–that’s just how important professional help can be in the current landscape of college admissions.

It’s important to note that a good college essay service will not write your college application essays for you . This is unethical and illegal. That’s not just coming from us: take it from a school like Princeton, whose website insists on the importance of writing your own application essays.

A good college essay service will guide you through each step of the process , teaching you how to self-reflect and write well while sharing insider insight about admissions strategy .

What makes a good college essay service?

We strongly believe that students need to write their own college essays , and we do not condone plagiarism or “buying” a college essay.

However, writing college application essays requires a completely new set of skills that is rarely taught in high school!

Writing a personal essay is much more creative than simply writing a good paper for English class. It requires a compelling narrative and a great deal of writing craft . A good essay service will teach how to do this kind of writing.

There are many college essay services that will provide only written feedback to students, usually in the form of comments added to an essay draft. (Remember, it’s important that students write their own essays, so avoid any college essay service that will make edits directly to an essay document .)

Written comments can be an effective component of good essay coaching. However, writing college essays is a deeply personal process , and it’s incredibly difficult to guide a student through the process of self-reflection, brainstorming, and planning purely through written comments.

In addition, a great college essay coach will teach students how to do this entire process of brainstorming, planning, outlining, writing, and revising . It’s difficult to learn why an essay coach is advising certain changes through written comments alone.

For these reasons, look for a college essay service with live, one-on-one services , not just written feedback. These days, it’s easy to work with the best college essay consultants in the country over Zoom!

Students need to reflect on their goals, their passions, and what drives them to be the person they are. This requires a great deal of self-awareness and self-analysis . An experienced college essay coach can help draw these ideas out of students through tested introspection techniques and brainstorming exercises .

On top of all of that, students need to be cognizant of which traits and accomplishments will be most appealing to colleges , and which stories will be cliche and boring. Personal statements and supplementary essays need to fit together to tell a cohesive story, and they need to work together with the rest of the student’s application (extracurriculars, grades, and other accomplishments).

In other words, there’s a great deal of strategy here! An experienced college essay service can help students decide how to present themselves in the best possible light .

Furthermore, most students don’t know how to edit effectively . A really top-notch college essay service will also teach students how to edit their own writing —how to reorder sections for better flow, cut unnecessary words to meet a word count, eliminate passive verbs, and make their writing vivid and exciting. Our students are routinely amazed by how transformative this step can be, and how much they learn by doing it together with the essay coach.

Finally, the best college essay services can also help students to make a writing plan and keep them on track , so that parents don’t have to be involved directly.

Ready to work on your college essays? Schedule a free 15- to 30-minute consultation with Jessica or one of our founders.

Best overall: PrepMaven’s tutors offer the highest quality at the best price. With three tiers of tutors, they make it easy to work with an Ivy League undergraduate for as little as $79/hr. Or, families can work with education professionals or Ivy League graduates from $150/hr. PrepMaven’s track record means that you can be sure every hour is being spent productively, so that you can expect real results from the work.

Best for individual consultants: College Essay Mentor. In theory, College Essay Mentor would offer an unparalleled level of individual attention and guidance: his website boasts of some very impressive results. You might find it hard to actually schedule with him, however, since he’s very selective about his clients.

Best for unlimited essay assistance: The College Essay Guy might not offer that personalized attention you get from live, face to face essay coaching, but they do offer unlimited essay editing for up to 10 schools (if you’re comfortable paying a hefty package price).

Best of the big platforms: College Vine will always be a bit of a gamble. Because it’s a tutor marketplace, your results (and costs) will really depend on how lucky you get with your consultant. From our research, however, many of their essay coaches look to have solid track records.

Ready to work on college essays with one of our experienced writing coaches? Schedule a free test prep consultation with Jessica (Director of Tutoring) or one of our founders to see what would be the best fit for your family.

It’s always best to start early and not wait until the last minute to write your college essays! Remember that essays can be used to earn scholarships as well as college admission, so a few months of writing now can pay off with up to $300,000 in tuition saved later. 

We work with students at all stages of the writing process, from I-have-no-idea-what-to-write to final edits. To start working with an Ivy-League writing coach today, set up a quick free consultation with our team.

