I'm consistently impressed by my students' resumes, activities, and intellectual interests, but I also notice that they don’t know how to talk about themselves or become immobile if they don’t have the “perfect” essay idea.
Spoiler: there is no such thing as the “perfect” applicant or essay.
Every year, there are stories about the “perfect” applicant who was rejected by all the Ivies despite having a perfect GPA and SAT score, taking 12 APs, founding their own nonprofit, being the president of their high school, playing on three varsity sports teams, and writing opera librettos as a hobby. Okay, so all of that might be a bit hyperbolic, but if you’re reading this page, you probably know what I mean.
Colleges can tell so much about an applicant from their transcript, letters of recommendation, and test scores, but essays are the pathway to understanding the student as a community member and their potential for growth. College admission officers aren’t just picking a whole bunch of individuals who got 5s on their AP exams; they are building a community of scholars and citizens who will live and grow together for the next several years.
For this reason, I always encourage students and their families to look beyond academic perfection and accolades. Students are so much more than a list of accomplishments on a resume or perfect GPA. They have a story to tell, and our work together is to unlock that story across a series of essays.
The process of applying to college only gets more anxiety-inducing every year. In a March 2024 piece for New York Magazine, author Jeffrey Selingo noted that “[a]pplications to the 1,000-plus colleges that are part of the Common Application are up 6 percent over last year’s total, which was already a record.” You can practically feel the tightness swelling in an applicant’s and their family’s chests.
I would be remiss not to acknowledge the services available for families navigating this complicated college admissions landscape. I admire the extensive offerings of larger consulting services that can handle a roster of hundreds of clients.
I understand the appeal of these larger companies, but I intentionally keep my roster small, working with smaller companies or one-on-one with students and their families. The reason for this is that the application writing process is surprisingly emotional for an applicant and their families.
If you’ve spent any time with a student applying to college or their families, you know what I mean. I aim for my services to support the emotional elements accompanying the application process. Sometimes, you need someone to help you believe in your ideas when you feel like giving up. Sometimes, you need to release those essay frustrations through a good cry or to write the terrible version of that essay that paves the way to discovering your voice. Sometimes, you need someone to reassure you that your entire future doesn’t depend on having an earth-shattering dramatic story that can be condensed into 650 words. I work with clients to find the moments that shaped a student’s character, discover meaning in simplicity, and communicate a student’s best qualities in writing.
I’m proud of my students who commit themselves to the process and embrace the uphill battle. The journey is as important as the results. Many students I’ve worked with have achieved admission to selective institutions and spend Ivy Day celebrating. But, at the end of the day, I think the biggest victory is that these individuals have emerged from the process with a better understanding of themselves and a sense of resilience that will empower them for the rest of their lives.