In my view, the purpose of essays is to tell the college something they don’t already know from your other materials. By the time they read your essay, they know your grades, your interests, and your activities. But colleges don’t admit a transcript or an activity list—they admit a person. Someone they believe will contribute to their campus. Generally speaking, this means they want students who will get out of their dorm room and be pleasant to be around. When I sit down with a student, I ask myself: what do I find most appealing about them? What are their strengths? How can I help them communicate those strengths on the page?

Also, what they are looking for depends on what kind of applicant you are. For example, for students with a strong background in STEM it’s generally (but not always) ill-advised to write about your love of astrophysics or quantum mechanics.

***FAQ***

Do I need a “hook”?



No. Many students get distracted searching for an attention-grabbing headline. What will make your essay strong is depth and detail. If you work on it enough, you’ll find material that the reader finds compelling.

How can I help?

I can catch your comma splices and fix your grammar, but what is most valuable is my understanding of story structure and narrative - the core of any strong essay. I will help you identify the story you want to tell and use classic storytelling techniques to make it sing.

How does the process work?

My process adapts to the student’s needs, but I’ll explain how I prefer to work. First, I like to spend 1-2 sessions getting to know the student, interviewing them. It’s essential that I understand not just what you study in school but what you value, what motivates you, and the little things that distinguish you from your siblings, neighbors, and classmates. It’s also important that you feel that I understand you and respect your values. After that, my preference is to attack the personal statement quickly, getting through the first two to three drafts as quickly as possible to discover the real story you want to tell. Once we are moving, I like to spend the first forty minutes of each session reviewing your work, giving you many, many edit suggestions and comments, and then the last twenty planning for what you are going to tackle next.