Isn’t working with a writing coach cheating?
Not at all! In fact, college admissions officers say there’s nothing wrong with having someone help you brainstorm, emphasize parts of your story or offer suggestions. Coaching is very different from having someone write your essay for you or you buying a pre-written essay to submit as your own.
When you think of working with a writing coach, think of it as more of a tutoring type of service. I can help during every step of the writing process, but in the end the work will be your own and the essay will be written in your voice.
Is a writing coach worth the money?
For most students, the answer is yes.
College essay writing is a very personal type of writing, and with this type of writing it can be beneficial to have support from a coach who isn’t a family member or someone who isn’t very close to you. This way I see your work as an outsider, much like a college admissions officer.
Plus, lets face it— sometimes the parent-child relationship can get stressful during this stage of the college application process, and that’s another level of stress that can be reduced by working with a coach.
Getting started and the process
Most colleges and universities allow the student to choose their own essay topic. If you’re looking for help from start to finish, we will meet for the first time for about an hour to talk about the process, your goals and ideas for an essay. This also helps me get to know you and hear how you tell stories, which allows me to get to know your writing voice. We can also talk about different writing styles, essay topics that would be best for you, along with what college admission officers are looking for in essays.
From there, once we have a topic, we can outline a draft. The student will then write a draft and I’ll give feedback and make suggestions. We’ll go back and forth with drafts and edits until the students is 100 percent satisfied and confident with their finished essay.
If you already have an essay written, I’m happy to help with feedback and edits on a per hour basis.
