No bots, parents, or besties as co-authors.

Your stories and your writing are enough - I promise! We will work hard to ensure you turn in something that represents you at your best and truly shares your voice; it is critical that you are the author of your essay. There should not be multiple users generating writing in your GoogleDoc. Apart from the ethical concerns, multiple writers and perspectives in one essay lead to a disjointed sound and an inauthentic feel. 

Additionally, meetings are for you (students) only to ensure that your concerns, interests, and voice take top priority.

Missed meetings and late cancellations incur a $40 fee.

It is really easy to forget a meeting, especially in the summer when we are all out of routine! I recommend opting-in to the text reminders when you sign up for a session in order to get an email and a text. If you forget, need to cancel with less than four hours notice, or show up but have no new work, your final invoice will have a $40 fee added. It’s not personal, but especially during peak season, another student has missed that slot, and I have already hired childcare.

Save outside readers for the end of the process.

While outside feedback can be helpful, too many opinions—especially from those unfamiliar with college admissions—can lead to unnecessary changes that dilute the strength of your essay. I will not be able to respond or cater to feedback from individuals I don’t work with. We will workshop your essay, revising it as many times as needed until it is truly ready for submission. Once we reach that point, you are welcome to seek additional input from people in your sphere and make further changes outside of our work together. I recommend that these are individuals familiar with the unique world of college admissions, such as your school counselor or an independent educational consultant.

Don’t put undue pressure on your writing.

Essays provide an opportunity to showcase who you are beyond your grades and scores, and for that, they are undeniably important. However, it’s essential to remember that no essay, no matter how well-crafted, can compensate for an academic profile that demonstrates you may not be a fit for a particular institution. Putting excessive pressure on your essay to “get you into” a highly selective school when your academic performance does not align with their profile can lead to unrealistic expectations. Your essay should support your application, not carry its weight entirely.

Your privacy is important to me.

Unless you are writing about something that shows you or someone else is in danger, I won’t share your writing without your permission. However, I also understand that parents are paying for an experience and want to see the fruits of their student’s labor. I recommend families have a conversation about how involved parents will be in the process and what level of visibility they would like regarding drafts and final versions of the student’s work. I will support you all in whatever way you decide works best!