Schedule a free college essay consultation

Top College Essay Posts

• 14 Best College Essay Services for 2023 (40 Services Reviewed)
• Qualities of a Successful College Essay
• 11 College Essays That Worked
• How to Answer the UC Personal Insight Questions
• How Colleges Read your College Applications (A 4-Step Process)
• How to Write the Princeton Supplemental Essays
• The Diamond Strategy: How We Help Students Write College Essays that Get Them Into Princeton (And Other Ivy League Schools)
• What is the College Essay? Your Complete Guide for 202 4
• College Essay Brainstorming: Where to Start
• How to Write the Harvard Supplemental Essays
• How to Format Your College Essay

Emily graduated  summa cum laude  from Princeton University and holds an MA from the University of Notre Dame. She was a National Merit Scholar and has won numerous academic prizes and fellowships. A veteran of the publishing industry, she has helped professors at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton revise their books and articles. Over the last decade, Emily has successfully mentored hundreds of students in all aspects of the college admissions process, including the SAT, ACT, and college application essay. 

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• What Is Cinema?

Monica Lewinsky: In Praise of Alternate Endings, 10 Years After My First VF Essay

Never lose hope.

“I love you. Bye, Felicia !” I texted my friend Katerina on October 27, 2016. The sassy send-off had been in the culture for two decades (a reference from the film Friday ), but it had only crossed our transom that year. We used it affectionately and, therefore, ironically. Unbeknownst to me, it would be our last text exchange. She died unexpectedly on November 1.

Our friendship had been a salvation in the latter half of what I now call my Dark Decade, roughly 2004 to 2014. Though that stretch of time included some moments of joy, they were few and far between. For the most part, I was in a sea of pain, coming to grips with what it meant to have been standing at the center of a political sex scandal in which I was opposing the most powerful man in the world. Coming to grips with the trauma that grew around me, like weeds, as a result of the public revelations of my private life, the ensuing media circus, an impeachment trial. Coming to grips with what my future might look like. Answer: It looked fucking bleak. I was unemployable. And I was Angry.

Katerina, an entrepreneur and activist, was whip-smart about current events, world history, and spiritual matters. She had a roaring, infectious laugh. She was also kind. You would hardly know that less than a decade earlier, in a freak accident, she had broken her back in five places. After being reassembled with metal rods, she was told she’d likely never walk again. “Screw that,” she would say, “pun intended.” She didn’t lose hope and instead insisted on an alternate ending, prognosis be damned. With grit (and some luck), she recovered and did indeed walk again. And she walked tall.

Our conversations spanned the personal and the political. In 2013, as Edward Snowden leaked classified NSA documents, exposing an array of methods the government and European allies used to spy on private citizens, Kat posited that 15 years earlier, the Starr Report had catapulted us all into what she termed the Age of Transparency. We’d had explosive disclosures in politics before: the Pentagon Papers, Watergate , Iran-Contra. But at their core, these were military, political, professional; 1998 was personal. A boss having an extramarital affair with a young subordinate. A politician abusing power. People, under oath, lying about sex. Rumors titillating the Beltway and beyond. All ordinaire. Almost quotidian. But this time was different. As the truth was made public, published in full on the internet, the personal behavior of a private citizen (me)—along with the actions of others, which had typically been obfuscated by power, gender, status, and wealth—was laid bare. And this transparency led to historical and cultural shifts.

Kat made the point that after 1998, for better or for worse, becoming transparent meant becoming Seen—in new and sometimes disturbing ways. And year upon year, we began to peek behind the veil in all facets of life and culture, thanks to the Patriot Act, reality television, the truth about weapons of mass destruction, the advent of social media, Wikileaks, 23andMe, the UK tabloid phone hacking scandal, and on and on.

Kat’s argument was compelling. And a year after Snowden’s data dump, 2014, I would find myself impacted by this Age of Transparency yet again, this time gratefully.

Ten years ago, after a decade of self-imposed silence in which I had retreated from a world that still shamed me, after a decade of involution and integration (and a fuckton of healing), I jumped back into the public conversation. With no safety net. And I found my voice…by writing for this magazine.

In many ways, my 2014 essay, “ Shame and Survival ,” was a social experiment. Vanity Fair and its then editor, Graydon Carter, could have been lambasted for giving someone from a 15-year-old news story, well, 15 more minutes. And not just in a splashy interview, but in a first-person essay in which I allowed myself to be transparent—and unblinking. (The first line was “How does it feel to be America’s blow job queen?”) I was no longer mediated through another’s gaze but stepping forward unabashedly.

