Need help with college essays? (Stanford PhD with 15 years of teaching experience)

Many high schoolers don't begin writing their college application essays until the Fall of senior year. This is a mistake.

✏️ Drafting and polishing a truly excellent Personal Statement/main essay can take months (anywhere from 2-10 drafts), and senior Fall is already enormously busy: APs, SATs, capstone projects, etc. With all that on their plates already, it can be hard to do anything but an "ok" job on essays.

But your kid can't afford to do just an ok job. In a sea of 4.0 GPA students with 1500+ SAT scores, essays very often make or break an application.

🗓️ The best time to start those essays is NOW, in the early summer, so that your kid can give this high-priority app component the energy it deserves.

If your rising Senior isn't sure where to begin (or has a draft that they'd like to take from "good" to "WOW"), that's where I come in. I’m a writing tutor with 15+ years of experience teaching writing. I've shepherded multiple students towards stellar college essays. Along the way, I help the student explore their unique life perspective and writing voice. Believe it or not, the application process can be an occasion for exciting self-discovery, not just stress.

🍎 I hold a PhD in English from Stanford, where I taught PWR (the school’s writing- and research-intensive course), TAed multiple literature courses, and won a university-wide teaching prize.

I excel in helping writers of all experience levels hone their craft and boost their grades. Whether you need help with just one essay or prefer ongoing support, we can find a teaching or editing structure that works best for you.

I conduct sessions over Zoom or in person, depending on your location and preferences. My rate is $120/hour.

Please message me with any questions or to book your free, no-commitment discovery call. This is where I’ll learn more about your needs and answer any questions you might have.