And something surprising happened. A generation that hadn’t lived through the Brainwashing of 1998 insisted on reevaluating this story, one that, given government and judicial overreach, given the technological and tabloid explosion, had always been bigger than me and any one of the other players in it. It had always been a story about the culture at large, and why in my original piece I had referred to myself as a social canvas.

What followed was a Big Fat Fucking Miracle™. My life changed, and I’ll be forever thankful.

That doesn’t mean it has been all smooth sailing. Hardly. Over the years, I’ve spoken confidentially to many people who have been publicly shamed and have explained that taking back one’s narrative doesn’t happen overnight and is (annoyingly) replete with plenty of setbacks. While the essay went on to be nominated for a National Magazine Award (I’m not kidding, alongside pieces by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Roger Angell—Angell won), the following month I attended a party in LA and a famous diva asked me, point-blank, if I was someone’s plus-one. When I replied I had been invited, she snarked, “They just let everyone in tonight, didn’t they?” (Yes, really.)

It went on like this. I gave my first major public speeches: at the Forbes 30 Under 30 conference and, several months later, in 2015, at TED in Vancouver. But mere minutes after my TED Talk, “The Price of Shame ,” went online, the level of vitriol, misogyny, and hatred spewed at me in the comments section was worse than anything the TED team had experienced before. (Who knew there were so many ways to say whore ?) Soon I began working with anti-bullying organizations globally. And yet, when one of the groups was being honored at an event, I was asked not to walk the red carpet.

In 2018, I was asked by Vanity Fair ’s newly appointed editor, Radhika Jones, to address the #MeToo moment in an essay in which I unpacked my own thoughts about what constituted consent in a workplace relationship with a quintessential power differential. Shortly thereafter I was disinvited to a philanthropy summit because former president Bill Clinton was a last-minute addition to the roster.

I could go on for hours. If this last decade has shown me anything, it’s that we never know what lurks or enlivens around the next corner. That one essay, where someone took a chance on me, helped set my life on a different course.

My friend Katerina, who is intensely missed, was not as fortunate. One night she had dined out with her husband and developed what became a fatal case of food poisoning. She was hospitalized, sepsis set in, and she quickly passed. But to this day she remains Seen, in all her common majesty, by everyone who encountered her in life.

After all, in the end what matters more than how it all began is how we have been Seen . And as Rumi wrote:

Never lose hope, dear heart. Miracles swell in the invisible.

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India is my identity: Gautam Gambhir 'honoured' after being appointed head coach

Gautam gambhir said he was honoured after being appointed as the new head coach of the indian men's cricket team. bcci secretary jay shah announced gambhir's appointment on tuesday..

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• Gautam Gambhir said he was honoured after being appointed new India coach
• Serving my country has been the greatest privilege of my life: Gautam Gambhir
• Jay Shah expressed his confidence in Gambhir's capability to guide the team

Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir expressed his gratitude and enthusiasm after being appointed as the head coach of the Indian men's cricket team on Tuesday, July 9. The BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirmed Gambhir's appointment as the head coach of the India Men's senior team. Gambhir will take over the role from Rahul Dravid, under whom India reached the final of the ICC World Test Championship and the 50-over World Cup in 2023, and won the T20 World Cup in 2024.

India is my identity and serving my country has been the greatest privilege of my life. I’m honoured to be back, albeit wearing a different hat. But my goal is the same as it has always been, to make every Indian proud. The men in blue shoulder the dreams of 1.4 billion Indiansâ€æ pic.twitter.com/N5YyyrhXAI — Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) July 9, 2024

Gambhir's first assignment as head coach will be a white-ball tour of Sri Lanka later this month, comprising three ODIs and three T20Is. The BCCI has yet to confirm whether assistant coaches Vikram Rathour (batting), Paras Mhambrey (bowling), and T Dilip (fielding), who worked with Dravid, will continue in their roles.

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Now that Rhode Island women's basketball coach has reached the Olympics, she has one more goal

Tammi Reiss available this morning in Kingston. @RhodyWBB coach talking Team USA and an upcoming trip to Paris for the Olympics. She'll be an assistant with the 3x3 women's basketball entry. More updates to come. #URI #Rams pic.twitter.com/KcJhENa7JA — Bill Koch (@BillKoch25) July 9, 2024

SOUTH KINGSTOWN — This was the pinnacle for Tammi Reiss in terms of basketball goals as an elementary schooler. 

There was no WNBA when she started playing the game seriously in upstate New York. A future college career and a chance to represent her country at the Olympics were always the hopes. 

Reiss was a star at Virginia — that's one dream down. The next will come true later this month when the University of Rhode Island women's coach travels to Paris as a member of the Team USA 3x3 women’s basketball staff. 

Reiss will serve as an assistant to Jennifer Rizzotti and chase a gold medal on the sport’s biggest stage. It’s the culmination of a multiyear process that’s seen her travel to Mongolia, Austria, Quebec and everywhere in between. This is likely to be the final tournament before turning full-time attention back to the Rams, and it comes against the world’s elite. 

More: As the popularity of women's basketball surges, Providence and Rhode Island hope to follow suit

More: Richmond ends Rhode Island women's run in Atlantic 10 Tournament with a 65-51 victory

“You get to go against the best of every country,” Reiss said on Tuesday morning at the Ryan Center. “As an athlete that was always my goal — to be the very best in the world. You can say that when you play in the Olympics.” 

The United States enters as the defending champions. It captured the debut of this tournament in Tokyo and is the reigning gold medal winners at both the Pan American Games and World Cup in 2023. Cierra Burdick and Hailey Van Lith both return to the roster alongside Rhyne Howard and Dearica Hamby. 

“It helps us tremendously knowing we’ve beaten all these teams,” Reiss said. “And there’s a way we’ve beaten them. Van Lith and Burdick have that experience.” 

Burdick starred at Tennessee before appearing with six different WNBA franchises. Howard was the No. 1 overall pick in the league’s 2022 draft and plays for the Atlanta Dream. Van Lith will complete a final college season at TCU in 2024-25 after emerging as a star at Louisville and enduring a difficult year as a transfer at LSU in 2023-24. 

“When I asked her about her experience at LSU, she said, ‘Listen, it’s not what I wanted, but it helped me grow. And I needed that,’ ” Reiss said. “When she took the court in Springfield at the trials, the old Van Lith was back.  

“It was attack mode. It was compete mode. It was, ‘I’m going to kill you.’ ” 

Hamby was one of the final cuts from the initial roster and is replacing Los Angeles Sparks teammate Cameron Brink, who suffered a major left knee injury last month in a game against the Connecticut Sun. Subsequent surgery has left the Stanford rookie sidelined until at least 2025, and Hamby was called back to help bolster the paint. 

“When Cam got hurt, it was a natural progression,” Reiss said. “Dearica was a click away from making the Olympic team.” 

Reiss is leaving on Thursday for a recruiting trip and will be back on the road with Team USA coming out of the WNBA All-Star break. That game is set for July 20 in Phoenix — a charter flight to London and Paris will leave immediately following. Reiss and her team will be staying just outside city limits at a private hotel with the nation’s entire basketball travel party, a group that will include stars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. 

“Getting them up to speed very quickly in those eight or 10 days that we have leading to the Olympics is key for chemistry,” Reiss said. “Really key learning coverages, learning plays.” 

Games will begin July 30 at Place de la Concorde. It’s different action than normal 5-on-5 play — a 10-minute game clock, a 12-second shot clock and a race to 21 points by ones and twos. Coaching involvement is minimal during actual game play, with no direct instruction or timeouts called from the bench permitted. 

“It’s a completely different game,” Reiss said. “You’ve got to be able to read and react very quickly and have great chemistry.” 

Reiss figures to have a healthy share of local backing. URI has featured at least three players from France on each of its rosters since Reiss was hired off Syracuse’s staff in 2019-20 — associate head coach Adeniyi Amadou and current Rams guard Ines Debroise are both Paris natives. Former URI forward Marie-Paule Foppossi remains in contention to make the 5-on-5 team for her country. 

“Some of our recruits are there,” Reiss said. “They know we’re there. It’s really, really special for me. 

“I’ve been to France a lot in different tournaments — I've never been to Paris yet. This will be my first time.” 

Reiss hasn’t allowed herself to think too far ahead. She’s still in preparation mode but hopes to find tickets for some of the more high-profile Team USA events — swimming with Katie Ledecky, track and field with Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson, gymnastics with Simone Biles. Most of her bases should be covered by the time Reiss touches down across the Atlantic. 

“This is a very rare opportunity,” Reiss said. “Enjoy the moment. Don’t work it away.” 

[email protected]

On X: @BillKoch25